or just today was gusty crap. Cos if it's always like this, then . . . well. I remember Thailand being forever smooth :(
Came and went all afternoon. Got out on the Flydoor, on the Dialer, then had a drink and went back out on the 'door.
Now, I've not much to say cos it wasn't an epic session but FOR THE EVERLASTING LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST why would you take your stupid pre-school brats, walk in a straight line from the break in the trees opposite the carpark at the clubhouse, and park your ass on the beach in the middle of everyone launching and landing AND put your stupid brats in the water in the middle of everyone leaving the beach?
You know you're being a FUCKING MORON when the JAPANESE guys are saying you're a fucking moron. And you should fucking know better cos your husband is a fucking instructor!!!
I'm trying really hard to /rant.
Moment of the day was that proper carve!
Mood of the session was whee bah whee!
Weather was reported as 12 knots gusting to 22...? 29˚C at 50%?!?
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 20.
What I learned today . . .
• The XB is slo-ooow!
• Boost height is a little better than the Flite (MAYbe) but you get more loft out of sending it but only if you do it j-u-s-t right.
• Going from the Dialer to the Flydoor - I kept wondering if I'd snagged a fin on one of the little kids. Drag, much?
• Better to put the harness on loose? Certainly easier to wiggle it down and get the straps outa my ass crack.
• Backspin transition no loop - get aggressive and redirect early to get a yank and get planning sooner.
• Oh I remember - loosen the harness off . . . lessens the relentless wedgies.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
In which I realize I've been spoiled by Thailand
Forecast looked like it might happen but there was no agreement between GPV and JMA . . . but at 2pm the webcam was going off.
Got down the lake at 2:30pm and headed over with the Dialer, Flydoor and Flite.
Out on the Flydoor - feels different to the v2 eh. So does the rough water :o felt a bit timid, didn't really do much. Knots on the pigtails in the wrong place make the steering vague.
Pull the strap out . . . same bolt, different board. Hmm. Wind's dropped and I ride/walk back for the Dialer. Get a few minutes in then the wind drops again. Up, down, shifting from N to NW then drops right off.
Stand around for a while then head home about 5pm. Water was a bit cool . . .
Moment of the day was carving around on the Dialer.
It sucks when you're too lazy to reset the settings.
Weather was reported as 3 to 12 knots, gusts to 20; 24˚C at 85%.
Wind felt like 12 to 15 knots . . . powered in the best bits but I could have done with moar!
What I learned today . . .
• Check all your screws often if you're not going to Loctite them!
• Or at least, leave the good screwdriver in the car.
• The new-style Airush pump is brilliant.
• The new-style Airush clip is bloody annoying on the Flite cos of the hook in the end, and the strap.
• Second knot.
Moment of the day was carving around on the Dialer.
It sucks when you're too lazy to reset the settings.
Weather was reported as 3 to 12 knots, gusts to 20; 24˚C at 85%.
Wind felt like 12 to 15 knots . . . powered in the best bits but I could have done with moar!
What I learned today . . .
• Check all your screws often if you're not going to Loctite them!
• Or at least, leave the good screwdriver in the car.
• The new-style Airush pump is brilliant.
• The new-style Airush clip is bloody annoying on the Flite cos of the hook in the end, and the strap.
• Second knot.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Good last one
Forecast looked ok for the PM and as it was our last day here, thought we'd just relax at the beach anyway. Got there about 4pm to SFA from the SW . . . changed then slowly picked up to lookin' good from the NW.
Went out about 5pm and had a pretty nicely powered session! Good power to nicely over in the gusts, to just under in the lulls. Only came in cos the sun was setting.
Tried out the Xcaliber and Tronic for a good few minutes . . .
Xcaliber is awesome on flat water, feels really locked in but may be too stiff in the chop - tended to get bounced around if you weren't on the ball.
Tronic is too narrow at the tips - constant spray on the back leg (but none on the front and into the face?!) and tougher to go upwind. Wonder if I shouldn't just go for the XL size :( Tough call now . . .
Went out about 5pm and had a pretty nicely powered session! Good power to nicely over in the gusts, to just under in the lulls. Only came in cos the sun was setting.
Tried out the Xcaliber and Tronic for a good few minutes . . .
Xcaliber is awesome on flat water, feels really locked in but may be too stiff in the chop - tended to get bounced around if you weren't on the ball.
Tronic is too narrow at the tips - constant spray on the back leg (but none on the front and into the face?!) and tougher to go upwind. Wonder if I shouldn't just go for the XL size :( Tough call now . . .
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Dawn patrol is the answer
Again, up early and out to Nathon. Best light wind session so far, riding upwind ok most of the time. A few silly jumps and stunts but I still want more wind!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Dawn and storm
Dawn patrol again, paid off with a just-powered session for a couple of hours.
Storm came through in the afternoon, and I arrived just in time to . . . miss it.
Storm came through in the afternoon, and I arrived just in time to . . . miss it.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Dawn patrol
Been noticing that the wind comes in at dawn then dies off, so heading out bright n' early today... got some underpowered riding in from 7 to 8am. Flat water is still amazing!
The following few days looks better...
Thursday, August 8, 2013
One mad minute
Spent all day humming and harring cos the wind didn't seem quite there. Mark assured me that it'd come in, in the late afternoon. So we went to Angela's for a late lunch then got back to Nathon about 4.
Waited some more, looks like it'll pick up, there's a storm cell out at sea. I decide to be the guinea pig and launch first. Tack out through the flat, 3 inch deep water... mmm, it's coming in but it's gnarly - canopy is twitching like a mad thing.
Get out past the sand bar and let rip. Good jumps, some almost make me go "woohoo" so it's good. I'm just getting used to being well over-powered and then Mark cuts by close and says "Watch out for that"; that, being a big black cloud bank.
Another what felt like 5 minutes of great fun then it started to drop. When I couldn't go upwind any more, I made my way back into the shallows. Landed my kite, then the wind fell right off.
Well, it was awesome for a while there!
Weather was reported as 15 to 20 knots.
Wind felt like 25-30... it was hairy.
What I learned today...
• Mark likes pies.
• Buzz is a wind god. Or whatever it is that when someone comes and sets their gear up, the wind dies.
• Jumping from flat water is tough. I like my kickers.
Waited some more, looks like it'll pick up, there's a storm cell out at sea. I decide to be the guinea pig and launch first. Tack out through the flat, 3 inch deep water... mmm, it's coming in but it's gnarly - canopy is twitching like a mad thing.
Get out past the sand bar and let rip. Good jumps, some almost make me go "woohoo" so it's good. I'm just getting used to being well over-powered and then Mark cuts by close and says "Watch out for that"; that, being a big black cloud bank.
Another what felt like 5 minutes of great fun then it started to drop. When I couldn't go upwind any more, I made my way back into the shallows. Landed my kite, then the wind fell right off.
Well, it was awesome for a while there!
Weather was reported as 15 to 20 knots.
Wind felt like 25-30... it was hairy.
What I learned today...
• Mark likes pies.
• Buzz is a wind god. Or whatever it is that when someone comes and sets their gear up, the wind dies.
• Jumping from flat water is tough. I like my kickers.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Nathon again
Early morning trip to the beach was a waste of time, but a storm whipped up some fun in the late afternoon, until dark. Thankfully, the tide had come in some so it was good.
Weather was reported as 15 knots.
Wind felt like 15 knots. Comfy powered to wanting more.
What I learned today...
• Don't leave your kite out in the sun! A non-painful lesson, I think.
• Pump that bugger up properly.
• Don't trust that your lines aren't tangled, even though you wrapped them up carefully...
• Tips can fold if you load the kite and haven't pumped it up enough.
• I'm sure there was something else too...
Weather was reported as 15 knots.
Wind felt like 15 knots. Comfy powered to wanting more.
What I learned today...
• Don't leave your kite out in the sun! A non-painful lesson, I think.
• Pump that bugger up properly.
• Don't trust that your lines aren't tangled, even though you wrapped them up carefully...
• Tips can fold if you load the kite and haven't pumped it up enough.
• I'm sure there was something else too...
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Back in Thailand!
The usual trepidation when heading out to a "new" spot... checked out Twin Peaks but there was no water - tide was wa-aaay out so I went up to Nathon. The KBA boys were there, so quickly caught up then headed out. Walked out through ankle deep water to the deeper part of the bay.
Well, there's enough wind to get up and plane downwind. Slowly picks up over the next two hours but still isn't epic. A few tiddler jumps and rotations but the crowd isn't going wild. Rated it "gravy" cos it was good enough to get me back into the groove.
Moment of the day was that first tack out on the perfectly flat water... OMG!
Mood of the session was bemused amused.
Weather was reported as 10-13 knots from the SE, 30˚C.
Wind felt like that. Underpowered but riding downwind to just riding upwind but unable to really do anything cool.
What I learned today...
• Flat water is so damned nice!
• Using a compressor to inflate your kite is so damned nice!
• Having a lawn to pack your kite up on is so damned nice!
• Having a cold beer right after you pack up is so damned nice! And no threat of getting caught by the cops is... so damned nice!
Well, there's enough wind to get up and plane downwind. Slowly picks up over the next two hours but still isn't epic. A few tiddler jumps and rotations but the crowd isn't going wild. Rated it "gravy" cos it was good enough to get me back into the groove.
Moment of the day was that first tack out on the perfectly flat water... OMG!
Mood of the session was bemused amused.
Weather was reported as 10-13 knots from the SE, 30˚C.
Wind felt like that. Underpowered but riding downwind to just riding upwind but unable to really do anything cool.
What I learned today...
• Flat water is so damned nice!
• Using a compressor to inflate your kite is so damned nice!
• Having a lawn to pack your kite up on is so damned nice!
• Having a cold beer right after you pack up is so damned nice! And no threat of getting caught by the cops is... so damned nice!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Third time's a PITA
Good wind but the wrong kite - not in a suitable state of tune. Nothing exciting really happened, except having such little low-end that I had to tack way the fuck out to Otsu before I could get out of the Marina bay.
Moment of the day was making it back to where I started from :-/
Mood of the session ranged from goddamnitmuthafucka to oh-bah-humbug.
Weather was reported as 10 to 12 knots, gusts to 18; 29˚C at 55%. Huh.
Wind felt like crap. Kite was out of tune so that didn't help.
What I learned today...
• The P4 19 is in dire need of a tune-up!
• Dialer is hard on the legs!
• The Infinity bar mod works great.
Moment of the day was making it back to where I started from :-/
Mood of the session ranged from goddamnitmuthafucka to oh-bah-humbug.
Weather was reported as 10 to 12 knots, gusts to 18; 29˚C at 55%. Huh.
Wind felt like crap. Kite was out of tune so that didn't help.
What I learned today...
• The P4 19 is in dire need of a tune-up!
• Dialer is hard on the legs!
• The Infinity bar mod works great.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Better. Keep working on it
Good forecast for a change, due in around 2pm. Watching the JMA and webcam like a hawk... do some laundry (!) then head off about 2:30pm. Get to the lake and it's still not arrived, really. Take the Flite and the XB13 over the lake with both TTs.
Hum n' harr for a bit... go with the Flite and the Z. Out of the gates it's ok, the water isn't hacked up yet so it's easy upwind but I'm not super-powered.
Wind drops, I swap to the Flydoor. Wind drops right off, I land the kite and wait. Repeat several times.
Get a few multiple rotations, one really good jump but mostly it's just low-level dicking around. Had hoped for so much more... maybe I should have gone with the 13 :(
Wind picks up really well for one last run... not having fun with the Z in the extra slop n' chop so I go back to the Flydoor. Easier to ride!
Moment of the day was either the solitary Big Jump or the really phat, lazy, perfect front roll.
Mood of the session was fine hmm whee!
Weather was reported as 12 to 15 knots, gusts to 22; 30˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like I should have been boosting higher, given the effort it was to hang on to the bar.
What I learned today...
• Slow steering = heavy bar pressure but not much slower. Smoother, I think though.
• Those bloody screws in the Z need to be loctited!
• Less extreme penetration deep anal sex with a wetsuit on... it was downright comfortable for the first 2 hours!
Hum n' harr for a bit... go with the Flite and the Z. Out of the gates it's ok, the water isn't hacked up yet so it's easy upwind but I'm not super-powered.
Wind drops, I swap to the Flydoor. Wind drops right off, I land the kite and wait. Repeat several times.
Get a few multiple rotations, one really good jump but mostly it's just low-level dicking around. Had hoped for so much more... maybe I should have gone with the 13 :(
Wind picks up really well for one last run... not having fun with the Z in the extra slop n' chop so I go back to the Flydoor. Easier to ride!
Moment of the day was either the solitary Big Jump or the really phat, lazy, perfect front roll.
Mood of the session was fine hmm whee!
Weather was reported as 12 to 15 knots, gusts to 22; 30˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like I should have been boosting higher, given the effort it was to hang on to the bar.
What I learned today...
• Slow steering = heavy bar pressure but not much slower. Smoother, I think though.
• Those bloody screws in the Z need to be loctited!
• Less extreme penetration deep anal sex with a wetsuit on... it was downright comfortable for the first 2 hours!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Could have been worse...
Forecast wasn't up to much but I was a-prayin' for the thermals... and they delivered.
Watched the webcam all P.M. until 5 when the wind turned and picked up. Rocked on down, decided to go with two TTs and the 21.
Was having an ok session... jumps still can't do well with that damned board. Foot-outs are easy though. Getting upwind fine if I slow it down.
Got stoked cos I was landing backroll board grabs :D so started trying to do backroll kite loops... but now I realize they were doomed from the start, because I wasn't thinking about the right way to do them and had used up the mojo on the triple front- and backrolls and grabs.
So I borked one up, was underwater and thought I'd let the kite finish the loop and then - SPROING - the kite is flying by the RH lines only :( the LH power pig tail has ripped in half. Sigh... kite spirals down onto the beach, with a tip in the water. Wrap up the lines and rescue the kite, bamboo tangled like a mother in the lines... and there's a broken line, so that'll have to be fixed too. Grr. And there's a boo-boo on my finger.
Oh well, I got nothing but time baby! Back to the P4 for light wind then :D
Moment of the day was landing the backroll grabs! The multiple backrolls were groovy too.
Mood of the session was ho-ho-ho-doh.
Weather was reported as 10 to 8 knots, gusts to 14; 30˚C at 71%.
Wind felt like an honest 15 knots, with a few knots on either side.
What I learned today...
• The FS pigtails aren't designed for the big boys to throw down the powered submarine moves.
• You can give yourself a lot of pain by smashing your own fist into your harness. Who knew?
• Backroll board grab! without a redirect so I gotta be careful... and they're tough on the starboard tack for some reason.
• Trimming the Z is a tough job.
Watched the webcam all P.M. until 5 when the wind turned and picked up. Rocked on down, decided to go with two TTs and the 21.
Was having an ok session... jumps still can't do well with that damned board. Foot-outs are easy though. Getting upwind fine if I slow it down.
Got stoked cos I was landing backroll board grabs :D so started trying to do backroll kite loops... but now I realize they were doomed from the start, because I wasn't thinking about the right way to do them and had used up the mojo on the triple front- and backrolls and grabs.
So I borked one up, was underwater and thought I'd let the kite finish the loop and then - SPROING - the kite is flying by the RH lines only :( the LH power pig tail has ripped in half. Sigh... kite spirals down onto the beach, with a tip in the water. Wrap up the lines and rescue the kite, bamboo tangled like a mother in the lines... and there's a broken line, so that'll have to be fixed too. Grr. And there's a boo-boo on my finger.
Oh well, I got nothing but time baby! Back to the P4 for light wind then :D
Moment of the day was landing the backroll grabs! The multiple backrolls were groovy too.
Mood of the session was ho-ho-ho-doh.
Weather was reported as 10 to 8 knots, gusts to 14; 30˚C at 71%.
Wind felt like an honest 15 knots, with a few knots on either side.
What I learned today...
• The FS pigtails aren't designed for the big boys to throw down the powered submarine moves.
• You can give yourself a lot of pain by smashing your own fist into your harness. Who knew?
• Backroll board grab! without a redirect so I gotta be careful... and they're tough on the starboard tack for some reason.
• Trimming the Z is a tough job.
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