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The trees were playing that mid-teens tune when I arrived just before noon at the state park launch. I managed only a grunted greeting to a WS comrade out-hauling a rather crisp looking Ezzy 6.5, as our attention was fully diverted to the wind lines forming on the water. Shaking off my distraction, I unrolled a 9m to the building spring breeze. Brad arrived and hustled out on a 7m with the WS comrade for first rides. The parking lot began to fill and stoke was high in the rigging area in anticipation of the forecast-ed wind bump. All the action soon stopped however as Brad’s kite did a Hindenburg and the WS struggled with a Jonesy schlogg. We all stared in disbelief and began searching for answers for the inexplicable lull until one of our well known wind-jinx arrived. Accepting our dilemma, we became anxious spectators waiting to see if Mother Nature could overcome the hex and deliver on the great pre-frontal wind forecast. Half hour later Brad’s kite sprang out of the water, the WS was up on the fin, and the session was full on. Hoots and smiles abounded for the next few hours as Seneca served up S and SSW from high teens to mid-twenties with a few gusts and those occasional weird slaps of warmer air you get when venturing too close to the East shoreline in the spring. The kite flock ranged from 9m to foiling 7’s and 5’s, with a couple of hardcores wrangling 12’s. The sun popped for a bit, as did one kite (thankfully close to the launch area). An approaching WNW cloud line accompanied by some bombs over 30 and a short lull signaled the end of a buzz-worthy early spring session on Seneca and a great start for 2019.
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What a crazy day! I must have been sailing in the same winds. That WS sailor is Corey Dunn, somewhat new to the group. Seems to like cold weather, sailed with him last year in December at Daigua.
I set up in the regular windsurf setup area by the marina. I was anxious to test out my new windsurf foil setup, a new MFC mast and fuselage (warranty upgrade! sure pays to deal with reputable company) and a new Ezzy Hydra 5.5! As I set up it was light maybe 12-15 so I setup the foil sail to its light downhaul/outhaul setting and gave it a go. Or course in just a couple passes it starts to ramp up so I go in and re-tension the sail to its high wind settings. On the water I immediately got up on foil but it was clear that I had too much wind so back in for a totally new setup!
Back on shore I went down a board size and up a sail size for a conventional (non-foil) session. On the water it was sweet and I was glad to be making serious passes without getting wet (that water is cold!). I came in for a break and met Issac just arriving. He setup and we both went back out. The winds steadily ramped up and we got blown off the water. I believe gusts were in the 30s at that point and I was on a 6.3 sq meter! From there on it was up and down and we tried to navigate the cycles without risking a prolonged swim in the winter slurry.
But the best part was a nice after session session at the Red Dove! The gang polished off the bar’s supply of Sloop NE IPA. Tasty!
I didn’t get enough of a feel to give a report on the new Hydra from this session but a couple days later I tested it again at Daigua and I can say I am very very excited about its potential. I got numerous foil passes in with a very comfortable stance hooked in and the sail was very stable. My off side needs some work but like I said first impression of this crazy Hydra design is that it works well!
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Bob and Scott!
Thanks for the first stoke-filled reports of the spring. Family commitments (no really….I had legit family commitments!) have kept me from getting on the water yet, and honestly I was not super motivated….but your reports have stoked the embers.
It’s great to hear Corey and Isaac are ahead of me in 2019 sessions. I love to play catch up! Keep leading guys. Scotty may be the guy to lead the area in windsurfing sessions this year. We need to give Canandaigua Chris Ieda some bait to ride with us on Seneca (and return the favor with some foil rides with him at ‘daigua).
Speaking of Canandaigua, if you are a Weatherflow subscriber our community needs your help.
The wind meter at Canandaigua Sailboarding has been offline for an extended period. According to Steve at CDGA Sailboard it is working fine in shop (I verified it). The issue is that the tech on the meter has aged out of the Weatherflow system/network and they need to do a full upgrade.
UNTIL WE CONTACT THEM REPEATEDLY IT IS NOT A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
Kites, windsurfers, sailors please sent a brief e mail asking them to get it up and running online. Canandaigua is a primo spot for windfoiling which makes the meter a priority in my mind.
Keep the reports coming, and see you out there.
Windydoug
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