Busy Sunday at Sauvies

NateDogg · Sun Jun 25, 06 11:01 pm **Busy Sunday at Sauvies**

Just wanted to give huge props to all the guys and gals out at Sauvies on Sunday, June 25th. With all the people crowding the beach and all the party boats (way too close and not paying attention) we had a tight situation and from what I saw everyone handled it extremely well. Kites were going up quick, taking up very little space and people were staying clear of the swimmers while still putting on a good show offshore. Nice work.

Because of all the people, overwhelmingly non-kiters, the beach is pretty trashed. I tried picking up a little of it when I left but it didn't help much. The next time we're all out there we should try and make a point of at least picking up a few beer bottles, maybe more, so we as kiteboarders can be seen as even more of an asset to Sauvies rather than a liability. I know a lot of us do this already, which is awesome, but if this reminds one more kiter to throw a few garbage sacks in their rig it's gonna make all the difference. Thats gonna be one of the first things I throw in the durango when I get it back (someday Sad

) I think they still have that dumpster available on the way out too, so there's no way that shit is gonna stink up the car for too long.

Anyways, good solid day at Sauvies, and I know the coast went off...

JNETTE · Since 02 Feb 2006 149 Posts PORTLAND Stoked

GREAT IDEA NATE!

EdG · Since 19 Dec 2005 424 Posts Just a Kook that's Obsessed

I was there around 2pm and saw no kites in the air and no car/trucks that I knew. No place to park, I turned around and left. Better to leave a beach then to get someone hurt and get the place shutdown. I figured that everyone had gone to the coast, let me know next time! I can drive and help with shuttling us down-winders!!! I'll be there at Sauvies Island in the morning, trash bags in hand, and will help clean up the beach. If you don't have room in your ride, leave the trash bags by the bright red/orange Explorer with the ‘Sauvie Island Wildlife’, Cabrinha and NWKite.com stickers on the back window and I will take it out.

Please no dirty diapers Laughing

ED

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Good call Nate! Thumb's Up

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Hey what was the wind like yesterday? light/strong? did it shut down early?

Today looks like it will be hot and windy, though I know sometimes it gets too hot and shuts down.

bdc8622 · Since 31 May 2005 74 Posts PDX

I was there at 1pm and there was not a single kiter there. The water was glass with wakeboarders out on it. Lets not even mention the ZOO that it was. What time did it go off and what size were the kites? thanks

Mark · Mon Jun 26, 06 8:16 am

I got there around 2 and it was a zoo. No where to park cars everywhere. Thanks again to Richard for doubling up on parking. That allowed two more kiters to park!

Tons of people and portable tents, boats, jet skis, and a drunk driving golf balls into the water.

The wind finally came up around 3 ish. We were able to launch and get out and have some fun. I think the kiters did a great job of clearing a path for the lines and holding back the people so we could have a safe launch.

Yes the place is a huge mess. A good cleaning is in order. Lets pick a day and have a BBQ.
Mark
Ps the Coast rocked on Sat!

Mark · Mon Jun 26, 06 8:17 am

Ps light winds. Big kites. Plus a wierd wind shadow right at the waters edge. The fun part was rippin the flat water!

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

I got there around 2:30, no place to park, and after 5 or 6 passes back and forth looking for a spot saw Man and asked what he was doing. He and his girl were heading to Sunset (they'd been there for an hour), so I followed. Definately more fun at the coast, but once again waaay underpowered towards the end of the night on my 11 (don't think the 16m lines were helping though).

forrest · Mon Jun 26, 06 8:33 am **Sauvie Island Circus**

Total Circus! I'm glad I was able to help some of the beginners get their kites up in the air safely. I was conflicted between helping these guys and just pulling the plug out of their leading edges...

Between the dude launching unhooked with no kite leash and almost slamming into a boat full of bikini girls while he let go of the bar with one hand to grab his board, and the other dude with his lines attached backward, I'm glad everyone was ok.

To the dude on the grey Crossbow and grey shortie, if you're on here, I didn't catch your name: Your friends need to take lessons with qualified instructors. There were some serious gaps in their knowledge that will bite them in the ass sooner than later.

I'm glad I was upwind of you and your friends. Sad

Onad · Mon Jun 26, 06 9:09 am

Bummed we missed he coast this weekend. Tonski & I have been working hard on upgrading our new house & yard so we grabed a quick session at SI in the afternoon.

Wind was pretty solid with a little west making for some nice butter on the inside. Perfect for giving the party boats a carving show…

I was powered enough on the 17.5 and 137 board to get some decent jumps. Wind was a little gusty, but a lot less than previous days. Around 5pm most of the partiers left and the wind settled into that warm fan breeze that keeps us all coming back to SI for more. Wind slowly dropped down to skimboard for me. Guys were still riding when we left around 8pm…

Pictures say it all. Twisted Evil

~Onad

Onad · Mon Jun 26, 06 9:12 am

Action Pictures....

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Jun 26, 06 9:25 am

Forrest, I'm the guy with the grey CB. I can only take the blame for one newbie out there (blue waroo) although his screw ups were epic indeed. I don't know who those other dudes were with the deadly trainer kite and some super small kite that they were playing with later.

I am going to suggest to Drew (the waroo guy) that he take some kind of lesson. I think it helps to have someone other than your good friend telling you about the do's and don'ts. Strange thing is, this is his third time out after tons of trainer kite work and body dragging. We were out the previous day and he had everthing under control, looked comfortable, had good control of the kite, could body drag and re-launch. So much that I told him "well, at this point your not going to kill himself or anyone else so getting up on the board and riding is just going to come with practice" I think the stress of all the people yesterday really caused him to forget everything he ever learned. He reversed his lines, was yarding on the bar when he should have been sheeting out, etc, etc, etc. It was

I asked him before I went out if everything was cool and he said he had everything under control so I figured, ok, he's got it, I'm heading out Rolling Eyes

Kudos to Nate for helping people out on the water and the idea of carrying some garbage bags. Very cool dude. I picked up a bunch of trash in the parking lot and head to just throw it in my trunk b/c I couldn't find a bag anywhere.

Does anyone think that F&W would think about sectioning off a small section of the beach for kiteboarders?

forrest · Mon Jun 26, 06 9:57 am

No sweat dude, I'm glad everyone is ok Smile

We've all hooked our lines up wrong at least once!

My opinion is that it's better to have friends who have $200 less dollars than no friends at all. I took a friend out last year for a lesson after lots of work with a trainer kite. His first launch with a large kite, the wind lulled and then gusted. The kite fell back into the window and then powered up hard.

He was in the hospital for 3 days. Two torn ACLs, swollen spine, torn up chest and was in a wheel chair for 2 months. I have been blaming myself since, and I couldn't imagine if he would have died. Even though he's ok now, it changed his life. Sad

Sorry for blaming you for the unhooked dude, I thought he was with you.

(Btw, I noticed he had both red colored lines on one side, and both grey on the other. You might want to switch it so the grey lines are always connected to the front lines that way he has a color code to verify he's done it right.)

Wyo Kiter · Mon Jun 26, 06 10:06 am **Light Wind Lauching Advise**

In light wind don't be afraid to launch a little hot.

Also if you kite starts to fall back in the window, grab you center lines and given um a quick pull or two. this will pump your kite and get it flying, it works better than praying

Onad · Mon Jun 26, 06 10:19 am

Kudos to Forrest for jumping in and helping everyone straiten out lines & launch safely. Thumb's Up

I knew we were in trouble when I asked a guy (who flying his kite) where his kite leash was?

He pointed to his board leash… Rolling Eyes

Fortunately someone with him noticed the lack of a kite leash and was taking care of him. ~D

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Jun 26, 06 10:27 am