1st annual Utah Lake Downwinder

[Marty Lowe]

This subject has been discussed on a recent Windlog.

.

With a chase boat, this would be quite an adventure... It's what they do in Maui... In Maui, Matt Pritchard and group do an annual sail over to the big Island or to another island as a way to foster comradery and bring in the new season... They stay close in a group... Somebody goes down, the whole group stops for a minute, so they stay somewhat together with a buddy system... A chase boat at times for added safety... Sounds fun... In the Gorge, they do the big downwinder... Here? We're not Maui or the Gorge, but something like this could be fun...

You could quite easily do PV harbor, to the south beaches.
ULSSB would be easy, but no access now.
Going to Lincoln beach isn't that much further.
Always safer with chase boat.

How about a yearly downwinder for all windriders?

Lindon to Lincoln. Straight downwind to ULSSB,
then SW to Lincoln. Party/camping at the Lincoln Beach Pavilion.
Set a weekend date with a couple of alternate dates.
(looking back at my calendar the last 3 years,
evenings at the end of August, first of Sept. have been OK for Utah Lake wind.)
Probably safer in the fall with warm water temps.

-Marty

Ryan and I have planning a big downwinder for awhile. Charles and Matt Davis have done a downwinder from PVU to SSB before. Then Matt thought he would spend the night at mud lake on the water ski judges dock. The possible downwinders are as follows:

1) AF boat harbor to SSB then Lincoln(optional)
2) Saratoga to PVU to SSB then Lincoln(optional)
3) Saratoga to Lincoln (this is the most risky. Boat support would be nice)

Now you guys are talkin'!

This is what I'm talking about... And this is why we did a test run...

Sarah and I have talked about this a leetle bit...

I've already made contact with a guy who owns a school bus company in Provo who would for $100 give us a ride from Provo Boat Harbor to Pelican Marina... That's $100 total... $50 for me, $50 for him... J/K of course... Now that sounds like a riot... Back to school!

My brother has already committed to being one of the chase boats... But, if it ended up in a rescue, more gas etc...

We'll have to talk about the logistics and liabilities but I think that something like this would do quite a bit for our sports... They don't even do the Blowout now with kites in the Gorge because of liability, which sucks. But Les and Brian could get involved with the Kiting part of it. There's all kinds of ways to make it safer. Buddy systems of three people who stay together no matter what... Beacons (avalanche)... Lights (heaven forbid)... But these are things we'd have to talk about...But it'd make for some great Tom Smart pics...

Only thing is, Sarah wants to sail there and back! She can do it too!

It would also be a good litmus test for the mini windsurfer race circuit Josh has been percolating about...

And be a great Opener to the season, and/or a closer to the season for those of us, Who DON'T live in Maui, or Who DON'T live in the Gorge...

DISCLAIMER: I WOULD NOT TRY TO CROSS UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED AND KNOW THE WIND CONDTIONS ARE GOING TO REMAIN WITH HIGH CERTAINTY.

ALSO, GUARANTY THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON SHORE WHO KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE SOMEWHERE AT A GIVEN TIME. OR THEY CALL RESCUE.

ALSO, HAVE ONE OR MORE BUDDIES.

FINALLY, FOR WINDSURFERS, I TIED A BACKUP LINE AROUND THE DOWNHAUL AND OUTHAUL AND UPHAUL, AND CARRIED AN EXTRA UNIVERSAL. Note: Extra line is about a foot and a half of outhaul or downhaul line, through both anchor points and tie a knot of your choice and approval. You wouldn't have to sit in the water trying to downhaul.

COMMON SENSE IS YOUR BEST ASSET

-Rick

Marty, I like the idea of gettting all you dark side wind riders involved, we hardly see you any more, or get to enjoy riding the wind with you. Does your calander show any dates in the spring that would be promising? I think the camp out at Lincoln would be fun. Maybe a Sat. night, camp out. If a spring outing works out....maybe a fall outing too?

I like Rick's idea of support boat, that would make every one feel safer, and make sure that everyone got back to the beach. I like Rick's idea of small groups to watch out for each other, and stay together. Rick...we just need a bit more planning, to put this together.

I hope everyone will keep the ideas coming, this could be really fun.

Sarah,
I don't kite Utah Lake in the spring much, because Rush is so much more windy/predictable and closer for the drive home. Looking back at my kite log, it has been Rush in the sping every year.

Dean..... do you have any logs on the spring winds. (or any one else)

On a downwinder,,,,Windsurfers won't need to worry about kiters being in the way. We'll lose most windsurfers in our dust......

In my opinion it will be more fun to make it last and have fun on the ride downwind, more than it becoming a race. But I'm sure I will be out voted in this respect.

-Marty

[Sarah Ranes]

I think it might be good to have many catagories. Racing seems to motivate a lot of people, and scare others away. Team racing could be fun, if you like to get others involved. Best wind riding costume, might work. Or how about anybody who completes the crossing, gets a free burger, hot dog, or beverage of your choice. Just a few ideas.

[Josh Shirley]

In the gorge blowout there is a half course. So the idea of Saratoga to Provo Boat Harbor then to Lincoln is a good idea. Or maybe Lindon to PVB to Lincoln. That way more people could be involved. After Rick and my adventure I am not sure I would go the whole way. Then again it depends on the wind and gear I was on. Pretty exhausting.
There could be a lot of variations to this. But as some others have alluded to, this doesn't have to be a race but more of an event. There might be a few that make it into a race though. Which is fine.
The winner gets all the glory and the loser gets to be on the channel five news being rescued. JK! that is why we stick to one shore line and have some rescue boats.