Author Topic: Downwind average and peak speeds?  (Read 7904 times)

Luc Benac

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2014, 06:57:17 PM »
No, most of the time when you're gliding a little current has minimal effect. It slows the wave speed but that makes it easier to link them up. Depending on conditions the current running against you can perhaps make you faster. When it gets above four or five MPH then that's no longer true.

In other words, it's a complicated question with a useless answer.

So Bill in your experience, at what wind speed does the opposite current negates the effect of the wind?
i.e. wind of 5 knots is negated by opposite current of 2 knots
It might be something that is very much location specific as wind of same speed might likely not have same effect depending on open ocean, geography of the cost....
Here we often have light winds (under 10 knots) competing against the tide ebb or flood.

Cheers,

Luc
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covesurfer

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2014, 06:58:30 PM »
For what it's worth, as a regular mortal and non-pro paddler, I'm on the slow end of the fast guys or maybe the faster end of the slow guys. I had an exceptional Maliko run the other day. It's Winter and that means that it's generally more confused water and choppier. You also end up running outside of the reefs more to avoid breaking groundswell.

Anyway, I averaged 7.7 mph according to my Garmin for the 9-mile portion of the run where you turn and begin running down the coast stopping the clock at the harbor entrance. I felt darn good about a Winter run with that time. But, the fast guys, including ones my age and OLDER, would typically put five to eight minutes into me on a Maliko. Meaning, they're averaging well over 8 mph, likely into the mid 8's or better. And, those are not the pro's. They are even faster.

PonoBill

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2014, 09:10:37 PM »
I think it's very condition-specific. It might even be unique to the Gorge. It is one of the strangest and most perfect wind tunnels on the planet. The river texture and the swell characteristics are unlike anything else I've experienced. We say that Southside Maui conditions are like Viento runs, but they really aren't.

But two mph is about the speed where I've noticed that getting out in the middle of the river and catching bumps you can link up is faster than getting over in the eddies on the side of the river and catching lesser glides. You also have to be good at reading water and linking bumps to make it work. I'd guess that guys like Jeremy Riggs and Dave Kalama could make that work at different speeds.
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Pierre

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #18 on: November 27, 2014, 04:59:47 AM »
No, most of the time when you're gliding a little current has minimal effect. It slows the wave speed but that makes it easier to link them up. Depending on conditions the current running against you can perhaps make you faster. When it gets above four or five MPH then that's no longer true.

In other words, it's a complicated question with a useless answer.
totally agree...  a moderate current straight against clean bumps in a regular deep channel make them sharper and helps to link them up but a little across it may create a big mess... such as double waves cross chop etc...that also depends length of waves etc : If conditions improve for catching bumps that's efficient and super fun, otherwise it's pain in the @$$ : those cases should be tried one by one, nobody knows before being familiar with the place.
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PonoBill

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #19 on: November 27, 2014, 11:32:15 AM »
Those are very impressive speeds for a river.

The thing to remember about Hood River and Viento runs is that sustained, smooth wind speeds of 35-40 MPH not uncommon. It starts blowing at 10:00 AM like clockwork, and settles in to whatever is on the menu by noon. Sometimes the whole river looks like it's airborne. When you catch a really good bump and then a 50 MPH gust hits your back it's all you can do to hold on. I've gone the length of the sandbar leading to Wells Island (about a mile) without paddling a stroke, praying that I wouldn't fall because if you do your board goes airborne like a kite and my weenie lightweight leashes snap like noodles.  I've dug my board out of the bushes on Wells Island twice over the past five years.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2014, 11:35:07 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.

Luc Benac

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2014, 11:37:33 AM »
Those are very impressive speeds for a river.
The thing to remember about Hood River and Viento runs is that sustained, smooth wind speeds of 40 MPH are fairly common. It starts blowing at 10:00 AM like clockwork, and settles in to whatever is on the menu by noon. Sometimes the whole river looks like it's airborne.

I used to go windsurfing there and yes airborne is very much the case, sometime with not so great result at the landing (but never broke a mast). Thinking back about these days,I would be a little bit worried to cross the path of all the boards on the best windsurfing spots on the river.
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Argosi

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2014, 12:15:26 PM »
Those are very impressive speeds for a river.

The thing to remember about Hood River and Viento runs is that sustained, smooth wind speeds of 35-40 MPH not uncommon. It starts blowing at 10:00 AM like clockwork, and settles in to whatever is on the menu by noon. Sometimes the whole river looks like it's airborne. When you catch a really good bump and then a 50 MPH gust hits your back it's all you can do to hold on. I've gone the length of the sandbar leading to Wells Island (about a mile) without paddling a stroke, praying that I wouldn't fall because if you do your board goes airborne like a kite and my weenie lightweight leashes snap like noodles.  I've dug my board out of the bushes on Wells Island twice over the past five years.

I've got to get there for a vacation. I figure I'll learn more in a week there than 3 years here. We don't get too many windy days here. A Gorge vacation will be topic for another post.

Argosi

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #22 on: December 03, 2014, 07:30:45 PM »
Here's a nice article from SUPracer.com on some of the faster downwind race courses in the world and the fastest times on those courses. It mentions speeds for the  Mandurah run in Western Oz (King of the Cut race) and the Cape Town run.

http://www.supracer.com/downwind-stand-up-paddling-speed-record/

The King of the Cut will be happening this Saturday with a world class field of downwind racers. Beau O'Brien won the race last year with an average speed of 13.77kph (8.56mph) on a Starboard Ace 14x25 - one of the fastest downwind boards around. Here's a shot of Beau from the race last year:

 


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