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kitebug
Since 27 Apr 2015
40 Posts
Hood River
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Sat Jul 04, 15 8:14 am Windsurfers in the gorge |
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This could just be my warped view, but does anyone else notice that windsurfers point their boards downwind at you when you approach upwind. And by approach I mean still a couple hundred feet away. I always try to give windsurfers a lot of space, especially if they are downwind.
I noticed that when I cross anywhere on the river across from the launch at the waterfront park or get close to swell city, as I am tacking upwind, a few windsurfers will point their board downwind until I drop off and then resume back upwind.
I wonder if there is an unsaid pact to play a little chicken with the kiters to claim territory. I probably should just ask a windsurfer. I used to windsurf in the early nineties in the Gorge, and I suppose I'ld do the same. Maybe I'm just perceiving this wrong... often windsurfers have to fall off the wind a little in a lull just like a kite but it's not at the lulls.
Maybe I don't understand some rule of the river. How much space do you give windsurfers and do you consider them to always have right of way?
_________________ Be the wind |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1634 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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Sat Jul 04, 15 8:41 am |
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Address this to Dangler.... he is/was the authority on taking out all comers a few years back
_________________ CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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kitebot
Since 20 Feb 2007
251 Posts
Obsessed
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Sat Jul 04, 15 10:56 am |
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Pretty sure it is just you. Remember though, it's harder to get planing on a windsurfer, perhaps they were bearing off to get planing or to maintain momentum.
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user124
Since 02 Aug 2012
390 Posts
Portland
Obsessed
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Sat Jul 04, 15 12:38 pm |
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I've never noticed this either. And I actually make an effort to head downwind myself when crossing paths with a windsurfer as I think they are perpetually afraid of kites/lines dropping on their heads.
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
697 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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Sat Jul 04, 15 12:59 pm |
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I notice this also at the Hatchery area. I believe it is a twofold statement. 1." I'm trying to get on a plane I have to go downwind a bit ". 2. "Hey this is a nice wave face, I'm heading downwind for a bit". There is definitely some territory issues. We are taking up triple the space on the water more or less depending on how low our kites get on our jibes.
Basically I'm just happy to share the stoke out there so when I miss a wave or some upwind territory because of a traffic conflict, I just say to myself: It's all good in the Hood". Go get some!
_________________ moondog |
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flipper
Since 17 Oct 2011
320 Posts
Obsessed
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Sat Jul 04, 15 3:03 pm |
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I windsurf 10% of the time and if you are referring to yesterday, the wind was challenging to windsurfers. I was windsurfing at Swell and I found that a few times I was having a hard time staying upwind and I really wanted to keep the upwind position with everybody even if they were coming at me on their starboard because I was trying to regain ground.
When I kite, I feel like windsurfers are always pointed somewhat towards me even though I don't think they are.
I've also never heard beach-side complaints toward kiters at swell either.
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ShiverMeTimbers
Since 26 Feb 2013
381 Posts
Gig Harbor
Obsessed
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Sat Jul 04, 15 7:30 pm |
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wasn't an issue today. seems like the crowd was cut by 75% compared to yesterday. Everybody must have been getting their 'Murika on.
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Matt V
Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea
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Sat Jul 04, 15 8:17 pm |
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The wind that windsurfers see is totally different than what kites see. Though my experience is mostly from lakes in the midwest. Back when I was doing both, some days I wished I was kiting instead of windsurfing. And surprisingly, the opposite was often true too.
While kiting almost exclusively now, my best days on a kite see more complaints about the wind from the windsurfers. Some days I throw in the towel kiting only to hear what a great day the windsurfers thought it was.
One way for a kiter to see if it is good for windsurfers is to put the kite low to the water and keep it there. If it is steady along an entire tack, then the wind is good for windsurfers. If not, and you have to take the kite up to find power higher in the window, then it could be a bad day for windsurfers.
If you, as a kiter, find that is is impossible to make good jumps because every time you send the kite up, there is no wind high - well....Bad day for kiting - but could be a good day for windsurfing.
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wood
Since 21 Jan 2013
64 Posts
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Mon Jul 06, 15 7:56 am LOOK BACK BE FOR YOU TURN. |
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My daughter was windsurfing and got hit be a kite off wells island. No harm. But how many kiters do not look back when doing a turn this happens quite a bit. I kite look back twice and also look back half way through the turn where I have better vision. Be safe!
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Matt V
Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea
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Mon Jul 06, 15 9:29 am |
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Good point and something I need to work on myself. I typically stay away from crowded spots and will head up wind or downwind to give myself more freedom even if it means giving up the best stuff. This gives me a false sense of security when I jibe which has made me look like a kook on a number of occasions (never with kite vs windsurfer). One of the things I do to minimize jibing into another kiter is to downloop on the jibe. This puts me downwind of my original position quickly and then keeps the kite low to get under the guy behind me.
In thinking about that, that may not be the best thing to do around windsurfers.
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Pepi
Since 16 Jun 2006
1831 Posts
Pure Stoke Sports
Shop Owner
CGKA Member
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
697 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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Mon Jul 06, 15 5:08 pm |
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I'm glad you are finally wearing a hat Pepi, I get cancers removed every 6 months from my head because of my "lack of hat" the first 30 years of my life. It catches up to you in your 50's!
_________________ moondog |
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bulae99
Since 12 Jul 2006
1691 Posts
I give out bad advice.
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Wed Jul 08, 15 1:35 pm Easier to go upwind on a kite than a windsurfer, |
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Just breath.
_________________ Hey, I'm being hahahahahrassed! |
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shred_da_gorge
Since 12 Nov 2008
1251 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster
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Wed Jul 08, 15 10:12 pm |
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Or you could just breathe.
Others pointed this out - windsurfers have to point off of the wind to get planing. Just below Wells Island there is a wind shadow and you have to point off quite a bit, and then you can point up once you hit the wind coming from the north side of the island. Yes, you will see them change direction. More experienced windsurfers will just go upwind to Wells or the orange doors or the hatch where the wind is much cleaner. Others will go all the way across the river below Wells and have to deal with two different 'winds' in the process. These may be the folks you were encountering, and they do tend to hang out close to the Northwave or park launches.
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