2021-06-30 More Foiling

Pigeon Lake - Brad's Place

Ted's Report:

I got to Brad's at 12:30 on Wednesday.  Blaine was already there.  Brad and Blaine were heading out foiling on 5.2's.  It looked pretty windy from the South East.

The rest of the guys arrived soon after I had.  Harold, Mike, Ross, Tim, Al, and Vadim. 

I rigged my 5.2, but as I was getting in the water, both Blaine and Brad were coming back in to downsize.  I de-rigged my 5.2 and rigged my 4.2 (they take the same mast).  

I was overpowered at times, and underpowered at times, but did pretty well.  The swells were very big at the start, so I had a hard time jibing.  Towards the end of my session, my jibes were getting better, but I am still not close to completing them on the foil.

I sailed 26km and came back in after 4:00.  Harold was on his 6.1, Tim was on his biggest sail, a 5.4.  I am not sure what sail size Al and Vadim were on.  Mike was on a 9m Kite, and Ross was Kite foiling.  

It was a really good day.  I packed up and headed home around 5:00.  Blaine and Brad were heading out again, this time on their 5.2's, and Al was rigging his foil!  I hope they had a good session.

It looks windy again tomorrow, but I will be busy at Alberta's Littlest Airport for their RC Plane Fun Fly.

I got home just before 7:00.




Harold's Report:

Brad played gracious host yet again. 

The cast of characters on Wednesday was Allan, Vadim, Tim, and Harold on windsurfers, Brad, Ted, and Blaine on foils, Ross and Mike on kites.  On Thursday, same but Tim and Ted were otherwise occupied. 

It was stiflingly hot (about 38C), but that problem was solved by periodic dips in the lake, all voluntary of course. 

The equipment was diverse. The windsurfers were out on big equipment, and on occasion, it was a bit much.  But that was OK – that was when the swells got big. 

Mike worked on his directional board.  Ross cruised around looking pretty on his foil kiteboard. 

Brad, Blaine and Ted were on their 4.2 sails.  They all got home. 

And Allan tried out his new foil.  Successful, but some walking back upwind was involved. 





Ross's Report:

Correction,  there was kiting Tues, Wed, and Thurs at Pigeon.  Matt and Ross foiling, Mike finning.

Friday, I sunned myself and watched Matt at Alberta Beach foil using his 21m for about 20min, if you can imagine how light the wind was for that to happen....at which time the wind went to at least zero or possibly a negative value since 21m of kite horsepower could not keep him moving even on a 1200cm2 foil.

Saturday, Ross and Andreas were at Alberta Beach which was absolutely packed.  We launched at the "windsurf site" to avoid the crowds and had to work our kites around the trees to launch and recover which was a bit nerve-wracking in a variable wind but no repeat of Lac La Biche and the trees for me, so all good, touch wood.  The foiling was grand.  Vadim showed up styling his Russian paratrooper t-shirt and short shorts.......the latest fashion for hot weather when I was in Yakutsk in the mid 90's.....and he was off windsurfing when we departed.

Unfortunately, it looks like we are heading into the summer "less wind" period after a very good spring and early summer. Time for some biking, hiking, etc.

Wabamun Lake:  Big Air Jim and Cynthia's Places

Cynthia's report:

I finally have some footage from Wabamun…. My Dad and I had some fun on 7-0s with the whole family spectating in boats.  It wasn’t that windy, but it was quite a thrill to foil right between the 2 Soneff boats, hoping I was on camera.  That was Saturday….  

Cam was on shore making dinner for his parents….. truth be told he had the best wind earlier that day on the 7-0 I rigged for a morning session…. Everyone thought I was crazy and that I wouldn’t get going. 

The best sailing I had this year so far was Canada day with Kent and my Dad.  It was a south-easterly, and a bit hard to get home since it was completely offshore from our place… I had to stay out for 3 hours in the first session.  Then we had a second session that was almost 2 hours!  It was the best way to beat the heat that I can think of.  It was too hot for my usual wetsuit, hence the colorful outfit in the photos for sun protection.








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