Matt Elsasser, a mainstay in the Big Winds kite department for the last four years,gets his strapless game on in Maui this winter.

Just flew the 2012 8m Rebel for the first time today. It was cold and gusty, so it seemed appropriate to put one of the more trust-worthy kites to the test. Just as predicted, the 2012 Rebel stands out as a rock solid, high performance kite. With tremendous pull and a bit less bar pressure than in years past, the 2012 Rebel will be my “go-to” kite when the conditions become unpredictable and gnarly! What do I look for in a kite when it’s not ideal conditions? Stability, re-launchability, and range to get through the gusts and lulls. The 2012 Rebel has all of these qualities, along with one more solid peace of mind. . .5-line safety! When you need to get total, complete depower in half a second, nothing works as well as a 5th line.

The kite cranks up-wind, and pulls smoothly downwind. There is absolutely no luffing and fluttering in the side panels when turning aggressively. With the Rebel’s ability to de-power with 30% less throw than the standard 4-line bridled kite, it makes it nice for toe-side riding, ideal for wave/surf riding. People with short arms (ie: kids and women) will like this short throw de-power too! I had the Adaptive Tips set at the stock “A” position (that closest to the rider). It gives me positive feedback, with heavier bar pressure. If racing, or riding in an overpowered situation, I might move the knot up to the “B” position (closest to the kite) for lower bar pressure and easier turning. All in all, the North Rebel iss a fine tuned, polished kite for 2012.

• ph: 888-509-4210
• e: rental@bigwinds.com

How long have you taught windsurfing?

[Heidi] A long time!  I’ve been teaching for Big Winds 16 years or so.

Do you have a teaching philosophy, or windsurfing philosophy, that drives these clinics?

I LOVE windsurfing!  It’s the absolute greatest sport in the world!  We want to bring  more women into windsurfing and make it more accessible by showing them how much fun they can have on the water.  We want them to see that it doesn’t have to be complicated and hard!

What is the daily schedule like during the women’s clinics?  A full day of sailing seems long and tiring!  How do you break it up?

The beauty of an all-day clinic is just that- it’s all day!  That means we get to take advantage of the entire day’s wind and if the wind takes a break, we do, too!  We spend as much time on the water as we can, and typically we have at least one instructor on the water and one on land so if you need a break from windsurfing, one of our isntructors is there on land to answer questions, give rig tuning advice, or teach a land lesson.

It’s a big day, but you’ll be happy-tired by the end!

What kind of skills can women expect to take away from these clinics?

We ask that participants have a bomb-proof waterstart so we are free to travel to whichever beach is likely to get the best wind for the day.  Our clinics are tailored specifically to the individual skill level of participants.  We can help you get into your harness and footstrapts to sail safely across the river, or we can help you smooth our your jibe so you’re not falling in every time you want to turn around.  After our clinics you’ll know how to rig and tune your own sail, you’ll understand the importance of “calf-awareness,” and you’ll confidently “pet-the-puppy” to improve your stance!

What beach is the clinic at?

The beach we choose is dependent on wind.  We pick it the morning of the clinic and make sure it’s suitable for all participants.

Anything else?

Come windsurf with us!  Not only will you improve your windsurfing skills, but you’ll meet some cool women who absolutely LOVE this sport!

I had just finished the Junior Gorge Blow Out windsurf race and was hanging out on the shore savoring my first day of summer vacation, when Steve Gates told me that the Big Winds Junior Team was going to train for Stand Up Paddle Board races this year. I knew right there that I was going to have an amazing summer with Sofia, Fiona and Ben, my teammates.

The first training, at 6:45 in the morning, was really enlightening because I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had so much to learn! Most importantly, I needed to learn how to use my whole body to do a proper stroke, reach, reach, reach with my paddle, turn around, ride the waves, and cut across the river. We’ve had five practices, each with an emphasis on something new. My favorite part of this training took place last Sunday, on June 30th, when we went on a four mile downwinder from the point right above the Hatchery. The wind was blowing about 25mph and I could have been windsurfing on my 4.2 meter sail, but this looked like it was going to be an amazing adventure.

The launch was pretty much jumping off the rocks and hoping that you didn’t hit anything. Safely on the water, the four of us juniors, in neon yellow, Big Winds shirts, followed Steve like little ducklings all in single file. Steve had told us that we were going to get wet and it wasn’t a question. I thought I was going to be able to stay on my board the whole way though. Little did I know! We paddled for 20 minutes before we went through Swell City and the Hatchery and I was still on my board! Now, though, the waves were huge and there were windsurfers and kiteboarders all around us. The wind and the waves were making it hard to stay on our boards. It was insane! I have to admit that I fell off about five times, but it was worth it. We were trying to catch the head high swells. We were all cheering each other on as we caught incredible rides and had spectacular falls. Then when the time came to cross back over to the Oregon side of the river, Steve wasn’t kidding when he said, “ Paddle on the left side until the cows come home.” And that’s pretty much all I did and man did my left side hurt. It was a relief to finally paddle on the right. By the time we got back to the Event Site I was really tired. I think the whole team was exhausted, but it didn’t show one bit because our smiles were huge.

I can’t wait to do it again because it was one of those once in a life time experiences that you don’t get to do every day. After doing that adventure, I definitely feel like a real watergirl. It’s different from windsurfing, but the adrenaline rush is the same. Tomorrow is the big Stand Up for Cancer race from Viento to the Event Site. It will be a true test of our new skills. However, if it’s blowing 50mph, like it is today….it could be one WILD RIDE on SUP’s!

–Alyson Fromm

Photo: Mike Godsey

Happy Summer!

Thanks to all of you who participated in the “June Free Tuesday” Ladies Stand Up Paddle Nights. I hope to be able to offer a few more surprise sessions, but as of right now I don’t have any specific dates planned. Please stay tuned, if the opportunity arises I will fire out an email to invite you. Summer is now in full swing at Big Winds, and our event calendar is filling up!

For those of you with your own boards, let’s continue to paddle on Tuesdays. This is not sponsored by the shop, so you will need to have all of your own gear. I would like to continue to meet at the Event Site at 5:30, and we will make a plan depending on the weather. I love to paddle around Wells Island, up the White Salmon, over to Bingen or to Koberg. If it is windy we can take some field trips to do downwinders, (super fun). Let me know if you are interested, by emailing me here at the shop: daryl@bigwinds.com.

Hopefully you have all enjoyed your introduction to Stand Up, and continue on to stay involved and enjoy this great sport. We have some incredible deals in the shop on boards, paddles and everything else you need to enjoy SUPing, to be safe and legal. Our Event Site Beach Center is open 11-6 daily and is stocked with over 30 SUPs for rent. We also offer a 5X punch card for 5 2-hour rental sessions for $145. That’s a $30 savings.

We will continue to have some Advanced Clinics for you who are interested in taking your paddling to the next level. The women who participated in Steve’s clinics in June were super stoked on the results of their efforts. Please let me know via email if you’d like to be on this list for more information.

Have a great 4th of July and I hope to see you on the water!

xoxo

Daryl

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.

Set the scene for us back in 1987.  What was Hood River like?  What was the sport of windsurfing like at the time?

[Steve Gates]  Hood River was a pretty sleepy town in the spring of ’87. The recession had hit rural Oregon hard and things were pretty dormant economically. Safeway was still downtown, Franz Hardware still anchored 2^nd and Oak and The Coffee Spot was the place for good coffee. The locals were generally friendly, but a bit suspicious of the “Boardheads” moving into town.

When summer hit, so did the windsurfers. This was before everyone had a van, so the boards were stacked to the sky. And they were everywhere. Windsurfing was THE thing then. Kiting didn’t exist, mountain biking wasn’t happening yet and whitewater wasn’t really on the radar yet…it was all windsurfing, and windsurfing was going off!

Why did you want to start Big Winds?  And why did you choose Hood River for its stomping ground?

My wife, Ginny, and I had been living in Girdwood Alaska for 15 years and were thinking of a move, we just didn’t know where. We had looked at the central coast of Cal and some small towns in the mountains of Colorado, but nothing had really grabbed us. I was a building contractor and my back was tired from having a tool belt on 7 days a week. We were ready for a change.

I caught wind that a friend was thinking of opening a windsurfing shop in the Gorge. Several friends and I had gotten totally hooked on windsurfing on trips to Maui several years earlier, so we had heard and read all about the Gorge. Ginny and I talked it over, and within about 5 minutes decided that I should chat with my friend. The rest, as they say, is history. We struck a deal, became partners, and we moved lock stock and barrel to Hood River, sight unseen.

How did being a new dad reconcile with opening shop?  What were some challenges you encountered with both endeavors unfolding concurrently?

My daughters were 2 and 6 when we moved so they adapted easily. Fortunately, Ginny and I made a lot of friends quickly, so the fact that I was totally consumed by the new business wasn’t a disaster on the home front. Though I was working a ton, I was still staying really involved with the kids, primarily through sports. That continues to this day. I’m super lucky to be able to windsurf, ski, surf, bike, hike, and play tennis with my “kids”.

What are some highlights from the past 25 years for you and for Big Winds?

The highlights certainly revolve around all the great people I’ve had the good fortune to meet and call friends. We’ve been incredibly lucky to have so many great customers who have supported us over the years. Without them, the rest would be moot.

We have so many great folks working in our industries, as well. My mantra is that I want to do business with people who are fun and easy to business with.

The area that I’m most proud of is the opportunity I’ve had to mentor so many young people that have worked with us at Big Winds. It’s tremendously satisfying to watch kids grow in confidence and mature into really neat young adults and know that we have played an integral role in that process.

Is the shop today where you imagined it would be?

It’s way, way beyond where I imagined it could be.

Paint us a picture of Big Winds in 2036- 25 years from now.  What do you think the wind sport scene will be like, and where do you see Big Winds fitting in?

I certainly see Big Winds still active and vibrant 25 years down the road. We’re definitely in it for the long haul. Though I won’t be at the helm, it’s my expectation that it will continue to be a well-run, successful business.

If the last gazillion years are any indication, the Gorge will still be windy. I do believe that windsurfing will still be a popular sport, as will kiteboarding and SUP. Hood River will continue to be a favorite destination for these sports, it’s natural beauty mostly preserved for generations to come.

The future looks quite good, really.

Steve got into a close finish at the Oregon Open Ocean Classic SUP race. Here’s a quick summary and here is the flickr album. Even more photos are here, on Stacey Evert’s SmugMug site.

Way to rock it, Matts!

Here’s one, and

here’s another.

Final Standings

The opening race video

Race #4 video

Final race video

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.

Click the image to see the video.