2017-06-17 Foils and Swell

Event Site

We have settled into our usual routine.  Dog River for coffee, and then Bette's for breakfast.  It was a cloudy day with light wind.   Perfect for foiling.

Dale Cook was coming out to sail with Kent and Rene.  A lot of us went down to watch.

The amount of gear is unbelievable.

Watching people foiling on windsurfers is a little surreal.  They cruise around with the board completely out of the water and no wake.  The guys that know how to do it, make it look so smooth and easy.

Dale and Kent

Kent - riding high!

Kent, who had been out a few times before, did very well.  Dale chased him around and stopped to give him pointers whenever he crashed (which was quite a bit).

I watched for a while and took some photos, and then drove over to the Washington side of the river, picked up my Discovery Pass, checked out the Hatchery and then ended up at Swell with Al, Harold, Gerry, Brad and Blaine.   No one was doing anything yet, but it was looking like the wind was building.

Gerry went out on his 6.6 and Al on a 6.5.  They were making it work, but it looked like the wind was still increasing.  Blaine and Brad waited a bit and then took out their 5.6's.   Gerry re-rigged down to his 5.7 Revo.

Gerry on his 5.7 Revo and Stubby

At first, I didn't think there was enough wind for me - then I fell asleep in my chair - and then it was getting late, so I decided to take some photos and video instead.  When I woke up - Blaine was sitting on the picnic table watching - I asked him if he had been out yet - apparently he had been sailing for quite a while and had come in to rest.   I probably should have gone out....It wasn't epic sailing, but the guys certainly had fun.

Ted- working hard!

Harold

Brad

Blaine

After a while, I de-rigged my chair and then headed back to the event site.  Jim and Cam were there with Cynthia.  They had driven to Portland to pick her up at the airport.

Cynthia had a great day on her 5.6.  Cam also had a good day on his 12m kite.  The feedback he got from the guy's on the beach was that "Kites like Harold sails".

Kent was riding his lawn chair - having had a bit of an experience earlier when he got overpowered on his foil and had some trouble getting back.  At one point he said he thought that Rene would have to rescue him.  He made it back but was feeling the effects.

Rene

Kent

Dale - giving advice..

Dale Cook