PDX airport launch?

krizizzy · Since 11 Aug 2013 11 Posts Portland

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

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2099 Posts PNW Bigfoot

snowbunny · Since 05 Nov 2013 54 Posts

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.

ezryder111 · Since 24 Dec 2012 131 Posts SE Portland Stoked

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.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2099 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Mark · Tue Jan 16, 18 5:39 pm

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

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

snowbunny · Since 05 Nov 2013 54 Posts

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

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1734 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

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.

shred_da_gorge · Wed Jan 17, 18 7:22 pm

"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.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4910 Posts Portland Unstrapped

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

Nak · Fri Jan 19, 18 10:17 am

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.