Author Topic: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report  (Read 403296 times)

Seattle-Wind

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2011, 11:17:30 PM »
Going to be doing the Maliko race this Saturday, fortunately got a hold of a 15' downwind board for race day  8)

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2011, 09:43:24 PM »
Had a wonderful look at 3 whales basking just outside maliko.  They held their ground as we passed around them.  Looked like 2 big adults and a young one.  It was sorta windy - the only pic is of the baby.



Last year was an all time whale-o-rama.  This year has been slim pickings so far.

Today's conditions were excellent.  Fetch was very long, perfect east rollers.  It's been a great week. 



Wind may drop a bit for Saturday's maliko race.  The turnout may be big.  Slater and Dave are out of town (I think) so it's probably Livio vs. Connor and Jeremy.  Scott Trudon has been around, hope he races.  Andrea and Devon have been practicing too.  I'm hoping some of the elite oc-1's do maliko.  They do amazing runs when the wind is up. 
     
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headmount

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #17 on: March 24, 2011, 11:47:34 PM »
Great pics of the whale Larry.  Seems to me like there has been quite a few this year.  Another smoker today, a few crossed up sections but only a mile at most.  The end section was hall of fame and I caught a wave inside the harbor with Biggie on his OC1 and it took us all the way to the beach.  I got pulled the whole way by some heavy hitters and had one of my fastest runs.  PB, got to work all day tomorrow so I'm out of the mix.  A day like today where I put the hammer down the whole way ... I need a rest anyway even if I didn't have to work.  Want to rest up to see if my day opens for the race on saturday.  You racing?

PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2011, 12:02:06 AM »
That "baby" almost got me. Did a breach with a twist onto it's back coming straight at me, missed me by a few feet. scared the crap out of me. He came so close I could smell him when he hit. Not a good scent (no, it wasn't me). Then Momma rolled right next to me and gave me an eye. Sort of seemed like she was apologizing "sorry about junior, he's a little exuberant".

the outer outer upper Kanaha wave DID get me. I thought I was well past it but I heard a rumble behind me, looked over my shoulder and there was a wall of whitewater. Spun my board 180 and tossed me in the air. When I landed my leash pulled hard once and then went slack. Thought I was in for a swim, but I was still hooked up.

THEN a lady in an OC-1 almost got me 100 yards from the harbor. I looked down at my knee and saw "Scorpius". Startling. Seems to be a thing. First Suzie Cooney nearly runs me down a couple of days ago, now this. Obviously target fixation. In racing they say if you fix on the biggest, scariest thing you'll hit it. I guess my ass works for big and scary.

Good day though, pretty fast. I didn't have any superfast sections like yesterday (15.8 mph max) but I did get one 13.4 peak. 1:31 to the beach. Not so bad for a geezer. Of course that showoff Boyum did a 1:07 or something. He was showered, in dry clothes and had his board loaded by the time I hit the parking lot. Sheesh.

And yes, I plan to race Saturday. Picking up my Bullet tomorrow. We'll see if I can learn to handle it well enough in one run to race a day later. I might be on ol' reliable. It may be heavy, but it's stable. And yes, Slater, Dave and Conner are in Indo on a surf trip.





« Last Edit: March 25, 2011, 12:19:26 AM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

headmount

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2011, 09:49:59 PM »
Well today Friday was supposed to be a break for me.  Work, tired... all the excuses.  Work disappeared for the afternoon, the wind cranked and I caved in to my unsatisfiable addiction to high wind downwind paddleboarding.  Called PB no answer but when I dropped my truck off at the harbor, his was already there.  Got a 1:15 launch and the top end was all glides.  A little mixed up at the usual spot at the peak of uppers but then it suddenly got good again to harbor.  Thought I was getting tired and losing focus for a stretch but then a second wind kicked in for a great finish.  So jacked that by the time I got back up the coast, I convinced my pal Robert to drop me for a second run with a 4PM launch ... only to Kanaha.  Wind was a notch stronger the second run (the highest reading was at 5PM!)... just blistering out there.  It seemed like steering strokes was all that was needed with the blade  often in the water like an ama.    Had one moment the board was all the way over on the edge dropping in and managed to stay on it.  So whipped at the end.  17 miles of high velocity smoke.  Just couldn't let a day like this go by.  Went to Mana Foods and broke down.  Bought a loaf of sour dough and had three thick slices and it was good.  Might be crippled tomorrow.   Race tomorrow?  I don't know about an 11 am start. 

headmount

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2011, 09:56:46 PM »
Alright PB! You got the Bullet it's initiation today?  Or rather you were initiated?  Musta been a thrill.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #21 on: March 25, 2011, 10:20:57 PM »
Sounds like a great day HM, good on ya for grabbing it. 

Race tomorrow?  I don't know about an 11 am start. 

From the MCKC website:

Meeting Time: 9:30 - 9:40 AM: Long course
                    11:15 - 11:30 AM: Short course
 
Race Start Time: 10:00 AM: Long course
                        12:00 PM (or once long course guys start coming through)
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #22 on: March 26, 2011, 07:14:10 AM »
I fell a lot. Probably ten times or more. the board is light and fast though it's hard to be really fast when you're underwater. Went with Justin Gordon. Nice guy. Didn't call you because you said you were NOT going. Junkie. Me too.

Great conditions. I realize how much I've been relying on the extreme stability of my F18. I sold it to BeagleBuddy on Kuai, which is a good thing, otherwise I'd never stop using it on rough days. Time to take off the training wheels and get used to a trickier ride. The bullet sure is nice and light.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #23 on: March 26, 2011, 08:08:45 PM »
Ouch, ouch, ow. Crazy conditions today. Would have been great fun on ol' reliable, but I beat the crap out of myself on the Bullet. I need a normal day or two to learn the board before I step into the Maelstrom. I suspect the wind was hitting 45 and the swells around camp one were huge and confused. I can live with huge, I can live with confused. But huge AND confused was a bit much. At one point I was flying down a  monster face and saw swells going in three directions across it. I deliberately left the F18 home so I wouldn't chicken out.

About 30 minutes in I stepped back awkwardly to list the nose over a blocking swell and twisted my knee. My left knee has been giving me fits to begin with, so this didn't help. Then I started falling more because I was favoring my left leg. I came in bloody from board scrapes and limping.

A well, bugger sure is fast. I just need to learn to hang on.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

DavidJohn

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #24 on: March 26, 2011, 08:41:25 PM »
Pics of your new board please Bill.

DJ

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #25 on: March 26, 2011, 09:15:20 PM »
Sorry to hear your run was less than ideal PB, hope your knee mends quickly.  Good on ya for going out today. 

The wind was truly exceptional for today's race.  ENE with a fetch of 2000 miles.  Probably the strongest, steadiest wind we've had in weeks. 



This was my first run on the long course.  My plan was to go easy the first hour, stay out, and be safe.  We started at 10:30.  I did my best to run the ridge of the big ones coming from the right.  The foam got me a few times and blasted me right out of my seat.  Nothing spectacular - just a quick out and in.  After an hour or so it was time to eye the big point, swing left and start the run to Kahului. 

With another 18 miles to go, I decided to go easy until maliko.  It was thrilling to be in unknown water, catching big glides.  It seemed bigger than anything I've yet experienced.  Some of them seemed dangerous - probably because I was unfamiliar with them.  So I played it safe, ate, drank a lot. 

My confidence was up as I hit familiar water.  The wind was going ape.  At ENE it's important to stay on course - hit the big lefts  -or get blown out to sea.  I began to overtake the slower SUP's at about the airport.  The safety guy (on a ski) was doing a great job zipping around and eyeing us as we dealt with very large swells.  As my line shows, I was way out there. 

At the white dot I heard screaming off to my right.  It was an SUP'er that had lost his board.  He was at least a hundred yards out from me, it's a miracle I heard him.  Thank God the safety guy was within sight of me.  It took a few minutes of paddle waving - and yelling -  but he saw me and dashed over.  When I mentioned it to Jeremy after the race he told me he saw a 15 footer about 3 miles out... 

 
 

 
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Seattle-Wind

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #26 on: March 26, 2011, 10:22:07 PM »
Great event put on today by the Maui Canoe Kayak Club - it was my first Maliko Run and I had an absolute blast...and a few wipeouts  ;D I imagined the run having big windswell, but it was HUGE out there. Got the glides of a lifetime and finished in 1-hour 32







Thanks to MCKC, the event was first class all the way!

PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #27 on: March 27, 2011, 11:24:58 AM »
You crazy buggah Rastaman, you're supposed to have experience in Maliko before MCKC lets you run! They must have forgotten to ask, or just figured you'd be crazy to go out in those conditions without experience.

Good meeting you, glad you had fun. You might want to go again today, looks like it will be good. See you back in the NW

I stopped on course to capture a runaway boat. When I paddled over to grab it I didn't know whether it might have a body under it--it was barely moving. I waved my paddle to get the attention of the ski guy--he already had the lady on his sled.

Here's an article about my new Bullet: http://www.kenalu.com/2011/03/new-kevlar-bullet/
« Last Edit: March 27, 2011, 11:27:40 AM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #28 on: March 27, 2011, 12:40:14 PM »
Here is a shot up the coast from the Keanae boat ramp.   



My little waterproof camera is barely up to the task of capturing such beauty and it was a little overcast.  Here's a better pic of the hana coast on another day.   



What an amazing experience that was.  We all registered at Honomanu, then some of us went to Keanae to launch.  The ramp is busted and has a sheer dropoff near the waters edge.  Two of us teamed up and carefully carried each boat out and tossed it in the water as the paddler jumped in and swam to the boat.  I had my felt reef shoes on, so I went last.  In she went and it was off to the start line.  It's probably best I didn't get there in time.  This course is twice as long as any I've raced yet, so chasing stonger paddlers was not a good idea.  I settled in for the scenic route and marveled at the coastline.  Absolutely surreal out there by yourself.  Massive waves.  Great experience.     
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #29 on: March 27, 2011, 04:52:33 PM »
Yeah, the only bad part is NO PLACE TO COME IN!  Yeah, I know, safe places to exit a regular Maliko are pretty thin when there's a north swell, but there's a lot of sheer cliffs. My neighbors kid lost his board on a Honomanu run and had to swim in, then crawl up the base rubble, then climb a cliff, then bushwack a mile or so to get to a road. It's a lonesome place. Good to go with support boats.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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