Kiteboarding really is a team sport!!

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

We got to SS and on the water at about 1 til 3pm. I think it was 13mph to 39mph, Wow!!
Big swell, big lulls, and a great time for remembering to take advantage of these high wind days.
Also a great time to remember that Kiteboarding is safest when we lookout for each other. The gusty winds tore a kite in half and inverted another. Both guys ended up making it to shore. I towed one guys kite in and I'm sure he would have done it for me.
Kiteboarding in really windy conditions requires you to remember that when your kite goes down you don't want to be alone.
It's easy to pass on these days, but the fact is that some of the best swell comes from hard wind days like this. It just builds and you get these large walls of smooth water to carve up and have fun on in between the gusts. In my opinion these days are great on a strapped surfboard. I was on an 8mtr RPM and 6-2 trifin slingy whiskey. Nice for cranking up wind and then doing a bunch of bottom turns. Incredible day, even though I was working, lol.
I had the chance to meet and introduce a wake-skate rider to SS. It was fun to teach him the ropes. It was even more fun to watch him shred on a wake skate in 30mph conditions in choppy Gorge swell. Amazing!!
I'd like to thank all of the instructors who taught me how to safely take advantage of these conditions.

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Jonpnw · Sat Jun 09, 12 7:38 pm

Dangler can sew that guys kite back up. Hit him up.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

Thanks

mitchl3000 · Since 19 Jul 2010 67 Posts

crazy wind that day. i believe you grabbed my kite. thanks if that was you! i was out on my 6, long story short my kite went down then powered. one of my center lines snapped (on a 2011 cabrinha bar) . kite looped fast got dragged about 30 ft in 2 seconds. pulled release. was close to shore. the kiter on the beach ran into the water and grabbed my kite once i got close enough towards shore. the line snapped right below where it attaches to the pigtail, on the actual glassfiber line. good thing i wasnt on the beach (had been 10 minutes earlier). always check your lines for snags and tears when you lay them. for all i know i could have spotted this in advance.

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

@mitchl3000

It twas i that pulled in your kite. Glad I happend to be there. That was some wicked loops your kite was pullin.

-J

MarkWorth · Since 02 May 2011 149 Posts Hood River Stoked

Go team

mitchl3000 · Since 19 Jul 2010 67 Posts

Boilio · Since 15 Jul 2011 2 Posts New Member

Yeah that was a fun day. I was lit. My kite was the one that ripped, full canopy tear right next to the one airtime fixed. Got the kite back Friday, destroyed it Saturday. Not sure what happened, was boosting a back roll, was in the air, think I just pulled the kite weird, both me and kite crashed hard, when I surfaced I saw kite was torn, thanks boys for helping out and thanks for letting me try your RPM, that was so fun. Sunday I was wishing I had it cuz all I had at the event site was my 10m and I was so lit. Huge airs and huge crashes. I love the gorge, see you soon.

J_Matic · Since 14 Oct 2011 158 Posts InDaHo Stoked

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

You are welcome!!

I love the gorge too!!