Get er done…

I’m writing this sitting next to the nice warm wood stove in the new Launch Pad. The plumbing is 90% done! It’s going to be a busy few more weeks. Hydro coming Monday maybe. Insulation site visit Monday too. Garage doors and fascia arriving shortly? And the buoys in the river should be moved soon as well.

So with all that going on and it being a rainy day, I wasn’t counting on getting a session on the water. 

But by 4pm we had done our cleanup and I had some time to get out for a rip. I pumped up the 6m Duotone unit wing and took the 125 Sky board with the 1080 foil under it. 

It is still a challenge for me getting out of the channel in the gusty south wind. After a few falls in the water I managed to get upwind and got going. What fun. 

I went over to Chris and Ann’s dock and said hi! Hit 18.1 knots (33.5 km/h) on one of my speed runs. Pretty sure that is my fastest max speed so far foiling!

Then it was time to try some jumps. I think I need to focus on getting higher and keeping speed - I seem to land on my back on most landings. Jen got a nice video.

Hit 18.1 knots - new max speed foiling!

Happy foiler

I was comfy in my 4/3 wetsuit in the 12°C air and 13°C water. By the end I was happy to get into the shower in the old building. Excited to have the bathtub installed in the new building with a plan to get it running in the next 2 weeks?

Barely got going

I spent the gloriously gorgeous Thanksgiving morning adding additional reflective tape to the markers in the Key River channel.

Adding tape and labels to the KRAA markers

The wind came up in the afternoon and Phillip decided to head out wingfoiling while Jennifer and I worked on the first test of the generator and electrical system at the new Launch Pad! 

It’s alive - backup power works!

Phillip went on the 7m Dutone Slick with the North Seek Prime WeCanFoil board.

After some time it became clear he wasn’t going to get going as the wind had peaked so I took the aluminum boat up to him so he could head back into Toronto in the Thanksgiving traffic.

I did manage to pump the 7m onto the 2100cm foil but only got one run in each direction. 

I headed back to the dock and thought it was a great time to do a comparison with the Duotone 2140 HA foil under my 8m Ventis. That worked better and it was certainly easier to get up on that big high aspect foil.

3:30 7m barely worked in 10 knots
4pm 8m worked just under 10 knots

I got a couple of runs in and then the wind started dying even more.

Flat Stella going for a foil

So slogged back in and enjoyed drinks with the in-laws looking at the sunset. Later at the cottage we watched SpaceX land the falcon heavy. Pretty amazing progress not only in the foiling world, but in space too. 

Still just wearing a 2mm wetsuit. 15°C water, 17°C air at the end of Thanksgiving weekend. I’m sure it will get cold sometime.

In this climate?

17°C water 16°C air in October. Wow. 

Spent the day out at the island getting the propane hooked up for the new generator and suddenly the wind came up at 5 PM. I pumped up the 6 m echo again and took the north WeCanFoil demo board out. Wore my other 2 mil short sleeved wetsuit and wound up being warm in it as I didn’t fall in the water at all!

That’s me foiling way upwind from the Launch Pad cam

Good session!

Windiest spot on the Bay!

Nice sunset!

The sun came through as well and had a wonderful session 8 heel side jibes followed with toe side to heel side tacks. 

15 km in 45 minutes and super excited to be able to just take off and go foiling on a moments notice. Enjoyed what may be one of the last showers ever in the old Launchpad building 

Looking forward to Thanksgiving brings.

Tired wingfoiling

Oh man, I was already tired after the 42K charity bike ride yesterday and then barely getting any sleep before getting ready to drive up to Key Harbour. Note to self: two coffees at 4 PM are a bad idea.

After two Home Depot runs, we did finally get to the launchpad to find 19° weather and 12 to 15 kn from the southwest. I quickly rigged the 6m echo and 125 sky board with the 1080 foil under it.

A little tired session at the end of the day

5km on the foil

Windiest spot on the Bay

Dying winds from 4:30 on..

I got myself upwind and on the second good gust, got myself on the foil for a nice 4:30 to 5 PM 6km wing. 

I didn’t fall in so my two mil long leg short sleeved sweatsuit was only wet inside for me working up a sweat. Crazy warm weather for the first part of October. Cold front comes through on Wednesday.