I wanted to start a thread talking about some of our more notable downwinder rides and treks back to land, the launch, your car from the deep blue sea and the interesting things that may have happened along the way. This sport is great but it can sure make you work once in a while.
To kick things off, how I ended up doing a six mile downwinder, not so far at all by normal standards and the long walk home. I went 23 miles and wanted to go further the third time I figured how to get up on my first hyperlite wakeboard. Is this sport great or what!
I was out with an open cell XXXL foil with four lines and handles probably for the last time. I had just about sold it and took it out for a last spin close to three years ago. The wind started to build and pretty soon it was obvious there was no staying upwind with this 9 m efficient foil with no depower function. I was having so much fun so I figured what the hell, let's go for a ride. So I went blasting downwind for quite a while.
Near the end the wind must have slipped into the low 20 mph range and things were getting to be a little too much fun. I seem to recall doing the superman glide horizontally out of the water and away from my board in one gust. The handle attachment points had slipped under the load and really impaired the brake function, ouch. I ended up making it to shore and disabling the kite that was really up for more flying, spinning and everything.
The dumb things we do in the early days, rigged too big and in squally conditions, jeez! Coming from windsurfing you can get deceived by the violent, non-lightening prone weather you can go out in. In kiteboarding we jump higher than in windsurfing and when nasty storm squalls come we can continue to jump higher and possibly hit HARDER. Time and experience are great teachers though.
I then packed up and started the long walk home. It was a mile to the nearest payphone but my girlfriend was out of town anyway and it was a nice evening, sort of, so I figured just hoof it. I didn't have that strong an appreciation for squalls in those days and at one point was wondering where to run and duck for cover if a tornado came in from developing very nasty, ragged dark gray-green clouds. Anyway, nothing developed and home I went. Pretty tame stuff by the experiences of others, now over to you ...
Rick Iossi