Great Coumbia Gorge Paddle Challenge

[cnski]

That was a way cool event to watch. PB, who has more boards than god, chose to drive his trusted jalopy instead of one of his plethora of unlimiteds. Jan Boersma's top 10 in the downwinder was very noteworthy. I guessed correctly that Greatdane was riding a new board that he never set foot on before. Nothing makes me feel more clumsy than paddling an M&M. You deserve a medal for that. The 16 year old young lady who smoked the field was awe-inspiring to say the least. Good show.

[greatdane]

That was a way cool event to watch. PB, who has more boards than god, chose to drive his trusted jalopy instead of one of his plethora of unlimiteds. Jan Boersma's top 10 in the downwinder was very noteworthy. I guessed correctly that Greatdane was riding a new board that he never set foot on before. Nothing makes me feel more clumsy than paddling an M&M. You deserve a medal for that. The 16 year old young lady who smoked the field was awe-inspiring to say the least. Good show.

I really wanted a cloak of invisibility that day... I was shocked and caught off-guard by how different the all-carbon M&M behaved vs. the older, 5 pound heavier version... Oh well, A better waterman would have been fine, but not me (-: I really wished I could have just watched that race... sounds like the action at the front was pretty cool to see.

[bing]

Hey Beau - it was a fun race to watch.  Racing a board you haven't paddled is pretty risky.  Especially at the level you and others are at.  Do you plan on using the carbon M&M board for RTR or are you going unlimited ?

[PonoBill]

I don't think I could have had any more fun on an unlimited, though it would have been nice to have more competition in the surfboard class. Next year it would be good if all the folks that said they were gonna do surfboard class actually did it.

My old Starby is just a blast, especially when it's really blowing hard. The regular hood river crew is getting used to me taking it--I'm probably 50/50 with my F16. but no one wants to wait for me to show up at the end. The thing is just nutty fun. A real challenge to get back up though if you fall off. the sweet spot is pretty narrow--you can't screw around getting back to your feet. For a creaky old fart like me that's a challenge.

[greatdane]

Hey Beau - it was a fun race to watch.  Racing a board you haven't paddled is pretty risky.  Especially at the level you and others are at.  Do you plan on using the carbon M&M board for RTR or are you going unlimited ?

Hey Bing, leaning toward the unlimited again... I was thinking 14' for awhile because T-Max wasn't coming, but now sounds like he is, so I don't want him to be lonely out there (-: 

I love doing that course on an unlimited, and its the only time all year I race one... unfortunately the unlimited class is very small up here.  I also like avoiding the 20 person draft train that forms in the 14' class... Thats a race I like to do all by myself.

[Slow Ride]

Does  anyone know if George and Andrea rode custom SIC boards in the GPC downwinder? Great times on those boards and most of the boards around those times were much narrower. Jeremy's board looked custom.  If they were custom anyone know the width's?

[gorgebob]

Brad said that Andrea's board was the stock carbon Bullet 12'6". I had  the same board out two days before and could not make it work like she did. It was fun but but I couldn't figure it out. I guess I was too far forward as it would pearl and stuff. I did however just order 1 and a couple 14s. More testing.

[gorgebob]

Bo. If someone needs another unlimited I have a used 19 Ohana .

[greatdane]

Bo. If someone needs another unlimited I have a used 19 Ohana .

Thanks Bob... I'll spread the word... it would be nice to have some others out there for sure... If T-Max doesn't come, I may be one of the few.

[covesurfer]

Brad said that Andrea's board was the stock carbon Bullet 12'6". I had  the same board out two days before and could not make it work like she did. It was fun but but I couldn't figure it out. I guess I was too far forward as it would pearl and stuff. I did however just order 1 and a couple 14s. More testing.

Bob, for what it's worth, I find myself needing to be further back on my Bullet than I would otherwise think I'd need to be to make the board trim. It's definitely a board that you can drive from the back seat if there's wind and waves behind you.