4-27-10 Willard - some kites and some windsurfers

[Josh Shirley]

I arrived at Willard around 4PM rigged a 4.7 and my 100l with my 83l in reserve. Nice ramps. Only took about 6 laps on the 100l before it picked up again, so I switched boards. From there it just got more windy. Perfect sail for the evening would have been 3.5m. A good sign your way overpowered is the death rattle on each gust. I tried my 4.1 for a while but I can only tail walk so much. Water temp wasn't bad. Now if we could get it to blow like this twice a week.

I prefer the Willard's clean, well everything, over MM19's dirty everything.

[Shawn Henderson]

Sorry Josh... i have to ask. What’s a death rattle?

Googled it, but didn’t like what I found "gurgling or rattle-like noise produced shortly before death" I suppose I would know if I had ever experienced it, but from the sound of it I don’t think I want to.

I also googled the tail walk thing, sounds kind of like a cool trick Probably not a comfortable way to ride though.

Sorry again, I am probably the only one who doesn’t know exactly what you are referring to.

[Marty Lowe]

Maybe the only spot in Utah
kiters ans windsurfers can share the same spot,
and enjoy it also.

for me it was 7M valet kiting,
I pulled up, rubbered up,
and Doug handed me his kite, Ahhh..

Marty

[Mike Egan]

My first time at Willard. Its sick, big winds, waves, sandy beach and grass rigging area. I'm with Josh. However, it did claim my 95 liters nose and my 4.0 and the parking lot had a moment. I also got my a** kicked many times. Overpowered most of the time should have rigged 3.6 instead of 4.0. My high wind skills seemed rusty, I may need a trip to the gorge to work on this or it can keep blowing here.

[Josh Shirley]

Death rattle - my term for when I am tail walking overpowered and then the top of my sail rattles or shakes. Kind of like a flag getting whipped in really strong wind.

In other words a perfect time to sheet in madly and go for a double front loop.

Tail walking isn't bad on a small board but a formula with 80 cm fin. That is scary.

[Leo Chan]

If you can tail walk and still use your formula board, there must be something wrong with you. Either you don't have a smaller board or smaller sail. On the other hand, I've seen a photo of Bruce Peterson attempting a forward loop with a formula board and 9.5 sail. It didn't end too pretty. . .

[jimhornbeck]

4.7 4.2 3.7 68l nice.Love 50 mph winds. unreal sesh.

[Jason Klein]

Well, that'll make a man out of you.

Arrived around 3:30, winds were mid-high 20's, gusting mid-30's. kiters were heading out on 7-9m. I rigged the 8 (actually thought about the 10m and was sooooo glad i went with the 8m). wind was strong and gusty, but doable for the first hour or so. Easy to jump high, not so easy to land. Ping..........splash! Jeff Man was the only person that looked good throwing huge jumps and sticking the landings. At around 5pm, it just turned into survival kiting. I took a run over to the next cove to the north because it was sheilded a bit by a spit of land. It was a little easier going there, but when i started to head back 10 mins later, i came around the corner to 35ish wind, shoulder high waves and only one other kiter still out, and he was heading in. Tried to head back upwind to the main beach, but just couldn't hold an edge. After 5 mins of trying, i decided that i wanted to live and headed back into the cove and dumped the kite in the shallows there, packed up and walked back. Tables on the nearest sensor show winds 35-50 at that time.