Just wondering if anyone is staying local today, or if everyone is going up for the 30' swell on the mother. I will be heading to Big Marine around noon till about 3:30.
jeffengel at wynedge dot com.
Monday
Moderator: MK
-
Terry Dunklee
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 12:02 am
Re: Monday
Does Big Marine still work when the wind gets true NW or does it mess up the fetch and get gusty? Kevin and I are chatting about Wildwood vs Big Marine ETA 12:00-1:00
Re: Monday
I was there this spring with a similar wind and it was pretty gusty. The wind comes side on-shore and there is a pretty high hill just to the north of the launch. I will stop by the launch at about 12:00 and check it out. If its too gusty I will head to WW. My Cell is 651 twoEightThree 5132 if you want an update around 12:15.
Re: Monday
Is it even safe for 9m kite today? i was thinking about going over to wacky right now
-
scottchapman
- Posts: 608
- Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:47 am
- Location: ScottChapman.com Bloomington, MN
- Contact:
Re: Monday
I would not do it on a 9, a 7 maybe. I am considering going and trying my new 7 or bringing the pole board and 3-4.7 SQ. meter sails and 7'6" board... 
Re: Monday
stole a 11-1 session at Mahtomedi. Full-on 4.0 for a while, backed off, reared back again when I was leaving. glad to be on the 80L board, and not a 9M kite. Saw Judd and Diane (on the pole boards, too!) and a few others.
Good to be back on the windsurfer, 2 days in a row now, although the jibes were less than flawless to say the least.
Good to be back on the windsurfer, 2 days in a row now, although the jibes were less than flawless to say the least.
Re: Monday
Monday was my first trip to Port Wing.
When I arrived the jetty was much shorter than I expected. I had hoped it would provide some shelter to get out thru the breaking waves.
I quickly discoverd there's a drop-off and nasty short break. I found you can safely walk out about 10 ft into chest high water, wait for a gust, waterstart and go.
The morning was classic superior. Started with a 2.9 but quickly switched to a 3.6. Big big swells and absolutely vertical mast high walls of water that'll take your breath away.
After lunch and a siesta, the wind was lighter and directly onshore. Limped back and forth on the inside until I was swept into the short break and watched helplessly as my sail was folded in half snapping the top two battens. Kept trying but no chance, packed up and went home.
I highly recommend Port Wing. It's an easy 220mi from the south metro.
Tim
When I arrived the jetty was much shorter than I expected. I had hoped it would provide some shelter to get out thru the breaking waves.
I quickly discoverd there's a drop-off and nasty short break. I found you can safely walk out about 10 ft into chest high water, wait for a gust, waterstart and go.
The morning was classic superior. Started with a 2.9 but quickly switched to a 3.6. Big big swells and absolutely vertical mast high walls of water that'll take your breath away.
After lunch and a siesta, the wind was lighter and directly onshore. Limped back and forth on the inside until I was swept into the short break and watched helplessly as my sail was folded in half snapping the top two battens. Kept trying but no chance, packed up and went home.
I highly recommend Port Wing. It's an easy 220mi from the south metro.
Tim
Re: Monday
Tim, sounds pretty gnarly. Bummer it switched onshore since it’s a pretty easy spot when it’s side on.
I thought there was a posse headed up that way. It left me solo at Izaty’s. I hit the water at 9. The spray on the water, the woman who couldn’t make forward progress when walking to the beach, and all the fallen trees gave me pause. We’ve all come in to rig a size bigger, wishing there were more wind, and a bystander says, “Too much wind for you?” and we all say, never too much. Well, those bystanders were there Monday and I must admit, it’s the first time I hesitated. I flattened my 3.7M and carried my 8’3” Bailey to the water’s edge, an experience in and of itself. It took a few runs to get into the zone, and then, magic. The lake was boiling. It seemed like squalls were coming through, but it was just spray on the water. The eagles and seagulls made it look so easy to play the sustained 45mph winds. The swell was as Gorge like as it gets, Three Mile Island kind. It’s been a long time since I’ve sailed 3.7M sheeted out.
I went to Izaty’s for the port ramps and had no idea I’d be treated three times to 8’ vertical ramps pitched as vertical as it gets. It just doesn’t get any better....fully wound 3.7M driven straight up. Occasionally, when everything’s perfect, this happens on Superior. All too often, you end up bleeding speed to point into the wave. The first one had me at an altitude I’ve not felt for some time. I landed flat and it blew off my booties. The second time I reached the apex of the jump and decided to throw the rig. It looked like it went another ten feet up. The third time I must have pointed the board a little left of perpendicular as it spit me up and put me in a backroll. Before kiteboarding, I wouldn’t keep my head turned, but this time...bamm. I completed the rotation with at least 4-6’ to spare since the landing knocked the wind out of me.
I’ve watched my son, Ryan, play with back loops for years and had given up on ever trying to do one. My first successful kiteboard back loop on Superior was accidental, again, just over pointing into a vertical ramp and being spit out. The problem with a windsurfer is the extra time you have to break dedication of the body’s turn. Previously, I’d always turn back and auger in for a painful landing. Mike Fox gave me a great DVD called Windsurf Legends. In it Mark Angulo, inventor of so many looping maneuvers, stated it simply, “It’s all about where you turn your head. And isn’t that the way of life?”
While solo sailing these conditions was fun, it was great to be joined by Kathy Burgess. She rigged her 3.2m. I carried it to the water for her and she had her day in the waves. I think her time in Alaska has strengthened her go for it attitude.
Izaty’s is hard to beat, although the landings and launchings can be a little treacherous. There was actually a pretty good rip from the wave action.
We tore down early afternoon to go find a potential posse at Father Hennepin. No luck, the lot was empty. Again, broken trees along the way and wind coming straight in at 45mph. By 3pm it was clearing, blue sky heaven lighting the water and trees. Fully spent, I had to do one more hiking pass to the point at Father Hennepin in gratitude to all the amazing experiences this lake has given us.
I know I’m still a year shy of an age to say anything of wisdom, but it sure seems our happiness relates to the simple rules of showing up, paying attention, doing our best, and resting in the uncertainty that we’ll never control the outcome. Kathy jumped into the boiling waters with that attitude and did great.
Driving home it was difficult to read an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press lamenting the death of windsurfing. Seems like the author got on Trip Forman’s “Windsurfing’s been cancelled” program. I’ve lived enough years to see the cycles of these beautiful sports. No one ever knows why they run the cycles they do. You could write a 500 page book on why windsurfing’s growth was limited to the mid 80’s to ’90’s. Maybe a couple of people would read some of it. I do know that you can’t “sell” lifestyle sports to people. It’s in their blood and they’re wired to take it on or not. Over ninety per cent of the people who signed up for beginner lessons said they were motivated to be in nature. It had nothing to do with why I thought they’d be interested. These people picked up kayaks. When sports are emerging, a lot of people sign up because they want to be pioneers. When a sport matures, they move on to the next new thing. For many years, only 5% of those taught actually went on to invest in a board. Frankly, until you get that “planing” ride, you haven’t tasted windsurfing. That lesson takes 3-7 days, not your typical 3 hour lesson. How many Americans today have 3-7 days to devote to a skill sport? In the late 90’s the US Windsurfing Assoc. hired Christine Brooks to study what motivates people to get into active lifestyle sports. One very startling finding was that less than 5% of people over twenty-five will try a new sport for fear of looking “below average”. It does stress the importance in exposing our youth to these sports at an early age. It was a sobering study as we’ve seen the rise of turn key sports at the expense of skill sports.
My yoga teacher says you must first breath, then get proper alignment, and then you’re ready to go deeper. My Zen teacher often says we’re like ants in a sugar bowel, never able to resolve our uneasiness in life, always drifting around searching for things outside of ourself, when in fact, “the self is to live out the reality of self.” He says to rely on others is to be uneasy, and our journey is to find peace and solidity in the uncertainty of things. Everything is ‘just as it is’. So there’s the choice. Do I point my head “yes” in resounding joy for the great gifts of these most amazing sports or do I look in on complaint with a “No” and lack of gratitude.
This sport has given me so much in experience with nature and friends and I’m dedicated to my windsurfing practice as long as my body will support it. It’s a great motivator to a solid body/mind practice. It’s the same with live music. The growth years were amazing and now it’s struggling as people become more and more distracted with the next tech innovation. Bottom line for me, I’ll always be dedicated to wind/water sport, with windsurfing being my native language. I’ll always be dedicated to live music, with the blues being my native language. This is passion. I saw a lot of it at the Crossing and it was good. That’s the story that I think needs telling.
“Attitude is Everything”....Bart Vervloet
or how about Phil Money and the “No Whining” shirts?
I think I’ll follow Mark Angulo’s advice and pay particular attention to where I point my head, knowing I can point it yes in hope or no in complaint. One’s in harmony and rhythm and the other’s dissonance and out of rhythm. I have a bigger hope that eventually harmony and rhythm will win. In the meantime, looks like Superior’s going off tomorrow.
I thought there was a posse headed up that way. It left me solo at Izaty’s. I hit the water at 9. The spray on the water, the woman who couldn’t make forward progress when walking to the beach, and all the fallen trees gave me pause. We’ve all come in to rig a size bigger, wishing there were more wind, and a bystander says, “Too much wind for you?” and we all say, never too much. Well, those bystanders were there Monday and I must admit, it’s the first time I hesitated. I flattened my 3.7M and carried my 8’3” Bailey to the water’s edge, an experience in and of itself. It took a few runs to get into the zone, and then, magic. The lake was boiling. It seemed like squalls were coming through, but it was just spray on the water. The eagles and seagulls made it look so easy to play the sustained 45mph winds. The swell was as Gorge like as it gets, Three Mile Island kind. It’s been a long time since I’ve sailed 3.7M sheeted out.
I went to Izaty’s for the port ramps and had no idea I’d be treated three times to 8’ vertical ramps pitched as vertical as it gets. It just doesn’t get any better....fully wound 3.7M driven straight up. Occasionally, when everything’s perfect, this happens on Superior. All too often, you end up bleeding speed to point into the wave. The first one had me at an altitude I’ve not felt for some time. I landed flat and it blew off my booties. The second time I reached the apex of the jump and decided to throw the rig. It looked like it went another ten feet up. The third time I must have pointed the board a little left of perpendicular as it spit me up and put me in a backroll. Before kiteboarding, I wouldn’t keep my head turned, but this time...bamm. I completed the rotation with at least 4-6’ to spare since the landing knocked the wind out of me.
I’ve watched my son, Ryan, play with back loops for years and had given up on ever trying to do one. My first successful kiteboard back loop on Superior was accidental, again, just over pointing into a vertical ramp and being spit out. The problem with a windsurfer is the extra time you have to break dedication of the body’s turn. Previously, I’d always turn back and auger in for a painful landing. Mike Fox gave me a great DVD called Windsurf Legends. In it Mark Angulo, inventor of so many looping maneuvers, stated it simply, “It’s all about where you turn your head. And isn’t that the way of life?”
While solo sailing these conditions was fun, it was great to be joined by Kathy Burgess. She rigged her 3.2m. I carried it to the water for her and she had her day in the waves. I think her time in Alaska has strengthened her go for it attitude.
Izaty’s is hard to beat, although the landings and launchings can be a little treacherous. There was actually a pretty good rip from the wave action.
We tore down early afternoon to go find a potential posse at Father Hennepin. No luck, the lot was empty. Again, broken trees along the way and wind coming straight in at 45mph. By 3pm it was clearing, blue sky heaven lighting the water and trees. Fully spent, I had to do one more hiking pass to the point at Father Hennepin in gratitude to all the amazing experiences this lake has given us.
I know I’m still a year shy of an age to say anything of wisdom, but it sure seems our happiness relates to the simple rules of showing up, paying attention, doing our best, and resting in the uncertainty that we’ll never control the outcome. Kathy jumped into the boiling waters with that attitude and did great.
Driving home it was difficult to read an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press lamenting the death of windsurfing. Seems like the author got on Trip Forman’s “Windsurfing’s been cancelled” program. I’ve lived enough years to see the cycles of these beautiful sports. No one ever knows why they run the cycles they do. You could write a 500 page book on why windsurfing’s growth was limited to the mid 80’s to ’90’s. Maybe a couple of people would read some of it. I do know that you can’t “sell” lifestyle sports to people. It’s in their blood and they’re wired to take it on or not. Over ninety per cent of the people who signed up for beginner lessons said they were motivated to be in nature. It had nothing to do with why I thought they’d be interested. These people picked up kayaks. When sports are emerging, a lot of people sign up because they want to be pioneers. When a sport matures, they move on to the next new thing. For many years, only 5% of those taught actually went on to invest in a board. Frankly, until you get that “planing” ride, you haven’t tasted windsurfing. That lesson takes 3-7 days, not your typical 3 hour lesson. How many Americans today have 3-7 days to devote to a skill sport? In the late 90’s the US Windsurfing Assoc. hired Christine Brooks to study what motivates people to get into active lifestyle sports. One very startling finding was that less than 5% of people over twenty-five will try a new sport for fear of looking “below average”. It does stress the importance in exposing our youth to these sports at an early age. It was a sobering study as we’ve seen the rise of turn key sports at the expense of skill sports.
My yoga teacher says you must first breath, then get proper alignment, and then you’re ready to go deeper. My Zen teacher often says we’re like ants in a sugar bowel, never able to resolve our uneasiness in life, always drifting around searching for things outside of ourself, when in fact, “the self is to live out the reality of self.” He says to rely on others is to be uneasy, and our journey is to find peace and solidity in the uncertainty of things. Everything is ‘just as it is’. So there’s the choice. Do I point my head “yes” in resounding joy for the great gifts of these most amazing sports or do I look in on complaint with a “No” and lack of gratitude.
This sport has given me so much in experience with nature and friends and I’m dedicated to my windsurfing practice as long as my body will support it. It’s a great motivator to a solid body/mind practice. It’s the same with live music. The growth years were amazing and now it’s struggling as people become more and more distracted with the next tech innovation. Bottom line for me, I’ll always be dedicated to wind/water sport, with windsurfing being my native language. I’ll always be dedicated to live music, with the blues being my native language. This is passion. I saw a lot of it at the Crossing and it was good. That’s the story that I think needs telling.
“Attitude is Everything”....Bart Vervloet
or how about Phil Money and the “No Whining” shirts?
I think I’ll follow Mark Angulo’s advice and pay particular attention to where I point my head, knowing I can point it yes in hope or no in complaint. One’s in harmony and rhythm and the other’s dissonance and out of rhythm. I have a bigger hope that eventually harmony and rhythm will win. In the meantime, looks like Superior’s going off tomorrow.
Ride...just be it!
www.just-be-it.com
www.just-be-it.com
Re: Monday
I wish I had woke to read your post first today Randy instead of that other one.
Thank you so much for your rich perspectives, insights and hopes. So meaningful specially in light of the recent challenges to our community stoke.
thank you
Thank you so much for your rich perspectives, insights and hopes. So meaningful specially in light of the recent challenges to our community stoke.
thank you
Tighe
Re: Monday
Monday at Waconia was great for windsurfers and kiters alike. Sunday I got there late and rigged 3.9M and got some great rides. Monday I started off on 4.7M for a while then rigged 4.2M for the last bit. Classic Wac, windsurfers ripping and kiters blasting, no problems except fighting wind chill on the shore, which is my specialty!
Mark F
-
Professor Robae'
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2003 12:18 pm
- Location: Minnetonka
Re: Monday
Hey Mr. Chan. How did the 4.2 treat you? Looked good from my view point. I forgot how bright the red is in that sail. I could see you clear across the pond. Hopefully we get lots more days like that! 
Re: Monday
It's a great sail, thanks Prof! Rigs on a 430 mast which was a little surprising, and draws a crowd because of it's old school look, but it's fine. Easy to waterstart and the single cam is not hard to rig if you untension it prior to downhauling.
Young Nate took out the 4.7M sister sail and had fun as well. Those older Northwaves work just fine and it is pretty cool you can see them out on the water easier than the less colorful modern sails. The window is nice and big and clean so visibility was great.
Thanks for taking a look at the rigging, it felt pretty similar to my newer Loft Lip sails, sheet in and go or sheet out and slow down. Pretty good when it's windy and gusty. The acceleration when you sheet in is very nice!
Young Nate took out the 4.7M sister sail and had fun as well. Those older Northwaves work just fine and it is pretty cool you can see them out on the water easier than the less colorful modern sails. The window is nice and big and clean so visibility was great.
Thanks for taking a look at the rigging, it felt pretty similar to my newer Loft Lip sails, sheet in and go or sheet out and slow down. Pretty good when it's windy and gusty. The acceleration when you sheet in is very nice!
Mark F
-
windthrash
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:07 pm
- Location: Agana, Guam
- Contact:
Re: Monday
Rob or Mark,
That 4.7 worked very well!! For it being my first time sailing gear that small, it sure felt smooth. It took the NW nukers very well and was still fast. Also, it being so light with the decron, I was able to pop it into the air pretty dang easy!! Thanks again Mark for letting me borrow it!! Also thanks to Tom Delany for loaning me his med base extension so I could even sail!!!!
Hope to see you all out there again soon!!!
Oh, and where do you all generally sail on a strong NE wind????
Later
Nate
That 4.7 worked very well!! For it being my first time sailing gear that small, it sure felt smooth. It took the NW nukers very well and was still fast. Also, it being so light with the decron, I was able to pop it into the air pretty dang easy!! Thanks again Mark for letting me borrow it!! Also thanks to Tom Delany for loaning me his med base extension so I could even sail!!!!
Hope to see you all out there again soon!!!
Oh, and where do you all generally sail on a strong NE wind????
Later
Nate
Nate Anderson
Agana, Guam
Agana, Guam
-
Professor Robae'
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2003 12:18 pm
- Location: Minnetonka
Re: Monday
Hey Randy,
I decided to save reading your post for tonight. I'm glad I did! Very inspirational and full of wisdom!
Pretty soon we all will be wearing miniature helmet cams to record & share the epic moments.
Meanwhile your writings do a nice job.
Looking forward to our next drag race.
Rob
Nate, the commons in Excelsior is good for a NE, but watch out for the boat traffic, especially on a nice day. You should post your crash video, that was fun action!
I decided to save reading your post for tonight. I'm glad I did! Very inspirational and full of wisdom!
Pretty soon we all will be wearing miniature helmet cams to record & share the epic moments.
Meanwhile your writings do a nice job.
Looking forward to our next drag race.
Rob
Nate, the commons in Excelsior is good for a NE, but watch out for the boat traffic, especially on a nice day. You should post your crash video, that was fun action!
-
windthrash
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:07 pm
- Location: Agana, Guam
- Contact:
Re: Monday
Rob,
I sent the vid to who I could, and it is too large to post here. I also have many more vids like that!!! Most are on my facebook, and I also have a vid of one of my entire crossings the weekend before the crossing itself. If I can downsize the file, I can post it. Or just check out my facebook- use windthrash to find me. I am not private.
As I spoke my opinion earlier in the summer about the Go Pro cam, I love it. I withstood some pretty harsh conditions a few times and still rocks on!
And as always, I love sharing my stoke with whoever it may be. Randy's novel is indeed the inspiration I need as well but another way to hopefully extend past our boundaries of Lakawa to others as well, to keep both sports growing equally. I give a huge thanks to all who have made it possible for me to continue my learning in the sport, either by sharing wind wisdom with me, sharing their stoke, and especially helping me out in some gear situations now and then!!! Also a big thanks to Michael for getting me interested in windsurfer Tuesdays last year before I had conflicting work schedules. His stoke caused me to stumble into my first Crossing last year and now this year! And now more than likely moving to Galveston TX next fall for school, I can bring some of this great stoke down there with me to share with those locals in Corpus!
Since this was supposedly the last Crossing (four more years...???
), we have a great opportunity as a community to continue learning, sharing, and giving to each other to grow together as a community. With or without Fleet 8, I believe we all will still figure out a way to swamp out a town with windsurfers and dangle boarders for a weekend now and then!
I'm not sure if that sums it up, but I think it explains my thought on the local stoke and community... You all rock!
Nate Anderson
I sent the vid to who I could, and it is too large to post here. I also have many more vids like that!!! Most are on my facebook, and I also have a vid of one of my entire crossings the weekend before the crossing itself. If I can downsize the file, I can post it. Or just check out my facebook- use windthrash to find me. I am not private.
As I spoke my opinion earlier in the summer about the Go Pro cam, I love it. I withstood some pretty harsh conditions a few times and still rocks on!
And as always, I love sharing my stoke with whoever it may be. Randy's novel is indeed the inspiration I need as well but another way to hopefully extend past our boundaries of Lakawa to others as well, to keep both sports growing equally. I give a huge thanks to all who have made it possible for me to continue my learning in the sport, either by sharing wind wisdom with me, sharing their stoke, and especially helping me out in some gear situations now and then!!! Also a big thanks to Michael for getting me interested in windsurfer Tuesdays last year before I had conflicting work schedules. His stoke caused me to stumble into my first Crossing last year and now this year! And now more than likely moving to Galveston TX next fall for school, I can bring some of this great stoke down there with me to share with those locals in Corpus!
Since this was supposedly the last Crossing (four more years...???
), we have a great opportunity as a community to continue learning, sharing, and giving to each other to grow together as a community. With or without Fleet 8, I believe we all will still figure out a way to swamp out a town with windsurfers and dangle boarders for a weekend now and then!I'm not sure if that sums it up, but I think it explains my thought on the local stoke and community... You all rock!
Nate Anderson
Nate Anderson
Agana, Guam
Agana, Guam
Re: Monday
Randy, really love your posts. It's great to see people with such passion.
But ...
Tim
But ...
Are you driving and reading at the same time? Maybe give Randy lots of room when you see him coming down the road.Driving home it was difficult to read an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press lamenting the death of windsurfing.
Tim
Re: Monday
Randy, I know I shouldn't, but I gotta say how rare it is to get in a great session AND share it with Kathy B! I'm sure I'm not the only one who misses the days when she, too was a regular at our launches. But I guess it hard to compare to Alaska( & some guy named James).
Nate, You won't have to go all the way to Corpus. There is a great spot in Texas City with lots of local windsurfers and kiters. I'm sure you'll enjoy it there. We've enjoyed getting to know you and share your enthusiasm. Post your contact info when you get settled.
Nate, You won't have to go all the way to Corpus. There is a great spot in Texas City with lots of local windsurfers and kiters. I'm sure you'll enjoy it there. We've enjoyed getting to know you and share your enthusiasm. Post your contact info when you get settled.
WARNING:
I AM AN UNREFORMED SERIAL FLIRT!!
(please respond accordingly ;^{})
I AM AN UNREFORMED SERIAL FLIRT!!
(please respond accordingly ;^{})
Re: Monday
Dear Randy,
I am honoured to know you and share the wind with you. You truly inspired me again. Thank you!
Woodette
I am honoured to know you and share the wind with you. You truly inspired me again. Thank you!
Woodette
Re: Monday
Dear Woodette,
Now there's a saying worth putting on a bumper sticker. You offer radiant insight to "attitude is everything". I've often found it helpful to give a pious reverence to the waters I enter before riding them. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Hawaiians have this deep respect in nature. I think extending this reverence for sharing the wind with all things, all peoples, is what brings us more wind. Did you know "to inspire" has its root in breath? I think our community will thrive if we can all practice this gratitude for the opportunity to share wind/water with one another. Thank you for inspiring me to deepen my riding with this practice.
Now there's a saying worth putting on a bumper sticker. You offer radiant insight to "attitude is everything". I've often found it helpful to give a pious reverence to the waters I enter before riding them. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Hawaiians have this deep respect in nature. I think extending this reverence for sharing the wind with all things, all peoples, is what brings us more wind. Did you know "to inspire" has its root in breath? I think our community will thrive if we can all practice this gratitude for the opportunity to share wind/water with one another. Thank you for inspiring me to deepen my riding with this practice.
Ride...just be it!
www.just-be-it.com
www.just-be-it.com