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ldhr
Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 121
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I can't resist and I resemble this remark ....
you all sound like a bunch of grumpy old men pining for the the good ole days. |
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westender
Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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People have wondered if all the burned up trees are not improving the winds the last couple years?
Please yield to Starboard sailors. Kooks |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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westender wrote: | Please yield to Starboard sailors. Kooks |
Too many people, including long-time locals, think that simply being on starboard gives them ROW. They use that as an excuse to surf the swell, jump, do stupid pet tricks, or just roam right and left at will, then whine or even get angry when someone on port gets in their way.
It doesn't work that way. The instant the sailor on starboard deviates from his obvious straight line, he gives up any such real or imagined "rights". i.e., no one has to yield to him except to avoid an imminent collision.
Very gusty days can complicate that by robbing control from a sailor who is temporarily way out of his control range due to a huge gust or a deep hole. Even if it's not so much gusty as up and down to the extent that one board and rig just don't cut it for more than 20-30 minutes, the day can be reduced to a PITA of interrupted sessions for equipment changes. You know something's amiss when it's windy but even the best local sailors are standing around in street clothes, as I've seen very often the past 2-3 years. |
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westender
Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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Only talking about lawn mowing situations where a collision was about to happen. Tis the time of year. |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2019 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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If I'm on starboard in your scenario, I consider such things as speed, how many times he's repeated it, how deliberate it appears to be, whether I've held my line long enough to define it, the durability and replaceability of my board, the chances of injury, and the degree of control we both have. Then, in the NEXT second, I decide how to handle it. Simple reflexive bearing off is not always the safest solution, and gusty wind complicates the picture. |
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WMP
Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 11:11 am Post subject: There's no place like Home |
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Well, you know what they say..... "there's no place to sail like Home".
I must confess, been away from home for awhile. Came back after traveling to Canada for 6 months. My OO board was very broken and since Brian is now retired, I decided to buy something at the swap last year. Bought a Cascade Sailboard for $25. Didn't have much time to try this out. First sesh this year was Friday at Rufus.... wind was cranking. A mouse had eaten the line for my 4.2 sail so I was forced to go with 3.7. Glad that decision was made for me. It was the best opener sesh I've ever had.... EVER! Completely dialed, everything felt so familiar. The board and I were made for each other, it even has my name on it. Magic happens, so do changes.
It's more than a wind change, the changes I have noticed in the Gorge is, except for Rufus, the swell pattern is completey different. Back in the 80's there was much steeper and organized swell especially at Doug's, Event Site, Hatch. It's simply a bowl of psycho chop now. Why the changes? I would imagine it has something to do with the sentiment filling into the river over the years. It just isn't the same.
Wind Mountain Pete |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: There's no place like Home |
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WMP wrote: | The board and I were made for each other |
Boards I've made and heard the same comment about included OOs, Cascades, the earlier (normal, pre-no-nose) Baileys, Watsons, and many Naish wave boards.
I've very often heard just the opposite about many, maybe most, "modern" boards, both custom and off the shelf. "Didn't like it at first -- too many peculiarities -- but after a dozen sessions I adapted and got used to it. Now I sort of like it."
Um, no thanks. I don't need or want a fleet of clones, but I also don't want to have to look down and read the logo on a board every reach to remind myself how much toe pressure is required to turn it NOW, how hard I can push it upwind without spinning out, or how much I can trust it when diving down a steep face with power and speed. |
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jingebritsen
Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2019 5:40 am Post subject: |
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every year, whether i am there or reading about the gorge, i hear this rant.
is it really the arrow, the indian, or the weather?
gear changes and fashion sometimes go against what is right for any sailor/venue. how many that are noticing "gustier conditions" have short/wide boards and less battens sails are currently complaining about wanting steadier winds? how many are tuning their sails like crap for any given condition?
so many variables.
for instance, about a decade ago at dougs this complaint was buzzing around the beach. steve g. and looked at each other, with that puzzled look of "WTF?" we were happy on 5.0 and 5.2 sails and 95 liter fairly fast boards. several people with much smaller gusts only kits were mopey. a dealer from chicago was infected by this all too common "gusts only" culture. i handed her my kit and she came back with a big smile after 30 minutes. she is easily 60 or pounds lighter than me. same old song..... _________________ www.aerotechsails.com
www.exocet-original.com
www.iwindsurf.com
http://www.epicgearusa.com/ |
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willysurf
Joined: 08 Sep 2003 Posts: 59
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2019 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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I think people are getting hung up on the word "gustier." For me, it's not the gusts, it's the lulls and general inconsistency. I always rig at least .5-1M bigger sail than most people my size and pretty much only sail flatter freestyle boards in order to be able to plane through the lulls. However, if you live here, you know that the wind quality has been getting worse every year and I am starting to get frustrated even on my floatier freestyle gear. I find myself sailing less now and riding my bike more. YMMV. |
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ripnride
Joined: 03 Sep 2016 Posts: 1
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Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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This summer there has been little if any smoke from fires near or far. The last two years have had long heat waves both with and without wind. This year, there have been a handful of hot days, no heat waves. This sailing season temperatures have been so ideal as to be unbelievably idyllic! "The Gorge is gusty, remember, the gusty Gorge"-Bruce Peterson" That said, this season has had more consistently windy days that I recall in my 25 summers out here. The Hatch and Dougs cranked! rigged 4.2 four times,rest 3.7,3.4 and lit up, some gusty Rip Schlog in there but sailable! August can go 50/50 windy days, this year August flat out cranked! Day after Day after Day! So let the naysayers complain, and the haters hate, this was the best sailing season ever in my experience. i hear peeps on the beach wishing and hoping for Goldilocks wind, not gonnahappen, just jump in, sail what you got, and be grateful you still can! |
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