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OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

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rtz
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OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby rtz » Thu May 09, 2013 3:19 am

Trying to figure out a year round rotation between these places.

Hood River in July and August? Are Dec-Feb the prime months for South Florida?

Who has been to both OBX and SPI in the spring and the fall? Is one of them better in one season then the other?

How would you split up the 12 months of the year between these places?

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby TheJoe » Thu May 09, 2013 3:42 am

SPI is golden in the spring well just not this spring. Wind has been well the weather in general has been funky in Texas this year. You forgot Corpus which gets better wind than SPI it just lacks the tourist feel. Houston is normally good but the late winter has us just as windless as SPI or Corpus. The one thing we have over them is a local cable park.

Normal wind in Houston during spring Mar-May I would be on a 7/9 mostly with a few light days on my 13. Average 4-5days a week. This year it's more like maybe 1-2 days if I'm lucky and a whole lot of cable.

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby SSK » Thu May 09, 2013 2:08 pm

Here is my ideal CONUS rotation if you are retired, trust funder, or can work from anywhere. Gets you the best wind and nicest weather/water temps.

1. Late Dec - Mid Feb: Florida (Long days, warm air and water)
2. Mid Feb - Late April: South Texas (Prime Texas season and Hatteras still too cold and the days are longer in Texas. Texas water temp is getting comfortable)
3. Late April - Mid/Late July: Hatteras (Prime season for both waves and Flatwater.)
* The ideal rotation squeezes in Central California coast in Late June - July.
4. Mid/Late July - Sept: Hood River (Prime season and Texas/Florida/Hatteras can be oppressive.)
5. Oct - Mid Nov: Back to Hatteras (Prime wave sailing and surfing)
6. Mid Nov - Late Dec: Back to Texas (Prime season and Hatteras getting cold)

Back to Florida and start the rotation

May - Jul are tough because there are real good conditions in Hatteras, Texas, Ca coast, and HR. So you can adjust the rotation based on what you like best.

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby davesails7 » Thu May 09, 2013 9:21 pm

rtz wrote:Trying to figure out a year round rotation between these places.
Please take me with you. I will pump your kites for you :D

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby BigR » Thu May 09, 2013 10:27 pm

Late Dec to mid Feb is not really the best time for FL although it is in the middle of the windy season.
But Jan usually really drops off big time before resuming in March.

I would change the lineup to a bit wider and cheaper radius.

1. FL start in Nov 15th till X-mas. Then Goto Puerto Penasco or San Carlos Guaymas Mex from X-mas till end of Feb. Then back to FL all of Mar., maybe into mid Apr (unless you prefer Mex which
is still good till mid Apr. I am not counting in places like Ventana or Barilles since they are much further away from CONUS than what I suggest).

2. Corpus TX from Apr all thru May. Then Goto OBX Jun or stay in TX. You could also Goto OBX
starting May thru Jun instead.

3. No Brainer, Jul Aug Sep the Gorge

4. Oct OBX

wash rinse repeat


Or, you could also make it WAY cheaper and cut FL completely out. Goto Mex from Nov 15th till Apr

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby SSK » Thu May 09, 2013 11:09 pm

Or, you could also make it WAY cheaper and cut FL completely out. Goto Mex from Nov 15th till Apr
Yeah, I was only suggesting Fla during that time because that was the rules for the rotation and might as well be there because every other CONUS location is cold during that time. If the rules include Mexico For sure Baja would be the choice for Dec - Feb.

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby BigR » Thu May 09, 2013 11:22 pm

oh, I didn't say Baja, You can't really drive there without multi major day adventure Road tripping....
(altho Punta San Carlos is great May Apr Jun and is only 8 hours drive)

I was only suggesting Puerto Penasco and San Carlos Guaymas because they are both within
2-3 hours drive of the border , And not in Baja.

In any case, FL is great, from Nov thru Mar. But something funny happens from X-mas till mid Feb in which the wind goes down , basically Jan :roll:

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby rtz » Fri May 10, 2013 12:18 am

What size kites are common in FL from X-mas to mid Feb?

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby dyyylan » Fri May 10, 2013 12:29 am

This year, 12/25/2012 to 2/28/2013 in south fl

At 140 lbs riding surfboard or twintip

12m: 19 sessions
9m: 6 sessions

I would personally stay away from FL unless you want to come here for other reasons. The wind isn't really that consistent to plan a trip around, unless you really like those underpowered, ride back and forth sessions
Last edited by dyyylan on Fri May 10, 2013 12:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: OBX/SPI/FL/HR - Prime Months?

Postby BigR » Fri May 10, 2013 12:36 am

Anything from 7m all the way up to 14m or more. Very variable. You will use all sizes.

if it's windy , it's real windy. it can also be light or non existent for days.
Depends on the cold fronts, which in turn depends on where the Jet Stream
is going, which in turn depends on if it is a la nina or el nino year.
They (nino's or nina's) either pull the jet stream down or not.
Same reason why we got a crappy season here in FL this year (except maybe MIA this year)
while the Gorge is getting an extra early season this year.....

Kinda gotta get those seasonal wind patterns right. For instance, if High Pressure system doesn't
set up over the four corner states, there isn't wind in the sea of Cortez.

High Pressure system doesn't set up over eastern NC, No wind in South FL.

No cold front blasting thru the Gulf of Mex, no wind in West FL unless a high pressure sets
up over NC or a seabreeze happens late in the season like now


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