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Anybody windsurf foiling in SoCal?
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To avoid the rocky bottom at Leo Carrillo and County line, you might want to consider Zuma Beach. That said, you would still face getting in and out through the surfline.
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laci



Joined: 22 May 1996
Posts: 180
Location: SoCal&the Gorge

PostPosted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I started this thread a while back, but haven't seen a definitive answer to my question, which is basically " Who is windsurf foiling in SoCal and what impact do weeds have on their enjoyment, or even their ability to do so?"
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Streetsailor



Joined: 05 Mar 2009
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Foiling must have been created for low-wind San Diego. There's a group of at least seven of us that regularly windfoil here. Mission Bay is like a lake and mostly weed-free, apart from small bits of kelp that drift in with the tide.
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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lopez Lake in SLO county has been getting foiled quite a bit this summer, no kites allowed, just as well, wings and sails only.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know about eel grass, but I think it's similar to milfoil, which chokes of my favorite Columbia Gorge sailing spot all summer. Weed fins are mandatory at the launch, and make or break reaches offshore due to floating mattresses and pillows of the stuff. In the summer commercial fishing season, single invisible strands of it interrupt WSers every reach without weed fins.

It has taken me as long as 30 minutes to fight through the 100-150 yards launch area weed zone even with my windfoil board upside down. It's so bad that I've put my windfoil gear away until the weeds recede in Sept or Oct; some kiters (NOT just kitefoilers!) have pronounced it life threatening because if their lines drop into it then get airborne again, the snagged surface weed slides down and covers their chicken loop, rendering it inaccessible. A swimmer drowned in it at another spot, and a WSer lost all his gear when he hit a floating mattress of it, flew over the handlebars, and landed too far away to recover it before it blew away to rocky shorepound destruction overnight.

Yeah ... it's a problem. OTOH, YMMV at other sites.

laci wrote:
I am not as worried about kelp beds that are easy to see and avoid. I was thinking more about the eel grass that is floating everywhere, and cannot be seen or avoided. I know that even a normal upright fin will quickly collect so much eel grass that sailing becomes impossible until it gets cleared off, thus weed fins have been required to sail here. How much more vulnerable would a foil be that a race fin? I think it would be frustrating to the point of making it not worth doing. Otherwise foiling seems like it would be ideal in a light wind spot like SoCal, sailing would be possible in wind that only kites have been able to go out in!
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jonbek



Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 5:28 pm    Post subject: Long Beach Reply with quote

I had a great time in mid June sailing at Belmont Kite Beach in Long Beach. I was the only windsurfer there that day, but apparently that's not always the case.

They were in awe of my massive 150L board when I first showed up. Before they saw the sail Smile.

I didn't notice any issues with kelp or eel grass. I definitely did step slightly on a mini stingray. You need to do the shuffle.

Water was nice and warm, compared to the bay.

Not much surf there cause of the gigantic seawall, but getting out of the water is still slow and a little challenging.
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benspikey



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 4:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last weekend we had quite a few foilers at Cabrillo. Have seen some pretty good crashes and imagine kelp is an issue but they are managing. The kelp we have been getting seems to be the stringy stuff and not the clumpy dark stuff. Water has been super warm. Most people are only sporting bathing suits or shorties.
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laci



Joined: 22 May 1996
Posts: 180
Location: SoCal&the Gorge

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

benspikey wrote:
Last weekend we had quite a few foilers at Cabrillo. Have seen some pretty good crashes and imagine kelp is an issue but they are managing. The kelp we have been getting seems to be the stringy stuff and not the clumpy dark stuff. Water has been super warm. Most people are only sporting bathing suits or shorties.


The stringy stuff is eel grass! I broke down and bought a large, beginner windfoil board and foil, and have started learning it, here in the Gorge. I am not planning on bringing it down to SoCal for the winter, at least not this winter, until I get competent on it. I think trying to learn how to foil at Topanga or Secos, with the rocky launches and the eel grass would be frustrating and harder than it needs to be. County Line is out of the question!
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good foiler Kevin K foils at Cabrillo mostly, a bit of drive from Leo
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benspikey



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167

PostPosted: Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Greetings Laci, I don't think you would have any issues foiling on the inside of the breakwater at Cabrillo with kelp. Outside the breakwater is more challenging due to the shore break, current, and kelp. Make sure to say hello to the group as we are for the most part a friendly bunch. Look forward to seeing you soon! Cheers! Also today looks very windy at Cabrillo!!
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