Author Topic: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?  (Read 14038 times)

yugi

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Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« on: August 21, 2014, 05:55:23 AM »
Less than ideal, you would think. Yet on our little lake (well, one of the largest in western Europe  Lac Leman  http://cdn.worldheritage.org/articles/Lake_Leman ) we have a little crew of friends on serious 14' downwind boards growing quickly. 3 friends and I got a SIC Bullet and 3 Jimmy Lewis M14's in the middle of this last winter and ski season (also the windy season). Half a year later and our crew has already grown to 12. Another M14, a Rogue Rage and the rest Bullet 14's. A few more are already on order.

We get some decent downwind conditions sometimes, sadly more regular in winter. Very easy carpool connection points and even one great landing spot where one can leave boards at a friendly windsurf club/bar while we take a bus back to get cars. Bus runs every 10 mins. Great for solo trips. Our usual runs are 20 or 30 Km and work either way in the two dominant winds (12.5 or 19 miles).

Obviously the DW boards are ideal for downwinding. We like planing and riding the waves. We wish we had more great days of course but we get out on it often enough. Turns out one can have fun on boat waves too. We have plenty of those. Summer afternoons the lake can get very choppy which DW boards handle gracefully. They aren't half bad on glass ,even when paddling with others on race boards so we all have them as quiver-of-one boards. OK, we aren't racing.

Turns out to be the ideal do-all board, even on a lake.




« Last Edit: August 21, 2014, 05:59:51 AM by yugi »

Area 10

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2014, 04:55:01 PM »
DW boards on a lake doesn't sound absurd to me at all. As long as you have the fetch and the wind, you can downwind on anything, and if you want to plane, DW boards are the ones to have.

Do you use the V1 or V2 Bullets? If both, then how do they compare in your conditions?

Fog City Rider

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2014, 05:01:45 PM »
Not absurd at all.  I'm starting to realize DW boards are the best, most versatile, fun boards around... if flatwater speed isn't your main concern. 

I mean, if I could only have one board... a 12'6 SIC Bullet would be a top contender.  Great in all conditions, surf, DW, touring, and small enough to fit in my apt. 
San Diego, CA
10'0 Naish Nalu Pro (2017 version)
9'0 Pearson Arrow Laird custom
9'3 Pearson Arrow custom (prone)
9'8 Takayama In the Pink (prone)

Board Stiff

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2014, 07:23:17 PM »
I've done downwind runs on a lake here in New Hampshire the past few summers, but only on my cruiser. If conditions are good in a couple weeks, I'll hopefully get to try it on my more downwindy 14' board.

peterp

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2014, 09:52:16 PM »
Lakes are basically no-fetch downwinders. Provided it's deep enough and you have 1-2km fetch then you will have really fun runners. More wind = bigger runners and super safe.

We take first timers that are weary about the sea to a big lagoon and often the runs are so lined up it feels like you are on a standing wave - heaps of fun!

Glad to hear you guys getting amongst it in Europe - there are tons of options. Surprised none of you are on the Naish Glides or LE's, they'd be mighty suited for those conditions.

When it gets too cold you are welcome to join us in Cape Town!

yugi

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2014, 12:09:40 AM »
There is a Bullet V2 soon to arrive in the gang quiver. Look forward to try it. Did you manage to get one, A10? One was delivered in our area a month ago, but the owner isn't in our gang so haven't tried it.

The waves can get big but tend to stay pretty short frequency. It's been relatively calm this summer but i look forward to seeing how the Bullet V2 and Rogue Rage handle the festive stuff. Or rather how quick I can turn down the line. It just might be that a Bullet V1 nose rocker is actually very well suited to the waves here. We'll see.

The new Javelins with hard rails look very interesting. Total fan of a planing hull. If a more drawn out board works here a javelin is on my wish list. I might be ready for 26" wide next year. Though I still wonder if 28" wide won't plane earlier. I still think like a windsurfer (that i am).

supuk

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2014, 01:43:07 AM »
would make a fun trip to do from the uk to paddle the lake, drove past last year thinking about it in the winter. Are there any good hire boards around or would it be bring your own? will have to see if i can get our crew together for a road trip!

Muskoka SUP

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2014, 04:11:12 AM »
Lakes are basically no-fetch downwinders. Provided it's deep enough and you have 1-2km fetch then you will have really fun runners. More wind = bigger runners and super safe.

We take first timers that are weary about the sea to a big lagoon and often the runs are so lined up it feels like you are on a standing wave - heaps of fun!

Glad to hear you guys getting amongst it in Europe - there are tons of options. Surprised none of you are on the Naish Glides or LE's, they'd be mighty suited for those conditions.

When it gets too cold you are welcome to join us in Cape Town!

+1 ^^^^^

Peter is 100% on.  The zero fetch start (and the safety factor) makes lake downwinding a no brainer.  Here in my neck of the woods, the lakes are deep and carved out of rock by glaciation, so often they're also "fjord" like with steep hills or shear rock cliffs ringing the shores - perfect to funnel localized winds to make for perfect magic carpet downwind conditions.  Best of all, they're oriented in various directions, so different wind direction means a different lake.  Typically they're 5-20k fetch, so as long as there's a easy put-in and take-out, it's pretty easy to get in a couple runs if you've got the time.

And yes, my 2012 Glide 14 is a perfect lake downwind board. Though I'm pretty excited about trying a 2015 Jav... Or a Bullet V1 or V2.

« Last Edit: August 22, 2014, 04:19:25 AM by Muskoka SUP »
It ain't over until the fat board sinks....

Area 10

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2014, 07:36:35 AM »
Well, if you think of a harbour as basically a lake with an opening (in this case a very narrow one) to the sea, then here's a video of a "zero-fetch" DWer by SUPuk. There are virtually no bumps at all at the beginning of this course, and they increase with the fetch. Shame the run isn't longer, but it is safe when everywhere else is totally maxed out (we can get some crazy winds here in winter), and we can do a couple of them back-to-back. It is incredibly shallow (except for very narrow shipping lanes) - even a mile from shore where you are DWing the water can be only 5-6ft deep, or even less. It's kinda funny when the Hawaiians refer to water that is 100-120ft deep as shallow... we can have whole 10-mile coastal runs where the water is never deeper than 20 ft.

http://youtu.be/BvgufjvTk0I

yugi - I haven't managed to get hold of a Bullet V2 yet. There aren't any in Europe at the moment with the fixed fin. I'm going to have to wait quite a while by the sounds of it... anyways...our DW conditions in the sea are so short-period, confused and rippy (and weed-laden) that rudders really are pretty ineffective - and you are going to be spending a lot of your time on the tail anyway. We did a 8 mile DWer last weekend, and I spent 75% of the distance on my Bullet V2 with my back foot pretty much over the fin. I was wondering then how the Bullet V2's reduced rocker would cope. Maybe in time I will get a chance to find out.

DavidJohn

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2014, 04:21:24 PM »
Lake DWing is awesome.

Here's an oldie but a goodie.... and pretty sure this is a lake.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PAttqzlvma4

XLR8

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2014, 05:03:30 PM »
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=BfNsVoB_Ilk

I love the downwind runs I am able to do here at home on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.  Either a north wind or south wind gives me a great downwind run.  A west wind will make me work for it with and upwind/downwind effort and a big east will get the tributary lakes kickin, sometimes with 3-5 foot swell (Great Lakes measurements, which maximize size).  I have enjoyed downwind runs here for so many years here, first in solo canoes then for the last four or five years on an old Naish Glide.  I've been working with a shaper on a downwind shape that was just finished a month or so ago.  It and its near twin are at the Gorge this weekend for the race. -  without me, my job in schools keeps me home.

Here's a look at my new downwind board with footage from Lake MI and Lake Huron...

(Hopefully someone can help me if it doesnt embed properly)





Blkbox Surf
Instagram: @greatlakespaddler

Muskoka SUP

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2014, 05:44:28 PM »
Cool looking board XLR8!  Please post some pics (DJ style..)of it if you get a chance. 

It ain't over until the fat board sinks....

XLR8

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2014, 05:54:08 PM »
DJ style....lovingly you mean, not afraid to grab it by the rails.  I will, when it comes back from Hood River.
Blkbox Surf
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Muskoka SUP

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2014, 07:22:59 PM »
DJ style....lovingly you mean, not afraid to grab it by the rails.  I will, when it comes back from Hood River.

 Yes, I've certainly noticed a theme in his videos lately....
(Not that there's anything wrong with that)
 ;D


It ain't over until the fat board sinks....

coldsup

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Re: Downwind boards on a lake. How absurd is that?
« Reply #14 on: August 23, 2014, 08:30:53 PM »
Nice vid SUPUK.........seem to be turning that board very easy.


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