Sherman light wind zone - question

eli · Post by **eli** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:34 pm

Hi,
I ride a 2011 12M Ocean Rodeo Rise and I go to Sherman frequently.
Recently I've been losing power and momentum every time I pass next to the downed sailboat on my way back to the launch area, I noticed that others pass this area smoothly, some less as smooth, but I constantly lose power there, going downwind a lot.
I have good control over the kite, I get upwind really fast and this area kills me...

Can someone please explain what is the issue with this area and how to overcome it?
Can it be an OR issue? My friend is a great kiter and tried my kite, he said that its pull is a bit light.. ideas?

Thanks in advance,
E

le noun · Post by **le noun** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:52 pm

Well, I think it's just because that it's around that point that the wind shifts between what's blowing in the channel and what's blowing at the beach.
sometimes, the wind direction is slightly different in those 2 areas for what I've found. (You can even see it on the Marker10 and Marker14 on ikitesurf wind observation map)
So you might be losing power just because you are edging too hard upwind when switching from the channel to the beach?
just my 2 cents. I'm a beginner.

cliftoncutshall · Post by **cliftoncutshall** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:47 am

le noun is probably correct on both points. Wind shifts a little there plus you're probably edging too hard and pointing kite too high upwind. Make another long tack and approach the beach from a higher position.

consumer · Post by **consumer** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:15 am

The current begins right about there

le noun · Post by **le noun** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:23 am

oh yeah, didn't think about the current. That must be a big factor too.

eli · Post by **eli** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:51 am

Thanks guys.
I tend to agree with the current more than the wind changes direction..
I pretty much take off at the same angle as I approach back.
However if the current starts there towards the channel I should be gaining speed when I return from the channel, shouldn't I?
It's a bit confusing..

I'm assuming that when I'm coming from a strong current area to a lower one it'll be easier to edge..
Anyway, how do you guys overcome this? Besides doing a longer tack which will bring you in further up..

Any suggestion will be most appreciated :)

friggin old guy · Post by **friggin old guy** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:13 pm

Generally if you fall much below the boat on a flood tide, you're screwed unless you're really powered. Trip to little Baja.......

When it's slack or ebbing, a longer tack is a good way to go. When it's flooding, a lot of times the current's stronger out in the channel, so best not to go very far out, try to keep between first island and the launch.......flood's not so strong in there.

A lot of folks fail to appreciate how big an impact flood vs ebb has on apparent wind at Sherman.

Also......if you read the water and can anticipate a hole up ahead, doing a power stroke hard to get some extra velocity into the kite can sometimes pull you through into more consistent wind.

eli · Post by **eli** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:48 pm

Thanks man! that helps a lot

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:14 pm

friggin old guy wrote:Generally if you fall much below the boat on a flood tide, you're screwed unless you're really powered. Trip to little Baja.......

When it's slack or ebbing, a longer tack is a good way to go. When it's flooding, a lot of times the current's stronger out in the channel, so best not to go very far out, try to keep between first island and the launch.......flood's not so strong in there.

This has happened to me a couple of times. Flood tide launched form beach decided to make a long tack and got drawn right down. Couldn't get above playpen. Now I take a shorter first tack and try to get to first island and above quickly.

Good advice above.

Aloha · Post by **Aloha** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:40 pm

Bump on current -- I never realized that was why, but have definitely consistently felt the same thing.

I say just go with it and keep your planing speed up by footing off a little bit so that you maintain speed/apparent wind/lift in the kite and can still keep the kite parked

In a current that is probably a better ground maintaining strategy than coming to a significant slow/stop/slog and trying to pump the kite to maintain the tack line.

B/c on a flood the more time (moving slowly) you spend in that section the more time the conveyor belt is taking you downwind. The people who keep their speed up to maintain apparent wind are probably doing better in that section than people trying to fight to keep their upwind tackline by slogging and/or slow stop and go while working the kite hard

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Sherman light wind zone - question

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