Buddy and I were outside and depressed 27AUG2021
December 18, 2021 This picture was taken on this date 18DEC and I see NO report of activity on the ice WTF ?? :-)
Monday the 13th of December
Man, two daze in a row lol.
This time it was a bit too warm to have great ice (about four degrees C)
Also, the wind was a bit light and I ended up using my old SW Retro 8.0 m²
It was a good workout and I did sweat - am giving session a 7.5 outta 10...
When I removed the downhaul something popped at the top of the sleeve
It looks like some stitching released
Will not let this affect the session rating as it happened afterwards
My busted up HSM SPF 8.5 is up north too and can be used until this one is repaired
Am hoping the wife can sew it up on her sewing machine - as it is at the top
Nothing needs to be removed ta get there ...
Sunday December 12th
My sister-in-law was with us and the ladies were surprised I would drive em up north taday đ When we got there, there was NO power due to high winds yesterday - Montreal aeroport recorded 100kph/60mph gust !! see graph on yesterday's entry
I did not mind, as I went out on the ice --> shit, forgot my video camera $%^&*(
The first session was amazing - a 9 outta 10 (wind was not letting me get longer runs - otherwise 10/10 !!! ) Was out on my windski with the ski blades at 20 degrees and my WindWing Convert 4.6
On the 2nd run out, the wind was too strong n gusty and I fell on my ass
Had on my harness as protection, butt was not placed properly lol đ
When i fell again, it was on my knees - good knee pads protected me !!
Now I wished I had that 370cm mast for my old NS Zeta 3.7
I can't seem to find the one piece epoxy mast used with this sail in the past !!
The precipitation from yesterday froze well, as one can see in the above pic. What one cannot see is: sometimes the ice cracked open a bit and there was water underneath - NOT enuff ta get wet !! There was still the thicker ice under all that crap - pardon my French
clique the pic
gusts hit 25 mph in the afternoon !!
Saturday December 11th
Well, they were announcing some NE winds up north, but there was 2B freezing rain early in the morning as well - followed by rain ... So, I drove up there before anyone was awake and B4 da freezin rain. Looked like the winds were NOT strong and up higher. Set up the 2 home made sleds and the HSM Fire 6.3. NEVER got da winds - colice. Went and worked on a plumbing problem instead - shitty alternative - pardon the pun lol :-)
CANNOT be called a session as it was a BIG ZERO. Ice was too slushy any way ...
That night BIG winds swept through Quebec - hit Ontario in the day
Well, man did I get lucky with the weather yesterday. First it snowed about 20 cm, then there was freezing rain followed by lotsa rain dried by stronger winds overnight. The night temps were below freezing and created a crusty snow back home. Up north, even better - good ice !! Not good enough for the ice skate and this was the first session. (Hmmm, maybe I shoulda tried the ice skate!!)
Winds were from the WSW 15-30 kph and I was out with the ice model and the HSM Fire 6.3. My Auntie Laura had never seen this before and commented that the speed felt like that of a speed boat !!
I am giving this session an 8.5 outta 10 - winds coulda bin better and longer lasting. I stopped sailing after about an hour when the winds dropped.
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Sunday December 5th
Was at the lake up north and "tested" the ice. This means I walked on it and tried to smash through it with an "ice breaker" (not the boat kind lol). It was READY TO GO with about one to two cm of powder snow = PERFECT!! Well, guess what ?? There is NO wind AND tomorrow is major snow storm + ice rain and rain after = FUCK %^&*()
Then agin, the O'Brian Windski or now perhaps the JetSki lol is ready for testing
Fryday November 12th I restarted looking at my waterski project for this winter. Oddly enough I cannot find any trace of my analysis in this blog ...
So, what I did today was some measuring and analysis:
Waterski length is 65.24" making the mid-point 32.625" which also happens to be the balance point of the board "naked".
The mast base was marked at 21 inches from the front or 46" from the back
46 / 65.25 = 0.7 or 70% forward which feels a bit much ...
when I placed the snowboard with the mast base connected - onto the waterski ...
the snowboard was 6.5" from the back and the mastbase at 42" from the back
this still comes to 0.64 or about 65% forward ... hmmm
on the Fanatic Shark 145, the mastbase is 9" up from the midpoint
32.625" midpoint + 9" forward = 41.625 ~ 42inches !!
and this is the setting I am gonna try for the POC
Wednesday November 10th Almost mid-November and still talkin bout windsurfing ?? WTF aye !! Well, it was ten degrees C/ 50 degrees F with winds announced as 20-40kph Westerlies. JP was on the water already with about four kites. I rigged the MS TR-6 8.4 and used my trusty steed, the Shark !! I was hoping for SW winds as I am still NOT comfortable with water starts using large sails nor tacks & jibes in wavier conditions. My first run out was amazing, but a strong gust was overwhelming and I dropped the sail. As I had issues uphauling it, I stuck closer to shore for the rest of the session. Thus the session was not as good as I had hoped. The Ghost Train afterwards made it all the better :-) Even though I was not there long nor long runs, I am giving the session a generous 7.5 !! Had gloves n booties on, but the cagoule/hoodie was only around my neck - NOT COLD @ ALL !!
Monday November 1st. Yes it is now November and I was considering going out to my fave spot, La CrĂȘte @ OKA Parc. Temps were close to my minimum of ten degrees C, butt wind was 30-50 or 40-60kph W. If it was SW with the same conditions - I woulda bin there !! As it were, I went in the p.m. after finishing my daily household plans ... Here are my fave 2 pics :
I asked the dudes about sails of the day and how it were. All said earlier in the day was better wind, but now wind had dropped and was holy. Sorry, there must be a typo there - winds were holey lol Fellow came off the water with a 4-oh and said a 5.2 was required now. Lighter fellow was going on the water with a 90 liter board and exactly that size sail. George was coming off the water with an 8-oh kite and heading out with a 9-oh after his snackeroo. One fellow was doing REALLY well with a 5 m² kitewing and foilboard. The board was quite "thick" for a kiteboard i.e. it's not a kite nor windsurf foil board $%^&*()_
Friday October 22nd Not supposed ta be very warm with best temps and wind around 11h00. Thus I went early and it looked more SW than W and much stronger than predicted. JP was going out on his SB 90 liter board with a 5-oh sail and kiter going out with a nine meter... Fuck me, it is now 8 degrees C and I AM COLD. Fun factor going down fast...
Drove over to the main beach to check it out. It seemed less volatile and warmer. Saw a boat further out with three people in it ... Hope they had safety vests and neoprene !! As they where heading back towards Vaudreuils they seemed to splash against waves quite a bit. Okay, alone here and side-shore = NOPE. Do I go back to LaCrĂȘte or home ??
Headed back and worked on the front porch railing :-)
Tuesday October 19th Went up north to visit the younger women of 2 generations. Fixed the chalet roof further up north. While there decided to do one more round of the lake - before it freezes over lol. As usual it was the HSM SPF 8.5 with the BIC SL200. AND as usual winds were from the NW and further south from the W. Got to do some portions in the harness, butt cannot really call this a session. If I did, it would be a 7.5 outta 10 - NO gloves or cold weather gear !! Put the sail in the chalet upstairs and the board on top of the deck leftovers. Chas tried to steal my spot lol
Monday October 4th, 2021 Well, it is starting to really feel like summer is over. Temps were around twelve degrees C. Winds were supposed ta be 20-40kph NE with potential of being stronger earlier i.e. better than in the p.m. and even a potential of 30-50 !! So, I brought my trusty steed, the 2006 Fanatic Shark 145 HRS, which once belonged to Dave Cadoret - of APVM presidential fame.
As I was travelling along the 344 towards OKA Parc, I noticed a smaller Toyota with one board on top, 5 sails sticking out the trunk along with another board. He beat me to the main beach and musta run to the beach n back !! He was getting back in his car to leave. I asked him if the winds were any good. He said they were not good and seemed to be coming from the North. NORTH ?? Looked more like East and perhaps even tending to SE.
There were no lambs/moutons on the water and there were some decent gusts. So, it is a GO, butt further down the beach with the 2010 MauiSails TR-6 four cambered 8.4m² race sail. There was some construction going on and I hadta make sure I was NOT getting in their way ... The water was MUCH higher and I had to adjust my boom height down and harness lines back on the starboard side (water levels and boom height are mutually exclusive lol).
btw I was at the MAIN BEACH of OKA
Had a coupla good runs and went in to get the thin DaKine gloves - hands were cold. A coupla more runs and I fell in - was further out - due to tacking in the "bigger waves". Planed it almost all the way in with a smile on my face... Should I keep going ??
There was NO-ONE else on the water other than a WindWing along the opposite shoreline - going full downwind ... As I was taking my stuff apart Claude from OKA showed up - he did not remember me - sold me a 40 cm fin in 2018 :-) Am giving the session a 7.5 even though perhaps it did not deserve it.
I must get better @ turns AND water starting - even a race sail !!! OR next time at least bring the HPL carbon boom with the EZ-uphaul.
On the way home I stopped by @ La CrĂȘte and all I saw was geese n ducks on the water. NO people and with wind from the ENE, water was still ....
And there was this tree:
Sunday 26SEPT2021 Wind was supposed ta be 20-40kph from the SW. Unfortunately it is a Sunday = weekend AND apple picking season has started #$%^&*()_ This means both the way to the beach PLUS the beach will be OVERcrowded !!
Checked the wind up north and was more like 20-35W and 20 degrees C. I have premonitions and all the signs said DON'T GO. I knew and should NOT and went just the same anticipating something was gonna happen ... The first inkling I had was going down the street thinking I forgot something ... went around the block and the garage door was open. About 1/2 hour down the road, my stomach started acting up :-( Was not even half way yet - plan an emergency stop - NO stores around ... got off at L'Ăpiphanie where the motocross and ATVs go. Urination did not remove the pressure and I was obliged to shit in the woods :-( Found a wet rag to wipe my yass - fuck me. Shower and wash when I got up north... Wind was from the west and up n down with decent gusts.
Rigged the HSM SPF 8.5 cuz that's all I have here ..
Had issues giving it enough downhaul, which I was able to correct when everything was wet !! There seemed to be conflicting wind directions and I managed to fall in. Adjusted all to my liking and managed to get one run planing and another in the harness
The session itself was what was expected up north and am giving it a generous 7.5 /10 !! Obviously dismissing the events that let up to the event - need an AK-47 !!
Friday 24SEPT2021 Wind was 20-40kph from the SW. I brought the 8.5 and 7.0 just in case. When I arrived it looked strong and so I rigged the GA Flow-3. Left the Shark with the same weed fin I always use, but I moved up the mast base to 137.5. Just when I finished rigging, KingKong (from Hatteras trip) showed up and said I was not rigging enough !! We went to double check - benwindy was out on his Lion 7-oh and planing (well, not all the time). KK rigged his MS Titan 9.5 with his JP SLW92 and SB weed fin !! I stayed with the GA 7-oh and do NOT know how KK did it ?? There were times the wind planed me through and after three hours we got hit with big gusts - I had to get off and KK did too !! Tough to decide on the session rating - over seven for sure, but did it make it to 8 ?? It was warm, met friends, not too wavy, nothing broke and almost got hurt. Even the walk of shame was not that bad ... Well, okay then --> 8 outta 10 !! :-)
Saturday 911 Wind was supposed to go as high as 20 knots taday. Helmut and I packed accordingly and arrived around 10h00 to be sure to get a decent parking spot... As usual, the wind was light when we arrived and seemed to pick up. I set up my MS TR-6 8.4 with four cambers and Helmut his SW Retro 8.5. He has a very nice GECKO 156, which I actually find to be a little heavy (10.7 kilos as per specs = ~24 lbs & my Shark is 9.4 kilos balanced differently). As usual we went through all the OKA phases - light winds, waves and the occasional BLAST. We were on the water from about 11h00 until 14h00. I got off the water when a blast just was too much for the sail to decide what to do next - at which time the wind seemed to DIE lol ... Helmut gave the session a 7 and I give it a 7.5 !! Obviously I was on the SHARK !! We chatted with some foil people and Guillaume showed us some rigging tricks !!
btw VoilOKA managed to rent out ALL their kites !! and it was not a great wind day !!
Two's Day September 7th Went up north to the White House as it was Freddy Spaghetti's barfday. He seemed miffed when we got there lol. I went to La Maison Bleu and repaired the HSM SPF 8.5 with monofilm and electrical tape one last time !! Was warm enuff to be in my bathing suit with BARE / BEAR jacket and booties. Did a couple of runs, came back in and adjusted downhaul. Couple more runs n called it a day. My outlaw bro, Chas, mentioned that it seemed not much wind today. "Yupp, was out testing my sail setup and it is a beautiful first day of fall." Aunt Sylvia agreed :-) Can't really call it a session yet I DID have a smile on my face :-) Now load all that up with some AK-47 lol
Sunday 05SEPT2021 Thought I lost one of my video cameras, but it was on my desk = phew. NO wind taday and they're announcing a lotta rain. So far it has been a nice day and yesterday was a beautiful day - no wind, butt perfect for visiting family in the city !!
Wednesday September 1st Brought the HSM SPF 8.5 and NP 490/90 mast up north to the outlaw chalet. It is starting to look the worse for wear. Brought back the TR-6 8.4 and the associated MS 490/75 mast. This is a full-on race sail with four cambers. While at it, brought back the GA Flow-3 7-oh freerace sail that fits on the MS 490 to the "city". With foiling it seems like cambers are gaining popularity again. Did some runs on the lake to adjust the downhaul and outhaul for the SPF - was fun !! Practically windsurfed three days in a row !!
Tuesday August 31st Yes, it is the next day.
Yesterday I found the wind and the waves a bit wild and ended as only a 7.5 session. Today the winds are still not in my favourite direction for trying new things WNW. However at 20-40 kph I could pack my trusty steed, the Fanatic Shark 145 HRS, with his favourite red flag, the HotSailsMaui SpeedFreak 8.5. As usual fitted with the HydroTech 40 cm weed fin. I managed to plane full force (as in NOT letting off no matter what) by stretching my legs straight out and my feet as far out and back as possible. What a THRILL !! Waterstarts in chest high water were going off like a charm - even when gusty. 8 outta 10 for sure - okay, happiness means 8.5, just like the sail size :-)
Oh yeah - forgot my safety vest even though the list was verified - was in too much of a hurry !! Georgie leant me one and Dave of VoilOka said they would lend me one no charge since I am always there :-)
Mundane Monday 20210830 What September and back to school already ??
Started as a rainy day with almost no wind - like 4-6kph from the South
NOT GOOD
Winds were predicted to go West or WSW from 20 to 50 kph
Just in case I brought the 8.5 and the NS Duke 6.9
when I got there around ten - winds looked good !!!!
Fellow camper Jacques helped Gilles launch his kite and chatted
Since Gilles was goin out with a 15 meter kite, I went with the 8.5
Gusts sounded stronger and out I went ...
Flew like crazy and had ta come in
Benwindy says my sail was flapping in the wind - where are my cambers ?
He was out with a cambered Ezzy Lion 7-oh
KingKong arrived with his Blast 130 and Lion 8.5
says he is now 250 pounds and needs BIG sails
he stayed with that sail all day
I rigged down to 7-oh and tried to stay in the WSW channel
Hit a rock with no buoy and when I fell in on purpose due to high speed, I lost my glasses
MOST people were out on 5.5 and 6.2 - Force5 included
Feels like the wind was stronger than shown on the chart below
Cannot give the session more than a 7.5 outta 10 !!
Twosday 240821 S'bin a while !! Bin windsurfing up at the chalet, but nothing to write home about. Today was LIGHT wind with a potential 20-30kph W. It was more NW as far as I could tell and was definitely very light. The JP SLW92 fits poorly in the 2017 Prius C and so, it was the trusty steed, Shark 145 HRS with the GA Swift 10m² sail (HydroTech 40 cm weed fin). AND it was fucking hot - sorry for swearing, but I saw 34 degrees Celsius on the car dash and I was draggin my ass. Finished my warm sodas during a break with a chug !! Wind was light, medium and OVER. Thus I managed to plane and my right thigh was sore ... Give it a 7.5 outta 10 - the water was a bit too warm and rough from the speed boats rippin by. Yes, OKA La CrĂȘte !! Oh yeah --> mast foot was moved all the way up !!
Thursday 120821 Not a good day - when I got home I was informed that my father-in-law, my son's grandfather, had died AND my brother-in-law while receiving a covid test, so that he could visit us in Canada from USA, had the long schtick shoved so far up his nose that it hit a nerve; such that he passed out and landed on his face = WTF ... butt I digress ...
It was supposed to be 30-50 kph SW, but it did NOT seem to materialize AND there were BIG heat and thunderstorm warnings ... Brought the 8.5 and 7-oh just in case. Well, all day the BIG wind did NOT seem to materialize and I ended up on my typical kit = Shark 145 with the HSM SPF 8.5 and 40 cm HydroTech weed fin - it could have been an 8.5 outta 10, but the wind lost points in the end = 8 outta 10 !! However, the winds were nice n strong at times :-) Richard/Force5 was out on a Goya 127 liter carbon board with a 6.5 sail (board is 74.8 cm wide and take sails 6-9 !!) - he was anticipating the 25 knot winds !!
Forgot to mention that I did a section with the right front foot in the foot strap. I did not like how the board rode on the water and need to make adjustments. I have the feeling that I may become a back foot first kinda rider !!
Two'sDay 100821 Went up north to prep the chalets for the coming Americans. The border has been opened unidirectionally since yesterday the 9th. Apparently there were 7 hour waits at some border crossings. Wind from the S and light and it was HOT. It was good to fall in. (Fell in cuz I was trying a downwind run and jibes/gybes) Not sure I can call this a session - no harness required, butt was fun :-)
So proud of myself - did not swear at my sister here - it was her bday yesterday. She is trying to whittle herself into our lives again.
Fryday 060821 Supposed ta be 20-40kph SW. When I arrive @ La CrĂȘte there was Sylvain and the young dude of VoilOka that gives courses ...
Sylvain told me he was the one that convinced Georgie to foil and which one ta get
The ride in the morning was VERY light, water level felt low and LOTSA weeds
Took a brake and saw a sandpiper - joked with "birdman" and his friends
The kid from VoilOka had never seen onna those b4 !!
In the afternoon the wind was still up n down with a little more power and was sometimes more westerly ...
Planed for a coupla small sections
need to repair the batten on the sail and my booties :-(
Cannot give this more than a 7-7.5 outta 10 even though the temperature was perfect
It was hot, butt ... lol :-)
No need ta discuss the equipment !! Same old - same old
We all said, "Il nous manque 2 noeuds !!"
As I was leaving I saw Jason Of VoilOka working on a foil board
Asked him if windfoil or kitefoil was renting out a lot
He replied this is an e-foil #$%^&*()_
This is a sample from the www - some kits are listed as $15K
He also had an "eboard" - is that what it is called ??
Electric Surfboards is what they are called and can run as high as $18K !!!
Oh yeah, I forgot some very important point ... There were kite foilers who were up in the air, however, the windfoilers seemed to stay stuck to the water :-(
What was that all about ??
Tuesday 03/08/2021 Helmut was off work and winds were to be 20-40kph SW. So, we met @ OKA with our stuff - 8.5 and 7.x - me and my trusty Shark 145, Helmut with his Gecko 156 and Hawk 135. He went out with the BIG board and both of us with our 8.5s. I rated this day as a nine outta 10 cuz we were out on the water over 3 hours and chatted with lotsa people ...As usual, sections with no wind, with waves or too much wind. Welcome to Oka. Every time I go now, I always say "this is the fastest I have ever gone with this kit." lol
Helmut says he has seen me with lotsa hair/no hair and big beard vs no beard, BUT NEVER lookin like Jesus lol roflmao To which I said,"Bless you my son." while making the sign of the cross hi hi hi
Based on graph from the airport Dorval, best winds were 12h00-15h00
We were there !!
Fryday the 30th of July It's bin about two weeks since I've bin to OKA !! Today they were announcing rain and then NW 20-40 kph winds... It looked like it might be good and so brought both the HSM SPF and the NS Duke 6.9. There were more people there than I expected, but then again, we are still in the construction holidaze. I started out with my standard kit -- Shark 145 with the HSM SPF 8.5 and 40 cm weed fin. Whenever I was about 3/4 across the "lake", the wind kicked and I flew. As usual there were bars or sections of light wind, some BIG waves and then the BIG wind section. When the gusts started to increase, it became a handful. I came in and watched a kiter with a 17.5 m² kite. He was struggling and was going to rig down to a 12 m² kite !!. That would be a six meter sail for me !! I had had my fun and did NOT feel like rigging down and being in danger with a NW !! This was a powerful session and had it been more stable, I am confident the front footstrap woulda bin tried !! Givin it an 8.5 outta 10 - was not a long session, but definitely "interesting" ... btw I was wearing a wetsuit in July !! Jason of VoilOka mentioned that people were in shorties in May - he was in a steamer on this day!!
Sat 24JUL2021 NOT much wind since the 14th of July !! We were going up north anyway and I was thinking of trying to rig the TR-6 8.4.. Wind was predicted and I brought the necessities - harness, booties, etc. Wind seemed to kick at times and so, went straight to the GA FLow-3 7-oh. On the BIC SL200 of course. When the wind sucked, I tried the TR-6 but it would not go and wind seemed to kick AGAIN. Put the 7-oh back, but the wind was not great and the ladies seemed anxious to leave .. Will give it a 7 outta 10 just cuz I managed to hook in once and give it full speed ahead. Kept trying to ride with the dagger up, butt wind kept dropping ... tabernak !!
Mon 19JUL2021 Last Wednesday when I went out, I was attempting the footstraps, but NOT liking the lack of space in it. So, today I went in the backyard with the Shark, put on my booties and made adjustments. The first attempt was with opening the footstrap (which was awkward) and it was determined, the strap was not wide enough. I moved one screw two further spots out and on subsequent straps I only moved the one screw - no other adjustment required. Let's see how that goes !?!
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Franco Ittiandro was questioning centre board in or out on the iwindsurf forum and someone suggested this video: https://youtu.be/fscbu-ERi-8
the only comment I had on that great video is:
he should have shown things in a bit more wind
Wed 14JUL2021 En français aujourd’hui - juste pour le fun :-)
OKA avec des vents SW 20-40 kph. On annonce la pluie et possibilitĂ© d’orage mais nous n’avons rien eu. Voiloka m’a suggĂ©rĂ© de ne pas mettre mon char trop proche au passage. Je l’ai tassĂ© une pied plus proche au camion de Sylvain L. Il y avait une dizaine de kites et quatre PAV. (Un bon rider avec AHD 122 litres et NP 7.7.) Le vent est montĂ© et des fois j’ai Ă©tĂ© “over”. Mais j’ai eu fun en taber ... avec Fanatic Shark 145 HRS et HotSailsMaui SpeedFreak 8.5. AprĂšs j'ai vu quelqu'un pratiquĂ© des helitacks et aussi une Mistral SuperLight. Session de 8 sur 10 !! Pour Sylvain L c'Ă©tait 10 sur 10.
I chatted with the VoilOka boys and passed them my windsurf blog card :-)
Oh yeah - there was a threat of a storm coming and Georgie was in a hurry to get off. I told him the maps all said the storm was passing south, He did not believe this and hurried to take his stuff apart. While he was not finished another kiter asked him to help launch. Told George kiter lines were tangled and I tried to help. George got pissed and dropped the kite - I left - no comment :-(
Addendum: I forgot to add that I was going so fast that I was jumping the waves and came out of my harness at high speeds.
Worst thing was I shinned myself while climbing on and when I jumped off the board I landed on a clam - did not cut my bootie, but the arch under my foot is bruised and hurts
The Chinook waterstarter did not seem to help much with keeping the clew out of the water ...
Sunday 11JUL2021 Best winds of the weekend up north were supposed to be Sunday, but we visited the daughter and granddaughter Saturday too :-) Brought the carbon boom to try the TR-6 8.4, but needed the winch ... Went out with the standard Gaastra Flow-3 seven oh on the BIC SL200. The winds were from three cardinal directions at varying speeds. No harness was required... Mostly winds were from the WSW. Will give it a 7 outta 10 cuz the weather was just so fine and I was on the water with JH.
Tuesday 07JUL2021 Winds are to be 20-30 kph from the SW. I was tempted to bring the 10-oh, butt Environment Canada announced 20-40 kph SW. There were thunderstorm and hail warnings in the morning for the afternoon !! So, I left early with the Shark 145 and the repaired HSM SPF 8.5. Added some scotch tape to the sail before heading out. It felt like the winds were more NW than West. I was the first one there and often the only windsurfer on the water. Benwindy arrived not much later than me, butt was never on the water ... Marc Cyr seemed to be camping there and windsurfed with a lady friend while his wife sat on the beach. He was out with an Ezzy 7.8 and said it was missing the infamous 2 knots :-) For me it was like the last time - bands of light wind, bands of wave, bands of better wind and repeat. As it was a bit lighter, will give the session a 7 outta 10.
When I got home, the plan was to go up north ... There I got some NE 20-30 kph winds and I went out with the standard BIC SL200 and GA Flow-3 seven meter sail. It was a mix of schlogging with some planing and some fun. Giving this a 7 outta 10 ... Was putting emphasis on practicing tacks n jibes !! Was out with the wet-suit farmer jack bottom and booties ...
Wed 30JUN2021 OKA La CrĂȘte winds NW 15-35 kph. Benwindy was there on the water and JP arrived same time as me, but never saw him on the water... JH was there too... Shark 145 with the HSM SPF 8.5 (recently repaired). Had to go to 2nd parking lot because people left NO room to rig where I usually park. Jason of VoilOka says they will be putting logs to denote rigging area = phew. About three windsurfers and as many kiters on the water with the light winds. I went through ALL the conditions - schlogging, big waves and planing. A newbie was tough to avoid one time, butt managed to get around him. Rain started early and I heard thunder, butt saw NO lightening... Did not hang out cuz I thought the wife needed the car and she doesn't :-( However, at time of writing it is still raining @ OKA with very light winds and a severe thunderstorm alert !! We got some rain that was definitely "cats n dogs" in the afternoon !! Giving this a 7-7.5 outta 10 ...
Addendum: I believe it was on this day that I hit a fish with my fin. I was not planing and thought I heard and definitely felt a "thunk". I looked back and thought I saw a fish thrashing about !! Probably one of those giant Japanese Carp that jump out of the water to catch bugs - and scare the shit outta me !!!
Sunday 27JUN2021 OKA La CrĂȘte winds SW 30-60 kph ?? or more??
According to St-Placid weather station a wind gust hit 90 mph !!
at around 11h00
and this was my "report" on quebecwind for 27JUN2021
"RĂ©cemment j'ai eu mal au genou et l'anonce est pour les vents fort - jusqu'Ă 30 noeuds MAIS j'ai voulu voir que le monde font avec ce vent lĂ ...
OKA La CrĂȘte - les 2 stationnements plein plein - vers 11h00
vent entre 15 et 30 noeuds d'aprÚs Sylvain - notre kiteur sauté (au sens propre - il a déjà sauté 22 metres !!)
voilĂ qq photos que j'ai pris (il y avait trop de monde )
la plupart des planchist(e)s avait des planches au tour de 100 litres et les voiles entre 4.5 et 5.3
il y avait benwindy, Marc, Yvan d'auventfou et plusieurs qui je ne connais pas leurs noms
ça c'est pour ce matin - en aprÚs-midi chez nous le vent est monté encore et casé le gazebo/belvédÚre"
addendum: I forgot to mention I saw something that looked like it could have been a "situation". Near the far end of the beach @ La CrĂȘte people were running after a kite that went onto the road and seemed to be helping someone in the bushes. With the SW wind, which is on-shore, it is dangerous for the kiters. No ambulance and no-one limping out = phew !!
CLIQUE the pics :-)
CLIQUE the pics :-)
Fryday had a marvelous "morning stroll" on the lake heading south upwind to past the yellow mansion and then a downwinder back home. Will NOT call that a session, butt loved it just the same lol :-)
Thursday 24JUN2021 Today is La FĂȘte Nationale St-Jean Baptiste.
We were surprised that there was NOT more traffic going north !! Especially since it was such a beautiful day. Some did find that the air was a little cool ...
The wind was from the south (which is rare here) and occasionally strong = woohoo. It was purrfekt for the BIC SL200 and the GA Flow-3 seven meter sail. I wished I had brought my harness AND my booties. At least twice my feet slipped and I almost fell in.
I am giving the day an 8.5 outta 10 which is an excellent score for up north ... Even though others found it cool, I was out in my bathing suit and golf shirt ...
In order to go faster and plane I put the centre board up. This was not always easily accomplished and I noticed that water was squirting up from that area. The board is definitely missing a gasket and does seem to "leak" --> water seems to drain from the board after a session.
I really enjoyed the seven meter 3 cambered sail and am contemplating bringing the repaired HSM SPF 8.5 up north and the TR-6 four cambered 8.4 down south. While @ it, why not bring the GA Flow three cambered 7-oh down ??
This "report" was first hand written since my son needs the entire bandwidth of the shitty internet connection in order to watch CH vs Vegas --> game 6. It kills me that Vegas, Florida and other "hot spots" have hockey teams in the NHL. This reminds me of when Jamaica had a bobsled team in the Olympics lol :-) đ
Just for the record - Les Canadiens won the game and eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights AND went on the next round - Stanley Cup finals !! with one overtime goal !!!
Whensday 230621 this is what the predictions looked like:
this is Pierre C 45/245 in action !!
Tuesday After my second Pfizer shot, I was feeling under the weather. Nothing like what happened to the fellow in Mascouche --> he died in his cabanot trying to escape the tornado. That's about 5 miles from where I got my shot yesterday evening !!!
So, taday was a relaxin day - sanded down the Fanatic Shark 50 cm fin - to make it at least useable ... in my mind I banged it up with the 8.5 sail and not the 10-oh !! Usually I use a weed fin @ OKA , in order to minimize fin damage - think I only sanded the big weed fin once - so far this summer ...
We may be going up north since it is practically holiday season - with St-Jean Baptiste and Canada coming up - St-Jean is this Thursday - in 2 days - so, what is our plan for this weekend ?? Looks like rain :-(
Monday Party @ joe windsurfer's house yesterday and NO sail repair possible :-)
Since it is covid times, the word party does NOT have the same meaning as it did in the past. My children came by to celebrate my daughter's birthday, her niece's first bday and father's day - my portion of the day was lo key and I like it like zat lol
So ... taday I removed Carlos' Scotch tape and applied monofilm tape ...
It looks like the rip / tear is about eight inches (or less) and I am fairly happy.
with the re-appear
Saturday Yesterday Costa of VoilOka said see ya tomorrow. He musta known about these winds !! Told him NO weekends @ OKA for me - too many people !!
Today looks like a 20 knot + day with a spike as high as 40 knots !! WOWEE !!!
Friday June 18th Yup, windsurfed three days in a row ... This session was below expectations, but I think the expectations were too high and I made my typical mistake with SW onshore winds. I was hoping SSW 20-40 kph would come early and I could practice or try front foot strap IN. When I arrived there was NO wind and only Carlos from VoilOka there. He asked about wind and told him some wind is predickted around ten to 11 o'clock. Lent him my Swiss army knife for the small screw driver ... Within five minutes the wind picked up. As usual I went out with the Shark and SPF 8.5 sail. I came back in too close, hit ground and fell on my sail. My elbow went through :-( Carlos gave me some Scotch tape and said it would hold for the session. Went back out and had the usual OKA mix of wind. Also hit some four to five foot waves out there. With all the plus n minus, will give this session a 7 outta ten just the same - three days in a row !!
I had so MANY premonitions and warnings that I knew this was NOT gonna be a good windsurf day and I went out just the same ... Guess I deserved what I got.
Jack/JH was happy to see me and me him !!
Thursday 17JUN2021 Wind was supposed ta be 20-30 kph NW this morning and my granddaughter to arrive around noon (when the wind will pick up ??). I went from 9 until 11 with the Shark and SPF 8.5. Benwindy was out with his windfoil. When I got off JP arrived and the wind dropped ...Told him about the warning benwindy got when he parked near JP's spot yesterday $%^&*( I wrote on the forum and suggested we do something about VoilOka too !! Goddamn it lol
On the other hand... I planed, rode the waves and went in quieter winds - had a blast = 8-8.5/10 !! I also realized that I did not move the mast base up for the 10 m² yesterday :-(
Wednesday 16Jun2021 Wind was supposed to be 20-40 kph this morning as per Environment Canada and not that much until 14h00 as per other weather sites I use - like windguru, windalert and igetwind !! So, I took a chance since majority wins and brought ONLY the GA Swift 10 m² sail and the Shark 145. When I got there, it looked more 8.5 weather. from the NW = side-shore.
Put the 50 cm fin on and went out in bathing suit, golf shirt and booties. People who went out later were all wearing wetsuits !! I beach started and TOOK OFF. Since I discussed the sail and the misfortune with the D2 many years ago with SkiGuy ... I decided to go completely to the other side before turning around - cuz the wind was strong and waves were as high as 3 feet. As usual there were stripes of different wind strengths and today the waves were quite large !! It felt like I was windsurfing and not sailboarding with a giant sail !! I went to the other side, but the NW wind pushed me into the small bay to the south. and now I was in a windshadow !! I went close to shore and got off. There were boulders underneath !!! I waded out of the bay and just near the end it was deeper and there was sand. The back to boulders and banks of them !! So glad I did not plane into that area -- I did chew up my fin tho %^&*() Flew back to La CrĂȘte and got off too soon. I uphauled the sail and slowly went in. Once again people are surprised that I am leaving AND surprised that I was out with a ten meter sail !! By that time winds were 11 to 20 knots !! I got off the water around 12h00...
Also chatted with JF who gave me the sail, Sylvain, JP, VoilOka boss and even Georgie :-) JP went out with a 6.0, but he is a skinny 5'5" guy lol. JF had an 8.5 with cambers rigged, Benwindy had an Ezzy Cheetah 7.0 with a 36cm G10 fin (already bought a Lion to replace the sail) and Richard was rigging a 6.5. So yeah, a 10 meter sail was WAY OVER !! The kiters were going out with 11 meter kites and I usually divide by two to get a reference --> 5.5 ?? seems small !! Sails six to seven square meters makes sense !!
I really enjoyed my short outing and will give it a 7.5 outta 10 !!
Showed Richard my DVM in action
Helped some people lug their fuckin heavy canoe to the water
they had stuff in it and then they never used the canoe lol
was joking with the 2 year daughter - that we should carry her in the canoe lol
Sad all Day ? June 12th We were up north and not in the best of moods, but it was such a nice day, you just had to get over it :-) As usual, it was the BIC SL200 with the GA Flow-3 7.0 and winds came from all corners of the Earth in constantly varying speeds :-) At work they used to say that one needs to set realistic objectives and expectations. In that case, the session(s) met expectations, which for me means a 7-7.5 / 10. Definitely a nice, warm, sunny day up north with a happy wife !! That's a ten outta ten :-) above expectations !!
Friday June 11th On Monday local residents were allowed to get OKA parking passes. Today the average Joe Windsurfer could get one and SO I DID !! It was $61 and they would NOT reimburse previous payments - other than today. Tried writing to SEPAQ on numerous occasions -- does NOT work = PITA and POS !!
Monday June 7th They were announcing SW 30-50 kph winds. Brought the standard Shark 145, HSM SPF 8.5 and also the NS Duke 6.9 this time. Of course when I got there - they were all already there AND the wind stayed light. Was out from about 10 to 12. Had to come in for sunscreen and gave up at noon. Had to pick up the kid - all asked why I was leaving lol - calling me the wind dummy = when I leave , wind will pick up lol Giving this an 8 outta 10 since I had fun, got sun and did some planing ...
and I have to pick up the young son at HighSchool around 14h45
Yes, the graph does indicate that wind will be BEST after 14h00. I thought that was okay since the winds were to be 10-14 before. It was the B4 that feels like it failed me :-(
As usual I had the Shark and the SPF. I would have loved to stay longer and felt bad for the kid who had to scrunch into the car (Toyota Prius C) with all my stuff in the car, Could NOT see out the right side of the car :-( Give it an 8 outta 10 just the same !! Sylvain and Georgio arrived as I was leaving - yes, just as the wind was "mounting". Sylvain going out with an 18 mete kite and GiGi with an eleven. "I wanna foil ... I wanna foil" quote from George.
Earlier JP was "mounting" his new Ezzy Zeta 5.5 sail. He bought this power wavesail based on benwindy's recommendation. Marie has one too. BIG discussion about where the markings are on a mast extension. The from point is NOT the same between Chinook and NP RDM mast extensions.
Ezzy Zeta 5.5 specifications
Mast Base 400
Mast Top 430 yes mixed
if you do this - then it feels like you are now locked into Ezzy
Luff: 432 Boom: 165-175 cm
Weight : 3.56 kg
Extension: 18-20 cm
Thought JP's said 18-22 ??
Personally, I felt like the sail was "off" - battens were bent like they were cambered or jammed against the mast - and they were NOT even touching the mast...
btw JP bought the sail at windspirit - $1000 sail and $700 mast plus it looks like he treated himself to a brand new boom as well ...
Marie was going to test her new foil board with foil and Ezzy Zeta 5.8
btw I mentioned that the ZETA was NorthSails back in the day and I have one
JP said "non, non" , butt seems David Ezzy may have worked for North Sails b4 !!
Yes he did - around 1985 - his sails are supposed to have "ezzy" or the logo
Here is a sample of a new Ezzy Zeta 5.8
June 1st Tuesday - What already June ?? WTF time flies when you're havin FUN lol :-) Wind today was to be SW about 20-30 kph switching to West in the early afternoon and increasing to almost 30-50 !! I only brought the Shark 145 and the SpeedFreak 8.5. Had some amazing runs and some waterstarts were working better. Wind started to KICK and I felt like I needed to check both myself and the equipment. Felt like I hurt my left hand near the thumb and it looked like some paint came off the board. Yes, it was time to rig down, but I had nothing else. Told people I had my ride and the wife might need the car ... Win - Win
Giving the session an 8 outta 10 btw the beach was pretty full considering it is a Tuesday AND we hafta pay $10.25 parking $%^&*()
Some technical data -- my fin was the Techtronic 40 cm weed fin - water is low and scrapes are not as bad with a weed fin ...
Benwindy was out with a 5.9 m² sail - "pour ĂȘtre prĂȘte pour 14 heure"
Snobby Québecois was out with his NS WARP 7.7 - had nice toys
People seemed to be on boards around 117 litres
Sylvain the kiteur was out with his 15 m² kite rather than the 18
Georgie was pissing around with his $100 kite line GoPro attachment for over 1 hour and then went out with his 11 m² kite
We agreed that it was 7-oh weather and the wind was from the West
Based on the graph from windalert (seems free taday) winds were 30-45 kph
May 29th Saturday Wind was to be from the ENE 20-30 kph i.e. light wind
This direction of wind means the main beach @ OKA for me :-( And now there is an additional $10 cost for parking - fuck that. It costs me ten dollars to go up north n back. Winds were to be even lighter there, but there was NO ONE on the water !! As usual BIC SL200 + GA Flow 3 7-oh. Looked like there was a south wind too that I only caught once. Changed from my bathing suit to wet suit as it was about 18 degrees C and the water is still cold ... It was as I expected and I thoroughly enjoyed myself - 7 outta 10
May 25th Tuesday Wind was to be 30-50 kph SW. Brought the Shark 145, HSM SpeedFreak 8.6 and NS Duke 6.9. Had to pay $10.25 to park and there is NO season's pass for this. On Facebook someone threatened to arrange demonstrations to block access to the Park for everyone. When I got to the beach, the wind kicked, it rained and then there was nothing. We all waited and eventually we saw some wind coming from WSW. It felt like it was very holey as a wind and even the 8.5 would not have helped - was on the 6.9. One kiter was passing extremely close and so I tried to block him whenever I saw him crisscrossing my path $%^&*(). Cannot give this session more than a 7 outta 10 ..
May 22nd a Saturday We went up north as a family for the long weekend. Heard there was a disturbance at Oka Beach this week - not surprised and glad I stayed away.
Up north I have my standard stuff .. BIC SL200 board, Gaastra Flow-3 seven-oh sail using an MS 490/75% mast. Wind came from different directions and changed speed often and suddenly. There was a section of NW wind that carried me over to the WhiteHouse, but right before I got there, there was a pocket of NO WIND and then the wind came from the West. Wind hadta be about 15-25 kph ... Told someone that today I felt that if I did not fall in , then I must be good - with all those erratic wind changes ... I did not fall in, yet still do NOT consider myself a "good windsurfer".
May 15th Saturday. Went early - supposed to get 20-40 kph SW winds. Wind stayed light and was more from the NW - still giving this one an 8 outta 10 - semi-planing with a smile on my face. Did not fall in except when a kiter let his kite drift into my path #$%^&*(
and as I wrote on quebecwind ...
jeudi j'ai pensé que les kitefoilers ont gagné avec le light wind
MAIS samedi le 15mai "NO way"
Ă La CrĂȘte Sylvain a Ă©tĂ© en trouble au moins 3 fois avec son kite de 18 metres
- il a fuquĂ© sa 21 m² jeudi dans une rafelle de plus que 30 noeuds
j'ai eu ma FanaticShark 145 avec ma GA Swift 10m² - 2 cambers et comme Force10; il m'a manquĂ© 2-3 noeuds pour planer
je suis aller voir des kiteurs au large un couple de fois pour voir si toutes est correct
le vent semble de monter un peu et j'ai vu quelqu'un montĂ© sa SlingShot 145 litres, le mĂąt de foil plus que 1 metre et ail large en avant avec une voile de 6.6 m²
je n'ai pas regardé aller parce qu'il y avait trop de monde trop proche dans une temp de covid sur la plage
May 13th It is a Thursday and I am not working today ...
Wind was supposed to be W to SW 20+ kph. Well it was light wind, but more WNW. Sylvain and I were on the on water and Georgie was somewhere calling out my name. Maybe it was his kid windsurfing near the boat ramp ? I was out on the Shark 145, HSM SPF 8.5 and 50 cm fin. I could have used the 10 m² sail, but I was not ready for that. Instead I had fun and chatted with the kiter that I met on the train 2 years ago. He goes strapless on his kite foil - 8 m² sail and 790 cm ² front foil wing. He mounts the foil all the way to the front. This is supposed to generate a LOT of lift. Benwindy and I believe it was Ben Falardeau were out on windfoils. To me it looked like they did not use large enough sails. Sylvain was supposed to be out on one of his larger kites - like 21 m² and Georgie was trying foiling with a 15 m² kite. Apparently this Coastguard Hoverkraft stopped and asked Sylvain if all was ok when his kite was stalled?
I did a lot of adjustments today - move mast back from 140 cm, boom down the mast to more easily hook in, loosened outhaul and tightened my harness. Was unable to beach or water start with the light wind. My tacks were pretty messy, but I did NOT fall in once !! Basically the kitefoilers won the day taday !!
When I met Sylvain on the next Saturday (2 days later), he told me that winds had kicked over 30 knots on this day and ripped his 21 m² kite. A Seadoo stopped by and tried to help. The lines got caught in their turbine, but they cut the lines :-( They helped Sylvain get his kite back to shore and he gave them a hundred bucks. He informed me that this was a $4000 kite !!
May 6th Wind was to be from the NW 20-40 kph
That used to be my favourite windspeed, as I could comfortably be with my HSM SPF 8.5. However, NW and SE are my least favourite directions, both at OKA and up north ...
So, I brought the Shark 145 and two sails: both the HSM SPF and the NS Duke 6.9. When I got to the OKA gate, the elderly gentleman told me I was the first to arrive on that day and was kind enuff to call ahead and ask if the gate to La CrĂȘte was open. Sure enough, when I arrived, there was no-one, wind was from the NW and there were white caps.
So... I rigged the smaller sail and practiced water starts for about 1+ hours. Man, I suck. I can plane hooked in, in a straight line with NO problem, but I have to nail this water start thing !! If I cannot gybe or tack, that is not an issue if I can water start away !!
When I was done, Sylvain, Martial and another kite foiler arrived. Martial was rigging an eleven meter sail with what he calls his beat up foil board (WOW). Sylvain was goin for a fifteen meter ² sail - and said yes, he was hoping to jump :-) He also informed me that he has four foil blades and they cost about $400 each !!!
Afterwards I was haf, burnt physically !!!
Took a 2 hour nap in the afternoon
checked this video a coupla days later !!
the hands were further back and wide apart - start with backfoot only
May 1st Was planning on going to OKA - La CrĂȘte is supposed to be open.
Actually made a detour to pick up the Shark last Thursday.
The issue is: I forgot the PowerBox fins up north
I could go with a 40 cm freeride fin and the HSM SPF 8.5
Felt like there was gonna be too much spinout :-(
Went up north to pick up the fins - bringing the aforementioned sail
Wind was from the NW and unpredictable as expected
Fell in twice and it was not a pleasant outing
Had a wonderful warm shower in the blue Nonni chalet after :-)
423 Date format in keeping with 420 :-)
Went up north trying the soft roof rack with the Shark 145
That was a failure
Hard to tell which direction the wind was from and speed too - gusty !!
Thought about the SL200 longboard with a small sail and shoulda dunnit
Shark with the HSM SPF 8.5 from the WhiteHouse was a failure !!!
better safe than sorry !!!
11APR2021 Well, about a month of NO windsurfing whatsoever & I finally got on the water. At OKA main beach becuz La CrĂȘte is still closed AND the winds were ENE 20-40 kph (15-25 mph is how many kph ?? 25 - 40 kph) and so, I was on the right sail and was able to blast. The issue was the tacking and I spent quite some time turning and getting back (after falling in of course). On the Mistral Equipe 2 XR with the HSM SpeedFreak 8.5 ...
I was very comfortable blasting out and coming back, but I made so many mistakes today !!
1) I have not ridden that board for a number of years
2) once again - trial run with a side wind = danger
3) forgot the key holder that is water proof - hid key under the car
4) as wind was ENE I went to the main beach - was packed with people who were not following covid rules !@#
Will NEVER go to the main beach during covid on a weekend $%^&*()_ AGAIN
btw I did not find the water cold - not even with the bear foot test
what are they saying the temp is ?? Ten degrees C = not bad !!
Here's a video with that setup from June 10th, 2016 - in wetsuit taday !!!
and was blasting a LOT more than that today !!! oh yeah 47cm Curtis slalom fin
oka FRI June 10 2016 from joe windsurfer on Vimeo.
2021\078 = 19MAR2021 All day I monitored the temps and wind --> was hoping around zero degrees Celcius with winds from the West at over 15 kph. That was supposed to happen around 15h00. Well, this is what I saw !! So much for going out that one last time !!!
2021\074 As it was 20-40+ kph West winds yesterday, I took the day off from windsurfing on the ice. However, I could NOT resist too much longer !!
So, today I was in Rosemere @ the 117 bridge and water cleaning plant @ 13h00-14h30 and the winds were NW 20+ kph
In the parking lot there were lotsa cars and I saw the Jaguar that is ALWAYS there - seen on the way home - near the entrance - sideways as usual...
The ice was solid, BUT ruff and thus my ice model sled was selected - rather than the blue windskate...
As wind was NW & not West and gusting 20+ kph, I rigged the WindWing 4.6
That picture was taken on Lac de Deux Montagnes in FEB 2016
Same setup ...
I went out for a test run before I put on my safety equipment ... As I came in, I did NOT go back from whence I started, butt rather closer to the boat ramp. I went through the ice into three feet of water; just past my knees.
I crawled out and when I looked up I saw two ladies in a white SUV just starring at me. I BURST into laughter.
Hope no-one was filming ... There was a drone flying about ...
I left my ice sled and sail there, changed my socks n shoes, put on my safety gear and went out on the ice for over one hour {shoulda put my knee pads on - more on that later !!}
The ice was VERY rough and bumpy - especially where the snowmobiles had passed. A couple of times I had to lay down the sail to help me slide to a STOP.
Did I mention yet that my pants were frozen from the knee down ???
One of those times when I was trying to slide to a stop, I was approaching water AGAIN. So, I put my knee directly on the ice to help me slow down. Later I noticed that my left knee was quite sore. Should have put on those knee pads !!!
Because I kept sliding the boom on the ice to slow down, it kept popping off the mast #$%^&*($%^&*
I popped it back on with frozen fingers and headed back in - NOT to the open water @ the boat ramp tho !!
My pants were frozen, my left knee hurt, the boom kept coming off and the wind was picking up - PLUS it was COLD with no gloves when making adjustments; it was -12°C when I left the house ...
Guess what I rate this crazy outing ??
8 or 9 outta 10 !! That's right man !!
It was pure entertainment !!
HOT shower and a good coffee @ home and
ALL is GOOD !!!
AND ... I am working on my next snow windski already :-)
2021\072 = 13MAR2021 So, yesterday I had a fun run up north and so left my "stuff" up north - since we were going back up to visit my daughter, Joe and baby granddaughter there on the weekend - as in on this day ..
Before we left, I checked the ice on the local river:
There were a number of cars parked and I'm wondering what people thought.
Especially when I chipped open an ice-fishing hole, removed my glove and stuck my hand in the water !! This was to measure the ice thickness which is 6-8" thick. With the harder surface and that deep an ice, I am good to go !!
Up north the snow from the metal roof finally came down ...
That pic was obviously BEFORE snow wave came down !!
It was colder over the night and there was a light dusting of snow... I went out to check the ice and snow --> the ice was good and the snow crusty. I would be able to ride on top and perhaps go out into the middle of the lake. There was no mastbase on the snow model and so I tried the ice model out and it was okay to go...
Wind felt light and thus I rigged the SW Retro 8-oh on the NP 490 SDM mast.
The wind was too light and when I went through the snow my shoes and socks went in two inches of water. As I was getting off the ice, a neighbour commented that the conditions were not ideal. I told him it was a good thing I brought extra socks and shoes and told him and his lady friend that there was water under the ice ...
Cannot give this session more than a 5 outta 10 ..
As Joe said, I did a couple of small runs and thus, the outing got a bare pass
In other words there were a couple of runs and that was about it !!!
2021\071 Went up north to get my stuff and lo and behold, there was some ice. AND wind from the West. and so ... I set up my ice model with the WindWing 4.6 and had a lotta fun. Winds were from the West with gusts over 20 kph. Even though it was not the greatest of sessions, I am giving it an 8 outta 10 - based on recent failures and lack of fun !!
This pic is the same setup when I used it in OKA in 2016
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have been corrected .. The distance from the centre of the mast base to the platform is nine inches - yes, six inches seemed close ...
and ... Front strap is 13" from the uni-joint/mast base ...
Also, this means from the back, the platform is only five inches
09MAR2021 = ??? 31+28 = 59 plus 9 = 2021\068
Today I purchased an O'Brien waterski in order to build an FF Windski.
FF stands for FosterFaster, who is Brian , ironically, and shared his videos on youtube.
Perhaps this one should be called the O'Brian WindSki ??
When I stepped on the snow directly, my boot sank about six inches ...
I have asked O'Brian about some other details of this "sled" :-)
2021\63 = 04MAR2021
Went up north to see if a crusty top on the snow was going to help me windski ?
First I removed the extra piece of ski from my snow model.
The wind was less than 20 kph and thus opted for the SW Retro 8-oh
When I walked on the snow where it was soft, I went in 2 feet and hit 6" of water :-(
With the snow model I was able to stay on top, but it seemed less crusty than back home ...
Put the Retro on the snow model and worked like a dog.
There was either not enough wind or too much and I gave up.
NOT to be outdone, I tried with the deep snow model ...
It actually worked better, but when I put my foot on the back of the front brace
All in all I gave this session a 4 outta 10 = failure !!
Was I pissed - NOT @ ALL - fun was had by all
After the snow model test, I was sweating so much that I had to go inside and cool down!!
2021\60 = 01MAR2021
I asked MagicRide/fostersailfaster about the details of his windski ...
2021\51 = 20FEB2021 this is what the "ice" looks like up north 
2021\48 - went up north with the snow model and the HSM Fire
- we had over a foot of snow yesterday back home - snow day
- lotta snow up north too and the skating path was not plowed
- started adding a back ski to the snow model and shovelled snow
This is more along the lines of a snowfer or Langis Caron design !!
There is also a piece that I added to the front of this setup in the past ...
One change at a time tho !!
The other idea I have for the deep snow model is to put 2 skis on each leg to widen the "feet" and distribute the load better - like deep snow skis ...
2021\42 - yesterday's report said that I may as well forget the local river
- and I wanted to try and make some modifications 2 deep snow model
- after moving the mast base about on the deep snow model
- I decided to try and move the base up
- now before I test that I must ensure that I have some fun
- did some speed runs with the SW Retro 8-oh on my ice model
- it was W winds and gusts were well over 20 kph
- i hafta give that part of the day at least an 8 outta 10 !! amazing
- only lost points because there was only a small section with wind
- and the ice was not ideal - some snow on it
- otherwise I may have tried the windskate - next time !!
- the deep snow model failed - it moved better, but too much effort
- need to rethink it again !!
2021\41 = 31+10 = 10FEB2021 went to the local river Milles Isles
it was -11°C with about 1+ feet of snow on the ice
the small opening of water to the West was closing rapidly
and not much water to be seen under the bridge ...
there were about three(3) snowmobile tracks in the middle
had on my deep snow boots, worker gloves and a snow shovel
the dude with the Jaguar was there listening to music again !!
(no-one else and no animals)
there were some foot tracks from the parc and then a big puddle of
water where someone had moved the snow
about every 15 feet or so, I checked if there was still water under snow
closer to the middle, near the snowmobile tracks the ice was better
butt not good ! I was giving myself shit for leaving some stuff up north
now it is irrelevant - I CANNOT GO on local river = SHIT
2021\32 - am using Julian dates this year lol
yesterday went n got my stuff
was freakin out cuz the pic shows I forgot the "puck" for snow
luckily I have the single bolt base off the windskate !!
however, the snow model was not even tried today
was supposed to get 20-30 kph NE winds this afternoon
am lucky if I saw 15-22kph NE which is VERY light 4 snow
tried my ice model and stuck with it - Parc Charbonneau
many people asking questions, more snow than I thought
and there was slush in the middle of the river
could NOT give the session more than a 6 outta 10 !!
(obviously using my SW Retro 8-oh 4 lite winds)
btw there was a hole with open water in the middle to the West
as I know the river - i was not concerned
no pics or videos - nothing amazing lol
except - no helmet or protective gear
harness helped a LOT !!
2021\31 - went up north to get my winter stuff ...
too much snow for me on the lake and Vaudreuils snow with slush
basically too much snow everywhere, but ...
local river froze later and has ice with about 3-4 inches of now
2021\28 -Went to the local river to check the ice and snow levels
Ice is good with some open water in the regular places & about 4” snow
This is VERY doable for my windsurfing on ice/snow !!
A bunch of pigeons swarmed in
I watched them for a while and then made my way to the car
They swooshed away and I could hear it in the air - amazing
I then was looking to see if there was food where they were
And they all came back and I stood very still
There were 100+ pigeons all around me
They were eating little pieces of bread
When they moved on, I went to my car and they flocked off once again
Absofuckinglutely AMAZING !!
This afternoon me wife wanted ta drop somefin off @ her good friends' place in Vaudreuils. Perfect, I'll go check the ice n snow there too. Dude was bringing a paraski to go on the ice and the parking lot was 3/4 full. Asked fellow coming off how much snow? About a foot. Shit.
And then while they chatted, there is slush under the snow !! Double SHITE !! Seems last weekend water was freezing under their skis. Fick mich Mensch !!! Ain't comin here for a while esti/osti !!!
last entry s/b called "FUN with FONTS" #$%^&*()_$%^&*()
2021\24 - Went up north to do the 2nd test on the new deep snow concept with a little more wind
It was -14 degrees C with winds 25-40 kph NW
There was a lot of snow and still wet spots on the ice underneath :-(
Wind was gusty as usual, but we are here today to test. The setup did not break. The cross braces at an angle ensure less chance of punching a hole in the sail..
It felt like the momentum was off - force is not going in the right direction and once starting to move it feels like there is going to be spinout ... Charles Chepregi's snowfer and Langis Caron's design below have the skis angled at the back in order to avoid that ... I am not ready to angle the skis at the back - yet. What I will try first is moving the mast base back to change force points and angles ... It was a great workout and I got a sunburn - even with sunscreen !!
2021\22 - Hey, Benoit Falardeau is selling a windski from Langis Caron !!
The price is a bit high for me, but it looks amazing !!
2021\17 - went up north to see how it looked after the 12"/30 cm of snow from yesterday
Supposed to have some decent winds from the West and thought I'd test the
deep snow model
For me the snow was too wet and there was water on the ice - about 2" = shit
Then what the fuck is this dude doing going BAF/back n forth = WTF ??
Oh yeah, I checked the blue Mistral boom and it seems okay now ...
and decided to NOT add nuts n bolts to the wind-skate - for now ...
2021\15 - went to OKA to check the ice since I had read on quebecwind that the ice was THICK and I saw this parked there lol :-)
Wind from the East & light, but there were still 2 kiters trying to kitesurf out of OKA Park
Unfortunately tonight they are calling for one foot of snow
Oh Oh, the Pacific Wind Monster is getting angry - 111 kph winds !!
2021/14
2021/1/13 Brought the deep snow sled up to the country and prepared it for its virgin run
{I guess it is more "appropriate" to say maiden voyage ?? lol}
Wind was extremely light from the South - supposed to be 12-20 kph
The sled was run out to the centre of the lake and slid well
Hooked it up with the SW Retro 8-oh, butt wind was too light
The tried the wind-skate with the WindWing 4.6, but it was not enough
Like an idiot, I had put the Retro away
Hooked it all up again !!
It felt like it was going to work, but the front skates seemed to have an issue
At first I thought it was the loose string from the sail's downhaul
Then I realized the front skate was UPSIDE DOWN !! lol :-)
Once that was fixed, it skated across the lake just fine !!!
It was absolutely amazing !!
Why was I so afraid to try this sled??
I cannot wait to go again !!!!
BEST session EVER
Note to self: Need to check the Philips screw at the end of the blue Mistral boom
Also need to replace the screws on the windskate ...
Perhaps with nuts n bolts ??
2021/01/11 Went to the local river to check it out ... -----------------------------------------------
The ice under the bridge had not formed yet and that was anticipated
However, in the middle there still was quite a bit of water :-(
AND temps this week are going above freezing-so, forget that location for now
butt up north ...
Wednesday now calls for -1 degrees C and 14-21 kph SW with ~ 1 cm of snow
Looks like that will be my next trial run !!!
and maybe continue work on the deep snow model !! while there ...
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As I am getting older, I tend to look for some of my old buddies .. Still connect to my public school buddy Patrick, some University buddies - mostly room mates or dorm mates. Sometimes people are more difficult to find since their name is more common - like Patrick Corcoran from Etobicoke. I moved since our last contact about 30 years ago ...
If you know his whereabouts, please contact me here
When I search google with that 1985 image I get "teen" or "tree" lol
Ironically Pat/Poco was looking into working with trees !!
His father owned a farm in Orangeville, but no Corcorans there ...
His father, Dan Patrick "Donal" died in 2009 sadly
Last known address is still Lloyd Manor, Etobicoke
Poco: When is that pizza gonna get here?
Danno: About four bucks a piece.
LđL
Sadly Danny passed away at a young age with a massive heart attack - on the operating table.
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This is an image of the lake where I go windsurfing in the summer and ice/snow surfing in the winter ...
As there is more snow than I would like in January, I am trying to see how I could do the ice windskating on the track people are plowing on the lake.
So, to go on the West side of the lake I will need ENE winds which are more rare ..
To go the East side of the lake, I will need winds from the Westerly direction ... which is more common ..
To go on the North section, I guess I would need SSE - again more rare ..
Let's see what the next week looks like ...
So, I want E-NE, W or S-SE and I will not go to the chalet unless winds = 12+ kph ...
Nothing looks any good until seven(7) days from now and there will be some snow in-between :-(
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Jerome from Blainville is selling his Fanatic Falcon 152 with a Maui Sails Titan 8 m² sail.
He says the tail was fully redone with carbon for foil sailing ... wants $2300
I was curious and chatted a bit and looked up some details ...
This board is supposed to be more "performant" than my JP SLW92
HOWEVER, people do write about its length of only 230 cm - versus 250 on my JP
That is a MAJOR difference and would definitely affect sailing and tacking ...
Unfortunately that would be too dramatic a change with too much effort (selling mine, etc)