Boards lost at blowout

Occupied Columbia · Since 12 Nov 2011 376 Posts Columbia City Obsessed

At least three boards were lost at this years blowout. I lost a slingshot vision with boots and sandals strapped to the handle. Carol bolstad lost a blue and orange surfboard. I'm not sure on the third. If you lost a board post it here.

Freeride Kiter · Sat Aug 08, 15 8:21 pm

Aaaaack...

Carol did I bring the wrong board over or not get it close enough? Sorry about that!!!!

Dan

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

I lost a yellow Slingshot surf. But I have my name on it - so it might turn up. Lost it a couple miles past Viento.

JeffT · Since 07 Jul 2012 238 Posts Deep Southern Portland Stoked

I saw a quad surf floating a couple miles east of Viento while I was SUPing.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Lost one o'brien waterski - might try Bonneville

Additional Information about Bonneville Lock & Dam. Address: Cascade Locks, OR 97014-0150.
Phone Number: 541-374-8820.
Location: United States > Oregon (OR) > Cascade Locks.

Pepi · Sun Aug 09, 15 7:29 am

Trey lost a pair of waterskis at the narrows and sarah lost an aiush twin tip near viento.
I lost my dignity but that can only be earned back next year. I did find a black eye though Wink

Helluva a beatdown this year. Cannot wait for a redo next year!

KiteKitten · Since 28 Feb 2012 77 Posts Gorge

Pepi, you are killing me! Funny man you are! I made it but my body is feeling it today!
Whole crap that was some devil wind from Veinto to the tunnels. Big thanks to Scott Curry for being my night in shining armor! You are much appreciated and can't wait to kite with you all again!
A-train...... sweet finish together!

specialk · Since 07 Mar 2013 10 Posts pdx/hr/coast New Member

I love all you people! All the emotions and lost boards...well...the latter, not so cool! But planning for disaster and either just surviving or thriving...yesterday's conditions involved moments of it all for every able bodied one of us. So fun, crazy, stormy, swelley, and ample tea-bagging too...
Thank you Carol, Tony, Grom, & Rachel!

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

Even though the devil winds past Viento forced me to shore on the oregon side - I still had lots of fun! Thanks for organizing the event. I hope to finish the race next year.

anders · Since 01 May 2012 107 Posts Stoked

That was my first downwinder and I am sore! I probably would have lost my board but Sarah brought it to me. I did get the DFL award at a little over 2 hours. haha.

I hope people find their boards.

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1738 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

I about lost my sit down foil during my major equipment failure. ended up self rescuing just before wind mt and saw the foil going upriver. I find it strange that TT and surfboards go with the current yet the foils go against!
took me about an hour to catch up to it by self rescuing both directions and swimming at it. I wondered if it would have gone all the way to the dalles had I not grabbed it
bummer to those that weren't as fortunate to get their boards back.

tonyb · Mon Aug 10, 15 7:10 am

Carol went out searching yesterday morning climbing up and down the rocks near Drano Lake. She found Alex Bloechinger's surfboard and a twin tip with boots on it. No name on the twin tip though. Alex's board was a bit beat up.

Late, Alex went out on a jetski and found Carol's board up in some bushes about a foot and a half above the water line. Her's was also up near Drano Lake, not far from where she lost it. No visible damage to her board.

No sign of the water ski's yet.

Carol called the Bonneville dam and they are doing maintenance so the spill way is wide open instead of running through the turbines so anything that gets that far is going to go right on past the dam.

As usual the race was a blast and unpredictable (except for Corey - he's the man!). Thanks to everyone who participated, the more the merrier on this thing.

I'll try to get the results posted up today or tomorrow.

Tony

Occupied Columbia · Since 12 Nov 2011 376 Posts Columbia City Obsessed

Tony, The boots board is it slingshot vision? sent pm

Robert · Since 22 Aug 2006 29 Posts

So what exactly happened? Why so much carnage? I wanna read a story since I missed the fun! Sad

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Such awesome stoke! Thanks Bolstad clan for organizing such a cool grass roots event!

The wind was full spectrum like the range of emotions from "Crushing this" to "I think I'm leaving earth orbit, Houston we have a problem!" Got smote just past wind mountain as evil gust sent me airborne 50 yards into full yardsale on the waterskis.

Only cursed the Wind Gods upon reaching the hatch - with no windsurfers in sight - the heart sinks as couldn't get up on plane - "Damn Your toying with us!"

Proud to finish - looking forward to next year!

sarahlablanca · Since 01 Apr 2015 5 Posts Hood River, OR New Member

I lost my board at the blowout too!

It's a bright green Airush Apex Twintip with black footsteps. Didn't have my name on it. Yeah, I know. Sad

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

Here is my story that I threw up on my FB page. It was my first time for this particular downwinder. Now I am determined to finish it one of these days.

"48 kiters started out in Stevenson. Pretty messy getting everyone bunched up for a start while a sailboat race was going on. Literally every combination you could think of left for Hood River. Cory's sons on big kites and water skis. Cory was on a 17 meter and a surf. Stringy was on his foil chair. There was a guy on a foil kite. Regular twin tips, race boards, twintips with boots, foils, surfs of all sizes and straps. It was pretty wild. I opted for my 12 meter and put straps on my surf because I knew I was going to be nuked out at the end.

The race started and I crashed immediately because I was not used to the dumb straps. This put me way at the back of the pack. Way under powered until I passed Home Valley. Once I got some wind, I started passing kiters. I was having fun and thinking - "this downwinder is a piece of cake, I am going to try to pass as many as I can!" The whole middle section, I was perfectly powered and running straight at my kite most of the time. Then came Viento.

I was cruising pretty good when the gusts started to hit with the small system that was moving in behind us. Initially, I was just getting lofted about 10 feet. No big deal - they were pretty easy to ride out with the straps on my surf. I now had Wells Island in my sights. I all of a sudden got yarded by a huge gust of wind. I knew my board was way behind me - but I started to body drag. Then the next level gust came through. It started with two teabags, then I was totally flying. My toes wear touching the water and I was not coming back down. I probably was flying like that for about 20 seconds. Now I knew I was maybe a quarter mile from my board. I thought about body dragging to Wells, but decided it was better to seek shelter from the gusts. So I steered my new paraglider towards a wind sheltered bay. An hours worth of millweed, tangled lines, blazing a path through the blackberries, climbing like a mountain goat to I-84 and I caught my ride back to Stevenson."