Author Topic: Wingfoil - Pronefoil Monterey, California zone  (Read 1704 times)

FoilColorado

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Wingfoil - Pronefoil Monterey, California zone
« on: October 11, 2021, 10:30:26 AM »
Hello friends

Have a trip coming up to Monterey next week. Does anyone on here wing on Monterey Bay? I’ll be staying near downtown, near the pier and harbor. Also will have prone foil gear - looking for small low-power waves - still learning! OK on wing, intermediate level.

Thanks all!

FlyKiteSurf

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Re: Wingfoil - Pronefoil Monterey, California zone
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2021, 01:35:03 PM »
I'll send you a PM

Michael in Monterey

JohnnyTsunami

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Re: Wingfoil - Pronefoil Monterey, California zone
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2021, 08:20:40 AM »
I live in Monterey and have been wing foiling since March 2021 (6months), never prone foiled. We have some good winging if it’s windy, but generally it’s finicky and always less windy than SF bay spots and Waddell, however the wind is different here due to the shape of the peninsula.

Two winging spots:

1.The general spot and beginner spot is Del Monte beach. Park next to the canoe club. You have about 20 miles of sandy beach to do a walk of shame. Watch for boats coming in and out of the harbor and the ample marine life. Some consistent kelp beds in the summer as well as the random drifting kelp bunches to watch out for as well.
MEYC1 is the NOAA weather station to use, but it doesn’t come up on too many apps. I’m usually good to go if it’s over ten knots on that on a 6m.
Wind is good in the spring. In the summer when it’s dead everywhere we can get wind 12-5 most days. Occasionally it blows side offshore coming from the corner of the pier and the beach when there is no wind anywhere else.
Wind is typically better when you get out a 1/4 mile or so. The spot is very finicky and gusty, which is why you’ll never see kiters there. When the forecast is light, check MEYC1 and go by that since this spot has its own weather pattern and can work if you’re free all day in the summer and fall and dying to get an hour in.

Lately I have been favoring this spot as I’ve gotten better. I can blast upwind a mile or two and ride swell downwind back. You could even ride to the point of pacific grove upwind.

Swell is not amazing but it’s there and can be good. It needs to be windy or have real groundswell to consistently flag the wing downwind, but this is the weakest part of my game currently so YMMV. Easy launch and no waves on the beach unless Mavericks is firing. If you end up way downwind the waves can start to pick up. Waves get larger and larger up the bay.

If you’re going to kook it up stay near the beach. It’s a tourist spot with people who are not familiar with the ocean and may call 911. I wouldn’t ride a board you can’t slog unless you’re sure it will stay windy.

Most of the boat traffic is recreational sailors, large whale watching boats, kayakers who rented and have no idea what they’re doing, and seasonally enourmous fishing boats that moor off the beach and cruise ships, as well as coast guard boats. Also, groups of swimmers come out in the evenings and cruise around the outer moorings.

2.There are a couple tiny launch sites in PG near the end of the peninsula that could only accommodate two or three wingers rigging up. Don’t go out here unless your experienced. You should be good riding upwind and both directions or you’ll get stuck downwind. It’s not a big deal if you know the coves downwind that have staircases or can go to lovers point. In a real swell it could be very dangerous. Major waves break along the whole PG coast there. Folks would love to surf except there is no exit on the inside. Lovers cove entrance closes out in big swell.

If you’re good you could ride out here upwind from del monte in an hour and downwind back.

Look at bouy 46092 and if it’s over 16knots, it’s usually good here.



We have other spots which I’m not familiar winging. Seaside and sand city and marina are much windier usually, but also have dumpy large shorebreak and are impossible to get out in. On small surf days you can find some empty sandbars to prone here.
Asilomar is windy and the surf is usually blown out. It also similarly has no easy access point and too many surfers to prone. The next bay up is very kelpy as well and has too much reef to prone. I’ve winged Carmel beach in south winds. The wind shut down hard. Infinite kelp beds, but I think it could be good on a nuclear day if you can get past the kelp bed in a steady south wind. Waves here are also too dumpy and no swell to ride.

MRY is less of a water sport spot than Santa Cruz due to the exposed surf that gets blown out and not being consistently windy, so the community is small here. I expect winging it to blow up here by next summer but who knows.
« Last Edit: October 12, 2021, 08:23:30 AM by JohnnyTsunami »

 


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