Sunday Morning Westerly?

[Mike]

Wow! A new version of windsport for me with a couple of firsts. As I was setting up at Locarno, my sail size decision dropped (smaller and smaller). End on 3.7 which was the overall right choice (on windfoil). Started lit but could control. Was happily surprised with the relatively large and clean swell a short bit off the beach (very unusual for this location). Took a few easy runs to calibrate to the conditions. I then worked upwind finding bigger and smoother swell. Some care to be taken cranking up wind through waist high plus swell (clearly higher than the foil mast). This got interesting further west on some of the bigger swell (shoulder highish) that was a bit steep. Fun riding and turning on swell on the way in. At around the Spanish Banks kite launch (a couple of hundred meters from shore) I "landed" my first foiling beach stop. Translation - hit bottom. I continued further to the west a bit past dog beach. Out by the tanker there was massive smooth rolling swell. I think coming off the edge of the tanker helped. Here I was a bit out of my league as I found when I caught the swell it was suddenly VERY (to me) fast straight downwind. It was crash or turn out. Mostly turning out. I'm thinking this is where I need to further re position myself on the board and maybe flag the sail in a different way. Great fun. Saw a few wingers further upwind and was tempted as I suspect it may have been bigger (but faster...)?? Instead did the downwinder which was easier as "rolling swell" size was less. Towards the end I discovered I could water start. Normally I figure if I can waterstart on a windfoil, the sail is too big. Wish I knew this earlier as uphaul in the big swell took more energy. Mind you, it was quite doable on the 125L floaty board and light 3.7 sail.

Big turnout with many versions of wind gear.

[shmish]

A good day to be on a windfoil to cruise through the lulls. I came across a person illegally fishing but managed to get a picture of them. Hopefully someone can identify them and report them to the authorities.

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[Alton]

Yummy ... How did Igor catch it? Foil or fin?

#photo

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[shmish]

Yummy ... How did Igor catch it? Foil or fin?

Legend has it that he was hooked in, dragging one hand in the water, and just grabbed it. While on the foil.

[Slappy]

Nice day at the beach, scored some really nice waves up at the Tower break, even though the wind was just a bit light the waves were still workable.

[johnyz]

Light wind kiteboarding in Vancouver with Matt
Jericho didn't deliver the promised strong wind once again...