9/7, sailboat beach, 9.8-12.5 formula

[Carl Christensen]

speaking of humbled, Sunday was rough on me. don't know why it was so puffy. must have been hell for the kites too. it should have been classic DC. we went to sbb where it was some of the most difficult sailing of the year, finally settling down around 4, allowing complete reaches but few sequential rides and only occasional powered jibes. i posted 9.8 (Ted S.) and 12.5 (myself) but many of the gusts would have been seriously wound up 5.5, albeit 20-40 seconds duration only. on the other hand some of the windless wind eddies on the west side left me sailing in complete 360's (like 3 in a row one time) before escaping into the main channel. Ted was probably laughing but didn't say anything, probably out of sympathy. by the time we left @ 5 ib had cleared out (and it may have even switched north). there were no remaining windriders.

[John Dubock]

Shoulda come down to Island Beach, we had cookies....

Jim flew on his 8.5, Paul/Angie, Pete/Jeneille (sp?) of Brighton had a fine time. Wind popped early at 1pm, settled down to nada by 4pm. Hot water, but no leaves in the water yet. The combo F 155 Ezzy Freeride 7.5 made for excellent riding. 10 Euros were on the beach, one had sailed his Winglider in 30 years, nearly swallowed his cigarettes watching Jim rig up. Of course they were flying a trainer kite, we put the kibosh on that real fast with the first planing jibe session. I let the old man pump my Ezzy, sacre bleu!

[Carl Christensen]

Really? It wasn't that bad? Maybe it was more gusty at the dam. That'll teach me.

[jason morton]

If you could be taught you'd be flying a kite!

[JimSouthwick]

Didn't look as though the kite guys were doing all that well either.

[John Dubock]

I like the energy of the kiters but I can't switch literally "the gears". The fact that 4 kids in a sedan can have 4 kites and be rocking is the future. Now with the good Doctor Southwick holding down Island Beach kiters will have to wait a few years to take over. Especially when the lake fills to the brim next year and the wind comes back. Formula gear works well at IB, we've evolved and get enough rides to call it a good day.

The Gemini Tandem windsurfer board sitting on the beach at IB would cause a frenzy, if not great cheap dates...watch for it...

[jason morton]

I wouldn't be so sure about that! The takeover, or invasion rather, has already occured. On any given day at DC you will see 2 or 3 sailors and 15 kites out. We have been blessed by low water, but I don't think the lake filling up is too much of a deterrant. We are drift launching at many locations and are quite capable of launching as kiters do at the hatchery. If the wind is there so will we! I do worry about lots of kiters trying to launch at IB on a busy summer day!