Session 16, 2012

Session Date: Saturday July 7th

Session Time: 9:30-11:30

Location: Sheboygan North Launch

2012 Season Days to Date: 16

2012 Season Hours to Date: 44

Wind Observations: The wind was a bit light but it was fairly steady which is typical for Sheboygan. I am a firm believer that the reading on the lighthouse is about 4mph above actual conditions. That would be about right as I would put the wind in the upper teens.

Session Notes: Waves were small maybe waist high and breaking only on the inside. I rode the twin to start and was able to stay upwind and boost of waves but really wanted to try strapless riding in Lake Michigan for the first time. The break on the inside was no to difficult to get through. So I grabbed my surfboard after about only 30 mins on the twin. Verdict is I still have a ton to learn to get to where I want to be strapless but I feel the practice will be worth it. I completed a few jibes both directions but for the most part I was dropping and spinning the board. Learned watching others as well, really excited to get back out there.

Sadly the wind forecast here is less the promising so back to this for me, you may not be hearing from me for a while. 🙂

Sessions 11-15

Thank you to the guy that commented on my blog that motivated me to finally post.

I am way behind on this and I am a bit fuzzy on the details here but I want to catch up. Four wind charts but I have had 5-7 sessions but a couple were sort of busts. The last two however were very very good, especially Thursday of this week. It is as good as it gets here. Just an amazing day.

Session Date: Various Catch up post

Session Time: 11am – 4pm one break to switch kite out

Location: Home Launch

2012 Season Days to Date: 15

2012 Season Hours to Date: 42

Wind Observations: Some really good sessions in Late May and early June a lot of South and Southwest winds. Have found an insane flat water spot that requires about a 20 min upwind jaunt but it is so so worth it. Working on backrolls in flat water is so much easier then through chop, has allowed me to progress so much faster.

Session Notes: My riding slowly gets better, I am really liking my new BroKite 136×43 Wake, it has become my board of choice. I am very very close to having the back roll mastered. I still once in a while over fly the kite but for the most part if I pop well I can do a nice controlled backroll and land it smoothly. Sadly my love for my TT and the new flatwater spot has not had me on my surfboard much lately….but kiting is about having fun and that is what I am doing. I am sure I will be back on the Surfboard more in due time. So what’s next….not sure I may start to try simple unhooked pop and Railey. I am considering what trick to try next, would like to learn to kiteloop but I am not sure I am ready for that at this point. Anyway there I am caught up. 🙂

Session #10, 2012

My oh My what a day

Session Date: May 20th, 2012

Session Time: 11am – 4pm one break to switch kite out

Location: Home Launch

2012 Season Days to Date: 10

2012 Season Hours to Date: 28.75

Wind Observations: Frontal wind which is common to our neck of the woods. Was really strong and just kept coming, it was well above forecast. Started out on my 12m Rally and was back in 45 minutes after wind just kept gusting up. Switched out to my 8m. I don’t always buy charts, I would have put the wind at mid 20’s gusting to mid 30’s constant with the rogue gust to 40 plus.

Session Notes: Worked upwind to the breakwall and rode flat water, first on my 12 but soon hand to go back and switch then on my 8m. The breakwall is an amazing place, takes 20 or 30 minutes to work upwind to it on a S but you get dead flat water. To picute it when you skirt the rock breakwall you could drop a pebble in and it would make ripples. There it goes to ripples then to large ripples then to some chop. But it is easy to stay in the “butter” zone. And I would put the length of it at about 200 yards, depth of water varies but rarely over your head.  Wind was gusty and strong, I had a ton of fun popping on my new Brokite Wake 136 but was a bit cautious due to the strength of the wind. It was not the best conditions for learning and crashing and burning hard. But I did anyway more then a few times. All in all an amazing day as the wind just cranked all day.  Tried a few backrolls and I continue to struggle with Kite position, once I get that I feel like I will get it dialed in pretty quickly. Dedicate, visualize and practice. I will get it…..soon!!

Session #9, 2012

Session Date: May 19th, 2012

Session Time: 1:00 – 6:00 with breaks

Location: Sheboygan, WI the North Launch near the pier

2012 Season Days to Date: 9

2012 Season Hours to Date: 24.25

Wind Observations: One of those days that can be very frustrating here. Had to break out my 13m Cab Crossbow to get any sort of power going. The wind was full of holes and just not consistent, but I stuck with it. At 4pm even though the chart does not really indicate it it was like someone flipped a switch and the wind became steady and solid. The last two hours were like a birthday present from Mother Nature. And it was my 42nd so I was not complaining.

Session Notes: Continue to work on jibes, has a few that feel smooth. I feel like I am making progress but I still have a long way to go. When the wind came up after being frustrated for a couple of hours I just rode and boosted and carved turns and had fun. I did not try anything new I just wanted to have fun. And I did.

Session #8, 2012

Man am I behind, time to catch up as I am committed to keeping track of my kiting this season!!

Session Date: May 11th, 2012

Session Time: 12:00 – 4:00

Location: Home Launch

2012 Season Days to Date: 8

2012 Season Hours to Date: 20.25

Wind Observations: Nice solid S/SW wind

Session Notes: I remember it being an enjoyable session. But I am trying to progress in areas lately. So I get on my surfboard and attempt lots of jibes and fall a lot. I get on my TT and I try backrolls and fall a lot. This can become annoying but I hope it pays dividends.

Session #7, 2012

As Tom Petty once sang – The waiting is the Hardest Part

The darn wind here has SUCKED!! But I remain hopeful for better things to come.

Session Date: May 4th, 2012

Session Time: 1:30 – 3:30

Location: Sheboygan, WI the North Launch near the pier

2012 Season Days to Date: 7

2012 Season Hours to Date: 16.25

Wind Observations: What can I say it was Sheboygan, always so solid here. This place is an hour drive for me but from NE – S the drive is so so worth it. I need the free time but when I do I go. As you can see from the chart the gust range is low and the wind is constant and solid. I have not kited a ton of spots on Lake Michigan but I really love this spot. It is worth noting however that the meter on the lighthouse is a tad bit deceiving. From my experience it is about 3-4 miles above what you experience riding. I have no idea why other then it’s height and exposure, but I firmly believe it to be the case.

Session Notes: NE is easily my favorite direction in Sheboygan. The breakwall/pier you see pictured really cleans up the waves. NE would side on blowing left to right across the picture. If the swells get a chance to build it can be amazing. This day however was short lived and not a multiple day blow, so the waves were about chest high. Many were on surfboards but I strictly rode my twin tip on this day. The wind was a pinch to much North which creates a wind shadow from the resort that is not pictured but just to the left. The shadow is in close but it covers some of the area the waves break the best when they are not real big. All in all not much of a leaning day for me. Was more just ride my twin tip and have fun boosting off wave ramps. I had my surfboard with me but my time was limited so I just wanted to ride and enjoy my first session of 2012 on Mother Michigan. Great day and left with a big smile on my face. I have so much left to learn and I can’t wait! Now give me some more wind Mother Nature!!

BroKite Freeride 134 Review

I thought it was about time I shared some information about some of the kiteboarding gear I have had the opportunity to ride and become familiar with. Truth be told I am not one to bash any gear, kiteboarding equipment is as I have come to learn very specialized and what works for one person may not work for another. This can be based on style, where the person rides, weight, sex, age the list is long.

There is one piece of equipment I feel compelled to share a review on and it is my BroKite Freeride 134×40 Kiteboard.

History – I am a bit cautious when it comes to making purchases. When I began looking for a second kiteboard I was getting interested in getting on Lake Michigan and I wanted a twin tip that would work well in the waves. Many ride surfboards and I am learning to ride one myself but the keyword there is learning. I wanted a twin tip that I could ride and enjoy in varied conditions and have fun in the waves with, and I looked high and low and kept coming back to the BroKite Freeride. So I e-mailed Jerry and the next day got a call from West and soon had all the information I needed to feel like I was making the right choice. And more importantly I had met people willing to share the stoke of kiteboarding, West has introduced me to Lake Michigan Kiters and spots to ride, Jerry has let me launch from his house in Texas. But in the end those things are just the icing on the cake, lets talk about the board a bit.

Construction – I suggest you go to BroKite’s website and check out their construction videos. They explain exactly how they build the boards and why. There will be a brand new video out in a couple of weeks from the posting of this review to explain some new ways they are using the carbon in the boards to make the boards even a bit lighter and stronger. The boards also have a new skin for 2012 that I am sure will be on the website soon but can be previewed here.  In the end the board is a single concave board with a nice amount of rocker in it. The board is firm yet flexible, I describe it as lively or snappy. The board is light under foot and the pads and straps are first-rate and comfy. The colors are bright and easily seen in the waves or chop if you ever (when) become separated from the board in the waves. This fact alone tells you one of the main things you need to know about these boards and the guys building them. They are built by kiters for kiters, it is all about how the board works when you drag it out in the water.

Positives – This board likes to get out and go and can hold down overpowered conditions and gusts with ease. To me what stands out about the Freeride is the way that it eats chop and holds such a sweet edge. To be perfectly honest it took me a bit to really appreciate this fact. But when ridden back to back with other boards I have tried it is like going from a ride in a Chevy Nova to a ride in a Cadillac. The concave and the rocker of the board seem to work together beautifully to smooth the ride and keep the board very solidly under foot allowing you to set a very solid edge. The rounded nose and rail were made to carve turns, toeside, heelside it doesn’t matter the board is always there, rail locked. The solid feel and locked in edge make boosting with this board fun as you can really leverage the kite and are never pulled off your edge downwind as you send the kite. Pop while not really what this board was built for (Jerry and West build other shapes for that) is still excellent. A board that turns this well and holds an edge like this is logically easy to pop, this is exactly what the freeride delivers. And last but for sure not least the board shines in the waves, it carves smoothly, and is turns just flow from it once you get on a wave.

Negatives – I am not really sure this is a negative as based on the set up of the board it should be expected. But you need to be powered to ride this board. This is not a board that will get you through lulls or light wind situations. It is made for when the wind is strong and steady and you know the power will be there.

Conclusion – I ride a ton of inland lakes and Lake Michigan and this board is perfect for what I do. I spend a ton of time in choppy messy conditions and this board eats that stuff for breakfast and allows me to stay on task. never having to worry about being thrown off kilter by a white cap, shore bounce or a breaker. This board is a great board for when the wind is solid to strong and you are nice and lit up. It also carves sweetly in waves and swells when they are big enough to catch a ride on.

If this sounds like something that would work for you, I recommend you give Jerry a call down at BroKite headquarters he will be glad to talk shop with you. It was a great decision for me, and one I am very happy with. Excellent Boards and Excellent People.

This year I will be adding a BroKite 136×43 Wake to my quiver, this should cover all my bases going forward. After I get a season on the Wake I will share my thoughts on it.

Session #6, 2012

Session Date: April 15th, 2012

Session Time: 3:30 -6:30 3 hours

Location: Home Launch Lake Butte des Morts

2012 Season Days to Date: 6

2012 Season Hours to Date: 14.25

Wind Observations: Well if you read my last post about the SE wind, the S/SW is just the opposite sort of wind here. Lake Butte Des Morts is basically a glorified river. And it just happends to run in a direction that SE will blow directly up it and NW will blow directly down it. S and SW blow across it on shore to where we launch. But I believe the distance across the water just does not allow the wind to fill in fully so you deal with gusts and holes. This is all part of kiting where I kite and why I tend to always err on the side of the larger kite when I rig here. I need a kite to get me through the holes,  I can generally hang on through the gusts.

Session Notes: Was a really enjoyable session. It started with some frustration as I rigged my 10 and was just not powered enough. I hiet that little dip in the chart between 3 and 5. I was watching the day unfold from my daughters Birthday party and the wind was fine for my 10. But when I got out I just did not have the power. So I rigged my 12 and was lit once the wind came back up but I was having fun and did not want to re-rig again. I started out on my FLX and was having a fine time just riding and boosting and trying some hooked in Railies. There was a small lull and I switched to my surfboard strapless and fell on every attempted jibe. When the wind picked up again I went to my Brokite Freeride and the session got even better. I just love this board, no other way to say it. I was just holding a better edge, which allowed me to boost bigger. I was much more comfortable through the chop and carving run transitions. This cemented my idea to sell my FLX and purchase another BRO I am between the Wake and the Pop right now but leaning towards the Wake as it will give me some versatility. Wake for trying tricks, Freeride for just that when the wind is up, and my surfboard.

Anyway the session was as I said really enjoyable. Mostly just a ride, carve and boost session. But another season goal I have is adding a few tricks to my riding. A backroll is first on the list. And towards the end of the session I worked on them. The first couple were not pretty as I was losing the kite back up and through the window. But after a few crash and burns I landed one on my ass and rode out of it and then hit one just perfect, or at least it felt that way. How pretty did it look? No idea but it felt really good and I landed really clean. I decided to just end on a high note as I was pretty worn out. I will pick a session here shortly that I will dedicate to the backroll and hopefully get it cemented into my brain. What is after that I do not know but I will come up with something.

Session #5 2012

Was  long break between sessions but finally wind and my schedule matched up!

Session Date: April 13th, 2012

Session Time: 3:30 -6:30 3 hours

Location: Home Launch Lake Butte des Morts

2012 Season Days to Date: 5

2012 Season Hours to Date: 11.25

Wind Observations: SE is the wind here. I don’t claim to full understand it but it is stronger then the wind chart shows. The charts I post are taken at the local Airport. I find that anything North is a terrible reading but the SE here is just more Full. I would compare it more to an Ocean Breeze then the typical lake wind we get here. There was more wind then the chart indicates, mid to upper teens no question.

Session Notes: As I said the wind may not look like much but I was very nicely powered on my 12m Rally. This is not to say I was lit up, but there was enough wind to do plenty of fun stuff. Actually this was good because I wanted to ride my surfboard strapless.

Strapless Riding!! One of my season goals is to ride locally here strapless as much as I can so that I can hopefully take it to Lake Michigan and on a trip to the ocean some day. I can tell you it is going to take some work for me, I am far from a natural but the getting up and riding is not an issue. The Jibes however are going to take some time. I completed quite a few but they are heavy footed and slow. Others are outright awkward looking falls, which I can live with. Half the session was on my 5’8″ Celeritis. The other half was on my Underground FLX, just working on pops and having fun freeriding.

Session #4, 2012

We took our Spring break in Texas this year, we were staying in Austin. About a year and a half ago I was looking for a twin tip to ride in the waves of Lake Michigan. I searched around and ended up talking to a fellow from Chicago named West Hansen. West kites as many waves in Lake Michigan as just about anyone on the planet. West is partners in a board making business called BroKite. Awesome twin tip and one of the best kiteboarding purchases I have ever made. I will post about this board in the future as I plan on posting about all equipment I know and enjoy and have personal experience with. Strongly considering buying a Pop model from them to replace my Underground FLX.

Long story short West’s partner Jerry lives in Corpus Christi Texas on the Laguna Madre. I contacted them and was invited to come and kite. These guys are just salt of the earth great guys, opening up their launch and home and a beer or two. Jerry showed me the Laguna and it is a little slice of flat water heaven. Just amazing.

Laguna Riding

Session Date: April 2nd, 2012

Session Time: 1:30 -4:30 3 hours

2012 Season Days to Date: 4

2012 Season Hours to Date: 8.25

Wind Observations: Corpus Christi has amazing winds and really varied riding areas. Amazing spot with very consistent winds.

Session Notes: An amazing session as I toured the Laguna with Jerry, We worked up wind for about an hour to an area called Little Brazil which was dead flat water. It was both beautiful and amazing conditions at the same time. Was on my freeride and carved around and just enjoyed. I was on my 10m RPM which towards the end of the session left me a bit over powered but the downwind ride home was great fun and watching some of the local riders over a Dos Equis after the session was great. I only wish I could have stayed more days but our spring break schedule did not allow it.