Hood river intermediate spot?

andrewblair · Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 10

Hey, Im going to be going to the Gorge for the first time on my honeymoon in the first half of September. Im at the stage where Im trying to improve my carve jibes, I can waterstart fine, Im not very confident jumping, Id rather concentrate on that after I get my jibes down. Is there an a suggested spot on the Hood river? (Also, Ill need to rent)

spyder · Joined: 24 Sep 1996 Posts: 2790 Location: oahu

you can book a place to stay in Hood river, and good rental windsurf gear there. Try the event site, and marina, both are mellower spots.

rental gear:
big winds
wind dance

andrewblair · Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 10

great! thanks!

Lyle/GorgeRental · Joined: 18 Apr 2001 Posts: 1

ablair,
Ive recently purchased a house in the Lyle area across from Hood River, and its for rent. If youre still looking for a place to stay, check out my add in the classifieds under property rentals.(Bungalow Hood River Area)
Hope you have a great visit, honeymoon.
GRandolph

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

1. One works on their jumps in the reaches, their jibes at the end of the reach. They are not mutually exclusive.

2. Carving (planing through) jibes consistently (say, 50%)can take many years to achieve. Some people dont reach that point in a decade of active sailing. Jumping begins as soon as one gets into sailing boards under 280 cm or so, often ones second year. Dont wait until you can carve jibes to start jumping. Thats sort of like waiting until you can compete at Indy to learn to parallel park.

3. Almost any spot in the Gorge will work, given the right conditions THAT DAY. Conditions vary TOTALLY at LEAST from day to day, often hour to hour. We must evaluate the wind patterns each day (if there IS any wind), pick the conditions we want, and re-evaluate them we dont like what we see.

4. The wind can vary from zero to 30-40 knots -- for hours at a time -- between two spots within a couple of miles of each other. If a favorite site is not doing what we want, we must check the iWindsurf pager to see whether its worth moving. This can make or break a Gorge trip ... even a honeymoon, to some extent.

5. I hope your finacee sails. Shes gonna be POD if she doesnt, unless you found a GREAT windsurfers wife (like I did), cause she will feel like your second love.

6. If you water starts REALLY ARE wired (i.e., a cinch in way too much wind in shoulder-high swell) and/or waist-high chop, you can sail anywhere in the Gorge. If not, be selective if its blowing 5.0 or better. The Gorge Guide, available everywhere free in HR, will help you pick the tamer sites.

Mike \m/

gorgegeezer · Joined: 20 Mar 2001 Posts: 15

The responses you recieved were right on. I would re-emphasize closly checking the conditons at each site. The shops in Hood River can give you general information but you really need access to iwindsurf for the exact latest conditions. Be realistic and flexible. I have packed up and moved to the next spot up/down river and had a lot better time. Conditions vary greatly.

jldoggett · Joined: 02 May 2001 Posts: 1

As an intermediate sailor who has made a couple of trips to HR area, I would mention the following:
1) You can probably find a local to sail with that knows the area and can do a good job of instructing. I found one on each trip through the rental service (eg- Gorge Central). I was charged by the hr but, since they spent a lot of time just out sailing while I was practicing and having fun, the actual out-of-pocket was not that great.
2) Be aware that, given the time of year you are going, you may find the famous winds have shifted to Easterlies. That is not good for an intermediate! Can be very rough sailing. The first year I went up was in early Sept and there was a big change while I was there. The local that was sailing with me made it possible for me to go out because he knew where to go and had a strategy for getting out of the river (which will be somewhere other than where you went in for sure!).
3) If your bride likes the outdoors, then you will find a lot of great things to do. Go to Hood Mt. etc. Again, the folks in the rental business can give you great suggestions.

Have fun.

John D.

rdalbeyjr · Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 6

I live in Hood River and can tell you that in terms of intermediate sailing spots, the Event Site, The Hook, or the Marina are your best bets (the Event site is most user friendly and comfortable for sig. others). In terms of where to sail that day, iwindsurf.com is the bible, but otherwise call Big Winds or Windance and ask them. Have fun!!!