Sometimes I'm just such a moron

[PonoBill]

I went wingfoiling today with Chan and Admin at Stevenson. Pretty strong east wind, 57-degree water, 50-degree air temp. Kind of brutal, but the wind was good. A full suit of course, and my impact vest with the new harness stuff I added, even though I haven't rigged the harness lines yet. I just wore it with no hook. Headed out on a port tack, my fave, and despite being fully powered up with a 5m F-one I wasn't getting anywhere. Hopped off and pulled a wad off river grass off the foil. OK, here we go...  ...and nada. Good foil speed, wing drawing well, pumped like a demon, and just barely cleared the surface. I had to pump both wing and foil like crazy to stay up. It just didn't make sense. The wind angle was weird, but I adjusted, did everything I know how to do and barely got off the water.

Turned around on a starboard tack and with all the south angle I was able to get more power in the wing. I pushed the hell out of it and barely lifted off. I skimmed across the river maybe two inches off the water, occasionally hearing the board touch down and then getting it back off, without any significant height. Some kind of gear problem here, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

I moved my feet back further--rear foot behind the mast, front foot standing on the carry handle, Port tack, same deal, and when the board came up it was nearly stalling. I wiggled my front foot forward to trim and managed to get up and stay up a few times, but it was a crazy amount of work considering how good the wind was.

I did four or five runs across the river, improving a tiny bit, using every trick I could think of. I finally came in, cold and exhausted. Carried my gear up, took off my vest and discovered it weighed at least 25 pounds, maybe more. I handed it to Admin--he said "what the fuck!" handed it to Chan and she almost dropped it. I figure with a wet 3/4 fullsuit and my weight vest I was pushing at least 260#. Maybe 270.

Maybe my sewing and rivetting made the vest hold more water. Maybe it's just all the stuff hanging off the vest now, though I didn't notice that it weighed much when I put it on. Anyway, I think I've figured out how to lose 40 pounds fast--go to Maui.

[supfoo]

. Pretty strong east wind, 57-degree water, 50-degree air temp.

Burr, get to Maui ASAP! Let me know if you need a house boy.