Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

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windrider99
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Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by windrider99 » Thu Aug 09, 2012 9:49 pm

How do you deal with the wind shadow while coming back to the lower launch at 3rd? Let's say your kite drops and the tide is too high to walk and the wind is cross shore, pulling you toward the rocks...

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Aloha
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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by Aloha » Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:00 pm

Fast self-rescue skills and jedi sidestroke SS$$

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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by Col.kiteman » Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:04 am

I cant speak for 3rd ave as ive yet to make it out there and dont know how big the shadow is but i deal with light winds and wind shadows quite often. General rules: keep flying the kite-dont park it. Keep it moving, Generating apparent wind,keeping it high. Also as a last resort as the kite falls out of the sky, trailing edge down (backstall) grab ahold of your center lines and give a good yank. Kite will super sheet out and hopefully catch a puff. May sound crazy but it buys a little time, lifts the kite and sometimes those few seconds you buy make all the difference in the world. But on the other hand if it goes from 20 to 0 and its dead for 50 yards then your best best is aquiring those super jedi self rescue skills. Im interested to learn about that shadow i hear about, as 3rd is a place ive been wanting to kite for some time. Ive scoped it out on a calm day when i was in the area but havent kited there.....yet. Hope this helps

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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by adamrod » Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:35 am

there are two ways.

1. Come in SUPER close to the rocks at the point, the wind will die and you will likely drop your kite, but the water is shallow right next to the rocks and you can wrap up your kite and walk in.

2. Come in really fast and ride toward the last few feet of beach on the downwind edge of the lower launch, the wind is strongest there, and you should be able to make it, and then either drop your kite on the beach, or run up the beach and land it.


the mistake most people make is to do something between 1 and 2, they aim for the middle of the beach, the wind is too weak so they drop their kite, but they're not close enough to the upwind rocks so they can't stand, and they get pulled downwind past the beach and end up on the rocks.

if that does happen, the minute your kite goes down, hit your release and swim like mad. most folks don't hit their release, and sit there with their kite pulling them ... I have no idea why.
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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by jowall » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:46 am

adamrod wrote:there are two ways.
most folks don't hit their release, and sit there with their kite pulling them ... I have no idea why.
Maybe they just want to provide quality entertainment for the peanut gallery?


Adam's advice is very helpful! I've always done a mix of 1&2 and just relied on board speed and kite flying to make it in. Also at 3rd lower launch, I try to never let my kite get below 10 o'clock until I hit the wind line.

Windrider99, one option I don't recommend is to come learn how to make it to shore at Crissy on a 'bubble' day. Once you've figured that out, 3rd looks easy. :)

Last advice: don't be the last guy in, that will often mean it's a hard slog back.

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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by adamrod » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:54 am

Maybe they just want to provide quality entertainment for the peanut gallery?

yes. that's awfully kind of them.
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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by behindThePeak » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:31 am

what's the community consensus on this?

if your kite does go down and you're halfway to the beach, which is better:

1 - do full sr immediately, wrapping up lines and swimming with the kite

or

2 - just swim to the beach with lines and kite dragging at full length full behind you so you can wrap up after someone has beached your kite for you

you're in everyone's way under both options; i'm guessing less so with option 1 though i see a lot of option 2 so not sure.... anyone care either way?

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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:52 am

If its in swimming distance I would just go for it, who cares if you piss off some local... going to happen regardless of what you do.

Basically you got to pay some dues, like coming in at low tide, dropping your kite in the mud, and doing the mud crawl w/ all your gear.... permanently staining your lines. OR a few SR's onto the rocks.

When i kite 3rd I wait till its clear and come in super hot... and just slam it on the beach. Once you lose your board speed and apparent wind you're pretty much done for.
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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by Thor29 » Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:14 pm

I have an even better answer - don't launch or land at the lower launch. Use the upper launch, there's more wind there. (That's why the majority of people walk up there when the lower launch is so much more convenient).

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Re: Dealing with the wind shadow at 3rd

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:16 pm

just stay at alameda
(couldn't help myself)
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