Looks like maybe a little west wind today (Wednesday), but then possibly a lot of west-ish wind Thursday & Friday, possibly into weekend. Inland lakes should be good, and higher water levels will help mitigate those early season weeds! Anxious to try out the raft I have used for years kiting my back yard - I just put a 10 hp motor on it to get past weeds to better foiling areas in all directions! The electric trolling motor not strong enough for bigger winds....
JV, sweet setup. I have often thought of something like that for kite launches but it would have to be so much bigger than for wing launches. I also wasn't sure if it is OK to leave a vessel anchored, but un attended way out in the lake.
On the wind, I'm hoping tomorrow works at the swamp!
I'm contemplating a late afternoon session on Winnebago tomorrow. The weeds at the swamp were pretty bad a month ago and I imagine they are worse now.
Yeah, the weeds are bad earlier this year than in the past. The rule is no crashing the kite. It's not a great direction, but it is windy here now.
Can you drift launch with the weeds at boxhorn or is it better to launch from the parking lot?
Stafford, those are the right things to think about!! And over MANY years, I have worked on answers and solutions. First, YES, you can anchor a boat/raft and leave it, as long as you are able to return to it, you can observe it, it is propetly licensed (if it has a motor), or if it is within 100 feet of a shorline if it does not have a motor. In the past, I anchored the raft 85 ft south of my island when launching kite (and by the way, the 'anchor' is one of those concrete parking lot bumpers) with a steel cable. Since I own the island AND licensed a 'Rocks' bouy off my island with city and DNR, that works perfectly (just a hastle to maintain the past 12 years...). That anchor solution with my raft even works with 17M kite launch by the way when overpowered...!
But with a motor (powerful nough to move raft upwind in strong winds...) things change a bit. First, one can leave a boat unattended and anchored as long as you are actively able to return to it; AND it is clearly visible. Thus I have a flag on the raft (as I have done previously with my pontoon boat) and I keep an eye on the boat/raft and make it a point to 'check in' with the police boat when it seems to indicate interest in my anchored boat/raft).
Unlike the swamp, my back yard has some very deep areas, over 65 ft deep. Thus, while I try to anchor (3 anchors on raft now with motor...) in about 10 ft water (30 ft anchor lines), I have to be prepared that rogue wind could move the raft, so some forethought about where it 'might' go is in the equasion. When in doubt, I play it safe... But in any event, with kite or wing, I know my lake, I get to know the right people (police, Lake District, etc..) and watch the weather closely.
Bottom line now is that almost any wind direction in back yard will work, but if we get east I like the waves on big pond!!
@Mitchell Noyes Mitchell, I have often drift launched off Boxhorn but it always depends on conditions. Often between Boxhorn and opening it is deep enough to avoid weeds if you launch 'efficiently'. But weeds closer to shore are a risk. Launching from parking lot preferred, but in iffy winds the trees and ither obstacles are not your friends...
Stafford, one more quick note about raft. It is 16' x 8 ', with NOTHING on top that can catch a kite line. I anchor from back (now by motor & flag). This has always been great for launch and landing (kite with practice). In fact, I saw first example of this at Real in Hatteras a long time ago and I copied it... I carefully manage all around raft so nothing sharp, etc... So while it works fine for launch/landing kite with experience, it does EXCEL at launch/landing wing.
The swamp is on right now. Direction isn't great, but not the worst either.
Heading out myself soon, here is Muskego wind.
See you soon
drift launch is possible at Boxhorn. water is deep, wind is o shore
Fair session today in back yard, testing of raft went well, excited about possibilities it opens up for me. Wind fell off earlier than I was hoping but good enough day.
Stafford, regarding raft - if you ever want to stop by to look at and try the raft out let me know. A kite 12m or smaller works best. Walk lines onshore and setup for self drift launch on water. Launch with feet still on raft (sometimes I secure harness back handle to raft with a release point) and then take off. I usually land in (shallow) water and secure kite to raft for retrieval. In any event, nice to have everything out with me...
Whelp, Winnebago was good for the first hour, nicely powered on a 14. Then one of those rain squalls moved through, thus ensued one of the more terrifying kiting experiences I've had. Getting a 14 down in crazy high wind close to rocky shore and docks was something else.
when it was all said and done, found my board a quarter mile away, but I was able to rig everything back up and head out again. Just a few scuffs on the board. Stayed out till the wind seemed to die down .
Swamp was fun. Wind was up and down, but 10m seemed like a good choice, solid 25mph at times, weak 15 at others, until it shut off around 3pm.
Weeds are getting thick already- drift launch would be challenging. Luckily there was enough of us to avoid that necessity, with myself, Kiran, Stafford and Ryan.
water was warm and flat leading to some epic boosts
Wind even better today then yesterday, and fewer clouds so maybe less variation.
Gonna try to get to the swamp for 2:30pm!
Fun day on the swamp but, no one else there! Lucky to relaunch kite twice. Lots of tugging, wind, and luck to get out of the weeds. Will have to stick with the bagel/windpower next time which, looks like Sunday morning : )
Hope you all enjoy. On a family vacation down in Bristol. Took a trip to silver lake today and my kiddos were winging on my surfboard. I used my kids 5.5m trainer kite and there was enough wind to ride the surfboard. Fun day. Silver lake is a bit too small to kite, but a great location.
@Jeff Vkoeberl Hey Jeff, is that from your own anemometer or online if the latter what is the link? Been using Windfinder which is good also
