Way to go Big Winds Junior Team!

When all else fails, do a headstand!

For quite awhile, the Mosier launch was farther underwater than a lot of Bank of America mortgages. Finally, it has been bailed out by the dam operators.

Updated 5/31/2011 with images of Mosier.

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north under the I-84 bridge

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north east

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north west

The West Marina Beach

The staff at Big Winds wants to make all of our friends aware of the unusual conditions we’re experiencing on the Columbia River this spring. The snow pack, cool temperatures and extensive rains have made the Columbia and its tributaries run at levels not seen since 1997. We want to convey a general “heads up” for those taking advantage of this dynamic and exciting situation. Many of the familiar landmarks, wave patterns and river currents have undergone a lot of change. We’re encouraging everyone to be extra-aware of their surroundings, double check the integrity of their gear and ensure that your cold water wetsuits are sufficient to sustain your body heat in case you find yourself in the water for a prolonged period.

The east end of the event site

Currently, the Spit and Mosier launch sites are submerged, as is the west Marina beach. You’ll also find a highly turbid river that can hide logs, deadheads and other debris just below the surface. We’re not saying, “don’t go”. We just want everyone to raise their level of awareness a few notches before ripping it up!

The spit, underwater

These conditions are forecast to last longer than usual, perhaps extending into July. We will provide updates here, on Facebook and on our main website as the conditions change. Also, feel free to call us for more information and advice at 888-509-4210.

Thanks!

The Big Winds Team

Here are four images of what you’ll find at the Event Site in 2011. Click on any one of them to see a larger slideshow.

Here’s one, and

here’s another.

These single day clinics place a strong emphasis on instruction in a small group environment stressing the fundamentals of windsurfing necessary to master a wide variety of skills. The Big Winds team of instructors will cover a variety of skills including stance, harness and foot straps, jibing, and high wind sailing skills. Get all the information here.

Playing on a YouTube near you…

The Starboard Gemini, a tandem windsurfer, got put through its paces last week. Here’s the video.

It’s going to be awesome….You gotta be there!

Rider: Mike
Gender: Male
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 165 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer, Expert kiteboarder

What a smooth board! It jumped on a plane, held its speed through the lulls and quick tacked easily. For jibes, I could take long, smooth turns in smooth water or turn it quickly inside short chop. Easy pivot jibes, too. This board is built for no-hassle, pure fun sailing in all but extreme conditions. Want H2O fun? This is the one!

Rider: Mike
Gender: Male
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 165 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer, Expert kiteboarder

I got fast acceleration and instant planing. I had a lot of power from the 7.3 and got it really moving upwind. This was the fastest board I’ve sailed in awhile. It didn’t make the sharpest turns so for jibing I compensated by keeping my speed up and widening the radius. I dialed into a couple drag races and moved away easily. Huge speed, big fun!

Rider: Joe
Gender: Male
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer

No problem getting onto a plane. The key is to move back into the straps as soon as you begin to accelerate. It glides through the lulls allowing you to go chase that next puff. I was able to flow over the chop smoothly. The excellent pads and straps contribute to a plush ride. It was surprisingly fast for a wave oriented board. For jibing, it stays on a plane easily allowing you to control the radius of the jibe as necessary. Also, it holds a rail solidly and would be a pleasure to bottom turn on true, down the line waves. Naish hit the mark with this board as an incredibly versatile wave/bump board. The Global Wave would be a great first wave board for advancing intermediate windsurfers.

Board Tested: 2009 Naish Global Wave 70
Sails Used: 2009 Neil Pryde Zone
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Hatchery
Conditions: 18-20 mph

Rider: Daryl
Gender: Female
Height: 5’2″
Weight: 120 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer

Quick to plane, easy to jibe, fun on the small swells, I highly recommend the Global Wave to light weight wave sailors using 3.2 to 5.2 sails. This is the nicest board I have ever sailed. It’s so smooth, totally comfortable, not bouncy yet still fast. It’s an excellent gorge board. I want to buy one for my 13-year-old. Loved it!

Rider: Joe
Gender: Male
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer

This board popped onto a plane quickly which made an otherwise marginal day into a memorable session. It glided through the lulls easily, rarely dropping off a plane before the next puff came through. And even in the extreme chop it felt fast and lively. From slashy jibes onto the swell to drawn out, planning jibes the Kode 86 felt solid and stable, inspiring me to push it harder and harder. Whether slamming into a pivot jibe at speed or hitting race car like slalom jibes, the board just never faltered or failed in its mission to put a big grin on my face. This is a truly inspiring board for those learning to master jibes of any style. This board flowed over the voodoo chop of the day, no problem. The comfortable pads and straps give it a stable, secure feeling. The fin generated enough power to plane easily while providing a snappy feel when I applied rail pressure.

The Kode 86 rocks! It works as an excellent Gorge high wind board for heavier sailors or as a light wind board for everyone else.

Board Tested: 2009 Starboard Kode 95
Sails Used: 2009 Naish Sails Session
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Event Site
Conditions: 17-24 mph

Rider: Mike
Gender: Male
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 165 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer, Expert kiteboarder

Wow, the Kode was quick to plane and made snappy, controlled jibes. The rails had a lot of grip allowing for lots of confidence when laying into the turns. This board will work great for aggressive wave riders. Five stars for this board!

Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer

The All Terrain is the quintessential bump and jump board, quick, lively, smooth and effortless to jibe, with emphasis on effortless. This board / sail combination was like pairing a Chateau Lafite Rothschild with filet mignon. The Force 5.0 is a solid bump and jump sail providing plenty of horsepower when needed. The All Terrain lived up to its name, performing well whether in smooth water or cranking it down the line. This combo would work well for any intermediate sailor looking to get into the more advanced Gorge conditions.

Location: Columbia River Gorge: Hatchery
Conditions: Windy 4.2 conditions, flat water, some swell

Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer

This board is designed to live in good swell or waves. It doesn’t quite have the tracking grip of a single fin board but it has incredible looseness in terms of change of direction. It was slower to plane than the single fin but plenty fast running off the wind and was really fun board for ripping turns. For jumping, it took off when going right at the ramp instead turning into one.

New drake straps are the most comfortable straps ever; very cushy and responsive. The finish detail of the board is spectacular, with beautiful graphics.

Kite Demos

We’ve expanded our kiteboard demo lineup. You’re allowed unlimited exchanges all day increasing your odds of finding that perfect fit. Here’s the latest list of what’s available. Just call us and ask for the rental department. They’ll get you hooked up in no time.

• Naish Sol 134
• Naish Thorn 132
• Naish Haze 136
• Naish Fish 5’2″
• North Jaime Pro 132
• North XRide 135
• North Kontact 5’7″
• North Freestyle Fish 5’0″
• North Pacific Tuna Fish 5’4″
• North Pacific Squash Quad 5’7

There are still some high flying deals in our kite closeout section.

Only Big Winds and one other unspeakable outfit has a special limited edition of the Naish 2009 Helix kite. 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the Naish brand. To commemorate this great achievement, Naish is releasing a Limited Edition Helix with the famous Skull logo that was hand drawn by Robby Naish himself back in the 80’s. They’re available only in 9m and 12m.

2008 Windsurf Board Prices

Over on the windsurfing front, the deals on new 2008 boards got a little sweeter yesterday. These boards got their stickers shaved $100 to $200. Crazy.

• Starboard
  • Evo XTV 70, 75, 80 Technora -$200 to $999
  • Evo XTV 62, 75, 80, 90 Wood -$200 to $1199
  • Futura 93, 101 Technora -$200 to $999
  • Futura 93, 101 Wood -$200 to $1199
  • Pure Acid 74 Technora -$200 to $999
  • Pure Acid 68 Wood -$200 to $1199
• Naish
  • Pro Wave US 1111 65, 75, 80, 85 -$100 to $1199
  • Global Wave 83, 87 -$100 to $999
  • All Terrain 95, 115 -$200 to $999
• Mistral
  • Syncro Move 104 -$100 to $799
  • Syncro Move 104 RD -$100 to $999
  • Screamer 104 RD -$100 to $999
  • Syncro Style 84 -$100 to $799
  • Syncro Style 84, 94 RD -$100 to $999
  • Wave 69, 86 RD -$200 to $999

Ladies SUPper Club

The ladies are spanking it pretty hard on Tuesday nights. We’ve posted a couple of slide shows, here and here on Flickr to prove it. Due to the overwhelming response, availability is limited so call Daryl as soon as you can to reserve a board. Or, if you have your own, roll it on down and join in the fun. It’s all free! Scope out the details.

New Virtual Shop Tours

Dr. Pete came in and shot up the store. Where we used to have three tours we now have eight. They’re bigger too. You can drop in virtually and check out all the new stuff for 2009.

Click for more information…

The following is the text of a press release issued March  30, 2009 by the U.S. Coast Guard:

(SEATTLE) — Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., is investigating a bridge allision involving the Tidewater Tug Defiance and the Hood River Bridge on the Columbia River in Ore., Saturday. At 3:20 a.m. the Tug Defiance was pushing three barges ahead when one of the barges allided with the north pylon of the Hood River Bridge.

Immediately following the incident, the Tug Defiance and barges quickly moored upriver at the SDS Lumber facility in Bingen, Ore., to assess the damage.

Crewmembers from Sector Portland worked with Tidewater in determining that the barge had sustained minor damage and is safe for continued cargo operations.

The Port of Hood River inspected the bridge and found no damage. There is no current threat to the environment and the bridge remains open to all traffic.

==

The things you learn: allision: to strike or dash against. Maybe an allision is a collision only not as bad.

Toward the end of July, 2006 a fierce wind blew through Hood River that left almost all of the sailors in the corridor frustrated and mildly confused. It wasn’t that the wind blew hard, it was that it had a wicked southerly angle, a component that leaves all but the truly stubborn on the beach. On occasion, though, the stubborn are rewarded. The trick to surviving the southerly (other than leaving the corridor completely) is to put in at the Event Site, smile to the nice kiteboarders and turn right and sail in their area. In fact, the payoff is to be so stubborn that you sail through the whole kite community and stay just down river of the Marina. NOBODY sails there except, on this one day, me and some Canadian hockey player with long blond hair. Maybe it was a dream. It felt like it after this day.

In a big southerly, the waves pile up against the Washington wall and bounce off, forming wedges that make the hassle worthwhile. Only the hockey player and I were taking advantage. Actually, she was there by accident, having put in at the Marina and turned left. I found out about her heritage and passions as we sat on the tip of the sand bar and watched a barge driver take a couple of shots at the Hood River bridge. It’s a narrow part of the river, so when a barge comes through, it’s best just to take a breather and watch.

The wind got puffier and stronger and backed further south. I’d say the gusts had to be in the upper thirties. I was getting pushed around pretty hard on my 4.2. I couldn’t imagine how a barge, with that much surface area facing perpendicular to the odd wind direction would manage to stuff his load through that little bridge opening. And, he didn’t, on the first try. That big yellow smiley (BYS) face turned grim with determination as the tug driver floored it. I guess he thought he could get through with a burst of speed. But the Wind said, “No way, bud,” and dealt out a monster puff.

Reverse. I didn’t know those things could stop that quickly. The new problem was that now that he had stopped, the wind was about to shove him onto the Washington shore. Black smoke poured out of the tug’s stacks as he jammed it into full reverse, with his stern toward me and the hockey player. Once he got some way on he turned down river. The effect on his barge was sort of like crack-the-whip; he sort of flung it so that it lined up again with the river. He continued backing up clear to the White Salmon bridge, making an even bigger mess for all the sailors.

The hockey player and I resumed sailing. Soon a little tug (LT) came from the lumber yard in Bingen and joined BYS. Two tugs are better than one. I thought it would take them awhile to hook LT up to the front of BYS but they didn’t bother. The plan was to have LT push the nose of BYS enough into the wind as they approached the bridge. So, the hockey player and I took another seat on the sand bar and watched. There was a lot more black smoke and churning water but they made it. No dings. Another blond came paddling up to us in a kayak. He said a few words to the hockey player and they took off together and made their way back to the Marina.

Futura 101:

First, the 15” True Ames fin was the perfect match with the Retro 6.5 and might work as well with the 7.5 (which I have not used yet). I’ve had two recent sessions in 15-25 knots of wind, very short steep chop. I find I can press very hard on the tail of the board and it holds extremely well on jump landings. I’ve done a bunch of floaty high jumps using the 6.5 and landed with speed so I am very impressed.

I sailed today for the first time with the 5.5 on the Futura probably in 18-25 knots of breeze. Suffice to say that dropping a square meter in sail size seemed to make the board come alive as the breeze picked up. Jumps were more frequent and more fun and jibes seemed very easy even in the really bumpy stuff. I sailed with the 15” True Ames fin, probably would have been a better match with the stock 13” Drake fin but it didn’t seem to hurt the boards turning or jumping ability and it was really easy to work upwind if needed.

I am 1000% satisfied with the Futura. The board seems to have no vices. What has impressed me the most has been sailing really powered up and at speed with the waves and chop. On my old gear, you had to work REALLY hard not to catch the front end of the board. The Futura just shows no tendency whatsoever to do this so the control in this stuff is just amazing and you can really put the pedal down hard.

I have not tried the Kombat yet, there was plenty of wind today for it so I’m kicking myself for not bringing it to the lakefront. Looking forward to trying it out obviously.

–Bob H., Covington, LA