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LIQUID FORCE demo weekend
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Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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PostMon Jun 13, 05 10:36 pm    Wind forecasts Reply with quote

I am curious when a 20m kite can be used. I have always been a bit lazy forecasting for the coast when the wind was light due to my windsurfing perspective and have used 10-15 as a windspeed meaning too light for any sailing. Reading this post makes me think there is a kiting threshold in the 10-12 mph range. I am not sure a foreast could be accurate enough to really forecast 8 vs 12mph but it would be interesting to pay attention to it anyway. I would love to hear comments on what would be a useful for forecast for big kites.

George McLean
(shameless plug for www.nwweather.com)

mikes

Since 13 Mar 2005
90 Posts
B'Ham
 



PostTue Jun 14, 05 7:58 am     Reply with quote

I'd be curious to know if the marine forecasts are worth a bean for the coast, when the call is 10-15 or so. Or is it fickle where you have to be close by and able to drop everything so you can catch it when it's up? I don't get to the coast much but would love to hit it more, I only go when there is a hefty forecast.

For me locally, when the Camano Is - Pt Roberts marine forecast calls for 10-15 we pay attention. It's common to ride our 16m's in Bellingham but we're also close enough that we can catch the few hours it goes

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ReeferMadness

Since 21 Apr 2005
32 Posts
Seattle
 



PostTue Jun 14, 05 10:27 am    Re: Wind forecasts Reply with quote

Anonymous wrote:
I am curious when a 20m kite can be used. I have always been a bit lazy forecasting for the coast when the wind was light due to my windsurfing perspective and have used 10-15 as a windspeed meaning too light for any sailing. Reading this post makes me think there is a kiting threshold in the 10-12 mph range. I am not sure a foreast could be accurate enough to really forecast 8 vs 12mph but it would be interesting to pay attention to it anyway. I would love to hear comments on what would be a useful for forecast for big kites.

George McLean
(shameless plug for www.nwweather.com)


I would love to know when it breaks 12mph out at the coast, Hype aside I believe most 20M kites you can have fun (jump and be well powered) at 12mph.

Up at the washington coast we were out on 16M kites on saturday well powered all day long. Any chance you could expand your forecasts to include Washington as well?

BTW - I really enjoy your website and use it extensively for forecasts, thanks for all your work!!!

Nate

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larryxxx




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PostTue Jun 14, 05 8:01 pm     Reply with quote

for north wind,If noaa says 10 its bad 19m if lucky. 10-15 forecast probably blows 19m-15m . 15 mph forcast is good and usually accurate. 20 mph forecast try to get there early 10 -12 meter. 25 means get there by 2 and you may get to ride something smaller than a seven for a few minutes before the rest of the evening is ripin' and the seven is on duty(some of the best if you have a good 7-8 kite and a small bar). If south coast is blowing( Floras,Blanco) before 9 am anything more than 10 north ,this means the north wind will rip newport ish south.

South wind forecasts are generally accurate but are often predicted to be higher than ever really pans out. The south is generally with storms so they play it safe with the sailors(max predict). Great winds though.


Three years riding the coast and checking nwweather,noaa,kitesurf-sat -obs map reference has got me thinking these are some of the general trends,but luck is always a factor.

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PostTue Jun 14, 05 9:17 pm     Reply with quote

I think the most difficult wind forecast is the 10 vs. 15 forecast. For windsurfers the old 10-20 was almost useless since the threshold for good sailing is somewhere in between. With kiting it appears there is a threshold somewhere between 10 and 15mph. I say this not from experience only from your comments and comments from other kiters. I sometimes use an 8-12 range in foercasting which I have thought was too light for anything. Maybe 10-15 is not that useful for kites, but then again foercasting that precisely is difficult at best

Thanks for you comments and insight.

George

barfly

Since 31 Mar 2005
1210 Posts
Seaside
BRACKISH



PostFri Jun 17, 05 9:40 am     Reply with quote

Comments are pretty right on. Back to the old topic of true wind vs. water current but marginal winds on the coast (10-15kt forecasts) can be totally kite-able or not depending on the water. A surgey, SW or West storm swell can mean a shlog session on a BFK - sometimes I even feel powered but kiss my ass if I can stay upwind at all. Not always about swell size either. Bigger NW swell with a long period and light winds can produce ripping conditions on big kites. Likewise, smaller swell and choppy seas with short periods can be completely un-kite-able. Bottom line is you need some juice to get through the break where at SI or something, the water conditions will allow you to plane just fine in the same wind (occasionally, there's some tidal influence at SI too).

As someone said above, luck has much to do with it and my opions above are just that. Check the coast cams an look for a groomed surface (not choppy, storm surge) and maybe those lighter winds will do the trick... especially at places like Manz or inside at Netarts or Ft. Stevens. I have friend who was just at Newport on his 20m Machine and SS Glide in 6-8kts. The swell was also solid 6-8 and well overhead. He needed that quiet space in the pinch of the jetty to kick through the break but otherwise he had a great sesh.

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colby

Since 23 Apr 2005
613 Posts
Celebrity
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PostFri Jun 17, 05 11:16 am    ozone... Reply with quote

wanted to give Ozone kites a little plug for letting us try out gear this last weekend...this came from Eli:

Hello Everyone,

The Ozone Kites Ground Board and Buggy Demo brought riders in from all over the Northwest. There was a surprising turnout of Kite Surfers from the Gorge who were eager to demo Ozone Power Kites and Ground Industries products and put down the blimps for the foil revolution. Brian and Heather Schenck from Windzup were handing out demo Fury's, Frenzy's, Riot's, and Yakuzas to any and all riders.

Paragliding pilots put down their wings for some KGB and Buggy Demos. The Yakuza was the favorite among Paragliding pilots, simulating acro with the 6m Yakuza. John Barresi showed all how sporting the Yakuza wing is, what can't the Yakuza do? The best buggy pilots in the U.S. were on hand to demo the new race sensation. Kurt Anderson, formally with JOJO wings and now with Mad Kiting, took out his 6m Yakuza against 7-8m Rm +. A fair fight, rider weight to kite size ratios equal among all pilots, the Yakuza proved it self as the premier race machine for '05-'06.

Naturally the Kite Surfers from Hood River, Or. and surrounding areas picked up the Frenzy. The 10, 12, and 14m '05 Frenzy, with the ease of self launch and superior power in low shifty winds was the kite of choice by all KGB riders. Kite Surfers unable to keep 20 and 25m inflatable kites aloft lined up to demo the powerful Frenzy line. When the winds lit up in the afternoon, frenzy riders took flight. I even felt good enough about my high flights that I took a couple passes at my younger brother's new Subaru Outback, airing over the vehicle with ease. Heather Schenck threw down with some high speed sliding transitions and smooth airs. A sweet KGB session revolving around a small kicker entertained spectators checking kites out for the first time.

The Riot says it all. Stability, speed, and power makes the Riot an explosive kite. Brian Schenck of Windz Up boosted some of the highest jumps ever with his 7m Riot in the strong coastal winds. The Riot has the perfect mixture of speed and power. It was quite evident Brian was being cautious as he sent his Riot across the sky. On parachute landings Brian was able to ride away right into another huge boost. The Ozone Kites KGB and Buggy demo was unveiled the realm Ozone has opened up, and I for one am psyched on the '05 Ozone line of snow and powerkites, and I'm not the only one!

See you all soon at a flying site near you,

Update by Eli Anderson - Ozone Team rider

Contact us:
Windzup
801-501-8300
info@windzup.com
www.windzup.com


   Eli grabbing a landing.JPG 
   yakuza.JPG 

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Dr Sloth

Since 05 Mar 2005
27 Posts

 



PostSat Jun 18, 05 8:03 am     Reply with quote

Here are some pics from the weekend. Nothing like the Bam quality or other contributors to this site.














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PACK OUT YOUR TRASH!

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pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6548 Posts
Couve / Hood
Site Lackey



PostSun Jun 19, 05 7:49 am     Reply with quote

Thanks for the pics Dr! Wow the new LF kites look pretty sick... I think LF has the best kite graphics right now.

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unhook




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PostSun Jun 19, 05 10:15 am     Reply with quote

I think the only ones from the Gorge were me and my three friends. One of the boyz tried the foil but it was not really his style. Not sure why you are dissing us and making it sound like we were into your kites. You guys look like you have fun on buggys so that is cool. But for water those kites suck. Especially in the surf. Juz wonderin why you said we were into your zoner kites? But whateva. you should ride in the water more if you live there. wave steeeeeez.

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PostMon Jun 20, 05 11:31 am    Ozone Kites Reply with quote

Hello Everyone,
I was on the Oregon Coast the 10-13th kiting all over! I saw some amazing stuff from local riders. I was most impressed by the kite ground boarding demo. The water sessions were a bust, I saw riders scratching down wind, on the other hand the kite ground boarders were busting big airs and amazing tricks, I though Gabe rode on land, but I didn't see him down there. I've heard that reps from Ozone are on the Oregon Coast everyweekend, for more info check out www.madkiting.com or www.ozonesnowkites.com

lates!

Scott




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PostSun Jun 26, 05 10:25 am     Reply with quote

We are down at Sunset almost every day.
If anyone sees us we can let you try some of the new LF gear.
We have almost all the boards and kites on hand every day.

Norby

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