Blowout practice run from Viento tonight?

Pepi · Thu Jul 31, 08 9:07 am **Blowout practice run from Viento tonight?**

It looks like we are going to get a good afternoon-evening breeze tonight in the corridor which might make for a good Blowout practice run from Viento to the Sandbar.

I'm not free until 6pm, but am going to try to squeeze a run in if I can get anyone to come join me for safety. I know it is kind of late, but WTF, I desperately need the water time.

If you're interested, email me: pepi at gorge.net
or call the shop at (541)386-4464

With our July business being crazy busy this month, I am very lacking in kite-water time and definitely need a warm-up run before the real deal on Saturday.

Thanks
Pepi

tonyb · Thu Jul 31, 08 9:42 am

We're hoping to do a practice run from Stevenson to HR today. Hoping to leave between 3 and 4 this afternoon. We've got a chase vehicle so if anyone wants to tag along we can get you back to Stevie with us.

Tony

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

man, wish i would have known sooner! anyone who can make it that is new, make it!!!!

Pepi · Thu Jul 31, 08 9:02 pm

After closing down the shop, Anna and I made it to Viento around 7pm and it was blowing like stink. We rigged big kites with the intention of heading downwind, but a last minute call to the sandbar reported dieing winds.

We decided to just suck it up and hang at Viento. Big gusts and big wind angle shifts served up some good cross-training for the BlowOut.

Kited until around 9pm and then called it a day.

I had not been on the water with my kite gear in almost 3 weeks, so I was jonesing big-time for a well needed session before jumping into the BlowOut on Saturday.

See you all on Saturday morning.

Pepi

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Jul 31, 08 9:09 pm

Awesome! I spoke with Mark tonight and he was starting to scare me with talk of man eating, 15-foot high river swells near swell city. Maybe I won't rig that 14m T2 after all. Laughing

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

Glad you guys got out, even though the downwinder didn't go through.

We had that same shifty wind at Stevenson, and you know how it is there when it gets north in it.

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 565 Posts Hood River Photographer

did a downwinder from viento today on an 11 at around 3. it was sik! juiced surfing...

tonyb · Thu Jul 31, 08 9:30 pm

6 of us made the run from Stevie to HR around 4 today. Myself, Carol, Brad, Pat, Mike, and Mike! (left around 4). We had a 9, 10, 12's and a 15! Perfect conditions down past Home Valley but the stretch from Viento to the hatch was nukin! Had the kite parked at noon a couple of times while I went skipping over the waves!

Big thanks to Jordan for following us down in the van and bringing us back from HR!

Tony

mojo1time · Since 28 Jul 2005 184 Posts Stoked

what boards were working well for the downwinder?

Thanks,
Lance

tonyb · Fri Aug 01, 08 8:56 am

Quad fin surf boards with a squarish tail seem to have a slight edge over tri-fin, round tail boards - unless it's really light then maybe something like a glide or spleene might be the ticket.

If there's anything more than 6" swell or chop I don't think the flat boards are the weapon of choice. If it's really really nukin' a twin tip with a lot of rocker and narrow tips might work ok as you can edge when needed, pop over the big swell, and switch directions quickly without having to jibe.

Although I'd bet the board doesn't matter half as much to Sky and Corey as it does to the rest of us.

Tony

mojo1time · Since 28 Jul 2005 184 Posts Stoked

Great info...I have been going back and fourth on TT over my 6' squash tail Rusty thruster

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

If it is going to be super windy then TT super have a benefit unless you can hit every jibe. Then it wouldn't really matter.

If the wind will be marginal then surfboard should have an edge to get you through the lulls.

As much as I like to watch a nice face plant, a glide is a really bad idea for a downwind race. Surfboad will have more float, and since you don't care about upwindability it won't drop you on your face every time you hit some swell or chop.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

I wanna see Nate do it with his wakeboard or skate!