Okoboji, IA and sail repair question...

[sjh]

hello all. I found this site a while back and drop in occasionally to follow the conditions back here. I grew up in northwest IA and will be here for most of november. I sailed west lake okoboji on monday on a good clean ssw and was powered up on a 5.8, today was lighter and flukier but still planing and awesome considering the warm nov temps. Anyhow I'm an intermediate and am in the harness, planing and footstraps most of the time, 90% on my tacks, gybes are meh if at all, and I still am prone to catapulting. unfortunately today I flew into my ezzy wave 5.8 and my harness bar opened up a foot and a half gash right in the center of it. bummed about it since it's one of three really nice sails I picked up at a swap, but whatever I'm stoked to be sailing/learning.

does anyone know of a shop in the cities that might ship me some sail repair tape. I'm hoping to avoid a prolonged ground shipment from the west coast or elsewhere. I've never had to repair a sail before, so if anyone has other suggestions for repair I might make with something available at a hardware store I'm all ears.

also if anyone is windsurfing/kiting in the area and wants to meet up for a session I'm game. I'm kind of a sucky windsurfer, but I would dig some company on the water. I haven't sailed spirit yet, and am also interested in sailing from gull and pikes points (especially pikes, calm water on leeward side of a skinny point) on west lake and would like to sail Wabena before it gets too cold. I'm using a goretex drysuit which is almost overkill right now and have a floaty board, so I figure I can sail through nov before it's too cold. However, I'm curious to know how many of you sail/kite into december open water permitting?

thanks ahead for any help.

shawn
wvhartjeatyahoodotcom

[JRN]

Google "West Marine" or "Airtime Kite Repair" they both have tape & can ship to you.
Jeff Adamski does a great job of permanent repairs to sails. click on "Community" then on "services" for his info.