Psch

Lully and nasty. Got about 30 seconds of perfect riding, the rest being riding along then trying to do something just as a lull hits...

This time, the cocks walk

Had some hours free this afternoon, so I fixed the 21 and went to the lake for a test flight...

Oh it's the "competition" today too. Goody, the beach is completely covered with kites nobody is using, and the only free space is down the far end. Tough launch with the long lines, between the pile of bamboo trash and all the weeds and twigs on the shore... had to wade out to get it up, but the job got done.

Me and a Lotus 18 were out, and the only ones going upwind. A couple of hours fooling around doing rotations... not bad.

Idiot me... rather than land at the YMCA beach, with plenty of space, I got Miyachi to land me in the only space free at our beach.

Sigh... the North rep, call sign "Cock One", was trying four his unhooked mad skills 2 inches from the shore and dumped his kite downwind with his lines right on top of me, wrapped around my neck and actually started trying to relaunch his kite, before someone grabbed it and landed it, and I could untangle. Naturally, he apologized to Miyachi -- who was 12 feet away -- and just ignored me. Nice one.

Enter "Cock Two". First, he drags his boards and fins over my lines, then proceeds to drag his lines out from under my kite, ignoring the horrible noises as it catches on the material, then just yanks them out of the bridle lines. Then, when I'm halfway into rolling up, he's got the nerve to ask me to launch him -- without using polite grammar, so it's like he said, "I want to start, so launch me." I suggested he should ask someone who wasn't busy...

Fuck I hate comp days, and the cocks from Tokyo.

This time, a giant rubber cock

Good forecast didn't pan out but it was ok. First real ride on the directional in ocean waves... well, if you can't do little strapless airs you could be in trouble, instead of having a hoot. Waves weren't up to much but we're good for hopping and floating over.

Spent the first hour downwinding and walking, which is where I tripped over the latex rod of love. After I'd had enough of the walking, I landed the kite and took the ROAM2 of so naturally, the wind then picked right up and the riding improved...

Dropped off again so I packed up at sunset.

Another pair of sunglasses at the bottom of the lake

Was pretty good from about 3 to 5, but I was feeling a bit over-done on the Dialer and wanted to do some jumping so I switched to the S3 15 and the Flydoor... just as the wind died off. Did some low wind waffling around; rotations and kite loops that didn't do much.

Lost my Sundogs too... floats, my ass. Now, I wonder where I put the new ones I bought recently...

Coulda been worse

Good forecast all day, but have to work in the afternoon. Headed down at 10am for a couple of hours, but the wind was lulling too much to be worth the effort...

I was stood on the beach watching the horizon for a blow line when the guy on the hydrofoil dropped his Chrono wa-aaay the hell "outside"... it wasn't going back up so I went and told Miyachi and we went out on the boat looking for him. Couldn't find him, and it took another boat coming over who had seen him to point us in the right direction. Bloody hell!

Came back after work about 530pm and went out for a run on the Dialer with the S3 15, but it was crappy again. I packed up after a long lull, close to sunset, and just as I'd put the kite in the back in the bag it picked right up. Could have had another 45 minutes... Oh well.

Coulda been better

Forecast looked ok, but it didn't pick up til close to the time I had to leave, so only got less than an hour of powered riding... life is tough. And it turned out I didn't need to leave so early anyway!

Good enough

Not as much wind as yesterday, but enough to try to recreate the awesome feeling... although it fell a little short.

Tougher to transition feet on the Dialer with less wind to tap with the bar, need to keep the speed up. Has some need hitting of waves and getting a push back to get the feeling of actually surfing.

Despite being mostly underpowered, I had a pretty good time for 3 hours or so. Need to give my knees a break -- 5 sessions in 6 days! Unheard of!

Awesome!

Forecast looked ok, but it turned out to be a stonker!

Started out doing some good jumps on the 'door then as the wind dropped, got onto the Dialer. What a great session, just totally awesome feeling.

Has to be the Dynabar, just so much freer riding the boards. Even now I put in an hour or so on the TT with the Dynabar rather than changing it for the fixed hook, that's easy too. Greatly prefer; I reckon it's easier on my back too.

Just wish I could get the Teletubbies theme outa my head...

Dynabar intro

Thought I'd done this already. Can't remember the details, but I seem to remember it being acceptable and having a nice time playing with the Dynabar...

Two in a row?

Arienaiiiiii!

Forecast wasn't up to much, but I had the time so why not? The SB had arrived, I was sitting on the Dynabar for a light wind day, and the Mako Duke was sitting there begging for it...

Unfortunately, while the wind was ok, the water was a little full of crap, like chunks of wood and bamboo. I went out on the Dialer, was doing ok and avoiding the flotsam, then went out on the Mako Duke...

Initial thoughts are it's over-finned, as the back end is dug in and doesn't like to be shifted but it's more stable at speed than the Dialer and maybe I just need to move my foot back, like in the video. Tougher to gybe as it's narrower at the front but I only got to try that a couple of times...

Worried about the gunk in the water, I change back to the Dialer as the wind is up and down too... ride out the rest of the afternoon thusly.

Man, I love the Dynabar. The pad still rides up like a pig on the Mystic harness but at least it's not trying to dig my guts out. EVERYTHING is so much easier on the directional!

Sonic BOOM

Typhoon forecast was all jacked up -- last night it looked great all day, this morning it looked weak as. I'd pretty much given up on it as a bad joke, but had been messaging with Jun in Mie during the day. He reckoned 4 pm would be good, and I had the time free so I rocked on over.

Bloody glad I did... Jun offered to let me use the Sonic 18 he's borrowed, so long as I could pack it away dry :D it got soaked on the weekend. High tide, low wind, hot launch...

It was 6 knots when I got out of the car, and it picked up to 16 when I got back in. At first, I filled the kite and struggled with the tips a bit, then was surprised by how much pull it actually had. Hmm...

Got out in the light wind, a loop to get up and planing (!) and away across the beach. Got halfway back to my starting point then headed back out. Can feel the wind picking up, and I'm actually GOING UPWIND WHILE WORKING THE KITE! Amazing...

Wind continues to pick up, I go upwind easier, the jumps get bigger, the hang time longer... bloody amazing kite! It's a little more stable, and a little more twitchy, than the Speed3 but in different ways. Teeny bit more bar pressure I reckon, but more responsive. I want one.

Had to pack up as Jun was going home... didn't want to stop.

My thanks to the truck driver who threw a tantrum after I overtook you -- great comedy, I laughed mightily at your antics.

:(

Forecast looked ok, but I got ripped off. A handful of tacks, barely going upwind, for about 30 minutes. The racer boys impressed with the foil boards -- Sonic 11 guy was amazing.

On top of that, it rained so I have a soggy kite with no chance of drying it out cos it's rained every day since we got home...!