Sabae Magic

The options were do yard work or go to the lake so I got the hell out of dodge ... forecast was for crappy followed by nothing all coming from the south. I took down the Silberpfeil so I could reinstall the FDS and update the chicken loop.

HOWEVER ... got there about 2:30pm and we had just a breath of wind from the north, straight shot down the lake all nice and smooth like. The Junkie and the other F-One guy were there so I thought "What the hell" and suited up.

Launched and stood around for a while then was like "To hell with it, is sunny and warm why not jump in the lake" so I did. Rode off downwind and walked back. Did it again; this time there was only just not enough wind to go upwind. Same again ... but the wind has picked on the fourth run out and I'm holding my beam reach easily so I go back and forth for a while. Wind picks up a little more and now we're heading upwind so it's fun again :)

Good time working on my light wind technique (ha!) and the wind kicks up just enough to have a little fun - perfectly powered for the big white monster! All very tentative cos last time I had the 'pfeil out, the gusts gave me grief and it got wet and sandy - but that day wind was from the west and seriously cranky. Today was butter-smooth wind from the north east and the kite was stable as, all 3 hours of the session! Despite the light wind, the kite never touched the water and never got out of shape ... or even wiggled a tip at me!

So big shout out to John at Power Zone Kitesports for an invisible repair and a rock-steady tune! Cheers dude!

Wind dropped off as the sun was setting, Granpa dropped his Switchblade in the shore-break and couldn't get it up so with burning thighs, I called it a day. Figure I'd been on the water non-stop for about 2.5 hours ... I'm gonna be sore tomorrow!

Had a chat with Miyachi at the club house about the wind - the forecast said shit all day from the south even! and he just said "Ah, Sabae magic!"

Indeed!

What I learned today ...
• A new trick - well not really. Ride with one hand on the bar which slowly sends the kite up - if you time it right and load'n'pop, you go way up and look all stylee doing it one handed - a great time to flash some intimidating gang signs at the nearest jet-ski rider. East Side is de best!
• Sunglasses are great - they also reduce the spray in the eyes which is great. Tying them onto my wetsuit zipper leash is a great idea too! The brown lenses were a little too dark for the overcast conditions so perhaps the yellow ones would be more great. Great!
• Load'n'pop - real fun when you get it right but I'm still maddeningly inconsistent. That slicing carve and BOING way up in the air is the opium yo!
• Riding the fins when the wind is light to keep the board flat is the go. Good posture and really feeling the kite and board ... FS teaches so much more than the LEIs eh - so much more feedback from the kite, if you know what to listen for. I gotta liken it to riding a V-twin versus a two-stroke.
• You CAN downloop the S2 19 - without pulling a leader line - you just need about half the window. It was fine up to being fully powered but I don't know how much utility there is in it :D