Riding Big Boat Bubbles (or…riding the bubble)

D Dawg · Since 24 Aug 2009 56 Posts Hood River

Launching from the sandbar I had kited up to the lower Hatchery when a 50-foot cabin cruiser came rolling through heading east. The water behind the cruiser was butter smooth with three big constant rollers following. I made a few turns, followed by a few more and a few more after that. I was sure the crew had no idea they were treating me to the best wave on the river until I noticed a guy on the back deck taking photos. It was so good I followed it all the way back to the sandbar. Later I jumped on my bike and rode over to the marina where I found the boat. Thanks Alan aboard the Dock Holiday for the awesome surf and photos.

My kite was never close enough to touch the boat and I know I will probably get some back-flack from this posting but it was awesome.

http://www.wetsuit.com/New_The_Tribe.html

tonyb · Fri Jun 22, 12 5:26 pm

When the Queen of the West stern wheeler goes from Stevenson to Hood River it also makes a very nice swell for as many as four people to play on at the same time. It's a good way to practice your kite turn vs. board turn timing. We've followed it as far as Home Valley before but one of these days I'd like to ride the swell all the way to HR.

Get the schedule for the Queen here: http://www.portofskamania.org/calendar.htm

Tony

Sella · Fri Jun 22, 12 10:56 pm

That butter smooth is so fun. Good post.

Mike D · Since 28 Apr 2011 195 Posts Hood River Stoked

Nice Dana! Glad you were able to track down the shots, looks like a lot of fun Thumb's Up

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Three issues here:

(1) Make sure that there is not a LOG RAFT being dragged by a cable, (which is not visible half the time, since it bounces up and down ang goes underwater, a lot of the time)...the signs of this is a tug laboring down the river and going slow... beware... I got stories from the good ole days, windsurfing.

(2) Try to not HOG the wave... go in and have some fun but let others get in there. too.

(3) Don't make the tug pilots nervous... they need to focus on what's ahead.

Lots of fun. On a windsurfer I used to just clear the transom of the old cruise to Lewiston ships and descend down into the giant subsurface hole into turbulence, that just made you think you were under a waterfall in a kayak or going over the falls in a Hawaiian wave. I always worried about a snagged line that any boat can accidentally pick up and drag. Made me think twice.

kitebot · Since 20 Feb 2007 251 Posts Obsessed

Looks like it must've been awesome, thanks for sharing. Thumb's Up

Good thing the cabin cruiser wasn't towing a log raft. I see that all the time on the river Shocked

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

cool!!