Forecast looked promising, headed down to the lake after work. Wind looked ok so I thought I'd rush out for a quick blast ... sunset is now pushing 6:30 so if I hauled ass, I could get an hour or more on the water.
Geared up - my US size 12 boots arrived from the Wetsuit Wearhouse last night and they're the perfect fit! Pumped up as fast as I could and that seemed to suck the wind out of the air into my kite :( wind drops off ...
16m Crossbow self-launches fine and I'm riding easily but not powered how I like ... trying to work on perfecting my stance and elevator jumps. Really need to tighten the straps to help with the stance but the pull-pull straps baffle me. Moderate success on the elevator jumps but only on a port tack :( it seems I'm very 'handed' as far as that is concerned.
Accidentally did a back loop/spin/roll - muffed a launch and spun around under the kite but hung on and landed it and rode away. Of course, nobody saw it!
Good session, glad I made the effort even though the wind was light and the lake was full of floating logs, park signs and stuff! 0_o
What I learned today ...
• Proper sent jumps - I can do them. They're just as tough to land though. There's more of a floating downwind feeling to them too which is disconcerting. Boosting up the face of a wave is still the best :D
• The 5mm gloves may be the cause for exploding forearms, not the 16m bar pressure. Will check again when it warms up.
• I load'n'pop to starboard better than to port, but jump much better the other way :(
• Can handle spins, my poor old brain is up to the task! Woohoo!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Technique!
Good resource tips and instructionals. Just wish some of the pics were bigger! The search engine thingy is handy too ...
KSurf online magazine
KSurf online magazine
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
No joy
Hit the lake cos it was supposed to be crankin' and I was looking forward to trying out a smaller board from Miyachi.
Instead, there was S.F.A. wind and it wasn't looking like it was going to pick up :( took out the 16m Crossbow and tried out my lightwind LEI skills. Got a few tacks in and a single, solitary jump but was, over all crappy. Not as crappy as sitting in front of TV though.
On the other hand, the Hyperflex Access 5mm boots I bought from the Wetsuit Wearhouse were not as too small as I thought they'd be and were very comfy and warm - if you ignore the crushed toes. Size 11 is the same size as the Ion Ballistic Slippers I have but still too small ... have ordered size 12 now!
What I learned today ...
• There is no replacement for displacement - I would have been riding easily with the Silberpfeil. Thinking about all the Dyno hoo-hah, I reckon I need some extensions for the 'bow to see if I can make up some ground on the 'pfeil. Was a bit gusty and shifty though, so I might have been fishing it out of the lake which would have SUCKED.
• Really though, trying to ride in light wind sucks.
• Sometimes, no matter how groovy the kite & board, some people can ride and other can't. Had repeated occasions of being unable to get up planing while Big Brother went sailing by - and me doing the same to him.
Instead, there was S.F.A. wind and it wasn't looking like it was going to pick up :( took out the 16m Crossbow and tried out my lightwind LEI skills. Got a few tacks in and a single, solitary jump but was, over all crappy. Not as crappy as sitting in front of TV though.
On the other hand, the Hyperflex Access 5mm boots I bought from the Wetsuit Wearhouse were not as too small as I thought they'd be and were very comfy and warm - if you ignore the crushed toes. Size 11 is the same size as the Ion Ballistic Slippers I have but still too small ... have ordered size 12 now!
What I learned today ...
• There is no replacement for displacement - I would have been riding easily with the Silberpfeil. Thinking about all the Dyno hoo-hah, I reckon I need some extensions for the 'bow to see if I can make up some ground on the 'pfeil. Was a bit gusty and shifty though, so I might have been fishing it out of the lake which would have SUCKED.
• Really though, trying to ride in light wind sucks.
• Sometimes, no matter how groovy the kite & board, some people can ride and other can't. Had repeated occasions of being unable to get up planing while Big Brother went sailing by - and me doing the same to him.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Guess what I found?
No not the 2 pair of sunglasses I lost ... the top-end of the Charger 15!!! 0_o Beaufort 7 (27-33 knots) it would appear ...
Skivved off and hit the lake. I was looking at the wind thinking maybe this wasn't such a great idea but when I got my gear over to the beach, the wind had dropped and I guessed (wrongly, as it turned out) that the wind had died off for the day. So I set up the 15m Charger cos hey I really wanted to try it again ... second knot from kite, straps all loose.
Filled fine, launched with a couple of tip-claps (cos I let go the bar I reckon) but it stayed up fine. Wind picked up as I was getting into the water and I had a hard time getting some space between me and the beach - kite was lifting me up (full power trim) and the waves were driving me back into shore! Finally I got out far enough to put the board on and try to start ...
... made the instant mistake of trying to fly it like a bow and foundered for a bit. Finally got up and rolling but DAY-HUM! thems is some big waves! Yes, waves - the fuckers are breaking like ocean waves and standing in the troughs, the peaks are at eye height :o I battle my way around and get back into Arc Mode. Whee!
Came to the conclusion that the Charger 15 is about as powerful as my 13m Crossbow ... when the arc is working. It's so not a park'n'ride kite though, got to keep it moving and keep pressure on the rear lines. Stopper ball is great for that but panic ensues in gusts :o went zooming off across wind like a freakin' rocket heading for the shore, desperately trying to slide up the stopper ball :D
As the wind increased, I ended up with the kite trimmed for max depower and was still out of control :D real tough body-dragging upwind to my board ... tried a few tentative jumps but was afraid to really do it ... got freaked out by speed through the window trying to change tacks ... so basically, I got pretty mauled out there!
Tried to find out what the wind was, cos I do believe it's the most I've ever been out in and REALLY should have had the 12m Synergy or even the 10m (but I sold that) ... weather sites conistently reported 10m/s (20 knots) but it was way more than that - the wind was driving the water up over the lip on the beach, sand was being flung around like little bullets and the locals were on 7m kites but just gave up. Which should have been a sign. I'm thinking it was about 30knots and over in the gusts. Stupid gusting to ... Deathwish?
So that was the top-end for the 15m Charger then! :o
Skivved off and hit the lake. I was looking at the wind thinking maybe this wasn't such a great idea but when I got my gear over to the beach, the wind had dropped and I guessed (wrongly, as it turned out) that the wind had died off for the day. So I set up the 15m Charger cos hey I really wanted to try it again ... second knot from kite, straps all loose.
Filled fine, launched with a couple of tip-claps (cos I let go the bar I reckon) but it stayed up fine. Wind picked up as I was getting into the water and I had a hard time getting some space between me and the beach - kite was lifting me up (full power trim) and the waves were driving me back into shore! Finally I got out far enough to put the board on and try to start ...
... made the instant mistake of trying to fly it like a bow and foundered for a bit. Finally got up and rolling but DAY-HUM! thems is some big waves! Yes, waves - the fuckers are breaking like ocean waves and standing in the troughs, the peaks are at eye height :o I battle my way around and get back into Arc Mode. Whee!
Came to the conclusion that the Charger 15 is about as powerful as my 13m Crossbow ... when the arc is working. It's so not a park'n'ride kite though, got to keep it moving and keep pressure on the rear lines. Stopper ball is great for that but panic ensues in gusts :o went zooming off across wind like a freakin' rocket heading for the shore, desperately trying to slide up the stopper ball :D
As the wind increased, I ended up with the kite trimmed for max depower and was still out of control :D real tough body-dragging upwind to my board ... tried a few tentative jumps but was afraid to really do it ... got freaked out by speed through the window trying to change tacks ... so basically, I got pretty mauled out there!
Tried to find out what the wind was, cos I do believe it's the most I've ever been out in and REALLY should have had the 12m Synergy or even the 10m (but I sold that) ... weather sites conistently reported 10m/s (20 knots) but it was way more than that - the wind was driving the water up over the lip on the beach, sand was being flung around like little bullets and the locals were on 7m kites but just gave up. Which should have been a sign. I'm thinking it was about 30knots and over in the gusts. Stupid gusting to ... Deathwish?
So that was the top-end for the 15m Charger then! :o
Monday, April 4, 2011
"My business is slammin', dawg!" - The Movie!
Another great forecast ... and it panned out this time!
Got to Locus about 1pm, looked at the wind and was like "Meh!" but Hironobu said it was going to pick up so I set up the 13m Crossbow & crossed my fingers.
By the time I got on the water at 2pm, it had picked up so I was riding just-powered and feeling fine ... for about 30 minutes.
The wind continued to pick up and I had to totally depower the kite - as Drewculous would say "Epic, gusting to Stupid" and I went into survival mode for several parts of the session! Actually had the lake all to myself for most of the duration cos I got on the lake early ... and ended up far enough upwind to avoid everyone else.
So naturally, with that much wind blowing and a 13m 'bow up, I tried to jump as big as I could. I think I landed maybe one decent jump, all the little ones but the rest I splashed-down and occasionally got slammed good :) hence the title.
Had the GoPro on the helmet so got it all on film but despite the chamois in the case, the Rain-X on the outside of the lens and the defog spray inside, something went wrong so a lot of it is blurry :( a pox on it all!
Once I knew I was powered-up, I tried to ride the Spleene Rip + but it just wasn't happening - I briefly got up on a plane for a few tacks but it seems there just wasn't enough wind (or talent!) for it do really ring my bell. Gave up and went back to ol' Faithful.
Had a great time, except for when a gust came through and lobbed me and another time I landed on the side of my face* after a good yoinking and spin. Legs were starting to give out so I came off the water after what the GoPro tells me is nearly 2 hours of solid riding!
Video on the way!
What I learned today ...
• I need a smaller kite. Switchblade 10 sounds like the business.
• I need a slightly bigger small board. FlyRadical XL sounds etc etc.
• The Pro-Tec helmet - if your head goes underwater, when you pop up again it dumps the water right down into your eyes which sucks. Especially when it takes longer to clear cos of sunglasses damming it up.
• Mount on the helmet for the GoPro - where I got in now, it's basically in the center of my forehead - which, when jumping, captures great shots of ... my gloves. Gonna move it up to the top of the helmet. Pity, cos it gives a great view of what I actually see although I don't remember staring at my gloves during jumps :(
• Rain-X is a total waste of time on the GoPro - probably the number 1 culprit for smeared gunk on the lens. Defog spray on the inside probably is a waste of time too. Gotta put in the pads to make sure cos what got recorded is mega-suck.
• I think I know what I'm going wrong with jumps - redirecting the kite too early and it's twisting me downwind before I can edge against it eg. I'm still in the air. Still - it's fuckin' fun!
* 5/4 update - my face still feels like the wife slapped me upside the head 0_o I might have brain-damage.
Got to Locus about 1pm, looked at the wind and was like "Meh!" but Hironobu said it was going to pick up so I set up the 13m Crossbow & crossed my fingers.
By the time I got on the water at 2pm, it had picked up so I was riding just-powered and feeling fine ... for about 30 minutes.
The wind continued to pick up and I had to totally depower the kite - as Drewculous would say "Epic, gusting to Stupid" and I went into survival mode for several parts of the session! Actually had the lake all to myself for most of the duration cos I got on the lake early ... and ended up far enough upwind to avoid everyone else.
So naturally, with that much wind blowing and a 13m 'bow up, I tried to jump as big as I could. I think I landed maybe one decent jump, all the little ones but the rest I splashed-down and occasionally got slammed good :) hence the title.
Had the GoPro on the helmet so got it all on film but despite the chamois in the case, the Rain-X on the outside of the lens and the defog spray inside, something went wrong so a lot of it is blurry :( a pox on it all!
Once I knew I was powered-up, I tried to ride the Spleene Rip + but it just wasn't happening - I briefly got up on a plane for a few tacks but it seems there just wasn't enough wind (or talent!) for it do really ring my bell. Gave up and went back to ol' Faithful.
Had a great time, except for when a gust came through and lobbed me and another time I landed on the side of my face* after a good yoinking and spin. Legs were starting to give out so I came off the water after what the GoPro tells me is nearly 2 hours of solid riding!
Video on the way!
What I learned today ...
• I need a smaller kite. Switchblade 10 sounds like the business.
• I need a slightly bigger small board. FlyRadical XL sounds etc etc.
• The Pro-Tec helmet - if your head goes underwater, when you pop up again it dumps the water right down into your eyes which sucks. Especially when it takes longer to clear cos of sunglasses damming it up.
• Mount on the helmet for the GoPro - where I got in now, it's basically in the center of my forehead - which, when jumping, captures great shots of ... my gloves. Gonna move it up to the top of the helmet. Pity, cos it gives a great view of what I actually see although I don't remember staring at my gloves during jumps :(
• Rain-X is a total waste of time on the GoPro - probably the number 1 culprit for smeared gunk on the lens. Defog spray on the inside probably is a waste of time too. Gotta put in the pads to make sure cos what got recorded is mega-suck.
• I think I know what I'm going wrong with jumps - redirecting the kite too early and it's twisting me downwind before I can edge against it eg. I'm still in the air. Still - it's fuckin' fun!
* 5/4 update - my face still feels like the wife slapped me upside the head 0_o I might have brain-damage.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Better luck next time
Today was supposed to be even better than yesterday but it wasn't - and I only had the 13 Crossbow with me! I'd even taken my Rip + cos it was supposed to be so nukin'. Sat around waiting for the wind, set up the gear and got changed. Decided to give it a shot ...
... barely powered but gusty enough to ride for a bit and do a few fun jumps. Nothing as good as yesterday though - then, I had some awesome jumps ... the kind where, when you carve up the face of the wave you just KNOW you're going to fly clean off the top and go soaring ...
Packed up, came home. Tomorrow is supposed to be better than the day before yesterday like today was supposed to be ... arf!
What I learned today ...
• Don't trust the fricken' weather reports or even the webcam!
• Anything west of north is simply too gusty - especially for the Silberpfeil (see yesterday)
• I want an Ozone Zephyr :D
... barely powered but gusty enough to ride for a bit and do a few fun jumps. Nothing as good as yesterday though - then, I had some awesome jumps ... the kind where, when you carve up the face of the wave you just KNOW you're going to fly clean off the top and go soaring ...
Packed up, came home. Tomorrow is supposed to be better than the day before yesterday like today was supposed to be ... arf!
What I learned today ...
• Don't trust the fricken' weather reports or even the webcam!
• Anything west of north is simply too gusty - especially for the Silberpfeil (see yesterday)
• I want an Ozone Zephyr :D
On the whole - brilliant!
Forecast and webcam looked promising so I headed down the lake about 12:30. 8-9m/s were promised so I took the 13m Crossbow over and pumped it up. Seemed a bit light, but the wind was supposed to pick up after 1 so I crossed my fingers ... the glove-giving ex-windsurfer newbie was on his 15m Cult and I was thinking maybe I should have brought the SA2 over ...
... but I must have gotten onto the water just as the wind turned on, cos I was away and laughing! For about the next 90 minutes I was nicely powered, boosting some "big" jumps and am starting to get the handle on landing them too :D so it was all very fun ... tried to ride my North Sumo but it was fail ...
... the lull/gust started to do its thing again later, as it seems to do in spring here. Got really sucky so I landed the 'bow. Sat around waiting for the wind to pick up but it didn't and I thought I might chance the SA2 for one last ride so I dragged it out.
That was a mistake; I should have known it wouldn't like the gusty conditions :( got up and riding ok but it just wasn't stable, dropped out of the sky, relaunched it then dropped it again and looped a bridle line over itself that I couldn't recover. The waves turned it into a soggy mess and I had to tide it up on shore. Not fun, not impressed - guess I'll be putting the FSers away until I get decent stable wind :(
Lo-ooong time to pack up, as I waited for the Silberpfeil to dry out and shed the sand ...
What I learned today ...
• Don't even think about chancing gusty winds with the Speed2.5!
• I don't like the Sumo, I think I want a Flyradical XL :D need to try out the Rip + again though.
• Pay more attention to your kite and those around you! I nearly got taken out when the Mistress of Disaster turned without fucking looking as usual (if the silly bitch didn't do her "tricks" within a line length of the shore it wouldn't be such a problem!) and while I was feeling all haughty, I nearly sent my kite across the window into someone else's ...
• I *think* the trick with landing big jumps is not to move the kite around too much up there ... across to 1 or 11, then hold it until you're on the way down. Maybe.
... but I must have gotten onto the water just as the wind turned on, cos I was away and laughing! For about the next 90 minutes I was nicely powered, boosting some "big" jumps and am starting to get the handle on landing them too :D so it was all very fun ... tried to ride my North Sumo but it was fail ...
... the lull/gust started to do its thing again later, as it seems to do in spring here. Got really sucky so I landed the 'bow. Sat around waiting for the wind to pick up but it didn't and I thought I might chance the SA2 for one last ride so I dragged it out.
That was a mistake; I should have known it wouldn't like the gusty conditions :( got up and riding ok but it just wasn't stable, dropped out of the sky, relaunched it then dropped it again and looped a bridle line over itself that I couldn't recover. The waves turned it into a soggy mess and I had to tide it up on shore. Not fun, not impressed - guess I'll be putting the FSers away until I get decent stable wind :(
Lo-ooong time to pack up, as I waited for the Silberpfeil to dry out and shed the sand ...
What I learned today ...
• Don't even think about chancing gusty winds with the Speed2.5!
• I don't like the Sumo, I think I want a Flyradical XL :D need to try out the Rip + again though.
• Pay more attention to your kite and those around you! I nearly got taken out when the Mistress of Disaster turned without fucking looking as usual (if the silly bitch didn't do her "tricks" within a line length of the shore it wouldn't be such a problem!) and while I was feeling all haughty, I nearly sent my kite across the window into someone else's ...
• I *think* the trick with landing big jumps is not to move the kite around too much up there ... across to 1 or 11, then hold it until you're on the way down. Maybe.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
OH CRAP to toe-side
Checked the weather, some wind was promised around 1pm so I loaded up the car and headed off to the lake ... it's all been a bit flukey lately, so I took the SA2 19, both Crossbows and the Psycho4 15 just in case.
Nobody else was there when I arrived and set up, taking out the 16m Crossbow cos the wind was light. Or so I thought ... the wind quickly picked up to the point where I was pretty much over-powered and wishing I'd set up my 13 or brought a smaller board! So it was survival mode for about an hour although I managed some huge jumps, I landed what felt like none of them and lost another pair of sunglasses :( SeaSpecs - they don't float AT ALL and I mean they sink like a freakin' stone! So there's 2 pairs of glasses rolling around the bottom of Biwako there ... I didn't mind losing the Colbalt Blue pair but I was quite fond of the Copper Blaze ones :(
People started turning up just as the wind started dropping and I was comfy on the 16 except in the gusts, then the wind dropped right out and it was fighting through the lulls to ride the gusts. I had some great fun in the gusts though, with some cracking good jumps that I started to land - including one that started well, became an "OH CRAP!" in the middle and then I actually landed toe-side then rode it out ...!
I gave up on it all about 4:30pm and packed up. Thank crap I hadn't launched the SA2 19 like I was considering!!!
What I learned today ...
• Wide stance on the board is good - I think ... see below. Didn't notice as much of a difference from the neutral stance as I did last time, but it seemed easier to ride through the chop and land jumps that were erm landable.
• HOLY BAR PRESSURE, Batman! Either I've been spoiled by the 13 or the wide stance means I gotta hang on a lot more but DAH-YUM! are my forearms killing me! At the end of the session, I could hardly hold onto the bar ... I haven't experienced that EVER (even on the massive Flysurfers!) so I can only assume that either I'm out of shape so bad (damned winter!) or the gloves somehow increased the work-out! Yikes!
• I seem to be sending the kite wrong ... spent a lot of time launching miles into the air, swinging under the kite and splashing down, or landing facing the wrong way. A few times I got it right and while I think I know why, will require more testing.
• Got a perfect edge, launch and land going goofy on flat water. Lucky technique!
• Peeing in your wetsuit is just nasty.
• Either leash my final pair of SeaSpecs or just buy some new ones. I'm shopping as we speak ;)
Nobody else was there when I arrived and set up, taking out the 16m Crossbow cos the wind was light. Or so I thought ... the wind quickly picked up to the point where I was pretty much over-powered and wishing I'd set up my 13 or brought a smaller board! So it was survival mode for about an hour although I managed some huge jumps, I landed what felt like none of them and lost another pair of sunglasses :( SeaSpecs - they don't float AT ALL and I mean they sink like a freakin' stone! So there's 2 pairs of glasses rolling around the bottom of Biwako there ... I didn't mind losing the Colbalt Blue pair but I was quite fond of the Copper Blaze ones :(
People started turning up just as the wind started dropping and I was comfy on the 16 except in the gusts, then the wind dropped right out and it was fighting through the lulls to ride the gusts. I had some great fun in the gusts though, with some cracking good jumps that I started to land - including one that started well, became an "OH CRAP!" in the middle and then I actually landed toe-side then rode it out ...!
I gave up on it all about 4:30pm and packed up. Thank crap I hadn't launched the SA2 19 like I was considering!!!
What I learned today ...
• Wide stance on the board is good - I think ... see below. Didn't notice as much of a difference from the neutral stance as I did last time, but it seemed easier to ride through the chop and land jumps that were erm landable.
• HOLY BAR PRESSURE, Batman! Either I've been spoiled by the 13 or the wide stance means I gotta hang on a lot more but DAH-YUM! are my forearms killing me! At the end of the session, I could hardly hold onto the bar ... I haven't experienced that EVER (even on the massive Flysurfers!) so I can only assume that either I'm out of shape so bad (damned winter!) or the gloves somehow increased the work-out! Yikes!
• I seem to be sending the kite wrong ... spent a lot of time launching miles into the air, swinging under the kite and splashing down, or landing facing the wrong way. A few times I got it right and while I think I know why, will require more testing.
• Got a perfect edge, launch and land going goofy on flat water. Lucky technique!
• Peeing in your wetsuit is just nasty.
• Either leash my final pair of SeaSpecs or just buy some new ones. I'm shopping as we speak ;)
Stack much?
Why the hell not :D 48m of kite!
But wait, there's more!
Cos over the top is never far enough :D
But wait, there's more!
Cos over the top is never far enough :D
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Forecast fail, weater win!
Forecast wasn't worth a damn but I kept an eye on the webcam as the wind was actually blowing and it wasn't snowing ... about 2pm, people started showing up on the beach so I packed up the car and headed out.
Got to the lake about 2:50pm, got all dressed up and waddled across the road, pumped up the 13 Crossbow. Finished putting on all the clothing - wetsuit, slippers, shorts, harness, gloves and the wind-breaker cos the wind was cold! Probably got onto the water about 3:20-ish ...
Woof! Well-powered and the gusts are good or they would be if I was still in the groove I was in last year ... as it is, I feel over-powered and am pussying around until I feel it, launch a nice big jump :) Finally starting to get the form back ...
Wind is up and down for a while, shifty and gusty but stay out for 2 hours having a great time until it finally dies away to almost nothing and I ride it in to shore.
Hard time landing the really big jumps - don't remember landing a single one :D just so off-the-ball these days and getting wet and cold doesn't ring my bell. Tried some toeside again, carving turns and what-not but the desire to get dunked holds me back - although I get dunked a whole heap. Body-dragging for 10 minutes in snow-melt supplied water, while refreshing, isn't too much fun ... one or two epic big jumps though - is fun :D
The wetsuit is good, although the jets of water up the legs are annoying. The gloves are awesome, hands not even cold at all and the windbreaker is the bomb - it's actually somewhat waterproof as the water that got in the top stays in and slowly drains out the zipper! Wind on cold wet head was giving me a headache at times ... lost my SeaSpecs during a bail - 2 pairs left!
Packed up as the sun was sinking, last one off the water and last one riding - the other 2 hangers-on were walking ;) Good day that came out of nowhere!
What I learned today ...
• SeaSpecs don't float.
• Don't say "DOH!" as you head face first into the water ... cough splutter choke!
• Try the wider stance binding mounts next time.
• Move your heels closer to the edge - makes for better edge control. Not sure if it's a good idea to try and hold the board on your feet with just toes though ...
• Form! Head up, eyes on the horizon, drive the hips forward. FFS.
• Send it you sissy!
• Bring a smaller board too.
Got to the lake about 2:50pm, got all dressed up and waddled across the road, pumped up the 13 Crossbow. Finished putting on all the clothing - wetsuit, slippers, shorts, harness, gloves and the wind-breaker cos the wind was cold! Probably got onto the water about 3:20-ish ...
Woof! Well-powered and the gusts are good or they would be if I was still in the groove I was in last year ... as it is, I feel over-powered and am pussying around until I feel it, launch a nice big jump :) Finally starting to get the form back ...
Wind is up and down for a while, shifty and gusty but stay out for 2 hours having a great time until it finally dies away to almost nothing and I ride it in to shore.
Hard time landing the really big jumps - don't remember landing a single one :D just so off-the-ball these days and getting wet and cold doesn't ring my bell. Tried some toeside again, carving turns and what-not but the desire to get dunked holds me back - although I get dunked a whole heap. Body-dragging for 10 minutes in snow-melt supplied water, while refreshing, isn't too much fun ... one or two epic big jumps though - is fun :D
The wetsuit is good, although the jets of water up the legs are annoying. The gloves are awesome, hands not even cold at all and the windbreaker is the bomb - it's actually somewhat waterproof as the water that got in the top stays in and slowly drains out the zipper! Wind on cold wet head was giving me a headache at times ... lost my SeaSpecs during a bail - 2 pairs left!
Packed up as the sun was sinking, last one off the water and last one riding - the other 2 hangers-on were walking ;) Good day that came out of nowhere!
What I learned today ...
• SeaSpecs don't float.
• Don't say "DOH!" as you head face first into the water ... cough splutter choke!
• Try the wider stance binding mounts next time.
• Move your heels closer to the edge - makes for better edge control. Not sure if it's a good idea to try and hold the board on your feet with just toes though ...
• Form! Head up, eyes on the horizon, drive the hips forward. FFS.
• Send it you sissy!
• Bring a smaller board too.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Bring out the gimp!
So my new Dakine Fusion and Hyperflexx Access wetstuit arrived from www.kite-line.com this week ... due to a computer error was sent to our previous address and for some odd reason the post office didn't forward it so I had to make a run to the old house and brave the febrile wrath of the psychotic bitch neighbor.
After a successful raid, I took it home and tried it on ... fits ok! Bit stiff and a lot snugger than I prefer my clothes but it's a wetsuit, it's supposed to be like that ... no? That I fit it at all is kick-ass!
Wind & weather co-operate for Wednesday afternoon so after work (ahem) finishes and Spring holidays commence, I hit the lake for my first session all trussed up, squeaky and stiff! To add to the kook image, I wore my shorts over the 'suit ... firstly to protect the suit from my harness and secondly, I went commando and if the suit split, it'd be a chilly shock to the boys. Had the top folded down so I could bend over and pump up the 13m Crossbow ...
... took to the water with the wetsuit, Ion Ballistic slippers and a pair of $3 rubber gardening gloves on. Road-side thermometer had said 6 degrees on the way to the lake ... it was cold, and I was uncomfortable, but I wasn't suffering. Blasts of water up the leg of the suit were "invigorating" and while the gloves were dry inside, they held off the wind-chill nicely.
I got game and started doing some jumps and playing silly buggers ... still not in the swing of things though and it was all very awkward feeling. Stayed out for a good solid hour at least, probably closer to 90 minutes ... at the end of which water that had gotten inside my gloves were freezing my hands. Still not as bad as no gloves though and they warmed up quickly without aching which is nice.
Although it was very gusty and we got hit by lulls a couple of times, I was glad I didn't take the 16m out - when it was on, it was all on! I could also see the potential for having a smaller kite and working the ass off it ... that is, I can understand how some people say "You don't need a big kite!" ... the difference in bottom end between the 16 and 13 is not that much and the 13 works better. Wind was also real shifty - watched it go from nor-easter to nor-wester in a second or two!
Land the kite, change into clothes then come back to the beach to pack up the kite. While I was bagging up, the windsurfer-convert who started last season came over and gave me his neoprene gloves cos they were too big for him! How cool is that?!
What I learned today ...
• Wetsuit works great to keep me warm (-ish) but is stiff, making it hard to get feet into straps. I'm looking forward to not having to wear it.
• I need booties to stop water going up my legs. Maybe for end of season ...
• Shorts, while some may think look too kooky, actually add a noticeable layer of windchill protection - next time, I'm at least wearing my t-shirt if not my orange parka.
• 13m is a great kite!
• I'm very rusty out there! Everything from turns to jumps ... I'm betting fear of falling into frigid water has something to do with it too!
• Should take more than one board to the lake ...!
After a successful raid, I took it home and tried it on ... fits ok! Bit stiff and a lot snugger than I prefer my clothes but it's a wetsuit, it's supposed to be like that ... no? That I fit it at all is kick-ass!
Wind & weather co-operate for Wednesday afternoon so after work (ahem) finishes and Spring holidays commence, I hit the lake for my first session all trussed up, squeaky and stiff! To add to the kook image, I wore my shorts over the 'suit ... firstly to protect the suit from my harness and secondly, I went commando and if the suit split, it'd be a chilly shock to the boys. Had the top folded down so I could bend over and pump up the 13m Crossbow ...
... took to the water with the wetsuit, Ion Ballistic slippers and a pair of $3 rubber gardening gloves on. Road-side thermometer had said 6 degrees on the way to the lake ... it was cold, and I was uncomfortable, but I wasn't suffering. Blasts of water up the leg of the suit were "invigorating" and while the gloves were dry inside, they held off the wind-chill nicely.
I got game and started doing some jumps and playing silly buggers ... still not in the swing of things though and it was all very awkward feeling. Stayed out for a good solid hour at least, probably closer to 90 minutes ... at the end of which water that had gotten inside my gloves were freezing my hands. Still not as bad as no gloves though and they warmed up quickly without aching which is nice.
Although it was very gusty and we got hit by lulls a couple of times, I was glad I didn't take the 16m out - when it was on, it was all on! I could also see the potential for having a smaller kite and working the ass off it ... that is, I can understand how some people say "You don't need a big kite!" ... the difference in bottom end between the 16 and 13 is not that much and the 13 works better. Wind was also real shifty - watched it go from nor-easter to nor-wester in a second or two!
Land the kite, change into clothes then come back to the beach to pack up the kite. While I was bagging up, the windsurfer-convert who started last season came over and gave me his neoprene gloves cos they were too big for him! How cool is that?!
What I learned today ...
• Wetsuit works great to keep me warm (-ish) but is stiff, making it hard to get feet into straps. I'm looking forward to not having to wear it.
• I need booties to stop water going up my legs. Maybe for end of season ...
• Shorts, while some may think look too kooky, actually add a noticeable layer of windchill protection - next time, I'm at least wearing my t-shirt if not my orange parka.
• 13m is a great kite!
• I'm very rusty out there! Everything from turns to jumps ... I'm betting fear of falling into frigid water has something to do with it too!
• Should take more than one board to the lake ...!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Less is more?
Forecast said no wind till 5pm today, so I headed down to the lake beach at 11am with the plan to remove the FDS from the Silberpfeil and go back to the FLS and put the 6m extensions back on ...
Huh! Wind is up, from the north and I didn't even bring my harness! Unusual for GPV-weather.info to be so wrong! So I rush through my uninstall of the FDS - what a bugger, the line is so light it constantly knots! Finally get it all done, head home to grab my gear.
And come back ... The Junkie is there and so is Best Uncle. Wind seems about the same ... launch the SA2 and test out the FLS - fine. Hit the water - ooh still cold! - and try riding. Just powered to start with but the wind is falling and end up walking a few times.
Stand around on the beach, play with the FLS some more ... mmm does a death spiral at times which makes a nasty mess - maybe the FDS *IS* better? Give up and go home just around sunset ... not a great day but better than nowt!
What I learned today ...
• FDS is probably more reliable than FLS :( nuts.
• I seem to have lost my light-wind knack :( nuts.
• Still need a large directional :( nuts.
Huh! Wind is up, from the north and I didn't even bring my harness! Unusual for GPV-weather.info to be so wrong! So I rush through my uninstall of the FDS - what a bugger, the line is so light it constantly knots! Finally get it all done, head home to grab my gear.
And come back ... The Junkie is there and so is Best Uncle. Wind seems about the same ... launch the SA2 and test out the FLS - fine. Hit the water - ooh still cold! - and try riding. Just powered to start with but the wind is falling and end up walking a few times.
Stand around on the beach, play with the FLS some more ... mmm does a death spiral at times which makes a nasty mess - maybe the FDS *IS* better? Give up and go home just around sunset ... not a great day but better than nowt!
What I learned today ...
• FDS is probably more reliable than FLS :( nuts.
• I seem to have lost my light-wind knack :( nuts.
• Still need a large directional :( nuts.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Charge! Argh!
Things ... they move slowly but they do move. Took a while to sell of enough Synergy's to fund the upgrade to Chargers, but it's happening slowly. Here is the story of the first to arrive.
"What are the odds!?"
The postman ... they come in the middle of the day when, of course, nobody is home and leave an "Undelivered Notice" which means I have to call and get the post office to redeliver it sometime between 7 and 9 in the evening.
Now the amazing thing is that they ALWAYS seem to arrange it so that mail arrives at the house on a Tuesday - when I have to work late and can't be home before 8:30pm ... which means I have to either wait until Wednesday night for them to redeliver, or go in and pick it up Wednesday morning and deal with the utter retards behind the counter. Being only slightly more tolerant than impatient, Wednesday morning I left the house 5 minutes earlier than usual and went in and picked up the light-rasta Peter Lynn Charger 15 that arrived - on a Tuesday, of course - from Spain for me.
"I wonder what the weather is up to?"
Very light work load today; I'd planned on goofing off and meddling with my slightly broken Psycho3 13 and unpacking the Charger and having an Ooh-Aah Ogle session when about 11am I wondered what the wind would be doing today ... checked the Yahoo! Weather page and was disappointed with the prediction of 1m/s but checked GPV anyway - whoa! 10m/s northerlies from 2pm!
Crap, my swim suits are at home wet in a puddle at the bottom of my harness bucket. Check the air temp forecast to see if I've got an excuse to pussy out. Nope, 8 degrees C - that should be ... survivable. Ok I'll make a run for home during my lunch hour, wash my gear to get the lake funk out of it and hopefully dry it out a little from the spin cycle. Done.
"Say hello to my little friend!"
Got to the beach at 4:30pm and I'm all alone - nobody else is there but the wind is crankin'! How odd ... could it be because IT'S FREEZING you freaking dolt!
I get changed and unpack my secret weapon against wind-chill - the jacket of the $40 rain suit I bought from the local DIY store ... in 2003 :D it's done me good service on the bike but it doesn't breath at all - which is good and bad.
Unroll the 15m Charger ...
Check the bag ... says 15 yup - gee it's small! Maybe I'm just used to looking at the 19m Synergy all the time, but I swear it looks too small to be a 15! Sticks in (ah that's why it was sold - spar cap stuck in the sleeve! :D ) set the straps to 1/2 all round and the VPC second knot from the top - too cold to stand around checking the manual to see if that's right. Fills quickly.
"Who ordered the Clam Chowder?"
Thinking the kite is totally full, I close the zip then go back and to put my harness on, hook into the bar and get ready to launch. Dither a bit trying to decide if I should use some trim or not, cos the rear leaders looked muy short - the Synergy launched best with no trim but had pigtails ... the Charger does not. Go for about 2 inches of trim.
Line comes off clean, tip comes up and for a few milliseconds, it looks all good - then the kite clams up. Flaps around while I try the tricks - more trim, less trim, jerk the center lines, jerk the bar, run backwards, run forwards ... I get close on occasion - close to a bow-tie too :D - but eventually I get it into the air. Phew!
Pulling hard, good lofts so should be good to go on the water.
"Skunked in the shift!"
Water is cold but my poo-hoo jacket does its job! Wind is almost directly onshore (NE) so I gotta walk it out a fair way ... kite is a bit twitchy while I get the board on, probably cos I'm rushing to get out of the water! Finally get it done, dive the kite and off we go.
Working it like a mofo but I'm not getting upwind away from the beach. Make one turn, head back and am making ground now. Another turn, more ground. Turn again, heading down the beach but the wind has definitely gone ... while walking back up the beach, it almost dies off completely.
Stand around on the beach playing with kite kite, enjoying the sunshine and trying to warm my right hand up. Wind changes direction and is now NW and finally, the 9m/s has arrived!
"Warp factor 9, Mr Sulu!"
With the wind cross-shore, I ride out only a short distance ... fighting my way through the breakers is tough, I'm going downwind a lot to keep speed in the kite and board - every bounce over a wave costs me ground upwind and pull from the kite.
On the turn to head back in - sweet mother of mercy! the Charger screams across the window so fast I almost don't have time to get myself pointed back in the other direction before it's pulling so hard and shooting into the wind!
We're off like a race horse heading back to the shore! Riding with the waves, the water is flatter so we're really hauling ass! The beach is rushing towards me - I edge hard, shoot upwind for a bit, stall the kite then send it back the other way for another burst of mad speed!
This kite is so fast and reacts so quickly ... take eyes off it for a second, look back at it and I'm diving it straight at the water LE down, and I swear - without a meter or two of a crash I've turned it and sent it back up again! Bar pressure for the turns is lighter than Synergy, more like a big LEI but is a bit heavier on the sheet-in, like my FSers on "Hard" WAC ... which is probably a good thing!
Out and back a few times, on to the beach to warm my hands up ... then back out again. Repeat until the sun is starting to slip behind the hills ...
A quick review ... wind was about 7 to 10m/s.
I think the 15m Charger will rock in 10m/s plus ie. over 20 knots constant. So it probably won't get much use around here :(
Charger is faster than the Synergy through the window and in response to turn input - the near-crash and recovery happened a couple of times!
Holds a tighter line through the corner and pulls harder on the way through than a Synergy, I reckon - speed sure is power!
Less bar pressure than the Synergy - more like a heavy LEI, although sheeting in hard was an effort - that was more like a Flysurfer on "Hard" WAC setting.
Auto-zenith is no more or less vague than the Synergy IMHO; hunting from left to right but generally "up".
Think it needs pigtails - will ask the experts.
The little jumps I did on land seemed very floaty, compared to the Synergy. May just have been the wind but when the water is less cold and I won't mind being dunked in it - we'll see!
"Oh that's why it was so cold!"
Drag my gear back across the road, looking forward to a warm shower at the club house but - the water is all off! Bah. Probably a good thing cos the pins'n'needles as my skin reacts to the hot water is unpleasant. I get back into dry clothes and head home.
Within a few hours, we've got snow again ... 2 inches fall overnight. Bah humbug.
What I learned today ...
• Winter isn't over yet.
• Rain suit is the bomb for keeping wind-chill down ... wonder if they do gloves? Should find the pants too :D
• Charger - so fast, lots of power with the speed but it's like a 2-stroke - gotta rev it up! Gotta rev ME up!
• Gotta work on the launch.
• I think the 19m is also going to suffer from the lament of the arc - 15 knots or more for anything groovy to happen. But it'll be fun trying!
• Charger will be awesome when I can get some flat-water riding in ... it's hard work in choppy conditions keeping speed in kite and board.
"What are the odds!?"
The postman ... they come in the middle of the day when, of course, nobody is home and leave an "Undelivered Notice" which means I have to call and get the post office to redeliver it sometime between 7 and 9 in the evening.
Now the amazing thing is that they ALWAYS seem to arrange it so that mail arrives at the house on a Tuesday - when I have to work late and can't be home before 8:30pm ... which means I have to either wait until Wednesday night for them to redeliver, or go in and pick it up Wednesday morning and deal with the utter retards behind the counter. Being only slightly more tolerant than impatient, Wednesday morning I left the house 5 minutes earlier than usual and went in and picked up the light-rasta Peter Lynn Charger 15 that arrived - on a Tuesday, of course - from Spain for me.
"I wonder what the weather is up to?"
Very light work load today; I'd planned on goofing off and meddling with my slightly broken Psycho3 13 and unpacking the Charger and having an Ooh-Aah Ogle session when about 11am I wondered what the wind would be doing today ... checked the Yahoo! Weather page and was disappointed with the prediction of 1m/s but checked GPV anyway - whoa! 10m/s northerlies from 2pm!
Crap, my swim suits are at home wet in a puddle at the bottom of my harness bucket. Check the air temp forecast to see if I've got an excuse to pussy out. Nope, 8 degrees C - that should be ... survivable. Ok I'll make a run for home during my lunch hour, wash my gear to get the lake funk out of it and hopefully dry it out a little from the spin cycle. Done.
"Say hello to my little friend!"
Got to the beach at 4:30pm and I'm all alone - nobody else is there but the wind is crankin'! How odd ... could it be because IT'S FREEZING you freaking dolt!
I get changed and unpack my secret weapon against wind-chill - the jacket of the $40 rain suit I bought from the local DIY store ... in 2003 :D it's done me good service on the bike but it doesn't breath at all - which is good and bad.
Unroll the 15m Charger ...
Check the bag ... says 15 yup - gee it's small! Maybe I'm just used to looking at the 19m Synergy all the time, but I swear it looks too small to be a 15! Sticks in (ah that's why it was sold - spar cap stuck in the sleeve! :D ) set the straps to 1/2 all round and the VPC second knot from the top - too cold to stand around checking the manual to see if that's right. Fills quickly.
"Who ordered the Clam Chowder?"
Thinking the kite is totally full, I close the zip then go back and to put my harness on, hook into the bar and get ready to launch. Dither a bit trying to decide if I should use some trim or not, cos the rear leaders looked muy short - the Synergy launched best with no trim but had pigtails ... the Charger does not. Go for about 2 inches of trim.
Line comes off clean, tip comes up and for a few milliseconds, it looks all good - then the kite clams up. Flaps around while I try the tricks - more trim, less trim, jerk the center lines, jerk the bar, run backwards, run forwards ... I get close on occasion - close to a bow-tie too :D - but eventually I get it into the air. Phew!
Pulling hard, good lofts so should be good to go on the water.
"Skunked in the shift!"
Water is cold but my poo-hoo jacket does its job! Wind is almost directly onshore (NE) so I gotta walk it out a fair way ... kite is a bit twitchy while I get the board on, probably cos I'm rushing to get out of the water! Finally get it done, dive the kite and off we go.
Working it like a mofo but I'm not getting upwind away from the beach. Make one turn, head back and am making ground now. Another turn, more ground. Turn again, heading down the beach but the wind has definitely gone ... while walking back up the beach, it almost dies off completely.
Stand around on the beach playing with kite kite, enjoying the sunshine and trying to warm my right hand up. Wind changes direction and is now NW and finally, the 9m/s has arrived!
"Warp factor 9, Mr Sulu!"
With the wind cross-shore, I ride out only a short distance ... fighting my way through the breakers is tough, I'm going downwind a lot to keep speed in the kite and board - every bounce over a wave costs me ground upwind and pull from the kite.
On the turn to head back in - sweet mother of mercy! the Charger screams across the window so fast I almost don't have time to get myself pointed back in the other direction before it's pulling so hard and shooting into the wind!
We're off like a race horse heading back to the shore! Riding with the waves, the water is flatter so we're really hauling ass! The beach is rushing towards me - I edge hard, shoot upwind for a bit, stall the kite then send it back the other way for another burst of mad speed!
This kite is so fast and reacts so quickly ... take eyes off it for a second, look back at it and I'm diving it straight at the water LE down, and I swear - without a meter or two of a crash I've turned it and sent it back up again! Bar pressure for the turns is lighter than Synergy, more like a big LEI but is a bit heavier on the sheet-in, like my FSers on "Hard" WAC ... which is probably a good thing!
Out and back a few times, on to the beach to warm my hands up ... then back out again. Repeat until the sun is starting to slip behind the hills ...
A quick review ... wind was about 7 to 10m/s.
I think the 15m Charger will rock in 10m/s plus ie. over 20 knots constant. So it probably won't get much use around here :(
Charger is faster than the Synergy through the window and in response to turn input - the near-crash and recovery happened a couple of times!
Holds a tighter line through the corner and pulls harder on the way through than a Synergy, I reckon - speed sure is power!
Less bar pressure than the Synergy - more like a heavy LEI, although sheeting in hard was an effort - that was more like a Flysurfer on "Hard" WAC setting.
Auto-zenith is no more or less vague than the Synergy IMHO; hunting from left to right but generally "up".
Think it needs pigtails - will ask the experts.
The little jumps I did on land seemed very floaty, compared to the Synergy. May just have been the wind but when the water is less cold and I won't mind being dunked in it - we'll see!
"Oh that's why it was so cold!"
Drag my gear back across the road, looking forward to a warm shower at the club house but - the water is all off! Bah. Probably a good thing cos the pins'n'needles as my skin reacts to the hot water is unpleasant. I get back into dry clothes and head home.
Within a few hours, we've got snow again ... 2 inches fall overnight. Bah humbug.
What I learned today ...
• Winter isn't over yet.
• Rain suit is the bomb for keeping wind-chill down ... wonder if they do gloves? Should find the pants too :D
• Charger - so fast, lots of power with the speed but it's like a 2-stroke - gotta rev it up! Gotta rev ME up!
• Gotta work on the launch.
• I think the 19m is also going to suffer from the lament of the arc - 15 knots or more for anything groovy to happen. But it'll be fun trying!
• Charger will be awesome when I can get some flat-water riding in ... it's hard work in choppy conditions keeping speed in kite and board.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Win Win Fail
Left work and headed down the lake like a bat outa hell ... forecast looked good so I took my refurbished Psycho3 13 and the Crossbow 16 (just in case) to the beach. Wind had dropped off from what I had seen on the Locus webcam and Grandpa and Uncle weren't amused either.
Setup and launched the Psycho3, testing out my Mixer Test and all the other stuff I'd added. Hadn't hooked into the Ozone Megatron chicken loop properly (?) and it just off the hook and out of my hands - folding up nicely on the FDS. Recovered the bar and relaunched without any issues. Flew it around for a bit, all seems good ...
Win!
... so I get into the water. Yikes it's cold! The sun has gone behind clouds so it's not going to warm up and it looks like a front is coming through from the north. Wind isn't up to much - can get up but can't get onto a plane. Give up after about 50m and walk back up the beach ... leave the kite in the air while I stand around trying to decide if it's too cold to continue with a proper test on the Psycho ...
... wind picks up! Get back in the water and we're away! This Flysurfer is about as powerful as powerful as my 16m 'bow but will fly in less wind; it starts to work about the same time as the 16 but needs a little more wind to really pull.
Had about a half hour of powered back'n'forth, some nice little load'n'pops. Was being very careful on the turns cos it makes so much lift! Is relatively fast and needs an eye kept on it, kind of hard to park. Makes best power when sheeted in a little; compared to the Speed, doesn't make so much when given its head and let run through the window unsheeted. Good riding though, should jump like a mother!
Win!
Decided to head back into shore cos the front had arrived and it was snowing 0_o and was feeling my oats so at the end of a port tack, I tried a downloop turn ... didn't have the kite high enough to start with or underestimated the turning speed - whatever - dragged the RH wingtip across the water until it crashed LE down. Tried to try a relaunch by pulling just one leader line, and while the kite scooted across the window, it didn't launch. Went to a both rear header launch ... up! and away.
Started off on a starboard tack, dived the kite but it pulled back to the left and wouldn't respond to steering. I sheeted in hard to slow it down and it hit LE down again. Relaunch, turn to the left and stall. Repeat. Something seriously wrong there!
Kite is getting close to the bad end of the beach with shit all over the shore and it's bloody cold so I unhook and let the kite go to FDS which on reflection may have been a mistake ... wind up the FDS and then the lines for a self-rescue. Unfortunately, the kite has drifted onto the shore and is now tangled up on a branch of bamboo ... I untangle it gingerly but when I lift it, I think I hear a rip :(
Fail ...
Drag the kite back to sandy beach, lay it out and check it over. There a 5cm tear on the LH wingtip right where a bridle line joins. Nuts! Everything else seems fine though, apart from being wet and covered in sand.
Relaunch and it flies like the zipper is open, even though the kite is inflated. Water drains out of the LH tip but it still wants to stall out that side of the window. Gradually as it dries out it wants to stall less but is still flying all borked-like. Wonder if the mixer balls have slipped ...?
Land and pack up - I'll have to hang it up to dry cos it's COVERED in sand! Pity ... poor ol' Psycho! :(
What I learned today ...
• I need to NikWax or Seal'n'Glide the Psycho3 ... it gets very wet and very soggy.
• Stay away from "that" end of the beach :(
• Want a Psycho4 now! But what size?
• Ozone Megatron loop is hard to activate with frozen hands!
• Self-rescue with a FS is no worse than LEI; in fact, probably easier.
• Balls on the mixer may not be the best solution ... going back to the knots.
• Check the RHS of the mixer and release that twist there ...
Setup and launched the Psycho3, testing out my Mixer Test and all the other stuff I'd added. Hadn't hooked into the Ozone Megatron chicken loop properly (?) and it just off the hook and out of my hands - folding up nicely on the FDS. Recovered the bar and relaunched without any issues. Flew it around for a bit, all seems good ...
Win!
... so I get into the water. Yikes it's cold! The sun has gone behind clouds so it's not going to warm up and it looks like a front is coming through from the north. Wind isn't up to much - can get up but can't get onto a plane. Give up after about 50m and walk back up the beach ... leave the kite in the air while I stand around trying to decide if it's too cold to continue with a proper test on the Psycho ...
... wind picks up! Get back in the water and we're away! This Flysurfer is about as powerful as powerful as my 16m 'bow but will fly in less wind; it starts to work about the same time as the 16 but needs a little more wind to really pull.
Had about a half hour of powered back'n'forth, some nice little load'n'pops. Was being very careful on the turns cos it makes so much lift! Is relatively fast and needs an eye kept on it, kind of hard to park. Makes best power when sheeted in a little; compared to the Speed, doesn't make so much when given its head and let run through the window unsheeted. Good riding though, should jump like a mother!
Win!
Decided to head back into shore cos the front had arrived and it was snowing 0_o and was feeling my oats so at the end of a port tack, I tried a downloop turn ... didn't have the kite high enough to start with or underestimated the turning speed - whatever - dragged the RH wingtip across the water until it crashed LE down. Tried to try a relaunch by pulling just one leader line, and while the kite scooted across the window, it didn't launch. Went to a both rear header launch ... up! and away.
Started off on a starboard tack, dived the kite but it pulled back to the left and wouldn't respond to steering. I sheeted in hard to slow it down and it hit LE down again. Relaunch, turn to the left and stall. Repeat. Something seriously wrong there!
Kite is getting close to the bad end of the beach with shit all over the shore and it's bloody cold so I unhook and let the kite go to FDS which on reflection may have been a mistake ... wind up the FDS and then the lines for a self-rescue. Unfortunately, the kite has drifted onto the shore and is now tangled up on a branch of bamboo ... I untangle it gingerly but when I lift it, I think I hear a rip :(
Fail ...
Drag the kite back to sandy beach, lay it out and check it over. There a 5cm tear on the LH wingtip right where a bridle line joins. Nuts! Everything else seems fine though, apart from being wet and covered in sand.
Relaunch and it flies like the zipper is open, even though the kite is inflated. Water drains out of the LH tip but it still wants to stall out that side of the window. Gradually as it dries out it wants to stall less but is still flying all borked-like. Wonder if the mixer balls have slipped ...?
Land and pack up - I'll have to hang it up to dry cos it's COVERED in sand! Pity ... poor ol' Psycho! :(
What I learned today ...
• I need to NikWax or Seal'n'Glide the Psycho3 ... it gets very wet and very soggy.
• Stay away from "that" end of the beach :(
• Want a Psycho4 now! But what size?
• Ozone Megatron loop is hard to activate with frozen hands!
• Self-rescue with a FS is no worse than LEI; in fact, probably easier.
• Balls on the mixer may not be the best solution ... going back to the knots.
• Check the RHS of the mixer and release that twist there ...
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