Oregon Wavesailing Trips 2011

[KUS]

•Enjoy the moment – it is all good (even the washes)!
• Try stuff beyond your comfort zone (on and off the water) • Peak wind seemed to happen about mid-afternoon each day, so rig accordingly.
• Speed is your friend (as suggested by Fish) so don’t slow down for whitewater, don’t slow down for steep vertical faces – only slow down/stall (or chicken gybe) to avoid having a wave dump right ON you.
• Plan ahead, at least two waves ahead (as suggested by Fish) – have a strategy for each likely scenario (as suggested by Fish): small white water = pre-jump (as suggested by Russian Dude), steep wave = jump with speed (as demonstrated by Wind Doctor several time), closing out section = head down wind (as learned at SBX and suggested by Nanmoo), etc.

some good points, tho not everyone gets mowed, it is how you apply your list appropriately, I strive to be like some of the locals....as for rigging and many things in your list, when in Rome....

A ton can be learned just watching closely And no, you won't learn this at the Nat by "tuning", sorry. Who gives a shit about gybes, I actually blew a few today, the important things are speed., controlled bearing off jumps, good judgment of the waves and sets....u don't get to learn this anywhere else. As for rigging, some places are very different and I note you added "Pistol" which tends to get flukey around 5-6, but Flo u usually get blown off the water as time goes on, Neptune for example is a 11-2 spot at low tide only, etc. so some places are very specific Good of you to list your insights tho, they mirrow a lot of mine, nice going C36 BTW I thought you sailed really well out there, if this was your first time I am impressed tho so far Pistol has been pretty easy this year gotta keep ya on yer toes

[C36]

...the important things are speed., controlled bearing off jumps, good judgment of the waves and sets...

...tho so far Pistol has been pretty easy this year gotta keep ya on yer toes

Thanks for the comments Kus - there is a lot of wisdom there. I came to a similar conclusion - that I need to work on all three of the things you mentioned.

Speed - I found myself winding down as I punched through and often found myself stopped rolling over wave after wave on the outside edge of the impact zone only to eventually get rolled by the one big breaking wave sooner or later (conclusion = I need to maintain more speed ).

Controlled bearing off jumps - I found I was doing the reverse in some of the larger sets as shown here , pinching up to make it over and then landing stalled with the same result as above. (conclusion = bear off and go for jumps as I was doing on the smaller sets in the larger sets )

Good judgment of the waves and sets - I would often set out thinking I had a plan only to watch myself getting suprised near the outside edge of the impact zone, again and again - part of the that had to do with the two items above. (conclusion = if I had moved quicker and/or off the wind a little more, I may have been clear prior to the next series of set swells arriving ).

I appreciate the positive comments and will keep trying, as it sure is fun trying!

As for keeping me on my toes - the hair on the back of my neck is still standing up.

[winddoctor]

Last year I watched Francisco Goya and Kevin Pritchard's technique flying out through the break. They'd keep the hammer down at slalom speed over the waves that had already broken; not really pre-jumping, but absorbing the impact (they're mostly foam and air after all) and staying low and level to avoid stalling for the line of unbroken ramps approaching. For the steeper, unbroken faces, they'd either bear away hard and speed down the shoulder, or briefly and aggressively carve hard up the face into the wind without getting air and then push the nose back down the back of the wave. This trick works super well. I've seen guys at Hookipa do this as well. Jumping is always an option, but you risk slowing down or crashing in front of the next wave. Sometimes there is no choice but to hammer straight through a breaking wave . It's amazing how big a wave can be that will allow this balls to the wall (literally ) approach. Sometimes you get rejected. Part of the game!

I love the game of picking a path through the waves on the way out at Pistol. Keeps things interesting and offers good laughs for those watching from the beach when the big red "DENIED" sign lights up over your head before getting douched.

[C36]

Winddoctor: I was looking at the results for the Wave Bash and was very impressed by your 6th place result in the ameteur (read semi-pro) category (I hope I got that right) - congratulations!!! Well done!

Thanks for sharing your insight - that is very helpful! I am still try to internalize what I experienced on the coast (and PR in particular). So much to learn and so little time.

[nanmoo]

One extremely useful thing that you learn at BWD wave sailing camp that is perhaps not well advertised, is how to never pay for camping. 5th day of this trip and we've spent $10, and Melodie is with me too boot!

[Randy]

How are you managing that Nan? Are you parking your rig in front of the No Parking Overnight signs ... like KUS I'm heading down for last 2 weeks of July and should know a few tricks.

[nanmoo]

It's less of a technique, and more of a acquired determination that refuses to pay for camping and thus figures out a way.

[KUS]

We actually all paid to stay at the fairgrounds for at least a few nights, cheap but the service was poorer this year still, we supported them and local business including of course restaurants. It's paying for a serviced RV site when it's not needed that we deke out on There are lots of places, it just takes a bit of determination and local knowledge. Slept in the back of the Safeway lot last night after I got booted from my usual spot in the harbourmasters personal parking space in front of the Old Town Coffee Co. What's with these people I am here six hours later and now apparently it is fine I use the internet again and he's parked a spot over

[nanmoo]

True, I guess since I paid for the competition and camping was included in that, in a roundabout way I did pay for the fairgrounds.

[Randy]

I'm bringing my generator so will only want a place to shower when I get a little too funky. Not sure if I can last 2 weeks. Just want a quiet place when BillyBob & bros won't notice me.

[nanmoo]

We took the long way home from Oregon yesterday this time around the Olympic Penisula to check out the sights.

Long Beach, WA is a pretty cool place, we drove on the beach for 20 mins before getting tired, that beach goes on for ever, pretty cool camping spot, and it was blowing 15-20 and was sailable, not much for waves this day though. Anyone sailed here?

Next we checked out La Push, I'd checked it out before on Sat imagery and wanted to see the place in real life, what a nice spot. The bay would deliver some amazingly clean surfing conditions, much like Renfrew could, except I have to think on a strong NW day, the wind would zip over the breakwater and down the beach and deliver some wicked side off sailing like South Chestermans. Anyone tried?

Lastly, we passed Crescent lake just west of Port Angeles around 7 and the lake was fully pumping with whitecaps, my bet is it would have made good 5.3 conditions. With time to spare before the ferry, it was pretty tempting just to say I did it. Anyone tried this spot when they had time to kill? Given the huge mountains on all sides it must set up some sort of nitinat thermal effect. On the strait it was blowing 20+ on the PA side, so I'm sure there must be a spot on the ocean there that is even better.

On another note, Forks is crazy, about half this shops in the town exist solely to service that Twilight garbage, you can go to Twilight cafes, gift shops, tour stops, fine dining and even take guided tours. Glad we passed right through this place, what happens when the fad is over and the majority of their industry is riding it?

[KUS]

passed Crescent lake just west of Port Angeles around 7 and the lake was fully pumping with whitecaps, my bet is it would have made good 5.3 conditions. Given the huge mountains on all sides it must set up some sort of nitinat thermal effect. On the strait it was blowing 20+ on the PA side, so I'm sure there must be a spot on the ocean there that is even better

yeah, always note the sheep on the lake but when you get to the ocean, sailing upwind of PAngeles is probably a better time. I have also seen that lake when it is windy in the strait and also hot and nothing on the lake, not sure it is reliable. Stopped to rig in a rain squall there one day to try and sail from the roadside as the best access is in a campground at the end of the lake. Thought better of it as huge holes developed Thermals I think would be in the 5.8 + range

[winddoctor]

...shops in the town exist solely to service that Twilight garbage, you can go to Twilight cafes, gift shops, tour stops, fine dining and even take guided tours. Glad we passed right through this place, what happens when the fad is over and the majority of their industry is riding it?

Dude, you're talking about "Twilight" here. There is no way it's a fad. It's literary gold; the epic masterpiece of a genius wordsmith. So layered, so poignant, so...F'ng retarded.

Yep, count me out as a "Twihard".

[~~~~~4j~~]

Sorry, I don't mean to drift this thread even further, but I just had to post this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c23dtrdQ_9A
"I'm so jacked I've got abs on my back". Dave also has other funny/whacky stuff, and is ridiculously talented.

Anyhoo, I may drive the Olympic peninsula sometime. Thanks for the tips!

So is anyone else still planning to be on the coast the first week of August? There, I got us back on topic.

[nanmoo]

Planning on sailing up to Desolation sound for the first week in August but if the weather isn't good this way, then I am heading back down to Gold Beach that week.