Why does sauvie suck soo bad now?

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue May 17, 11 9:34 am **Why does sauvie suck soo bad now?**

I'm interested in theories as to why sauvie never really blows anymore? Maybe it will this year but the past 4 years have been dismal.

That wasn't always the case. It seems to me that back in 02'-05' there was good wind to be had. Everyone used to kite out there not just guys with foils and people that are scared of high winds. I can remember getting at least 12 solid sessions on my 10m fuel.

Is Portland getting hotter? Have the jet streams shifted that much? Can we somehow blame the pearl district and vacant condos? Or do I just have delusional memmories of good conditions?

wrhammer · Since 17 Jul 2009 40 Posts Battle Ground

I think it's the delusional mammaries

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

La Nina

http://www.kgw.com/news/Cold-Wet-Winter-Approaching-103582289.html

Wilde says La Nina happens when strong trade winds blow the warmer surface layer of the Pacific Ocean near the equator to the west. That allows cooler water to surface. Even a change of three degrees Fahrenheit can alter weather patterns. Wilde says it shifts the jet stream into a pattern that points it directly at the northwest.

The last big La Nina event stretched from 2007 to 2008. It brought punishing wind storms to the Oregon Coast and devastating floods to the town of Vernonia. In 2008 storm systems buried the City of Portland and surrounding areas in snow and ice.

Tony · Since 28 Aug 2006 940 Posts Portland Opinionated

No shit - MB got it right on this one...
SI used to be the shit years back...
Used to like that place - now it kinda sucks.

Now days - If you do go there - most important piece of equipment to bring,
lawn chair and cold cheap ass beer...

I hope she blows a little bit more this year...

I wouldn't mind a few SI sessions...

chrissmack · Since 08 Jun 2005 526 Posts portland Addicted

back in the day, i remeber summer weather of many consecutive days 5 degrees warmer than the previous day, and SI would crank on every one of those days, untill the trend stopped on the hotest day, and it shut off. that was the beer drinking day, and no one cared, because we had kited the last 4 or 5 days. hasn't happened that way in years.

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

I think part of it is that you're probably getting more jaded over the years.

It didn't seem too bad in 2008, but 2009 and 2010 sure weren't very good years.

SI is the only place that most west-siders have a reasonable shot to get to after work on weekdays.

Jones is almost close enough, but its an hour and forty minutes commute both ways. Too much for after work.

Anything on the east side isn't practical on a weekday afternoon. The traffic bites.

I'd like to be able to figure out how to kite off of st. helens sand island marine park, but that would involve a boat (more hassle and time). It blows earlier, stronger and more consistently up there.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue May 17, 11 12:59 pm

^^^^ Not too be a total snob about it, but I was referring to the "good years" i.e. the years before you were ever out there. Yeah, around 2007 or 2008 seemed to be the last of it.

Just seems odd that la nino or whatever would last that long...

Blokt · Tue May 17, 11 6:00 pm

I've been there since the early 80's. Seems the the Munkster was right. I used to windsurf back in da day, and I know the wind on the water was definitely better. As the wind on the water diminished, I started kiteboarding.

I started with SLEs, but found that foils could be flown on the lighter days as well. Now the market has brought us some fine low wind SLEs.

The best Sauvie quiv must now include low wind SLEs and high end closed cell foils.

If you choose the foil, bring extra beer for the Munkster.

p.s. Thursday maybe?

gorgebob · Since 25 Jun 2007 259 Posts Portland, OR Shop Owner

I remember a 16 being the Sauvies kite, 14 was for the optimistic and 20s were for the bigger folk. I even rigged a 6.5 and slalom gear, oh the days.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

19m fuel baby!

May get to bust it out today....

holly · Since 09 Jul 2006 440 Posts Hood River Obsessed

monkeyboy its only bad because you want to kite there.

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

I'm pretty sure it wasn't any better in '02... Wink

http://wakayamaent.com/adam/PERSONAL/Video/Kiteboarding2002.wmv

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Vancouver river level is 15.5' right now. Flood stage is 16'. Could get interesting.

Stay the hell out of rivers at flood stage. The banks become nothing but a series of strainers...

Current gauge info is here:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=14144700

chrissmack · Since 08 Jun 2005 526 Posts portland Addicted

does this mean launching from the top of the burm? Smile

Onad · Wed May 18, 11 11:51 am

Yes, it does seem there have been fewer sail-able days the past couple of seasons.

Also, the trend to fly smaller kites keeps some on the beach when they could be riding. Don't show up with 12m and TT and expect to sail every time.

Pack a 14-15m and skim, surf or glide and you'll be riding up to the nude beach and checking the scenery... Wink

consumer · Since 28 Nov 2010 406 Posts banned Obsessed

You sure it's not just that people have gotten more power hungry? Back in the day if we were walking back upwind that was no big deal- not the case these days. It's like shameful to do so now.

Blokt · Thu May 19, 11 6:26 pm

Here's an interesting average grid going back to 2001:

http://www.windfinder.com/windstats/windstatistic_scappoose.htm

Also good forecasts from this site.