Didn't think I'd get a session in today as the forecast was for crap. All day though, the wind was blowing so when work finished, I headed for the lake.
Got down there about 5pm and the wind looked light, so I humped the 21 and 2 boards over to the lake. Good call, it's light and it's supposed to drop. Everyone is coming in, as I setup and launch Jesus, the great white session saver.
Well, there's power in the kite. I go out on the Flydoor and it's good. Teeny bit gusty, and I'm worried if it picks up, I won't enjoy myself…
Needn't have worried. When I can't jump and get my kicks that way cos the wind has dropped just a hair, I start in on the rotations. There's so much float though that I start going for double front-rolls... and land them!!!
w00t a new trick!!!
Pretty soon, those are the only things I'm doing—both directions!—and then... well, why the hell not? Triple front-rolls! Mwa-haha! Get mighty close to landing and riding away from a couple of them too :D
But I also collapse the kite several times, swinging under it and sinking. Recover it most of the time, but twice it gets tips stuck together and I have to let it hit the water and bounce it a bit to get it open. And one time, I get a proto-bowtie that I have to "fly" into the beach (close call, nearly hit the rock wall!) and put it on the ground. Phew!
Everyone had long since disappeared though so nobody is there to enjoy the show… except Soh but he's mostly walking and trying to relaunch his kite. I don't feel guilty at all, whooping and hollering when I land and ride off from double-rolls.
Sun sets, keep riding! There's a 3/4 moon so it stays light for a long time, but finally I can't see the water any more so I finish up with the slow singles then ride right back to my starting point. Pack up about 7:45… I reckon 2 and a half hours on the water—on a day with nothing forecast!
God, I love Jesus!
Moment of the day was landing and riding away from that very first double… oh YEAH!
Mood of the session was AWWWWWW HELLLL YEEEEAH!!!
It sucks when… not today it didn't!
Weather was reported as 5 to 10 knots, gusts to 17; 22˚C at 67%.
Wind felt like just comfortable for the big board, wanting more for boosting but was happy as it was.
What I learned today…
• The water has warmed up.
• I'm getting massive wedgies from the harness again… what up with that?
• Front-rolls are where it's at!
• There is a general feeling of having gotten better ;)
• Steady wind at just the right level makes for interesting times.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Wind, waves, and range!
No wind in Shiga this weekend but Mie was supposed to have some… with some rain too. Thought I'd chance it and dragged the wife out the house early and got to Machiya about 12. Measured the wind—20 to 25 knots, yup that's how it feels… out comes the 10m.
Sketchy launch, assisted thank god cos the beach is crowded and strewn with shells 'n' shit and the other side of the drain-thing is under construction… looks like they're building a seawall, neat!
Powered ok on the big board, some amusing jumps but very soon I wish I had the 13 up. Wife has gone walking with the car key so I just keep riding. Small kite is fast and entertaining, especially with the loops—some amusing yoinks horizontally that I'm not used to.
As the wind keeps dropping, I start playing with the waves more. When I can—the windsurfer-kooks keep falling over! Get some nice carves and rides in, once or twice carve toe-side then heel-side etc like a real surfer.
Rain starts early, around 1:30 but I keep riding anyway. Finally give up when the wind has dropped to the point where it's a nuisance to get back upwind.
What a groovy session!
Moment of the day was snap-popping a transition and landing on the crest of a wave, actually surfing it and then, as the kite caught up, riding out the other way under power… magic!
Mood of the session was amused entertained satisfied.
It sucks when you realize you might need a surfboard too.
Weather was reported as 22 to 13 knots, gusts to 26; 74% at 19˚C.
Wind felt like what they said. Measured 20 to 25 knots before I set up but it dropped steadily… ok-powered to only just. Was pretty shocked I could still ride a 10m at the end of it there!
What I learned today…
• The ocean is rough!
• The kickers are nice though - gliding up a big ol' wave and riding out the top is awesomesauce.
• Small kites are quick and seem to make more power when they're moving quick… so if you don't choke the kite with the board, it's gravy.
• You can get face-slapped like a BI-ATCH on the smallest waves when you dig a tip in. Like, insta-slap!
• Ninja-waves are getting better at hiding themselves… sneaky buggers!
• I might need a directional :o for the ocean, the bouncing around gets annoying but the waves are just so much fun!
Sketchy launch, assisted thank god cos the beach is crowded and strewn with shells 'n' shit and the other side of the drain-thing is under construction… looks like they're building a seawall, neat!
Powered ok on the big board, some amusing jumps but very soon I wish I had the 13 up. Wife has gone walking with the car key so I just keep riding. Small kite is fast and entertaining, especially with the loops—some amusing yoinks horizontally that I'm not used to.
As the wind keeps dropping, I start playing with the waves more. When I can—the windsurfer-kooks keep falling over! Get some nice carves and rides in, once or twice carve toe-side then heel-side etc like a real surfer.
Rain starts early, around 1:30 but I keep riding anyway. Finally give up when the wind has dropped to the point where it's a nuisance to get back upwind.
What a groovy session!
Moment of the day was snap-popping a transition and landing on the crest of a wave, actually surfing it and then, as the kite caught up, riding out the other way under power… magic!
Mood of the session was amused entertained satisfied.
It sucks when you realize you might need a surfboard too.
Weather was reported as 22 to 13 knots, gusts to 26; 74% at 19˚C.
Wind felt like what they said. Measured 20 to 25 knots before I set up but it dropped steadily… ok-powered to only just. Was pretty shocked I could still ride a 10m at the end of it there!
What I learned today…
• The ocean is rough!
• The kickers are nice though - gliding up a big ol' wave and riding out the top is awesomesauce.
• Small kites are quick and seem to make more power when they're moving quick… so if you don't choke the kite with the board, it's gravy.
• You can get face-slapped like a BI-ATCH on the smallest waves when you dig a tip in. Like, insta-slap!
• Ninja-waves are getting better at hiding themselves… sneaky buggers!
• I might need a directional :o for the ocean, the bouncing around gets annoying but the waves are just so much fun!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Topped up the tanks
Didn't think I'd get a session in today—forecast looked like crap; but the wind blew steady all day. Got lumped with some work in the PM which meant I didn't get away til 5pm… got the gear off the washing line at home and headed on down.
Only kite on the water is Naish Directional Dude. Nice, no whiners!
Took the 21 and the 17 over to the lake… looked light so I went for the 21. Er, bit powered guvnah! For the combination of board and kite, might be a bit iffy… could be in for a spanking.
Get stuck in and get to boosting. Not super-huge (level with a parked kite?) but days of hang time and the amusing penduluming back 'n' forth under the kite :) initially, too powered for tricks but as the wind drops off I get into them too.
Wind is dropping, working harder to get upwind now. Finish at dark with just enough wind to get back to the beach, then it drops right off as I land the kite. Sweet session!
Moment of the day was doing a very-powered front-roll transition and using the down-loop out of it for horizontal pull :)
Mood of the session was aaah!
It sucks when I need a Flyradical L :(
Weather was reported as 8 to 13 knots, dropping to 4 at 7pm. 19˚C at 59%.
Wind felt like a bit over-powered for the board, to under-powered at the end. If I had to guess, 16 knots to start falling to 8.
What I learned today…
• The S3-21 is a BEAST!
• It's also very lifty—check out the wedgie!
• If you're a twit and release your QR unintentionally but somehow catch it before it flags, you CAN hold the depower line in one hand and reassemble the QR with the other—without dumping the kite :o
• Landed several double rotations but couldn't ride away cos the kite was out of position.
• An over-aggressive take-off saw me do a 360˚ before I'd gotten a foot off the water. Managed to wiggle around and almost landed it though :D
• You can still do front-roll down-loop transitions even when powered with the big Speed.
• Could be considered a bit too cold still for just the 3mm suit… especially if you have to body-drag for a while!
Only kite on the water is Naish Directional Dude. Nice, no whiners!
Took the 21 and the 17 over to the lake… looked light so I went for the 21. Er, bit powered guvnah! For the combination of board and kite, might be a bit iffy… could be in for a spanking.
Get stuck in and get to boosting. Not super-huge (level with a parked kite?) but days of hang time and the amusing penduluming back 'n' forth under the kite :) initially, too powered for tricks but as the wind drops off I get into them too.
Wind is dropping, working harder to get upwind now. Finish at dark with just enough wind to get back to the beach, then it drops right off as I land the kite. Sweet session!
Moment of the day was doing a very-powered front-roll transition and using the down-loop out of it for horizontal pull :)
Mood of the session was aaah!
It sucks when I need a Flyradical L :(
Weather was reported as 8 to 13 knots, dropping to 4 at 7pm. 19˚C at 59%.
Wind felt like a bit over-powered for the board, to under-powered at the end. If I had to guess, 16 knots to start falling to 8.
What I learned today…
• The S3-21 is a BEAST!
• It's also very lifty—check out the wedgie!
• If you're a twit and release your QR unintentionally but somehow catch it before it flags, you CAN hold the depower line in one hand and reassemble the QR with the other—without dumping the kite :o
• Landed several double rotations but couldn't ride away cos the kite was out of position.
• An over-aggressive take-off saw me do a 360˚ before I'd gotten a foot off the water. Managed to wiggle around and almost landed it though :D
• You can still do front-roll down-loop transitions even when powered with the big Speed.
• Could be considered a bit too cold still for just the 3mm suit… especially if you have to body-drag for a while!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
We was robbed
Forecast was good, wind looked good at work but by the time I arrived, it was crap.
Thought about it for a bit then unpacked the P4 19 to test the bar mod - get something done at least. Had replaced the single line spacer with a double, a la fsmodman, like this. Everything reattached the right way so I struggle with a launch in light wind on a very narrow part of the beach cos the rest of it is covered with kites.
Kite flies fine, the bar seems to work. Wait around some but nothing much is happening. Head out for a few tacks but it's on and off (mostly off) so there's a lot of walking up the beach.
Waiting around with the kite in the air, a front comes in. Ji-chan is telling me it'll be dangerous, so I reverse-land my kite down wind and prepare to hang on. Unfortunately, my lines are over someone else's and of course, his kite starts twitching as the wind picks up so I launch my kite, slide downwind at his lines, stop in time then joggle backwards so his can control his kite.
Notice Soh (who's been avoiding eye-contact with me since his screaming fit) having a word with Ji-chan and they're both glancing over in my direction… I've come to the conclusion that he's a whingy sissy bitch who was having a crap session and vented at me but hasn't the cajones to let it be.
The big bad dangerous squall is so weak I can only just get upwind on it for a few minutes…!
Give up, pack up, head home. 2 hours of waiting!!! A few lame back-rolls and a single front-roll transition… sad.
Moment of the day was a very smooth front-roll transition. And that was it.
Mood of the session was ho-bloody-hum.
It sucks when there's no wind but there is supposed to be.
Weather was reported as 14 to 10 knots; 15˚C at 80%.
Wind felt like bloody nothing to very almost under-powered.
What I learned…
• Bar mod seems fine… but… when there's no tension on the FDS line, it binds a bit. All the actual riding un-spins worked fine, so far.
• Ignore advice from others who are well-meaning but wrong.
• 3mm suit is enough cos the water is warming up… but the old one is all hard and making like it's shrunk!
Thought about it for a bit then unpacked the P4 19 to test the bar mod - get something done at least. Had replaced the single line spacer with a double, a la fsmodman, like this. Everything reattached the right way so I struggle with a launch in light wind on a very narrow part of the beach cos the rest of it is covered with kites.
Kite flies fine, the bar seems to work. Wait around some but nothing much is happening. Head out for a few tacks but it's on and off (mostly off) so there's a lot of walking up the beach.
Waiting around with the kite in the air, a front comes in. Ji-chan is telling me it'll be dangerous, so I reverse-land my kite down wind and prepare to hang on. Unfortunately, my lines are over someone else's and of course, his kite starts twitching as the wind picks up so I launch my kite, slide downwind at his lines, stop in time then joggle backwards so his can control his kite.
Notice Soh (who's been avoiding eye-contact with me since his screaming fit) having a word with Ji-chan and they're both glancing over in my direction… I've come to the conclusion that he's a whingy sissy bitch who was having a crap session and vented at me but hasn't the cajones to let it be.
The big bad dangerous squall is so weak I can only just get upwind on it for a few minutes…!
Give up, pack up, head home. 2 hours of waiting!!! A few lame back-rolls and a single front-roll transition… sad.
Moment of the day was a very smooth front-roll transition. And that was it.
Mood of the session was ho-bloody-hum.
It sucks when there's no wind but there is supposed to be.
Weather was reported as 14 to 10 knots; 15˚C at 80%.
Wind felt like bloody nothing to very almost under-powered.
What I learned…
• Bar mod seems fine… but… when there's no tension on the FDS line, it binds a bit. All the actual riding un-spins worked fine, so far.
• Ignore advice from others who are well-meaning but wrong.
• 3mm suit is enough cos the water is warming up… but the old one is all hard and making like it's shrunk!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Weird but wonderful
Forecast was good but the wind had dropped off at work by the time I'd headed out. Should still have been good... and the lake looked good... but once I got onto the water, it was crap.
I pumped up the Flite cos it was light, but there was a blow line moving in, although it wasn't going to be much, according to GPV. Just as well I didn't try the S3 21 cos it was twitchy wind...
Got out on a tack though... but had to work the kite and it really was twitchy. Downwind, walk a bit then try again. Was thinking about giving up but noticed Miyachi and the windsurfers were riding well wa-aaay out off the beach, so I had another tack out there and when I reached the old "upwind marker" buoy, the wind just took off!
Good jumps, great fun, tack back in, cross the marker and... nothing. Really weird! So I spent an hour out past the marker, way the hell out further than I've been for a very long time, enjoying some crazy wind.
Started to drop, I noticed the number of white caps falling off so I decided to come in to shore - good call, as it turns out cos the wind fell right off. Pretty good session, considering how shit the wind was at the beach!
Moment of the day was getting some riding and fun in when not expecting to.
Mood of the session was baffled amused baffled.
Weather was reported as 6 to 5 knots :o 16˚C at 50%.
Wind felt like 15 plus a few knots *out there* but about 10 on the other side of the markers.
What I learned today...
• The wind is a queer mistress.
• Man, the Flite is such a fun kite!
• Bit awkward with Soh... he was determinedly not looking in my direction. Tosser.
• Still not sure about rigging the Flite on the rear line knots...
• Must have barely got my hair wet... just noticed, it's been blow-drying like a lame Flock of Seagulls-do, from the direction the wind was strongest :o so it's sticking out sideways over my left shoulder :D
I pumped up the Flite cos it was light, but there was a blow line moving in, although it wasn't going to be much, according to GPV. Just as well I didn't try the S3 21 cos it was twitchy wind...
Got out on a tack though... but had to work the kite and it really was twitchy. Downwind, walk a bit then try again. Was thinking about giving up but noticed Miyachi and the windsurfers were riding well wa-aaay out off the beach, so I had another tack out there and when I reached the old "upwind marker" buoy, the wind just took off!
Good jumps, great fun, tack back in, cross the marker and... nothing. Really weird! So I spent an hour out past the marker, way the hell out further than I've been for a very long time, enjoying some crazy wind.
Started to drop, I noticed the number of white caps falling off so I decided to come in to shore - good call, as it turns out cos the wind fell right off. Pretty good session, considering how shit the wind was at the beach!
Moment of the day was getting some riding and fun in when not expecting to.
Mood of the session was baffled amused baffled.
Weather was reported as 6 to 5 knots :o 16˚C at 50%.
Wind felt like 15 plus a few knots *out there* but about 10 on the other side of the markers.
What I learned today...
• The wind is a queer mistress.
• Man, the Flite is such a fun kite!
• Bit awkward with Soh... he was determinedly not looking in my direction. Tosser.
• Still not sure about rigging the Flite on the rear line knots...
• Must have barely got my hair wet... just noticed, it's been blow-drying like a lame Flock of Seagulls-do, from the direction the wind was strongest :o so it's sticking out sideways over my left shoulder :D
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Missed it by *that* much
OMG the wind was wicked today! Thought I actually would need my 7m for once! Got down the beach after work and... it dropped right off :(
Had a few minutes of ok boosts, then went on to rotations, then messed around riding waves then gave up.
Tried to land the kite on the QR but got 'helped' by someone before I could fully understand how it all worked...
Better luck tomorrow!
Moment of the day was a front-roll loop transition, landing on the lip of a wave and surfing it out :D
Mood of the session was aah hmm bah.
It sucks when you only catch the tail end of the most epic weather in months :(
Weather was reported as 20 knots falling to 14.
Wind felt like... well, that exactly. It was rocking for the first ten minutes then went to crap, rapidly.
What I learned today...
• We got freaky wind yesterday - apparently, in Hikone (where the wind station is) they had 8 knots... Miyachi's friend went paramotoring up there, while his buddies here were grounded by the mad wind!
• Much prefer the Flydoor on the 'normal' footstrap setting.
• Only really warm enough for the 3/2 when air-temp is over 20.
Had a few minutes of ok boosts, then went on to rotations, then messed around riding waves then gave up.
Tried to land the kite on the QR but got 'helped' by someone before I could fully understand how it all worked...
Better luck tomorrow!
Moment of the day was a front-roll loop transition, landing on the lip of a wave and surfing it out :D
Mood of the session was aah hmm bah.
It sucks when you only catch the tail end of the most epic weather in months :(
Weather was reported as 20 knots falling to 14.
Wind felt like... well, that exactly. It was rocking for the first ten minutes then went to crap, rapidly.
What I learned today...
• We got freaky wind yesterday - apparently, in Hikone (where the wind station is) they had 8 knots... Miyachi's friend went paramotoring up there, while his buddies here were grounded by the mad wind!
• Much prefer the Flydoor on the 'normal' footstrap setting.
• Only really warm enough for the 3/2 when air-temp is over 20.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Super session, soured... sad
Forecast was for fun at 3pm. Miyachi reckoned 14 knots (7m/s) so I rigged the 17. Nothing happened until about 4pm though, so we were all eager to get out on the water.
It was fine for about 30 or 40 minutes. I started on the Flydoor2 with wide stance, then when I felt a bit over-powered I got on the Sumo for the first time since I broke my wrist riding it in 2009. Quite a weird experience! I enjoyed riding the Flydoor more though and went back out on that... nope, not enjoying it - going to get my 13m XB.
Land, deflate, pack, get the 13, pump, rig... and get a launch from Lil' Grom's dad.
Here's where the day starts to get weird... while he's picking up the kite, Turkey walks right at my lines and like boxer going into the ring, lifts them up and walks through them. As I'm trying to launch. I'm stunned!
Gets worse... Lil' Grom's dad holds up the kite, I give him the thumb up and - he throws my kite into the air :o it stalls, rotates back into the window so I grab and pump the center lines. It comes up nicely but a steering line is looped around the tip of a kite just downwind of the launch so the kite veers across the window. I recover it but now it's going to clothes-line Turkey so I turn it into the ground. It hits LE down with the lines on either side of Turkey. He skips out the way and I get the kite back into the air. For fucks sake, man!
Enjoy the rest of the ride. A little too powered to stunt aggressively for me but have a nice time anyway. Get slammed a few times going way too big on back-rolls but do some nice front-roll transitions. Can't quite balance it right to do foot-outs though.
Wind drops off and slowly the water clears. I'm the last one in but I have to walk back up the beach in the water cos I can't walk downwind to the beach without the kite stalling. Everyone packs up. Wait around for it to come back... and it does! A bit violent at first, but Lil' Grom is riding ok so I head out.
Then it arrives like goddamn! Me and Grom start booooooooosting and it's good! Big air, and it's getting bigger! The waves are shaping nicely and provide enough resistance to really boost some good ones!
Until... Soh is ahead and downwind of me when I boost off the face of a good sharp wave. I get pendulumed into the air and shout for joy. Soh looks back and shouts something at me. I land behind him, maybe 15 to 20 meters away. He turns and comes back at me shouting "That's fucking dangerous! Why don't you look where you're going!" I thought he was joking, but no he's serious and is pissed. I thought I had plenty of room... so I feel a bit sad.
Try to get my stoke back but it takes a while. Get some monster boosts but bugger the landings - timing seems to be the issue... I'm falling without a soft landing. The jumps are in that zone above what I'm used to. But I discover that actively holding the kite behind me - or tweaking it back - then giving an aggressive redirect when that close to the water works perfectly. HOOJ air and gentle landings!!! Woot!
Legs are burning from fighting the surges, which are getting violent. Hand hovers over the QR a couple of times... riding the waves results in rapid acceleration downwind. Sun has set behind the hills... I head in to call it a day.
Oh nuts, there's no leash or hook on the anchor... I hang around on the beach trying to self-land but it's so gusty I daren't risk it. Miyachi comes in and lands me then heads back out.
Phew, what a day! I doubt even finding my beloved Flyradical would cheer me up :(
Moment of the day was the first huge air that I sussed out the landing of, perfectly!
Mood of the session was ah-ha! boo-yah! boo-hoo.
It sucks when you get screamed at for something that you don't think happened at all.
Weather was reported as 13 to 15 knots, gusts to 26 at 6:30pm. 47% at 20˚C.
Wind felt like more than that! In the first session, I was over-powered and not enjoying it on the 17, but enjoyed the 13 - my guess is 18knots average; in the second, it was epic but there were numerous moments of survival kiting as the kite was fully depowered - 23 knots average.
What I learned today...
• Need a small board :( a proper small board.
• Wide stance on the Flydoor2 is easier to ride and weight the tail but doesn't pop anywhere near as well - the back just slides out.
• The Sumo went upwind remarkably well!!! The rocker wasn't as tough to deal with as I thought it would be but it's so stiff - reminds me of the Mako - and I couldn't really get a decent pop with it. Narrow tail and the giant fins really locked the board in though... interesting feeling. Pads are naff. Severe outline might help the upwind too... I dunno.
• Don't let strangers launch your kite
• XB13 is actually a darn good kite. Do I really need a Razor 12?
• Leave EVEN MORE room around myself when jumping.
• Have a cut in my finger that's no more than a few mm but stings like a mother :-/
• So I need a board with some flex.
It was fine for about 30 or 40 minutes. I started on the Flydoor2 with wide stance, then when I felt a bit over-powered I got on the Sumo for the first time since I broke my wrist riding it in 2009. Quite a weird experience! I enjoyed riding the Flydoor more though and went back out on that... nope, not enjoying it - going to get my 13m XB.
Land, deflate, pack, get the 13, pump, rig... and get a launch from Lil' Grom's dad.
Here's where the day starts to get weird... while he's picking up the kite, Turkey walks right at my lines and like boxer going into the ring, lifts them up and walks through them. As I'm trying to launch. I'm stunned!
Gets worse... Lil' Grom's dad holds up the kite, I give him the thumb up and - he throws my kite into the air :o it stalls, rotates back into the window so I grab and pump the center lines. It comes up nicely but a steering line is looped around the tip of a kite just downwind of the launch so the kite veers across the window. I recover it but now it's going to clothes-line Turkey so I turn it into the ground. It hits LE down with the lines on either side of Turkey. He skips out the way and I get the kite back into the air. For fucks sake, man!
Enjoy the rest of the ride. A little too powered to stunt aggressively for me but have a nice time anyway. Get slammed a few times going way too big on back-rolls but do some nice front-roll transitions. Can't quite balance it right to do foot-outs though.
Wind drops off and slowly the water clears. I'm the last one in but I have to walk back up the beach in the water cos I can't walk downwind to the beach without the kite stalling. Everyone packs up. Wait around for it to come back... and it does! A bit violent at first, but Lil' Grom is riding ok so I head out.
Then it arrives like goddamn! Me and Grom start booooooooosting and it's good! Big air, and it's getting bigger! The waves are shaping nicely and provide enough resistance to really boost some good ones!
Until... Soh is ahead and downwind of me when I boost off the face of a good sharp wave. I get pendulumed into the air and shout for joy. Soh looks back and shouts something at me. I land behind him, maybe 15 to 20 meters away. He turns and comes back at me shouting "That's fucking dangerous! Why don't you look where you're going!" I thought he was joking, but no he's serious and is pissed. I thought I had plenty of room... so I feel a bit sad.
Try to get my stoke back but it takes a while. Get some monster boosts but bugger the landings - timing seems to be the issue... I'm falling without a soft landing. The jumps are in that zone above what I'm used to. But I discover that actively holding the kite behind me - or tweaking it back - then giving an aggressive redirect when that close to the water works perfectly. HOOJ air and gentle landings!!! Woot!
Legs are burning from fighting the surges, which are getting violent. Hand hovers over the QR a couple of times... riding the waves results in rapid acceleration downwind. Sun has set behind the hills... I head in to call it a day.
Oh nuts, there's no leash or hook on the anchor... I hang around on the beach trying to self-land but it's so gusty I daren't risk it. Miyachi comes in and lands me then heads back out.
Phew, what a day! I doubt even finding my beloved Flyradical would cheer me up :(
Moment of the day was the first huge air that I sussed out the landing of, perfectly!
Mood of the session was ah-ha! boo-yah! boo-hoo.
It sucks when you get screamed at for something that you don't think happened at all.
Weather was reported as 13 to 15 knots, gusts to 26 at 6:30pm. 47% at 20˚C.
Wind felt like more than that! In the first session, I was over-powered and not enjoying it on the 17, but enjoyed the 13 - my guess is 18knots average; in the second, it was epic but there were numerous moments of survival kiting as the kite was fully depowered - 23 knots average.
What I learned today...
• Need a small board :( a proper small board.
• Wide stance on the Flydoor2 is easier to ride and weight the tail but doesn't pop anywhere near as well - the back just slides out.
• The Sumo went upwind remarkably well!!! The rocker wasn't as tough to deal with as I thought it would be but it's so stiff - reminds me of the Mako - and I couldn't really get a decent pop with it. Narrow tail and the giant fins really locked the board in though... interesting feeling. Pads are naff. Severe outline might help the upwind too... I dunno.
• Don't let strangers launch your kite
• XB13 is actually a darn good kite. Do I really need a Razor 12?
• Leave EVEN MORE room around myself when jumping.
• Have a cut in my finger that's no more than a few mm but stings like a mother :-/
• So I need a board with some flex.
Friday, May 3, 2013
More mellow amusements
Committed myself to going to Costco during the day cos the forecast looked like poo anyway... but we got back at 4 and it actually looked like a day like yesterday so I reloaded the car and headed down. Didn't even hesitate, and took the 21 and only the Flydoor over to the beach.
Quick set up, easy pre-fill and launch. Mmm, feels a tad lighter than yesterday - people are packing up cos it's dropped. Tack out, just going upwind... till I do some stunts then I gotta work it. Fight my way through the pack...
... and right under Fujii's kite. It was right above my head and I think he yelled "Abunai!" at me. But it was awesome, like a kite movie, and I was past his slow ass in a few seconds. Then, if I interpreted his waving at me correctly, he wanted me to fuck off upwind and in the middle of waving, rode into the shore and wiped out LOL Dude, watch where you're going at stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.
Put a bit of a damper on my stoke... but I soon got it back. Rode till I was alone and it was dark. Same menu as yesterday; rotations and stuff. Managed a double front roll by accident which was cool :) tried a double back-roll immediately but borked it up.
Got back to the carpark to discover I'd left the car lights on... thankfully, it started just fine.
Moment of the day was Fujii waving me off like an ass then riding into the shore going ass over tea kettle!
Mood of the session was rah! uhh? ooh.
It sucks when dickheads ruin your stoke.
Weather was reported as 12 to 10 knots, gusts to 18; 15˚C at 48%.
Wind felt like powered enough 65%, 30% whee ho ho ho, 5% working to get upwind.
What I learned today...
• Getting safety advice from a tosser who never looks behind himself before turning, rides right behind me so I have to ride out into the river before I can tack, wears a helmet on the water but not on his scooter is... funny as hell! Upwind envy?
• Big ol' floaty front-rolls are easy (on the starboard tack) so long as you redirect nicely.
• Still not doing nice front-rolls on the port tack...
• Dragged-hand back-roll transitions are doable... but not advisable in a wetsuit - blast of water up the arm!
• Legs need straps cos the suit inverts and it's tough to get it back on the water.
• Heat shrink for the laces?
• Need to work on front-rolls, f-r transitions and jump-loop transition on the port tack.
• Landing on your trapezius muscles hurts...!
Quick set up, easy pre-fill and launch. Mmm, feels a tad lighter than yesterday - people are packing up cos it's dropped. Tack out, just going upwind... till I do some stunts then I gotta work it. Fight my way through the pack...
... and right under Fujii's kite. It was right above my head and I think he yelled "Abunai!" at me. But it was awesome, like a kite movie, and I was past his slow ass in a few seconds. Then, if I interpreted his waving at me correctly, he wanted me to fuck off upwind and in the middle of waving, rode into the shore and wiped out LOL Dude, watch where you're going at stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.
Put a bit of a damper on my stoke... but I soon got it back. Rode till I was alone and it was dark. Same menu as yesterday; rotations and stuff. Managed a double front roll by accident which was cool :) tried a double back-roll immediately but borked it up.
Got back to the carpark to discover I'd left the car lights on... thankfully, it started just fine.
Moment of the day was Fujii waving me off like an ass then riding into the shore going ass over tea kettle!
Mood of the session was rah! uhh? ooh.
It sucks when dickheads ruin your stoke.
Weather was reported as 12 to 10 knots, gusts to 18; 15˚C at 48%.
Wind felt like powered enough 65%, 30% whee ho ho ho, 5% working to get upwind.
What I learned today...
• Getting safety advice from a tosser who never looks behind himself before turning, rides right behind me so I have to ride out into the river before I can tack, wears a helmet on the water but not on his scooter is... funny as hell! Upwind envy?
• Big ol' floaty front-rolls are easy (on the starboard tack) so long as you redirect nicely.
• Still not doing nice front-rolls on the port tack...
• Dragged-hand back-roll transitions are doable... but not advisable in a wetsuit - blast of water up the arm!
• Legs need straps cos the suit inverts and it's tough to get it back on the water.
• Heat shrink for the laces?
• Need to work on front-rolls, f-r transitions and jump-loop transition on the port tack.
• Landing on your trapezius muscles hurts...!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Great White Beast rides again!
Props to John at powerzonekitesports.com for a great priced and speedy repair that looks good too!
Hourly updates were looking awesome right up until the time I got to the lake :( not a good sign when everyone is sitting over at the club having a chin-wag. I checked the tune of the S3 21's new bar & lines - close enough - then hauled ass over to the beach. Bit of fiddling to get the bridles untangled but we got there in the end... inflated and launched just fine... my bridle mods look fine, but the very tips look pulled. Gah! Test pull on the bar... big loft 'n' float! Whee!
Onto the water... with the Flydoor3 cos I know it's light. Easy upwind on a single stroke... DAYUM that's a slow kite! Balls up a few turns and jumps cos it's... so... s-l-o-w but get the hang of it quickly enough and it's the good ol' Great White Beast again.
Not really enough wind for the big boosts, although the hang time is just endless :D a few near calls as I drift towards the beach, and even one occasion when I run aground and have to jump off the board :o
And so I go for the rotation thing again. Roll rate has to be slowed right down - a moment of over-enthusiasm sees me almost making a double but swinging under the kite and it falling... to be caught before it hits the water :)
I even manage to do the front-roll down-loop transition thing... although they take FOREVAH!
Got some foot-outs down, with the masses of hang-time they are pretty easy.
So I keep riding until the sun sets and although I'm not over-powered, I had another great session!
Moment of the day was boosting an air nearer the beach than I meant to be, but watching the rubber-neckers who were coming to the shore for a gawk stop, then back off LOLz
Mood of the session was smug ow smug.
It sucks when you really wish you still had your Flyradical.
Weather was reported as 15 to 16 knots; 11˚C at 65%. Gusts 26 but that was 6 hours before I got there.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 15.1 knots... consistently more gutless than yesterday.
What I learned today...
• The very tips of the bridles are now too short... le sigh.
• So much hang time from the Cable Park in a Bag!
• Cos things happen so slowly and you have so much hang-time, it's kind of easy to do stuff.
• Very hard to time jumps now... been spoiled by the Flite!
• Noticeably more difficult to do front-rolls on the left. Nuts.
• Down-loops need to be planned and began early in advance! Like, 3 weeks before :o
• Gotta recheck the lines etc...
• The Flydoor3, when landing with the board across the wind and power in the kite just stops man, it just STOPS.
• Don't need a lot of redirection to get enough pull in the new direction... noticed that the kite was still almost at zenith when it was most effective.
• Now I remember - back-loop transition... I was doing a half, then redirecting the kite while still facing backwards - it was pulling me out and off on the new tack nicely :)
Hourly updates were looking awesome right up until the time I got to the lake :( not a good sign when everyone is sitting over at the club having a chin-wag. I checked the tune of the S3 21's new bar & lines - close enough - then hauled ass over to the beach. Bit of fiddling to get the bridles untangled but we got there in the end... inflated and launched just fine... my bridle mods look fine, but the very tips look pulled. Gah! Test pull on the bar... big loft 'n' float! Whee!
Onto the water... with the Flydoor3 cos I know it's light. Easy upwind on a single stroke... DAYUM that's a slow kite! Balls up a few turns and jumps cos it's... so... s-l-o-w but get the hang of it quickly enough and it's the good ol' Great White Beast again.
Not really enough wind for the big boosts, although the hang time is just endless :D a few near calls as I drift towards the beach, and even one occasion when I run aground and have to jump off the board :o
And so I go for the rotation thing again. Roll rate has to be slowed right down - a moment of over-enthusiasm sees me almost making a double but swinging under the kite and it falling... to be caught before it hits the water :)
I even manage to do the front-roll down-loop transition thing... although they take FOREVAH!
Got some foot-outs down, with the masses of hang-time they are pretty easy.
So I keep riding until the sun sets and although I'm not over-powered, I had another great session!
Moment of the day was boosting an air nearer the beach than I meant to be, but watching the rubber-neckers who were coming to the shore for a gawk stop, then back off LOLz
Mood of the session was smug ow smug.
It sucks when you really wish you still had your Flyradical.
Weather was reported as 15 to 16 knots; 11˚C at 65%. Gusts 26 but that was 6 hours before I got there.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 15.1 knots... consistently more gutless than yesterday.
What I learned today...
• The very tips of the bridles are now too short... le sigh.
• So much hang time from the Cable Park in a Bag!
• Cos things happen so slowly and you have so much hang-time, it's kind of easy to do stuff.
• Very hard to time jumps now... been spoiled by the Flite!
• Noticeably more difficult to do front-rolls on the left. Nuts.
• Down-loops need to be planned and began early in advance! Like, 3 weeks before :o
• Gotta recheck the lines etc...
• The Flydoor3, when landing with the board across the wind and power in the kite just stops man, it just STOPS.
• Don't need a lot of redirection to get enough pull in the new direction... noticed that the kite was still almost at zenith when it was most effective.
• Now I remember - back-loop transition... I was doing a half, then redirecting the kite while still facing backwards - it was pulling me out and off on the new tack nicely :)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Front-roll fantastico!
Looked like another good forecast but I noticed the wind dropping during the PM while at work. Oh well... toddled off to the lake anyway. Looks ok but I'm going out with the big guns - Flite 17 (cos it's raining) and the old Flydoor.
Naturally, the wind has died by the time I get over the beach. White caps are moving in from the horizon though - so I go ahead and rig up. By the time I'm done, the "wind" has arrived.
Phew, only just enough to ride upwind. Jumps aren't happening so I set about doing rotations. What fun! Sent back-rolls, front-rolls and - drum roll please! - front-roll transitions with a down loop! No problems getting back upwind but no big air :(
So I played silly buggers as the wind (and rain) came and went, and then finally gave up around 6:45 - just before dark. And the rain. Again.
Oh, I slathered myself in sunblock and wore a hat too... the sunburn has finally stopped hurting all the time, but the hat sliding on my skin still hurt...
Moment of the day was kind of accidentally nailing the front-roll transition with a loop... I meant to do it, but didn't think it'd work so wasn't really thinking about it :)
Mood of the session was bah oh? har!
Weather was reported as 12-14-11 knots from 5-7pm, gusts no more than 28 at 2pm :o 78% at 10˚C.
Wind felt like 10-15 knots, a few gusts around 18 maybe.
What I learned today...
• Rig the Flite on the longest knots. Maybe...
• Might be time to fiddle with the other knots... less depower = ...?
• Back-rolls... send the kite, have a good ol' look way back upwind :D
• Don't send it back too far... oof!
• Front-roll transitions with a down-loop... lines are untwisted :D
• And they're easier than they look... well in one direction anyway.
• Land with the board more square to the wind, ready to ride off!
• Knees up on the rotations - you can just hang there on the way down, ready to go!
Naturally, the wind has died by the time I get over the beach. White caps are moving in from the horizon though - so I go ahead and rig up. By the time I'm done, the "wind" has arrived.
Phew, only just enough to ride upwind. Jumps aren't happening so I set about doing rotations. What fun! Sent back-rolls, front-rolls and - drum roll please! - front-roll transitions with a down loop! No problems getting back upwind but no big air :(
So I played silly buggers as the wind (and rain) came and went, and then finally gave up around 6:45 - just before dark. And the rain. Again.
Oh, I slathered myself in sunblock and wore a hat too... the sunburn has finally stopped hurting all the time, but the hat sliding on my skin still hurt...
Moment of the day was kind of accidentally nailing the front-roll transition with a loop... I meant to do it, but didn't think it'd work so wasn't really thinking about it :)
Mood of the session was bah oh? har!
Weather was reported as 12-14-11 knots from 5-7pm, gusts no more than 28 at 2pm :o 78% at 10˚C.
Wind felt like 10-15 knots, a few gusts around 18 maybe.
What I learned today...
• Rig the Flite on the longest knots. Maybe...
• Might be time to fiddle with the other knots... less depower = ...?
• Back-rolls... send the kite, have a good ol' look way back upwind :D
• Don't send it back too far... oof!
• Front-roll transitions with a down-loop... lines are untwisted :D
• And they're easier than they look... well in one direction anyway.
• Land with the board more square to the wind, ready to ride off!
• Knees up on the rotations - you can just hang there on the way down, ready to go!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Psycho saves a session
Forecast looked crappy but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. Supposed to be good from 10-12 then falling off...
Got down the lake about 10, sorted out my Speed3 21 bar and lines then noticed the wind had picked up so I hauled over to the lake...
Inflated the 17 cos I really wanted to ride it, but it just wasn't co-operating. Contemplated going to the effort of tuning the 21 bar but just unpacked the Psycho4 19 instead...
I can get up on a plane but it's not enough to ride upwind. Spend a half hour or so, riding and walking before it picks up and holds steady enough to goof off and still get upwind.
Having a good time! Rotations of all kinds and even get into foot-outs! Land a few too :) but not really enough height for anything but a quick whip-it-out, like a flasher in a public park.
Towards the end of the session, I try out the Mako. Seems so skittish when compared to the 'door! Carves like a beast... but I just struggle to get up wind. Land the Psycho and put up the Flite again, back on the 'door. Meh... not going upwind enough and I'm tired and feeling burnt, so I call it a day.
Not bad for what was a crap forecast!
Moment of the day was actually 2 - a big, fat, long stare backwards at the horizon on a back-roll; and a big, fat, slow-as front-roll.
Mood of the session was bemused annoyed satisfied.
It sucks when you want your lost board :(
Weather was reported as 8-14-7 knots, gusts to 20; 16˚C at 41%.
Wind felt like a rip-off - looked and felt like we should have been rocking but it was, at best, just powered.
What I learned today...
• Magic wind season is over :(
• Miss my 'radical :(
• REALLY need sunblock :( I am a tomato bobblehead.
Got down the lake about 10, sorted out my Speed3 21 bar and lines then noticed the wind had picked up so I hauled over to the lake...
Inflated the 17 cos I really wanted to ride it, but it just wasn't co-operating. Contemplated going to the effort of tuning the 21 bar but just unpacked the Psycho4 19 instead...
I can get up on a plane but it's not enough to ride upwind. Spend a half hour or so, riding and walking before it picks up and holds steady enough to goof off and still get upwind.
Having a good time! Rotations of all kinds and even get into foot-outs! Land a few too :) but not really enough height for anything but a quick whip-it-out, like a flasher in a public park.
Towards the end of the session, I try out the Mako. Seems so skittish when compared to the 'door! Carves like a beast... but I just struggle to get up wind. Land the Psycho and put up the Flite again, back on the 'door. Meh... not going upwind enough and I'm tired and feeling burnt, so I call it a day.
Not bad for what was a crap forecast!
Moment of the day was actually 2 - a big, fat, long stare backwards at the horizon on a back-roll; and a big, fat, slow-as front-roll.
Mood of the session was bemused annoyed satisfied.
It sucks when you want your lost board :(
Weather was reported as 8-14-7 knots, gusts to 20; 16˚C at 41%.
Wind felt like a rip-off - looked and felt like we should have been rocking but it was, at best, just powered.
What I learned today...
• Magic wind season is over :(
• Miss my 'radical :(
• REALLY need sunblock :( I am a tomato bobblehead.
• Mako is so loose and bouncy but DAYUM does it carve like a knife!
• Flite just HANGS at the top of the jump, and you just hover - will be a good board-off kite.
• Psycho has so much lift at the top but really pulls downwind a lot, it seems...
• The old Flydoor straps need to be on the widest setting...
• Front rolls are getting better; as are back-roll transitions.
• Did a foot-out on my "off-side"... man that felt WEIRD!
• Flite just HANGS at the top of the jump, and you just hover - will be a good board-off kite.
• Psycho has so much lift at the top but really pulls downwind a lot, it seems...
• The old Flydoor straps need to be on the widest setting...
• Front rolls are getting better; as are back-roll transitions.
• Did a foot-out on my "off-side"... man that felt WEIRD!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Bye bye, Flyradical?
Forecast was for awesome picking up to OMFG at 3pm so I thought I could toddle down to the lake just after lunch, set up at a relaxed pace and work up to going bat-shit crazy out there...
Got there about 1-ish, decided on the 10m Crossbow but took both boards over to the lake... hand trouble walking upwind with them though :o got changed and waddled over... gloves but no boots and a nice, new, red t-shirt to start the day.
First half hour on the water was great; huge airs and plenty of hang time. Then the wind dropped right off so I came in and had a drink, stood around for a bit, waiting. It piced up so I went out again, but it wasn't as strong so I just enjoyed some rotations and medium airs.
Another lull, so took another break. Went out when it picked up again and was having a great ol' time!
Wind direction was ll over the place again... at one point, we were riding straight out into the waves and then heading back in right behind them, dropping in over the top of the waves - neat!
Then I went out the other side of the river, to enjoy the sharper waves for boosting off... borked a landing and managed to drop my kite right on top of a fucking buoy - black and moldy on a dark green lake; didn't even see it. So while I'm trying to get the fucking thing out of my power lines, I lost my board. My hook knife has gone missing so I dumped the kite and hand-over-handed and cleared my lines. Am now downwind of the rock wall - try to body-drag past it but give up and just walk over it. While I'm standing on the top, I look around for my board but I can't see it at all :(
The body-drag from hell back to the beach... Miyachi goes for a walk down the beach to look for my board, I walk over the bridge to spot from a height but can't see shit, captain!
Go back out on the Flydoor but despite getting closer to the trees than I should, I can't see anything on the shorelines. Wind is dropping again so I call it a day... and get packed up just before it starts raining on me as well.
Drive up and down the river looking but no luck. Le sigh... Miyachi can't go up the river in his boat so if it's up there, it's gone, it seems...
And to top it all off, my knee is killing me... nuts.
Moment of the day was any of the boosts in the gusts... yeehaw!
Mood of the session was aw yeah! aw ok! aw no!
It sucks when you lose your board because of fucking fisher-assholes.
Weather was reported as 20 to 15 knots, gusts to 30. 11˚C at 57%.
Wind felt like crappy 20%, gravy 60%, and epic 20%.
What I learned today...
• When you really need something and you don't have it... it's bad.
• Somehow, Turkey can get his lines wrapped around mine even though my kite was on the ground.
• Should probably have put my cell number on the board... now I think of it, I could have melted it into the grab-handle. Doh!
• Love the little kites!
• I'm doing something to really hammer my right knee, but not the left. Seems to be not letting the knee flex enough...
• Boards that are white and blue quickly become invisible, especially at eye level on the water.
The next one(s) are going to be bright and garish.
• Possible replacements... my mind goes straight to Switch, Naish, Underground/Axis and Cabrinha.
• Now, go I go for the same size or slightly bigger? Certainly won't be going smaller...
Got there about 1-ish, decided on the 10m Crossbow but took both boards over to the lake... hand trouble walking upwind with them though :o got changed and waddled over... gloves but no boots and a nice, new, red t-shirt to start the day.
First half hour on the water was great; huge airs and plenty of hang time. Then the wind dropped right off so I came in and had a drink, stood around for a bit, waiting. It piced up so I went out again, but it wasn't as strong so I just enjoyed some rotations and medium airs.
Another lull, so took another break. Went out when it picked up again and was having a great ol' time!
Wind direction was ll over the place again... at one point, we were riding straight out into the waves and then heading back in right behind them, dropping in over the top of the waves - neat!
Then I went out the other side of the river, to enjoy the sharper waves for boosting off... borked a landing and managed to drop my kite right on top of a fucking buoy - black and moldy on a dark green lake; didn't even see it. So while I'm trying to get the fucking thing out of my power lines, I lost my board. My hook knife has gone missing so I dumped the kite and hand-over-handed and cleared my lines. Am now downwind of the rock wall - try to body-drag past it but give up and just walk over it. While I'm standing on the top, I look around for my board but I can't see it at all :(
The body-drag from hell back to the beach... Miyachi goes for a walk down the beach to look for my board, I walk over the bridge to spot from a height but can't see shit, captain!
Go back out on the Flydoor but despite getting closer to the trees than I should, I can't see anything on the shorelines. Wind is dropping again so I call it a day... and get packed up just before it starts raining on me as well.
Drive up and down the river looking but no luck. Le sigh... Miyachi can't go up the river in his boat so if it's up there, it's gone, it seems...
And to top it all off, my knee is killing me... nuts.
Moment of the day was any of the boosts in the gusts... yeehaw!
Mood of the session was aw yeah! aw ok! aw no!
It sucks when you lose your board because of fucking fisher-assholes.
Weather was reported as 20 to 15 knots, gusts to 30. 11˚C at 57%.
Wind felt like crappy 20%, gravy 60%, and epic 20%.
What I learned today...
• When you really need something and you don't have it... it's bad.
• Somehow, Turkey can get his lines wrapped around mine even though my kite was on the ground.
• Should probably have put my cell number on the board... now I think of it, I could have melted it into the grab-handle. Doh!
• Love the little kites!
• I'm doing something to really hammer my right knee, but not the left. Seems to be not letting the knee flex enough...
• Boards that are white and blue quickly become invisible, especially at eye level on the water.
The next one(s) are going to be bright and garish.
• Possible replacements... my mind goes straight to Switch, Naish, Underground/Axis and Cabrinha.
• Now, go I go for the same size or slightly bigger? Certainly won't be going smaller...
Friday, April 19, 2013
What happened to spring?
Awesome forecast and awesome wind all day. Hauled ass to the beach; launched the kite just after 5pm I reckon. Put the 13 up (even though Miyachi thought I was mad) and left 20 meter long skid marks down the beach, just self-launching and getting it to zenith. Sheeting in sent me hovering downwind... this is going to rock!!!
Get on the water, tack, tack away for the shore, set up for a jump and... oh FFS the wind has dropped off. And so it went for the rest of the session - on and off wind, never quite delivering the goods :(
A few good boosts and elevator rides, some front- and back-rolls, some good rotation transitions but lots of gusty annoyance.
Still better than nothing!
Moment of the day was finally getting a decent boost.
Mood of the session was rah bah har.
It sucks when the wind is gusty like a night after the curry and beer.
Weather was reported as 16 to 15 knots, gusts no more than 30 at 9am :-/ 9˚C, 54%.
Wind felt like 10 to 20 knots, gusts to 25. Perhaps - cos I was trimmed for full power and it wasn't a thing.
What I learned today...
• Glad I had my gloves with me - could have done with boots too... was chilly!
• In fact, it still is chilly - bloody put the heaters away too soon :-/
• Seems I've been resorting to edging up too hard to set up jumps... use the back fin more, eh.
• Want a Razor...
Get on the water, tack, tack away for the shore, set up for a jump and... oh FFS the wind has dropped off. And so it went for the rest of the session - on and off wind, never quite delivering the goods :(
A few good boosts and elevator rides, some front- and back-rolls, some good rotation transitions but lots of gusty annoyance.
Still better than nothing!
Moment of the day was finally getting a decent boost.
Mood of the session was rah bah har.
It sucks when the wind is gusty like a night after the curry and beer.
Weather was reported as 16 to 15 knots, gusts no more than 30 at 9am :-/ 9˚C, 54%.
Wind felt like 10 to 20 knots, gusts to 25. Perhaps - cos I was trimmed for full power and it wasn't a thing.
What I learned today...
• Glad I had my gloves with me - could have done with boots too... was chilly!
• In fact, it still is chilly - bloody put the heaters away too soon :-/
• Seems I've been resorting to edging up too hard to set up jumps... use the back fin more, eh.
• Want a Razor...
Monday, April 15, 2013
Great day for a swim
Noticed at 4 the wind was up, so postponed after-work work and rushed to the lake. "Ooh it's too strong I'm getting my 7" everyone told me, so I took my 15 and 13 over to the lake. I knew we'd only get an hour of cracking wind before it wimped out and I was looking forward to go stratospheric on the Speed3 :)
Launched fine, powered up real good - should be intense! Tack out with the Flyradical (only brought one board to the beach) with the CrazyFly straps* on... first tack only but I narrowly avoid 2 people turning without looking behind themselves and almost riding into me. Nice long tack out the marina end of the beach, set up a small jump to test the weather, no problem. Redirect and SPROING the kite is gone. I pop up out of the water and the kite is down, the bar is missing a steering line.
Great, the same place I had to swim in from with the 21 :( the lake is drifting south, parallel to the beach... I wrap up the lines* and try to keep hold of the board* cos that's shooting off down the beach towards Kusatsu. Thought I could make 'our' beach but the drift is pushing me at the retaining wall that's bristling with bamboo. I opt to go with the drift and take it to the marina beach... naturally, I get tangled up and have line wrapped around my foot but better yet, the buoy that marks the retaining wall has snagged some line too - neat! Then the kite is being pushed away from the beach cos of the 'reflection' of the waves off the shore - I revert to towing it in. Get it drained, out of the water, wrapped up* and then hump it back to the club house.
Back to the beach, I inflate and launch the XB 13... powered but I know the wind is dropping.
Some good boosts for a while, then some ok ones, then it's gone and I'm trying sent front- and back-rolls... lame.
Ride till dark with So and pack up when I can't see the waves. Tough making ground back to the beach but we get there in the end. Interesting session!
Moment of the day was the solitary good front-roll that felt so good - knees up mother Brown!
Mood of the session was worried worried worried - too much wind? gonna make the beach? not enough wind?
It sucks when shit breaks on the first tack.
Weather was reported as 18 to 8 knots, gusts to 24. 14˚C at 44%.
Wind felt like 30% powered, 70% barely-powered :(
What I learned today...
• The CrazyFly footstraps are easier to adjust, stay tight longer and hold well, but still shift around and dig into my feet :(
• Holes in your t-shirt are great for snagging the bar ends when you try to wrap your lines up :(
• Contemplating putting my reel-leash back on the harness for when I have to self-rescue and the board wants to run away or wrap itself up in the kite
• Much easier to handle a wet 15m than a soggy 21
• Whipping your knees up on front-rolls really seems key... and you need a good amount of power
Launched fine, powered up real good - should be intense! Tack out with the Flyradical (only brought one board to the beach) with the CrazyFly straps* on... first tack only but I narrowly avoid 2 people turning without looking behind themselves and almost riding into me. Nice long tack out the marina end of the beach, set up a small jump to test the weather, no problem. Redirect and SPROING the kite is gone. I pop up out of the water and the kite is down, the bar is missing a steering line.
Great, the same place I had to swim in from with the 21 :( the lake is drifting south, parallel to the beach... I wrap up the lines* and try to keep hold of the board* cos that's shooting off down the beach towards Kusatsu. Thought I could make 'our' beach but the drift is pushing me at the retaining wall that's bristling with bamboo. I opt to go with the drift and take it to the marina beach... naturally, I get tangled up and have line wrapped around my foot but better yet, the buoy that marks the retaining wall has snagged some line too - neat! Then the kite is being pushed away from the beach cos of the 'reflection' of the waves off the shore - I revert to towing it in. Get it drained, out of the water, wrapped up* and then hump it back to the club house.
Back to the beach, I inflate and launch the XB 13... powered but I know the wind is dropping.
Some good boosts for a while, then some ok ones, then it's gone and I'm trying sent front- and back-rolls... lame.
Ride till dark with So and pack up when I can't see the waves. Tough making ground back to the beach but we get there in the end. Interesting session!
Moment of the day was the solitary good front-roll that felt so good - knees up mother Brown!
Mood of the session was worried worried worried - too much wind? gonna make the beach? not enough wind?
It sucks when shit breaks on the first tack.
Weather was reported as 18 to 8 knots, gusts to 24. 14˚C at 44%.
Wind felt like 30% powered, 70% barely-powered :(
What I learned today...
• The CrazyFly footstraps are easier to adjust, stay tight longer and hold well, but still shift around and dig into my feet :(
• Holes in your t-shirt are great for snagging the bar ends when you try to wrap your lines up :(
• Contemplating putting my reel-leash back on the harness for when I have to self-rescue and the board wants to run away or wrap itself up in the kite
• Much easier to handle a wet 15m than a soggy 21
• Whipping your knees up on front-rolls really seems key... and you need a good amount of power
Friday, April 12, 2013
Lawn mowing but laughing
There was supposed to be wind today. It was even blowing a bunch in Ryuo so I headed off to the lake with high hopes... only to be disappointed when I got there. The surface was broken but there were very few white caps - looked like that time I arrived from Osaka so decided to head over with the P4 19 cos hey - what else am I going to do?
Seems So and Turkey have nothing better to do either - So on his 12 and Taki on a 9 FFS!
Kite is pulling a little... water start was sink, sink, sink, plan, then take off on the 5th sine. OMG I'm going! Had to do a big of a walk but on the way up, it picks up a teeny bit so I'm off again - and riding upwind!!!
Noodle around some. Hmm, the wind has picked up a little more - upwind is super-easy... wonder if I could ride the Flyradical?
I can! But there's still not enough wind to boost so I work on my rolls.
Wind drops off again, swap back to the Flydoor and keep doing rolls but there's just not enough wind.
Pack up in the dark again, all alone. Light wind, lawn mowing but it was ok anyway.
Moment of the day was sneaking in the last, nice front-roll before the wind completely died.
Mood of the session was heh har hum.
It sucks when the lots of wind forecast doesn't really arrive.
Weather was reported as 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 26 (LOL) 9˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like 8 to 12 knots with gusts to 15. Just powered enough to get upwind with one, maybe two stunts per tack.
What I learned today...
• Sometimes you don't have to be flying to the moon to be having fun
• Working SUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS
• Looking forward to getting my S3 21 back - thanks John at powerzonekitesports.com!
• Need to wash socks and undies
Seems So and Turkey have nothing better to do either - So on his 12 and Taki on a 9 FFS!
Kite is pulling a little... water start was sink, sink, sink, plan, then take off on the 5th sine. OMG I'm going! Had to do a big of a walk but on the way up, it picks up a teeny bit so I'm off again - and riding upwind!!!
Noodle around some. Hmm, the wind has picked up a little more - upwind is super-easy... wonder if I could ride the Flyradical?
I can! But there's still not enough wind to boost so I work on my rolls.
Wind drops off again, swap back to the Flydoor and keep doing rolls but there's just not enough wind.
Pack up in the dark again, all alone. Light wind, lawn mowing but it was ok anyway.
Moment of the day was sneaking in the last, nice front-roll before the wind completely died.
Mood of the session was heh har hum.
It sucks when the lots of wind forecast doesn't really arrive.
Weather was reported as 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 26 (LOL) 9˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like 8 to 12 knots with gusts to 15. Just powered enough to get upwind with one, maybe two stunts per tack.
What I learned today...
• Sometimes you don't have to be flying to the moon to be having fun
• Working SUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS
• Looking forward to getting my S3 21 back - thanks John at powerzonekitesports.com!
• Need to wash socks and undies
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Ridden hard and put away wet
Not good for kites but what can you do?
Miyachi said it'd be a good session today so I left my gear hanging up last night and made my way to the lake at about 4:45 today. Hoping for another 15m session :)
Started well, was great for about 20 minutes then the wind dropped. Came and went in gusts so I stuck it out while the other 2 packed up. Then a front came in from the NW and it picked up a bit again.
So I started out doing some ok jumps, then got into sent back- and front-rolls, then tried some actual kite loops (with a Speed3!!!) and then went back to rolls and jumps. Tried some heli-loops but couldn't make them work.
Started raining as the sun set so I called it a day. Good session, worth the effort despite the less than stellar wind and the rain.
Moment of the day was a big phat sent front-roll. Felt all proper-like.
Mood of the session was yargh bah mah-mah.
It sucks when you have to pack a wet kite.
Weather was reported as 14-10-12 knots, gusts to 24 and 10˚C at 61%.
Wind felt like ok powered to under-powered (but holding ground) to blah powered. If it was truly 10 knots, then bloody good job S3 15 and Flyradical!
What I learned today…
• The S3 15 isn't a looping machine :D it (or I) seem to loop in the lower half of the window. I'm only just getting off the water so perhaps the kite doesn't have the time to climb back up the window and catch me…
• It's a hell of yank downwind. Or rather, backwards and sideways—it reminds me of the feeling when you send the kite back to like 10, or launch off a wave before the kite is all the way sent.
• Can't see how you can Darkslide like that. Attempted some not-jumping loops but it just felt so wrong :-/
• Really shouldn't slam the kite—it's not an LEI, don't just let go the bar fool!
• Wore gloves and boots and I'm glad I did: still had cold hands for a wee while.
• Get your knees up on front-rolls, redirect when you're facing the wrong way but when you feel the kite pull stop pulling on the bar.
Miyachi said it'd be a good session today so I left my gear hanging up last night and made my way to the lake at about 4:45 today. Hoping for another 15m session :)
Started well, was great for about 20 minutes then the wind dropped. Came and went in gusts so I stuck it out while the other 2 packed up. Then a front came in from the NW and it picked up a bit again.
So I started out doing some ok jumps, then got into sent back- and front-rolls, then tried some actual kite loops (with a Speed3!!!) and then went back to rolls and jumps. Tried some heli-loops but couldn't make them work.
Started raining as the sun set so I called it a day. Good session, worth the effort despite the less than stellar wind and the rain.
Moment of the day was a big phat sent front-roll. Felt all proper-like.
Mood of the session was yargh bah mah-mah.
It sucks when you have to pack a wet kite.
Weather was reported as 14-10-12 knots, gusts to 24 and 10˚C at 61%.
Wind felt like ok powered to under-powered (but holding ground) to blah powered. If it was truly 10 knots, then bloody good job S3 15 and Flyradical!
What I learned today…
• The S3 15 isn't a looping machine :D it (or I) seem to loop in the lower half of the window. I'm only just getting off the water so perhaps the kite doesn't have the time to climb back up the window and catch me…
• It's a hell of yank downwind. Or rather, backwards and sideways—it reminds me of the feeling when you send the kite back to like 10, or launch off a wave before the kite is all the way sent.
• Can't see how you can Darkslide like that. Attempted some not-jumping loops but it just felt so wrong :-/
• Really shouldn't slam the kite—it's not an LEI, don't just let go the bar fool!
• Wore gloves and boots and I'm glad I did: still had cold hands for a wee while.
• Get your knees up on front-rolls, redirect when you're facing the wrong way but when you feel the kite pull stop pulling on the bar.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Lucky epic session!
GPV forecast a change of weather around 5pm today, so I played the odds and headed down to the lake from work... at least I'd get an idea of how long it takes. 20-25 minutes, by the way.
Standing on the beach talking to Miyachi, he reckoned nothing would happen. I agreed and was about to head home when the wind started to shift. Thought I'd give it another 5 minutes... and spotted white caps rolling in. Decided to wait around and see if the wind is going to stick around. It did so I hauled ass back to the car to gear up. Looked about right for the S3 15 and the Flyradical... fingers crossed!
Quick set up so I'm first on the water :) after a few tacks, the wind has a fit and gets all nasty... got me a bit worried but it settles down so I go back to jumping like a nutter :D ooh good ones today! Several "Yeehah!" moments!
Now I encounter a new problem... I'm having problems timing and controlling the redirects and landings. Not cos I'm useless, but cos they're so high I'm swinging around and dragging the kite in front of me before I really want it over there! So I use some downloops to control it (otherwise the kite just tacos) but that's freaky cos the kite is going right back into the powerzone. Simply sheeting in and holding it doesn't seem to work consistently either... I might have to learn how to helicopter loop properly :o
Anyway, the jumps were great fun! We rode until dark - could hardly see the waves by the time we gave up and came in. Thankfully, Miyachi was there to land my kite for me; the wind had picked up and it would have been an interesting landing if I had to do it solo!
Awesome session, despite the nasty herka-jerk moments; sometimes it pays to wait another few minutes, eh! Only a short session - 90 minutes max! - but I packed in as much air-time as I could :D
Moment of the day was watching as the wind changed direction by 180˚ and the front rolled on in :)
Mood of the session was oh ooh yargh!
Weather was reported as 14 to 18 knots, gusts to 25 :D 11˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 25. How about that for a coincidence? Unstable but perfectly powered... when it wasn't trying to rattle my teeth out.
What I learned today...
• Redirects on big jumps... tricky. Needs work.
• Taco'd the kite a few times too, mostly recovered them though. Seemed to be when it went too far upwind (cos I'd gone downwind under it) and I sheeted right out and I rode at the kite on landing. The problem being that if you keep the bar sheeted in during the jump... well I forget now but it didn't work. But if you sheet out at all, the kite zooms across the window and taco. Annoying.
• At least the relaunches were easy, despite some attempts by the kite to bowtie. Good.
• I think I did a backloop transition by accident! Trying to wiggle the kite back when still way up there and just kept pulling. It was a bit messy but I didn't slam... hmm.
• Sometimes, if you sheet out on the way down, you drop like a rock (nice negative Gs!) but can catch the kite as it whips across but before it slams into the edge of the window... and land light as a feather. Whee!
Standing on the beach talking to Miyachi, he reckoned nothing would happen. I agreed and was about to head home when the wind started to shift. Thought I'd give it another 5 minutes... and spotted white caps rolling in. Decided to wait around and see if the wind is going to stick around. It did so I hauled ass back to the car to gear up. Looked about right for the S3 15 and the Flyradical... fingers crossed!
Quick set up so I'm first on the water :) after a few tacks, the wind has a fit and gets all nasty... got me a bit worried but it settles down so I go back to jumping like a nutter :D ooh good ones today! Several "Yeehah!" moments!
Now I encounter a new problem... I'm having problems timing and controlling the redirects and landings. Not cos I'm useless, but cos they're so high I'm swinging around and dragging the kite in front of me before I really want it over there! So I use some downloops to control it (otherwise the kite just tacos) but that's freaky cos the kite is going right back into the powerzone. Simply sheeting in and holding it doesn't seem to work consistently either... I might have to learn how to helicopter loop properly :o
Anyway, the jumps were great fun! We rode until dark - could hardly see the waves by the time we gave up and came in. Thankfully, Miyachi was there to land my kite for me; the wind had picked up and it would have been an interesting landing if I had to do it solo!
Awesome session, despite the nasty herka-jerk moments; sometimes it pays to wait another few minutes, eh! Only a short session - 90 minutes max! - but I packed in as much air-time as I could :D
Moment of the day was watching as the wind changed direction by 180˚ and the front rolled on in :)
Mood of the session was oh ooh yargh!
Weather was reported as 14 to 18 knots, gusts to 25 :D 11˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 25. How about that for a coincidence? Unstable but perfectly powered... when it wasn't trying to rattle my teeth out.
What I learned today...
• Redirects on big jumps... tricky. Needs work.
• Taco'd the kite a few times too, mostly recovered them though. Seemed to be when it went too far upwind (cos I'd gone downwind under it) and I sheeted right out and I rode at the kite on landing. The problem being that if you keep the bar sheeted in during the jump... well I forget now but it didn't work. But if you sheet out at all, the kite zooms across the window and taco. Annoying.
• At least the relaunches were easy, despite some attempts by the kite to bowtie. Good.
• I think I did a backloop transition by accident! Trying to wiggle the kite back when still way up there and just kept pulling. It was a bit messy but I didn't slam... hmm.
• Sometimes, if you sheet out on the way down, you drop like a rock (nice negative Gs!) but can catch the kite as it whips across but before it slams into the edge of the window... and land light as a feather. Whee!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Surprise soul session in light wind
Had to go to Osaka for an annoying visit to a mendacious clinic, so hauled ass back to Shiga to see what was what on the lake about 4:30. Turned out, not very much but Junkie Sensei was doing OK so I trotted back to the car to gear up...
Run, fat-ass, run!
Into the suit, no time for boots or gloves! Light wind out there, so I took the P4 19 and the Flite over to the lake. Wife was with me so she carried the camera... and got some footage of me faffing around.
Well, it's bloody light. The occasional white cap and foot-high chop... Junkie Sensei is going upwind ok though, with his Turbine. Time is of the essence so I unfurl the Psycho4 19. It's due for a test run since I set the mixer to 0 -0.5 -1 (I think) and this'll be the first time out since it went over the trees (also I think). Barely enough wind to inflate it, so it's going to be a messy launch. And it is...
But it get up and it's pulling ok... might get some downwinder walks in though. Out onto the water...
Ride, fat-ass, ride!
Crikey! Actually feeling a little freaked out by just how grunty it is in the "gusts", as I take off like a rocket and struggle to edge against the kite, then realize I probably haven't checked the relative line lengths. Trim it some to cope... Well, going upwind is easy! Kite seems stable too - let's play! Edge it and send it...
Fly, fat-ass, fly!
Woof, not bad! Nice jumps for such light wind, I'm amazed! Back-rolls are big and floaty. Front-rolls are off though... man, for a non-light wind kite the 19 is actually doing rather well in the light wind! I clown around some for the camera... then the wife wimps out cos it's cold. Junkie Sensei has gone home, so I'm all alone.
Drop the kite once, and it lays on the water tip-on-tip, with a bit of a bend in the middle... think I'm going to have a swim, cos when I start trying to work it out, it makes like it's not going to open up at all in this light wind. I try an arc-style recovery and manage to open the center of the kite and get it LE down, but it'll only rise a meter or so off the water. Drop a line and it comes around - phew!
Swim, fat-ass... no not this time.
Enjoy myself for a bit longer, but the sun has set behind the hills (although it's still light) and the wind has dropped - I'm having to work hard and careful to get back upwind. So I call it a day... 90 minute session, which I wasn't expecting and was amazed to be riding at all! Good ol' Flysurfer!
Movie coming... eventually.
Moment of the day was what felt like a massively high back-roll :)
Mood of the session was wha-? whoa!
It sucks when you fly the kite wrong.
Weather was reported as 4–8 knots, gusts no more than 12 (2am)! 17˚C at 44%...
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots
What I learned today...
• The P4 19 is a beast. Seems sensitive to it's state of tune though.
• Big ol' back rolls are easy. Like, as big as a regular jumps big. Yikes!
• Don't need gloves or boots when it's been 17˚C all day.
• Front-rolls need more commitment and skill than on the Flite.
• Don't dive the kite straight down after a jump - riding towards it and sheeting out is what causes the tip-to-tip clamming.
• If you go for a down-loop transition, when you redirect the kite sheet out to send it right across the window, and when you can feel it start to pull from the side, haul on the bar for the loop. Makes a big fat loop with more constant speed and pull, with much less faffing with the bar.
• Really seems to me that Flysurfers need a firm hand on the bar...
• Gotta go over it again and check the lines.
Run, fat-ass, run!
Into the suit, no time for boots or gloves! Light wind out there, so I took the P4 19 and the Flite over to the lake. Wife was with me so she carried the camera... and got some footage of me faffing around.
Well, it's bloody light. The occasional white cap and foot-high chop... Junkie Sensei is going upwind ok though, with his Turbine. Time is of the essence so I unfurl the Psycho4 19. It's due for a test run since I set the mixer to 0 -0.5 -1 (I think) and this'll be the first time out since it went over the trees (also I think). Barely enough wind to inflate it, so it's going to be a messy launch. And it is...
But it get up and it's pulling ok... might get some downwinder walks in though. Out onto the water...
Ride, fat-ass, ride!
Crikey! Actually feeling a little freaked out by just how grunty it is in the "gusts", as I take off like a rocket and struggle to edge against the kite, then realize I probably haven't checked the relative line lengths. Trim it some to cope... Well, going upwind is easy! Kite seems stable too - let's play! Edge it and send it...
Fly, fat-ass, fly!
Woof, not bad! Nice jumps for such light wind, I'm amazed! Back-rolls are big and floaty. Front-rolls are off though... man, for a non-light wind kite the 19 is actually doing rather well in the light wind! I clown around some for the camera... then the wife wimps out cos it's cold. Junkie Sensei has gone home, so I'm all alone.
Drop the kite once, and it lays on the water tip-on-tip, with a bit of a bend in the middle... think I'm going to have a swim, cos when I start trying to work it out, it makes like it's not going to open up at all in this light wind. I try an arc-style recovery and manage to open the center of the kite and get it LE down, but it'll only rise a meter or so off the water. Drop a line and it comes around - phew!
Swim, fat-ass... no not this time.
Enjoy myself for a bit longer, but the sun has set behind the hills (although it's still light) and the wind has dropped - I'm having to work hard and careful to get back upwind. So I call it a day... 90 minute session, which I wasn't expecting and was amazed to be riding at all! Good ol' Flysurfer!
Movie coming... eventually.
Moment of the day was what felt like a massively high back-roll :)
Mood of the session was wha-? whoa!
It sucks when you fly the kite wrong.
Weather was reported as 4–8 knots, gusts no more than 12 (2am)! 17˚C at 44%...
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots
What I learned today...
• The P4 19 is a beast. Seems sensitive to it's state of tune though.
• Big ol' back rolls are easy. Like, as big as a regular jumps big. Yikes!
• Don't need gloves or boots when it's been 17˚C all day.
• Front-rolls need more commitment and skill than on the Flite.
• Don't dive the kite straight down after a jump - riding towards it and sheeting out is what causes the tip-to-tip clamming.
• If you go for a down-loop transition, when you redirect the kite sheet out to send it right across the window, and when you can feel it start to pull from the side, haul on the bar for the loop. Makes a big fat loop with more constant speed and pull, with much less faffing with the bar.
• Really seems to me that Flysurfers need a firm hand on the bar...
• Gotta go over it again and check the lines.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
A great day for up!
Wind is due later in the afternoon, so did some stuff at lunch time then headed to the lake. Got there about 3pm, just ahead of the wind. Came in cracking like yesterday but was a bit more gusty.
Headed out on the 'radical with the Renegade harness, slung low and doing fine... till I fell over and pushed it up again. Got off the water and swapped harnesses... felt really weird at first but is an improvement. Much more comfy...
So the wind is cracking, and I'm having a blast! Over-powered but loving it. Front-rolls were off but back-rolls were great. Numerous no-hander foot-outs too... guess that's how I tweaked my knee :-/
Fun jumps, not so high but hours of hang time. Then the wind kicked it up for a bit and I got a few jumps that made me want to "HOOWOO" and wish someone was filming. Narrowly missed someone's kite when the gust lofted me a good 'un... but kinda got the hang of looping on landings. Kinda. One time I wasn't paying attention and managed to get the kite out of shape and folded the leading edge.
Waves were only good one way for boosting, so it was ride out jumping then back in making ground upwind.
Stayed out til I was the last one on the lake, pushing sunset. Feeling very beaten up but I like flying.
Gloves man had either a front line or bridle break on him - guess the later, cos he didn't just swap the bar over... ooh, just thought - he might have broken a pulley! Going to replace mine with Ronstan Orbits - so long as I can find blue Amsteel.
On Miyahci's blog, I am now a kite size. He makes a short comment about the day, often adds a phot, lists wind direction, number of kiters, and the sizes used; like 8~14 or whatever. Days I'm there, I'm using gear that's just so OTT it's merely written as "8~Kevin". I'm not sure how to process that...
Moment of the day was smacking a 'wave'... long carve across the front of it as it broke and sent a fine, gentle spray across my face.
Mood of the session was mwa-hahahaa!
Song stuck in my head was The Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin... "Valhalla I am coming..." BOOOST!
It sucks when you fall over and push the harness up your body so it starts digging into you chest again... and the muscles are still sore from yesterday so even though you're using a waist harness, it still feels like it's digging into you, every time you have to use the muscles.
Weather was reported as 12 to 18 knots, gusts to 26; 12˚C at 48%.
Wind felt like ~18 knots with gusts just over 20.
What I learned today...
• Wetsuits fit better when you put them on properly :D
• Seems I can either have a harness that gives proctological exams or one that attempts open-heart surgery.
• Flite has about the same wind range (tad wider) as the XB16 but is way more fun.
• Really need a smaller kite though, cos I'm losing the edge boosting when that over-powered.
• Gotta sort out the 15m Speed3. See above...
• Upwind easier with the knots on the long setting.
• Looping on landing big jumps... don't forget to pay attention to what the kite is doing.
• All the people with cameras out there... and I bet I don't get any pics of the good stuff!
Headed out on the 'radical with the Renegade harness, slung low and doing fine... till I fell over and pushed it up again. Got off the water and swapped harnesses... felt really weird at first but is an improvement. Much more comfy...
So the wind is cracking, and I'm having a blast! Over-powered but loving it. Front-rolls were off but back-rolls were great. Numerous no-hander foot-outs too... guess that's how I tweaked my knee :-/
Fun jumps, not so high but hours of hang time. Then the wind kicked it up for a bit and I got a few jumps that made me want to "HOOWOO" and wish someone was filming. Narrowly missed someone's kite when the gust lofted me a good 'un... but kinda got the hang of looping on landings. Kinda. One time I wasn't paying attention and managed to get the kite out of shape and folded the leading edge.
Waves were only good one way for boosting, so it was ride out jumping then back in making ground upwind.
Stayed out til I was the last one on the lake, pushing sunset. Feeling very beaten up but I like flying.
Gloves man had either a front line or bridle break on him - guess the later, cos he didn't just swap the bar over... ooh, just thought - he might have broken a pulley! Going to replace mine with Ronstan Orbits - so long as I can find blue Amsteel.
On Miyahci's blog, I am now a kite size. He makes a short comment about the day, often adds a phot, lists wind direction, number of kiters, and the sizes used; like 8~14 or whatever. Days I'm there, I'm using gear that's just so OTT it's merely written as "8~Kevin". I'm not sure how to process that...
Moment of the day was smacking a 'wave'... long carve across the front of it as it broke and sent a fine, gentle spray across my face.
Mood of the session was mwa-hahahaa!
Song stuck in my head was The Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin... "Valhalla I am coming..." BOOOST!
It sucks when you fall over and push the harness up your body so it starts digging into you chest again... and the muscles are still sore from yesterday so even though you're using a waist harness, it still feels like it's digging into you, every time you have to use the muscles.
Weather was reported as 12 to 18 knots, gusts to 26; 12˚C at 48%.
Wind felt like ~18 knots with gusts just over 20.
What I learned today...
• Wetsuits fit better when you put them on properly :D
• Seems I can either have a harness that gives proctological exams or one that attempts open-heart surgery.
• Flite has about the same wind range (tad wider) as the XB16 but is way more fun.
• Really need a smaller kite though, cos I'm losing the edge boosting when that over-powered.
• Gotta sort out the 15m Speed3. See above...
• Upwind easier with the knots on the long setting.
• Looping on landing big jumps... don't forget to pay attention to what the kite is doing.
• All the people with cameras out there... and I bet I don't get any pics of the good stuff!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
At long last!
Made the mistake of checking the hourly weather on the lake while I was in Nagoya "on business" and of course, it was cracking. I felt so good. Today, the forecast was for not very much but GPV said a burst of nice would come in about 3pm, so I headed down the lake about 1 and set up...
Out with the Flite again, then stood around on the beach waiting for the wind. Picked up a bit around 2:30 so I thought I'd give it a go... Almost 100% walk back up the beach. Then 75%, then 50%, then 0% and then 75% again so I gave up, landed the kite and had a drink.
Shortly after, the wind came in! Cracking! Bit over-powered so I headed straight out on the Flyradical... blast out and get straight into boosting. Easy semi-decent jumps... the Flite doesn't boost to the moon but has mad hangtime. It's just a shame the spreader bar pad is digging into my chest. Felt a bit too much for stunts but tried some, and they all went well.
Was riding with my new Switch 4/3 wetsuit and Dakine Renegade waist harness... The wetsuit was fine but the harness spent the whole time digging into my sternum :(
3-hour session wound up when I couldn't stand the poking in the ribs. It was good though. At least I think it was... finishing this after Sunday's session cos we went out to see Cloud Atlas last night right after I got home...
Moment of the day was just getting out again after all week stuck in Nagoya.
Mood of the session was do-de-doo rock on! gnnn.
Weather was reported as 8-12 knots, gusts to 20 (1am) and 12˚C 50%.
Wind felt like sub-10 knots then 15 to 20.
What I learned today...
• Had the kite on the 'short' knots which was nice when the wind was down, but had to trim the kite when it was up. Will stick with the long knots, I think.
• Trimming the kite is easy enough, I have no issues with below-the-bar depower.
• What I do have issues with is the waist harness, digging into my chest... I'll try it again but I may be going back to the seat harness if I can't get it to sit on my waist properly!
• The Swtich 4/3 wetsuit is 2XL and a ittle big snug around the legs (seam behind the knee bit some), little bit lose around the forearms?!?! Fits fine otherwise. Warm enough today, although I could feel cold wind-chill on my chest... a fleece panel there would be great!
• Wore my Ballistic Slippers but too cold for that sill - the exposed skin chilled the rest of my feet.
Out with the Flite again, then stood around on the beach waiting for the wind. Picked up a bit around 2:30 so I thought I'd give it a go... Almost 100% walk back up the beach. Then 75%, then 50%, then 0% and then 75% again so I gave up, landed the kite and had a drink.
Shortly after, the wind came in! Cracking! Bit over-powered so I headed straight out on the Flyradical... blast out and get straight into boosting. Easy semi-decent jumps... the Flite doesn't boost to the moon but has mad hangtime. It's just a shame the spreader bar pad is digging into my chest. Felt a bit too much for stunts but tried some, and they all went well.
Was riding with my new Switch 4/3 wetsuit and Dakine Renegade waist harness... The wetsuit was fine but the harness spent the whole time digging into my sternum :(
3-hour session wound up when I couldn't stand the poking in the ribs. It was good though. At least I think it was... finishing this after Sunday's session cos we went out to see Cloud Atlas last night right after I got home...
Moment of the day was just getting out again after all week stuck in Nagoya.
Mood of the session was do-de-doo rock on! gnnn.
Weather was reported as 8-12 knots, gusts to 20 (1am) and 12˚C 50%.
Wind felt like sub-10 knots then 15 to 20.
What I learned today...
• Had the kite on the 'short' knots which was nice when the wind was down, but had to trim the kite when it was up. Will stick with the long knots, I think.
• Trimming the kite is easy enough, I have no issues with below-the-bar depower.
• What I do have issues with is the waist harness, digging into my chest... I'll try it again but I may be going back to the seat harness if I can't get it to sit on my waist properly!
• The Swtich 4/3 wetsuit is 2XL and a ittle big snug around the legs (seam behind the knee bit some), little bit lose around the forearms?!?! Fits fine otherwise. Warm enough today, although I could feel cold wind-chill on my chest... a fleece panel there would be great!
• Wore my Ballistic Slippers but too cold for that sill - the exposed skin chilled the rest of my feet.
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