Anybody For a Downwinder?
 

Raul, was that you launching at N. Skyway right before the half hour wind lull? We saw a kite launch from N. Skyway frontside while we were riding backside and were hoping you were alright (if that was you) because the wind died off for quite a while there.

Had a ton of fun with a bunch of guys out at backside, got there around 11:00 and it was blowing about 15, after about 45 mins it picked up quite a bit and we had a blast! After about 2 1/2 hours on the water, it looked like a squall was about to come through, it rained a little and it switched from nice warm air and dropped maybe 10 - 15 degrees all in a split second. EVERYONE thought it was going to NUKE so most either got off of the water or went as far out as they could to give them time to pull their QR's if need be. Wind actually DIED and the squall line proved to be a false alarm. But it was good to see everyone out there staying calm and getting off the water quickly and in an orderly fashion or getting far out to give themselves some margin for error...

It actually picked back up at backside and is really nice right now (3:15 pm) if anyone is sitting around jonesing for some wind...

Solid 20 out there now, just got home.

Yeah, it got really windy out there. I was litt out of my mind on my 12.5 and couldn't unhook on it anymore (not without getting hammered, anyway.... that thing is one serious pull pig power junkie!).
I would have been totally litt on the 9m.
I am thinking it was solid 20+ when I left.

Yeah Toby, when it gets looking black and stuff, I personally ride out as far away from shore as possible. I don't like the idea of getting lofted right when I am trying to put the kite down. I really thought it was going to go straight to 35 or 40 when that temp. dropped so drastically and I just wanted to be far from shore. I bet it was 65 degrees out there for about 10 minutes. That was quite a temp drop.

That was definitely a good day. :)

Always a gamble... I was pretty close to shore and wasn't confident I had enough buffer to drop the kite and ride it out so I ran for shore. Ultimately you are better off doing SOMETHING than nothing at all, so coming in early is a suitable (but sometimes risky) choice as long as you make it! I was glad to see guys using common sense and either getting far out or landing when the storm line approached.

Anyway, yeah it was pretty good. I was lit on my 16.. unhooking and sending the kite was sometimes more than I anticipated.

I have a nice long gash on my shin from the failed HP attempts.

just got back from sunset... solid 20+ on my 11m fuel in 10" of butter flat water... :)
lovin it....


tom, im trying to break your board but it doesnt seem to want to... i did give my fuel to another rider for a few minutes... but then he broke his board :(

oh well, ill keep trying

i gotta have atleast 50+ kiteloops on that board by now easy but it just keeps on tick'n

Danny which board are using now?

tom's mistake :)


the blue one that his router tried to eat :)

its about 130x40