Greg Glazier's 4'2" foil board with a 125cm mast.
Jim's home | Windsurfing home | This trip's home
We've been here 3 days now. The first 2 days had light wind. Good for foiling, but not so good for windsurfing (finning). Frank's been out on his Starboard foil race board and his new to him (purchased in San Francisco on the way down) Wizard 125 foilboard with various foils. He sailed a 3.9 sail today. I haven't sailed except for a day or 2 since La Ventana last winter. I just wanted to get back into things and understand the water here, so have sailed my ancient Bic Rock with a 6.5 day before yesterday, and a 5.8 today. Today was GREAT. Strong wind most of the day. Big gusts, some swells, but a heck of a ride. During peak periods there were maybe 12 people on the water. 2 or 3 wing foilers, maybe 5 windsurfers and the rest wind foilers. Plus a couple of kiters, one twin tip and the other foiling. Temps in the 70s, sunny, really pleasant. Nice to be able to wear a t-shirt and shorts! It's really dry here. My lips are chapped already. Dusty too with the wind. Dryer and dustier than La Ventana. The water is cold, somewhere in the low 50s. I've been warned that you can "get in trouble here". If you get blown downwind (wind dies, equipment failure, etc.) There's only one place on the launch side of the lake that has access for a rescue/retrieval, maybe a mile downwind. If you get stranded on the other side you're truly f'd. Even if someone knew where you were it'd be many hours before they could get to you. The cold water is somewhat shocking. Wish I would have brought a hood. People wear 7 mm thick wetsuits here in anticipation of disaster. Given this, I don't think it's a great place to learn how to foil.
Greg Glazier's 4'2" foil board with a 125cm mast.
Chris wingfoiling mid jibe. He doffed his hat to me once while jibing.
Two wings, two windsurfers.
Anyway, a great session today for me. Got so I can jibe reasonably again. Nobody passed me. :-) Actually multiple sessions given breaks and waiting for peak time winds to die off a bit. The swells grow as the day goes on. Nothing like La Ventana, but some nice 2 footers to jibe off of. The water is SUPER clear. It's actually hard to judge the depth when you come in. I'm not used to sailing in fresh water. So it not tasting salty is weird.
Looking back up at the launch parking area from the rocky beach.
We went shopping this morning and learned the lay of the land a bit. There's a Home Depot and a Lowes in Bullhead City. Also a Sam's Club and a Safeway. Also a Harbor Freight! If you forget to bring a tarp like I did for rigging sails on the God forsaken desolate wasteland rocky/sandy shoreline, then you can get one there.
I liked this IPA I found down there. Haven't seen it in the PNW.
Been meeting more people and seeing some I've met at other venues. Dana from Promotion wetsuits, Elgin, Chris the wingfoiler, Mark Ribcoff the wingfoiler from La Ventana, and the LA contingent; Greg, Bill and Andy. There's a distinct lack of wives and girlfriends here, though Frank told me he saw 2 couples at Cabinsite Point launch where we were. There's a Russian woman finner who's a software designer from the bay area working remotely from a rental house. But largely it's a bunch of old guys. :-)
Frank taking a break.