wait for it,

windsurfing.

Big Winds’ teacher extraordinaire, Ondine, took a deep breath and the task of doing the unthinkable.

Suds: “You want me to do what?”

Ondine: “You want me to do what?”

“This is nuts.”

“Aircraft Carrier. Can’t be that hard.”

So easy, I can do it with my eyes closed.

Oh, ya. In your face. What’s next?

Suds before the Ondine treatment.

Suds after the Ondine treatment.

Big Winds: Aiding cross-overs since 1987.

]]> http://www.bigwindsblog.com/2013/05/10/the-conversion-epidemic/feed/ 0 http://www.bigwindsblog.com/2013/05/10/review-viento-to-hood-river-test-drive/ http://www.bigwindsblog.com/2013/05/10/review-viento-to-hood-river-test-drive/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 18:12:29 +0000 Big Winds http://www.bigwindsblog.com/?p=1271 We had a smokin’ big day in the Gorge on Wednesday, May 8th. Steve loaded the new Big Winds van with a few SUPers and headed to Viento. Here’s a review that was posted on Standup Zone by PonoBill:

“Boy, today sure was fun. The wind was howling, I bet we had some 45 MPH gusts–ripping spray off the water. Steve Gates from Big Wind did a test of his shuttle idea. Big success. He’s talking about starting Memorial day, but I bet folks are going to bug him to start sooner, like tomorrow. Very handy not to have to pick up shuttle cars.

“I took advantage of not having to race back to Nichols for shuttle duty to take my 12’2″ X 26″ Starboard Surfboard. It was slow, but I had a blast. I think that’s going to be my standard ride. I’ll probably take the F16 sometimes, but the 12’2″ is such a hoot, it will be hard to leave it home. Constant surfing.

“It’s hard to get back up when you fall, and I fell three times (not counting the ten times I fell off trying to get back up), but it’s worth it, and once you’re up it’s challenging, but sufficiently stable to play. I cut across the river just after the split rock to pick up the waves at the Hatchery and Swell City. Even just cutting across the river was great. I was dropping down to the bottom of swells angling North, doing one of my patented weak-ass backside bottom turns and then just staying low and slicing across the river. I think it was no more than ten waves to slice all the way across. Crazy fun.

“Swell and the hatchery were big, but not monster overhead like they sometimes get. I think the wind angle wasn’t quite right. But chest to shoulder high, and I got some big drops and lots of hoots from the windsurfers. Fun enough to drop down and let the current take me back for one more run. World’s biggest escalator. I got a couple of good bottom turns the second run, and a noseride–well, a logo ride. Then I sat down, went halfway back, then cut across to Wells and rode the express all the way to Nichols. In a major league glide the whole way.

“Everyone was dressed and dry by the time I got to Nichols, but I couldn’t stop grinning and laughing. What a crazy great little board that is. It looks like a windsurfer next to all the big iron, but it’s fun.”

Steve Gates

(with help from my friends)

Big Winds

2013

Here in the Gorge, and elsewhere, SUP downwinding is on fire. Everyone wants to go. On a warm, sunny day in a 15-20 mph breeze, it’s a walk in the park for most skilled paddlers. On a 25-35 mph cranker with a ton of current, huge swells and cold water, it’s a whole different ball game. We’ve had both types of experiences and everything in between in the Gorge, on Maui, and the Oregon coast and have had a pile of truly memorable runs. However, we have also had some pretty scary things happen, hence this list of guidelines to help us all get home safely.

Assess the conditions. If it’s not safe don’t go. It may be safe for some and not for others, or you. Remember that the conditions change fast, and vary as you travel along–particularly on the river. Your friends might look out for you, but it’s a big place. You have to know that you’ll be able to handle everything you encounter, by yourself.

Comply with Oregon law. You must have a PFD, a whistle and an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) permit. You may not agree with this, but the Marine Sheriff won’t care. The fines are stiff. Attach your whistle on the strap of your hydration pack so you can access it quickly and easily in case of an emergency.

Wear appropriate rubber. Assume you will break down, or someone else will and you’ll be in the water for some time. You can become hypothermic, even in relatively mild temperatures.

Wear a BRIGHT rash guard or jersey! It’s hard to see you out there!

Hydration! The Viento Run can take an experienced, strong paddler almost two hours when the current is ripping. You most assuredly become dehydrated in that time without water. Wear a hydration pack. You won’t regret it. For any outing over an hour, I suggest hydration.

Leashes! When the current is strong and the wind is pushing your board upriver your board zooms away from you. You almost certainly can’t catch it by swimming after it. Make sure you have a STRONG leash! Make sure your leash tether is super strong and knotted so it will NOT come undone. Consider adding a second tether tied loosely, so if the first fails the second keeps you attached. If you fall in and your leash gets tangled, Do NOT take your leash off! Bad things will happen. This is the voice of experience talking.

Booties. Everyone hates booties till something weird happens and you are halfway between Viento and Hood River and you have to climb up the rip rap, through the blackberries, hauling your fourteen footer onto I-84. Booties look pretty good then.

Helmets. Everyone hates helmets, too. However, when it’s blowing 25+ knots, a fourteen foot SUP becomes a lethal weapon in the air. I just barely missed being getting clobbered by one while in the middle of Malaaea Bay on a 30-40+ day. Getting knocked out by a flying board will most certainly ruin your day. On really windy days, a brain bucket is recommended.

Look out for each other! This trumps all else. If you blast off and are a few hundred yards away, you may not see your paddling partner in distress, or be able to get there quickly to render aid.

Establish a plan in advance on who’s looking out for whom, determine who’s paddling sweep.

Be aware of changing conditions. Is the wind increasing or dying? Is the current ripping or mellow? Ask someone in the know if you don’t. Allow plenty of time to complete the run before darkness sets in.

Someone in the group should have a waterproof cell phone in case of emergency.

Have a bailout plan. Make sure the less skilled paddlers are aware of what to do (get to your knees) or where to go (next to the Oregon shore) if they are struggling in the swells and current.

Know how to use your PFD, and if it’s inflatable, try it out. You don’t want to learn about problems in the middle of Swell City.

Speaking of Swell City and the Hatchery, on windy days these are first and foremost high performance, crowded windsurfing and kiteboarding spots. Taking your SUP through there on a Sunday afternoon with 300 people ripping along at 30 mph ninety degrees to your path is asking for trouble. They probably won’t even see you before they take you completely out. If you want to ride big swells at the Hatch on your SUP, get out during dawn patrol.

Have fun, and be careful. The Columbia is an amazing resource for downwinding. Let’s keep it safe and sane. It’s challenging enough without adding unnecessary risks.

“This past weekend I was at the Junior Pro Sup Fiesta in Huntington Beach, Ca. I competed in both the sup surf contest as well as the sprint surf race. Unfortunately I did not so as well as I would have liked in the sup surf contest, getting knocked out in the second round. But that is part of competing; sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t.”

“However, there was some excitement when I participated in the sprint surf race. It was a super short course where we had to punch out of the surf twice as well as ride the waves back in. I managed to do really well, and stayed on my board the entire time. I am stoked to say that I won the race and won it by about twenty seconds.”

“I am so stoked that I was able to be part of an event that was only for kids. The other participants have inspired me to improve my paddling and surfing skills to get to the next level.”

“Now I am heading back to The Gorge, where I will be for two weeks, paddling and getting ready for a race in Lake Tahoe at the end of May!”

We’d love the opportunity to share our enthusiasm and experience and help you get set up with gear that will maximize your fun on the water, not matter what your level of involvement.

So give us a call. We’re your SUP experts!

–Steve

(888) 509-4210
BigWinds.com

1) They are durable
2) They are light
3) They pack down to fit in the trunk of your car.

Starboard Whopper

For 2013, we are witnessing a stiffer construction due to 6″ wall thickness. At Big Winds, we offer a number of inflatable options, so we put a couple of our favorites to the stiffness test. In the first test, we pumped up the 2013 Starboard Inflatable Astro Whopper (10′ x 35″) to the manufacturer’s recommended 18 PSI. We placed the board on a couple of sawhorses and bounced on it to see how much the board deflects. The Deluxe construction offered by Starboard this year makes for a very stiff ride, with only 1″ deflection.

Naish Mana

We next tested the 2013 Naish Mana Air (10′ x 33″). We pumped it up to the manufacturer’s recommended 14 PSI and found it stiffer then any of our 4″ wall thickness offerings. With only 1.5″ deflection, the 2013 Naish Mana Air proved to be another great contender in our 2013 inflatable line-up.

The Big Winds SUP Race Team is accepting applications for the 2013 summer season. Now in its third year, Team Big Winds is made up of a select group of kids, ages 12-19, who are interested in SUP Racing. Team Big Winds has established itself as the premier youth SUP race team in the U.S., with podium finishes at events all over the west coast and Mexico.

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The Team is headed by Steve Gates, with coaching assistance from Jim Stevens and MacRae Wylde. All three have extensive coaching and SUP racing experience. Team Big Winds is split into two groups, the Devo Team (limited to 10 kids), where all the kids start, and the Junior Elite Team (JET). Membership on JET is an earned position.

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The Team trains and races from mid-June through the end of August. Training takes place early mornings at the Event Site with races in Hood River and Portland. Training sessions are focused and kids must be willing to show up on time and be ready for a challenging workout. The emphasis is on proper stroke technique, paddling in a variety of conditions, racing tactics and strategies.

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The Team trains and races in all conditions and, consequently, kids must be comfortable in rough water. To be considered for the Team, kids must meet the following minimum criteria:

1. Must be a strong swimmer.
2. Must be comfortable in the Columbia in rough, windy conditions.
3. Must be comfortable in a disciplined team training environment.

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The fee for joining the Team is $125 for those kids who have their own boards and $295 for kids needing to use Big Winds’ boards. Kids must have their own PFDs (inflatable belt style is recommended) and are encouraged to have their own paddles. There will be approximately 15 training/racing opportunities for the Team through the summer.

Those interested in joining Team Big Winds should contact Steve (steve@bigwinds.com) for more information.

Click to enlarge

O’Neill has a number of suits featuring this all new neoprene and they are light years ahead of other wetsuits in comfort and light weight. Techno Butter suits are 17% lighter than other high end suits and retain 30% less water! The difference in feel is HUGE!

Treat yourself and get either the Psycho 3 or Psycho 1 wetsuit. Ladies too! It will absolutely amaze you. Guaranteed.

Here’s a link to the results.

Fiona wrote up a great recap about her experience during this grueling event, so we want to share it with everyone. Thanks for sharing Fiona!

————–

The contest consisted of a 6K course race, a 10K distance race, a SUP surfing event and a longboard event. I competed in three of the four events — the course and distance races, as well as the SUP surfing contest.

The course race was a blast, with buoys placed in the surf just like in Battle of the Paddle. It was just as gnarly, but there weren’t as many people as BOP. At the beginning of the race it was neck and neck for first with one other girl. She would get a head of me, then I’d catch up, then she’d pass me, then she’d fall in and I would get ahead again.

That pattern continued for two of the four laps. Then, when we were heading back out through the surf to start our third lap, she got taken out by a wave and had to swim to get her board. By the time she got her board back, a set came in. Fortunately for me, I was just enough ahead of her to make it over the set before it took me out as well. For the rest of the race, I just had to maintain my position and keep paddling hard. I ended up coming in first for all the women in the course race! I am really stoked to have won my first big elite race!

Here’s a video of the course race.

After the course race was over, I had my first heat of SUP surfing. I was exhausted and didn’t advance, so I was automatically put in the losers bracket for the following day. Sunday morning I woke up and headed down to the event site for my first SUP surfing heat. I had a good heat and surfed reasonably well. As soon as I got out of the water, the beach marshall announced the start of the distance race. It was a frenzy, but we got everything together and made it to the start on time.

The distance race used a beach start, where competitors ran to the water, threw their boards in the water, jumped on, and paddled through pounding shore break. Miraculously I made it out through the shore break. Unfortunately, all the other girls got caught and got worked. As soon as I was clear of the waves, I started paddling as hard as I could to get some separation between myself and the other girls. By the first buoy, there was about a 200-meter gap between the second woman and me. The race itself was brutal! There was a side wind the entire time, so I could only paddle on the starboard side for 5K, then only on the port side for the remaining 5K, after the turn around buoy. I came across the line first for the women and eighth out of all the men.

Once I got back to the beach after winning the distance race, my mom told me I had won the losers bracket of the SUP surfing. Now I had advanced into the semifinal! I was stoked! This was the first SUP wave contest I had ever competed in, so I was stoked to make the semi. I surfed well, and it turns out I made it to the final by placing second in the semi! I was even more stoked! The worst I could get now was fourth!

By the time the final began, the wind had really picked up, and the waves were pretty blown out. However, I still had fun and surfed the best I could. I ended up getting third in the Women’s SUP surfing contest.

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend for me in Sayulita, Mexico. Now I am heading to Maui for more training to get ready for the next contest.

~Fiona

When it’s chilly, think of paddling as the aquatic equivalent of skate or Nordic skiing. You’re going to warm up really fast. The more clothes you have on, the more clothes you’re going to end up putting in your backpack, as you warm up really fast. The same thing is true with Stand Up Paddle boarding. The trick is to not over dress.

Many people have this feeling that they’re going to be falling in the water so they wear a bulky wetsuit. If you are paddling on flat water in relatively calm conditions, you’re not likely to fall in. And if you do, you’re going to get right back up on your board. However, if you are going on a downwinder, paddling in rough water, or SUP surfing in the ocean, you will likely need to wear a thicker wetsuit more appropriate for the conditions.

What TJ and I like to wear best in cold conditions is a really simple farmer-john-style O’Neill Superlite, an inexpensive 2mm throwback to the old days. The Superlite John has front and ankle zips. It works great, is stretchy, easy to get in and out of and is inexpensive, priced at just $99. O’Neill also has a version for the ladies called the Bahia Jane for only $85.

I wear a very thin capilene zip turtle neck underneath the Superlite — the same base layer I would wear skiing — and a fleece or hoodie over the Superlite that I usually peel off once I get going and warm up.

There you have it: chilly conditions for SUP, don’t overdress. If you’re going on a downwinder and know you’re going to be in the water a lot, dress appropriately to stay warm. If you’re paddling in relatively flat, calm water, you probably won’t get wet. So don’t overdress and you’ll be a happy camper!

–Steve

TJ takes the Naish Ride for a ride.

The Ride is able to punch out the gusts effectively, and certainly maintains its position in the lulls. All in all, it is a kite that can handle pretty much anything thrown at it.

If entering the sport as a newbie, you’re in luck! The kites are getting easier to use, more durable, and simpler. Simplification also means less money at the register. The 9m Ride retails for only $1050! Give us a call about ordering yours today at 1-888-509-4210.

I can use this to my advantage when blasting through the whitewater, or trying to keep my balance in the moving currents and rips. Like any board, it took a little getting used to, but I’m hoping after a summer of surfing the 8’2, I’ll be able to eventually feel good on the new 7’8″! We have the new 2013 8’2 Wide Point AST Silver in stock for only $1599, a great value for a high performance shape weighing in at only 20 lbs!

I recently had the opportunity to do some kiteboarding off of Harbour Island, in the Bahamas. The 9m Switchblade became my go-to kite as a tropical storm blew through for a few days.  I’ve been always setting up the bridles on the steering lines on the second knot up.  But, after reviewing the Cabrinha Kite Tuning Tech Tip, I thought the 3rd knot up sounded more like the traditional feel of the Switchblade.  You can review this Tech Tip HERE:

As I had imagined, the tighter rear lines on the steering bridle made for a bit more responsiveness and heavier bar pressure.  3rd knot for big boosts too!  If unhooking, the 2nd knot might be best suited for ultimate predictability and perfect balance, but for the traditional “bow-kite” feel, bump up to the 3rd knot.

I really liked how much faster the new 2013 Switchblade turns, which had always been the limiting factor on the design in the years past.  For ultimate versatility, range, and user friendliness look no further then the 2013 Cabrinha Switchblade!

Went to A-town yesterday evening and rode the 2013 Skillet in perfect 7m conditions. 28 mph tight fan like wind and super smooth, steep swell. I loved the old Skillet but the new one is soooooooooo much better. It is so much faster and smoother. For some reason you can sheet in and blast over and through anything at mach speed. It also has way more bite when ripping turns and the flat/concave deck makes it feel like you are 3 times more connected to the board. It is leaps and bounds better than the old skillet which was an amazing board. This is definitely the money board for the Gorge, or for that matter, anywhere!!!  Although the board is stiff, it does not ride stiff, in fact it rides buttery smooth. It rocks!

The moral of the story is, Big Winds should really focus on that board for the Gorge. The Skillit makes taking it to the next level of strapless riding much, much easier. It is really and amazing board. I think you will sell lots of them.

-Randy

Here in the Gorge, we are fortunate enough to see and test the newest gear to hit the market. The 2013 Switchblade has been highly anticipated due to the improvements in turning speed and bar pressure. Pumping the 2013 Cabrinha kites is a cinch with the new Airlock allowing for a higher volume of air to pass through the one way valve. It doesn’t require an adapter either, and attaches directly onto the valve. The ultra durable dacron frame is noticeably stiff and ridged right out of the bag, helping lock in the kite’s intended shape.

The 2013 Switchblade has a bit of a wider looking wingtip, which probably helps in the faster turning speed (quite noticeable in the bigger sizes). This probably adds to the improved relaunch too! Once in flight, I noticed how much lighter the bar pressure was from the previous models. Out of the bag, the Switchblade is set on the “lighter steering impulse” setting. If you want heavier pressure in the bar, there is a slight adjustment on the trailing edge bridle (shift the bridle from A to B).

One more huge improvement is on the 2013 Quicklink Control System. First off, the quick-release has been improved for reconnecting on the water. To reconnect, you push the quick-release up until it catches on the hook (new for 2013). The new flying lines are thick, like cables! They have an improved finish reducing stretch over time, and making running out the lines easier.

The 2013 Switchblade works in a wide range of conditions, making it a very versatile kite. We have had a chance now to fly the new 5m (28-38 mph), the 7m, 8m, and 9m.

New for the ladies this year is the Switchblade offered in the Siren collection (sizes 6/8/10/12). The Siren colorway was inspired by the ever talented Suzi Mai. The Siren Quicklink Bar has a longer, easy to reach trim adjuster, and smaller harness loop. This makes reaching maximum depower much easier for the ladies!

The Inaugural Positively Kai Grom SUP is this Friday, August 17th in Hood River, Oregon. More than just a Grom (Kids) SUP race, the Positively Kai Grom SUP is an invitation to try out stand up paddle boarding in a fun environment. It is with this in mind that the event has added a SUP clinic/instructional with Kai and the Naish Pro Team first thing in the morning, immediately following registration.

The instructional is open for both kids that are registering to race or just there for a day of fun. The instructional clinic is for the very beginner all the way up to the advanced paddler wanting to improve their technique. Don’t have your own setup? No problem, Naish will be providing a range of boards and paddles to try out.

All minors under 18 will need a parent or legal guardian to sign their waiver.

Come one, come all! Let’s have some fun!

8:00am-9:00am Registration/sign in
8:30am-9:30am Paddling Clinic with the Pros
10:00am – Event Kick Off – Race Starting
12:30pm – Free Pizza Lunch
Award Ceremony Post Event

Here are two links where you can vote for Matt:

The Kiteboarder

SBC Kiteboard