Foil God at the Hatch Wed. morning !! ??

ericandholly · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 292

My impression is the surf foil tech is still being sorted out. As soon as they have wings that allow me to surf the Gorge Swell more easily without a kite, or sail, I am all in!! Looks like great fun, albeit too difficult for me at this point.

From my vantage point the ski driver was very respectful. The surf foilers were falling a lot in the big, steeper swell. It's how you learn. Much respect.

ldhr · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 121

CGW2 · Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 179 Location: The Gorge

Okay guys and girls, if you are learning to foil by towing, two things: motorized craft have NO right of way over sailing craft. Paddling craft have no right of way over anybody except floatplanes while approaching landing. Also, a towing boat like a ski boat has to have a spotter (flags and all). That said, I support using power to learn how to foil, but that does not need to happen and should not happen where and when there are sailors or kiters on the water. LEARN SOMEWHERE ELSE!! Since you have a motor, getting somewhere else is not difficult. Again, paddle craft have no right of way over sail craft. Sincerely, Bart Vervloet, even though it still says Greg at the Bottom of this post for some reason.

ericandholly · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 292

<<perpendicular to the direction of the main user groups>>

Thats the direction they go...parallel to the wind and current.

Going to have to share

Other sports are being invented, and becoming popular, that utilize the same set of conditions. It is actually much easier for us kiters and windsurfers to move, than for downwind craft to do so.

Look, I get it. When there were 500 + boats parading down the Columbia I too was occasionally annoyed about them being in "my swell." That reality is, it's theirs too, they are having a blast, and we don't own a damn thing.

I choose not to kite/kite-foil right near The Hatchery anymore, because it's too crowded. I go 200 ft West, or East at a minimum on busy days. When I used to windsurf there daily in the 90's there was a lot of agro $hit happening, but it was all windsurfer vs windsurfer. Same $hit--"my swell." So much bull$hit. These are river swell. There is a constant parade of them--one after another. Catch the next one. It's coming in four seconds.

Share, or move to where you don't have to, or be frustrated.

CGW2 · Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 179 Location: The Gorge

Hi Eric, perpendicular to sailing or kiting user groups = potential for collisions. The motorized craft or paddle craft will be at fault. COLREGS. Look it up, we are on a federally controlled navigable waterway. We don't have to, and in a collision situation, CAN"T occupy the same space. As I said earlier, go somewhere else, especially if you are on a "Burdened" vessel. Cheers, Bart

willysurf · Joined: 08 Sep 2003 Posts: 59

Oh snap, Eric = pwned....

ericandholly · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 292

So, you are saying that none of the downwind paddlers are allowed to occupy the water off of the WA shore because windsurfers are moving perpendicular to the shore? Really?

Would that apply if a single windsurfer or kiter is moving perpendicular to the wind and 10 paddlers are moving downwind?

I don't paddle, or jetski, or SUP, btw. That said, there are various users that can "go somewhere else." This is my main point.

Hic primus eram will not work.

As I stated earlier, I already am "somewhere else," and I am not a burdened vessel.

Good luck. I hope you can all work something out, because downwind paddle craft are not going away. They are going to continue to go "downwind." They will continue to seek out the same terrain you and I do. They will increase in number, and skill.

ldhr · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 121

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FfJ89rGPc

CGW2 · Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 179 Location: The Gorge

Don't read between the lines Eric, it is Coast Guard rules for inland waterways. I didn't say they couldn't be there, but if they cause a collision (only possible if they are paddling among sailing craft) they will be mostly to blame. If they can maneuver it won't be a problem as long as they can avoid collision. Is collision a likely possibility on a windy day in the corridor? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that if you want to get hit by a car, play on the highway. The odds are high at the Hatch, or Swell City, low almost anywhere else. Cheers, Bart

ericandholly · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 292

Bart,

Check you PM. Get back to me if you wish.

Eric