B-Roc
Posts: 3159
Registered: 3-9-2006
Location: Massachusetts
Member Is Offline
|
|
very frustrating season openers
Well, the fields and weather just started to allow for landboarding again two weeks ago and so far this season is off to an awfully disappointing
start. Our skiing season was short but I had great sessions and had been looking forward to continuing it on my board.
Unfortunately, the winds have yet to blow in the best direction so I am constantly flying towards fences and light posts and the gusts have been real
erratic. I was snatched off the ground with my bego and floated right over to the fences (very floaty landing but I thought for sure either I or the
kite was going to be destroyed).
My 5.5 is a well behaved kite and yesterday it had me skimming off the ground like some twinkle toes or some astronaut on the moon but again, I'm just
floating along and here come the fences.
Then today I just keep getting hammered over and over by my 2.5 as the gusts come along and snatch me off my landboard or the lulls are so bad I'll be
static flying to keep pressure in the lines and then I'll be launched over my landbaord when the gusts come.
I probably shouldn't bother to fly in these conditions but you know how it is when you get that itch, it just needs to be scratched, but its really
been frustrating and putting a big damper on my enthusiasm. The winds are totally off and then on and then they are low and along comes a huge gust
or they are high and you get powered and then they cut off like someone has thrown a switch and the kite collapses only to be rapidly reinflated and
fully powered by some errant gust.
I feel like a total newby flier again and have never had a run of crap conditions and sessions as long as this.
Very frustrating not being able to control mother nature. The seasons around here are becoming more and more unusual and the wind has just plain
stunk. I look forward to kiting, its my therapy but if this keeps up I'm going to need therapy to deal with the frustration and disappointment.
I just had to vent a bit because I'm sitting here, back at work, totally frustrated.
Hope the wind and conditions are better where you are.
Depower Quiver: 14m Gin Eskimo, 10m Gin Eskimo III, 6m Gin Yeti, 4.5m Gin Yeti (custom bridle and mixer)
Fixed Bridle Quiver: MAC Bego 400, JOJO ET Instinct 2.5 & 5.5, Lil Devil 1.5, Sting 1.2
Rides: Ground Industries
|
|
|
Belegnole
Posts: 8
Registered: 4-17-2007
Location: Wisconsin
Member Is Offline
|
|
I purchased my 5.5 two or three weeks ago and the first time that I really had a chance to put her up was Tues. What you may need to do is find an
alternative place to ATB that doesn't have the fences, and light posts.
|
|
|
SecondWind
Posts: 1355
Registered: 10-24-2005
Location: Guam
Member Is Offline
|
|
B-Roc,
I got just the thing for you 
Order one of these longboards tonight!
http://www.krackedskulls.com/
I used my M1 46" Kracked Skulls today behind my 1.5m Bullet at the local bike trail. The baby Bullet got me going 18mph (GPS) for a smooth ride. The
wind was directly perpendicular to the trail - such a sweet day 
When the wind sucks, just find a place to cruise...
I highly recommend one!
Foil Kites: Flysurfer 12m Sonic 4, 10m Soul V2, Peak 5s and 5.5m Hybrid
LEIs: 9m Naish Pivot, 12m Naish Phoenix
Land: 16" Dirtsurfer GP
H20: 134 Shinn Monk Chromatic, Slingshot 103cm Hope Craft w/ Axis Spitfire 840
|
|
|
Pablo
Posts: 1453
Registered: 10-22-2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Stoked
|
|
If you're always stuck with the nasty winds, it may be time to look at more gust absorbing kites.
Sysmic S1 Buggy.
0.7m / 1.4m / 2.0m PKD Buster I
4.4m PKD Buster
10m JoJo RM+
6m Flysurfer Outlaw
12m Ozone Access
|
|
|
SecondWind
Posts: 1355
Registered: 10-24-2005
Location: Guam
Member Is Offline
|
|
A 10m Pulse could be the answer 
Foil Kites: Flysurfer 12m Sonic 4, 10m Soul V2, Peak 5s and 5.5m Hybrid
LEIs: 9m Naish Pivot, 12m Naish Phoenix
Land: 16" Dirtsurfer GP
H20: 134 Shinn Monk Chromatic, Slingshot 103cm Hope Craft w/ Axis Spitfire 840
|
|
|
Pablo
Posts: 1453
Registered: 10-22-2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Stoked
|
|
Yup, PL and FS both come to mind for depowerable kites, both good in the surf as well. If you're talking fixed bridal open cell foil, something like
the Brooza does fairly well in lumps.
Sysmic S1 Buggy.
0.7m / 1.4m / 2.0m PKD Buster I
4.4m PKD Buster
10m JoJo RM+
6m Flysurfer Outlaw
12m Ozone Access
|
|
|
B-Roc
Posts: 3159
Registered: 3-9-2006
Location: Massachusetts
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for the input both on the longboard and the depower.
Its been really frustrating. Now its 5/3 and the winds still blow (in the bad way). I've gone back to mostly flying my sport kites (which I do
enjoy) but have really been looking forward to boarding again since the skiing season was so short this year. Last year I stopped skiing in March and
started boarding in early april - now its may and the conditions still aren't great, plus all the soccer nets are out now and the youth sports
programs have begun so the fields aren't as available at night or on weekends.
Its been a major bummer and I have been considering getting street tires for my board or selling my kites and going the depower route.
Hopefully it will turn around soon - you all know how depressing it gets when you can't feed the addiction for days at a time let alone months. 
Depower Quiver: 14m Gin Eskimo, 10m Gin Eskimo III, 6m Gin Yeti, 4.5m Gin Yeti (custom bridle and mixer)
Fixed Bridle Quiver: MAC Bego 400, JOJO ET Instinct 2.5 & 5.5, Lil Devil 1.5, Sting 1.2
Rides: Ground Industries
|
|
|
flyhigh142
Posts: 124
Registered: 4-25-2006
Location: Livermore
Member Is Offline
|
|
My last couple of afternoons have been the same- lots of lulls, followed by monstrous gusts that had me sweating. Thanks god I don't date anymore!
That would really be tough, given my current luck. On second thought, it may be worth it.
|
|
|
SecondWind
Posts: 1355
Registered: 10-24-2005
Location: Guam
Member Is Offline
|
|
Here's one more longboard to check out B-Roc:
http://hamboards.com/
Looks like a smooth ride...
Foil Kites: Flysurfer 12m Sonic 4, 10m Soul V2, Peak 5s and 5.5m Hybrid
LEIs: 9m Naish Pivot, 12m Naish Phoenix
Land: 16" Dirtsurfer GP
H20: 134 Shinn Monk Chromatic, Slingshot 103cm Hope Craft w/ Axis Spitfire 840
|
|
|
B-Roc
Posts: 3159
Registered: 3-9-2006
Location: Massachusetts
Member Is Offline
|
|
That one is definately not my style Influenced by years of mogul skiing - I like
quick and snappy 
Depower Quiver: 14m Gin Eskimo, 10m Gin Eskimo III, 6m Gin Yeti, 4.5m Gin Yeti (custom bridle and mixer)
Fixed Bridle Quiver: MAC Bego 400, JOJO ET Instinct 2.5 & 5.5, Lil Devil 1.5, Sting 1.2
Rides: Ground Industries
|
|
|
SecondWind
Posts: 1355
Registered: 10-24-2005
Location: Guam
Member Is Offline
|
|
Quick and snappy = 10m Psycho 3 
Foil Kites: Flysurfer 12m Sonic 4, 10m Soul V2, Peak 5s and 5.5m Hybrid
LEIs: 9m Naish Pivot, 12m Naish Phoenix
Land: 16" Dirtsurfer GP
H20: 134 Shinn Monk Chromatic, Slingshot 103cm Hope Craft w/ Axis Spitfire 840
|
|
|
krumly
Posts: 598
Registered: 12-26-2004
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Member Is Offline
|
|
B-Roc:
I hear what you're saying about lumpy winds. Here in St. Paul Minnesota, it's all about gusty conditions. In winter and summer you can get out on
bigger lakes with some fetch to smooth out the winds, but buggying and landboarding generally puts you on smaller fields with trees and buildings
messing up the wind.
I'm becoming partial to depower kites, especially on days when I go from working a 3.5 m fixed foil to keep moving in the lulls and then getting
yanked a minute later. On the one hand, it forces you to be on your toes (literally and figuratively) and learn to handle your kite. On the other
hand, it gets old the older I get.
I started using a 9m PL GII this winter, and like it, except for the occasional inversion or bowtie that forces the walk of shame. My Viokite Proteus
7/8 with all the UDS II mods was sweet for the next size up. I'm thinking a 4-5 m depower foil like an Access II for would be a good swap for 2-4 m
fixed foils around here. I treasure my trips to the coasts for consistent winds...
krumly
|
|
|
B-Roc
Posts: 3159
Registered: 3-9-2006
Location: Massachusetts
Member Is Offline
|
|
I finally had a good session yesterday ~ 2 hours with the new cubes on the board.
I can again see the benefit of depower as the winds constantly built so I flew the 7, 5.5 and the 4 but it was a good day and the first day I could
slide over to toeside and keep on riding with the new cubes.
Depower Quiver: 14m Gin Eskimo, 10m Gin Eskimo III, 6m Gin Yeti, 4.5m Gin Yeti (custom bridle and mixer)
Fixed Bridle Quiver: MAC Bego 400, JOJO ET Instinct 2.5 & 5.5, Lil Devil 1.5, Sting 1.2
Rides: Ground Industries
|
|
|
![[*]](images/perspective/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
