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PDX airport launch?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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krizizzy

Since 11 Aug 2013
11 Posts
Portland
 



PostFri Jan 12, 18 10:05 am    PDX airport launch? Reply with quote

So I became a happy owner of the dry suit and itching to get on the water.
Seems like the weather might cooperate in Portland this weekend.
I heard people are launching close to the PDX airport but never been there myself.
Can someone advise me where to lunch?
Any risks to be aware of?
Anybody planning to get some on sunday?

Also what/how much clothes do you guys put under the dry suit?

THanks!
Cheers.
Krzysztof

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostFri Jan 12, 18 10:31 am    Re: PDX airport launch? Reply with quote

krizizzy wrote:

Can someone advise me where to lunch?


I don't like to kite on a full stomach as the harness tends to add pressure and cause my eaten food to come up.

So after your exploritory drysuit kiting session, I would go to LUNCH at some Pho spot off Sandy to recharge the batteries and warm you up some.
Razz

If you are looking for a LAUNCH spot near to airport, then Broughton Beach on Marine Drive. I wouldn't leave anything in your car unless you want it taken. Pretty heavily used beach in the summer. Watch for broken glass in the sands. Not really any good downstream out unless you like piers and houseboats, moored up boats. Wintler Park on the Vanlanistan/Couvtucky side has better outs on that side as that is the shipyard. Only have to deal with strong current and old pylons.

I think most people who use a drysuit wear pile clothing to wick any sweat from their body.

use the search function up above to get info on either launch.

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snowbunny

Since 05 Nov 2013
54 Posts

 



PostMon Jan 15, 18 1:42 pm    jetwash? Reply with quote

I've hit airport beach a couple of times each winter to ride twintip, have found it needs average wind 20+ to keep up with the current if you arent foiling. I watch the PDX airport sensor. Usually it has to be at least 45+ at Rooster to get into the 20s at airport.

Question for the forum:

Last time out there I had a very weird kite event, wondering if it was jetwash from an overhead plane.

Basically, I was was riding fine on an upwind (easterly) tack, but pretty close to the beach and then !bang! it felt (and sounded) like someone had launched a cannonball into my kite and it almost yanked the bar out of my hands (not like a typical gust). The kite jellyfished, then the leading edge flew towards me, flipped, and fell straight down onto the water with the back of the kite facing me as it fell (as if the wind had changed direction 180 degrees). I was eventually able to get the kite back into the air but it took a bit to flip the kite around given the current (I was approaching the kite faster than the wind was pushing it away).

Last overhead plane was quite a few seconds earlier and well (150 yrds?) to the North.

Sound familiar to anyone? I've been closer to planes in the past and never had anything like that. Could also have been a fluky gust combined with kiting across a section of visibly fast current.

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ezryder111

Since 24 Dec 2012
131 Posts
SE Portland
Stoked



PostMon Jan 15, 18 6:44 pm     Reply with quote

Sounds like it was a wingtip vortex from the plane you saw. They're like a horizontal tornado and can stick around for a while after the plane passes...and even drift with the wind a bit. Kind of surprising it was so severe at that distance but good to know about that hazard! Glad to hear it worked out ok for you.

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostTue Jan 16, 18 9:34 am    Re: jetwash? Reply with quote

snowbunny wrote:


wondering if it was jetwash from an overhead plane.


Sounds like you were in "the danger zone." Better ask Maverick as Goose has pasted.

Shocked Very Happy Laughing Razz


Link

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Mark

Since 20 Jun 2005
3677 Posts
I need my fix because I'm a
Naishaholic



PostTue Jan 16, 18 5:39 pm     Reply with quote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ESmvyAmOs

watch till end. I can visualize your kite going backwards!

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Cleverly disguised as an adult...

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snowbunny

Since 05 Nov 2013
54 Posts

 



PostTue Jan 16, 18 8:18 pm    eye of the tiger Reply with quote

ezryder called it: wingtip vortex. totally surprised at how long it hangs around, how far lateral/low it hits, and how that hasn't happened to me sooner.

i'm bringing smoke streams next time so i can see it coming Smile thanks for the link, mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy0hgG2pkUs

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stringy

Since 23 Jun 2006
1724 Posts
vancouver
XTreme Poster



PostWed Jan 17, 18 5:54 pm     Reply with quote

the booms you hear at the airport beach are probably from the explosives used to scare off birds at PDX to prevent bird strikes with planes.
I have experienced the jet wash in the past. best way to prevent this is to not be close to the shoreline where the planes pass overhead. If I see a plane coming in over the river, I tack back out and wait for it to pass and give it a minute before entering that area. I've seen kites do bad things with the wash.
I have kited at broughton beach in the past. PDX sensor works but it only updates about once every hour. rodgers sensor seems to be a better resource for the wind. east winds can be fun here, but keep in mind the current can sometimes kill your kite stoke once on the river. be aware of your safe takeout options downriver because the shoreline gets somewhat gnarly west of the beach. if you think you might have issues staying upwind, walk upwind as there is plenty of beach east of broughton and the boat launch. be mindful of all the wing dams along the shoreline though.

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shred_da_gorge

Since 12 Nov 2008
1251 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster



PostWed Jan 17, 18 7:22 pm     Reply with quote

"ezryder called it: wingtip vortex. totally surprised at how long it hangs around, how far lateral/low it hits, and how that hasn't happened to me sooner. "

Frequent occurrence back in my early windsurfing days at Coyote Point near SFO. Backwinded a large cambered race sail once and left a welt across my shin.

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Gman

Since 11 Feb 2006
4907 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped



PostThu Jan 18, 18 4:06 pm     Reply with quote

we kited the airport sunday the current was cranking - be careful not to get "Flushed" if the wind starts getting weird


my friend lived near the airport and we would listen to this crazy cool wooshing noise nearly a minute after the jet has passed - insanely rad doppler alien bubble noise chasing the plane


also beware large coast guard helicopters - Kraemer and I had our kites about blasted apart at Sauvies - when they came in close


   wake turb.jpg 

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2pBpQolKE

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Nak

Since 19 May 2005
4199 Posts
Camas
XTreme Poster

CGKA Member


PostFri Jan 19, 18 10:17 am     Reply with quote

Wingtip vortices move outward--one left one right--perpendicular to the aircraft's path at about 5 knots. This speed is affected by any crosswind component, so if you have a 10 knot crosswind both will be moving with the crosswind--one at 5 knots and one at fifteen knots. If you have a five knot crosswind, one will drop straight down from the aircraft and remain pretty much fixed in that position for a couple of minutes. 757's and widebody aircraft create the largest wake vortex and can flip a smaller plane on it's back... So, yeah, hitting one with a kite would not be good. Take a look at your wind and figure out the crosswind component; then you'll be able to figure out the risk.

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