Re: Ken goes downwind

From: daddy@ilovemaggie.co.uk-DeleteThis.com
Date: Wed Sep 18 2002 - 09:57:03 PDT

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From: daddy@ilovemaggie.co.uk-DeleteThis.com
Message-ID: <6877162.1032368223628.JavaMail.root@172.16.100.50-DeleteThis.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 17:57:03 +0100 (BST)
To: wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis.com
Subject: Re: Ken goes downwind

I guess the need for a rescue kite exists...co2 inflator for the
kite ribs.

-----Original Message----- From : Kirk Lindstrom
<KirkLindstrom@ix.netcom.com-DeleteThis.com> To : Multiple recipients of list
WIND_TALK <wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis.com> Date : 18 September
2002 15:55:34 Subject : Re: Ken goes downwind

>WOW! >Sounds exciting. Glad you got back OK. >Coyote seems so
much safer to me in a flood... easier to hit shore. >but you have
plenty of safety gear and rubber protection. >do you have room for
a \223float\223 like a childs beach ball you could blow >up and
attach to your rig when you have to ditch? Or an inflatable life
>vest that you tie to your rig and pull the CO2 inflator... Might
save >$1000 or more... > > > >Ken Poulton wrote: > >>Thanks to
everyone who was watching and helping me today! >> >>Ken >>
>>\223Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how
far one can go.\223 >> -- T.S. Eliot >> >> >> >>============= Tue
17 Sep 02 - 3rd - 5.4,4.4/257 (196#) 4:20-8:00 >> >>Too much wind
for kites as it started gusty and the channel ramped up to >>30 mph!
I went out on 5.4 and sailed OPd for the first hour. This was
>>great fun - the swell got to 6 feet, very nicely formed, even in
the >>flood. But eventually, the wind was too much to handle. I
had a Mr >>Toad's Wild Ride back in (whooping all the way) and
rigged 4.4. >> >>The 4.4 felt great. I was having a fine time (and
thinking a bit >>about how to fix the stripped-out second screw on
my fin). >>But when I spun out and fell in near the far edge of the
channel, >>I found - oops! - no fin! Nada. Bye, bye. Gone. >>
>>This was about 6:00. I tried various drag inducers on the tail of
the >>board. Kevin came by and helped for a while, as did another
guy. Using >>the uphaul on the tail sort of worked - I could get
going, but would >>always spin out after about 30 seconds and have
to set up again. I was >>going towards shore, but faster downwind
in the flood. I could see I >>would not get to the shore by sunset.
Finally, as I passed Mike (who >>was the furthest downwind) I asked
him to go in and call the Coast >>Guard. I was lucky to have just
replaced my leaky old wetsuit with a >>new 5/3 at the ASD sale. I
decided it was time to also put on the >>neoprene hood I carry for
emergencies. Having a warm suit was good >>but the hood on my head
really warmed me up. >> >>Further cycles of slogging and spinning
out left me approaching the >>bridge pier just west of the shipping
channel. I decided that the >>westerly wind and flood tide would
carry me a very long way before I got >>to shore, so I climbed up
onto the pier. Once I was standing in the >>wooden bumpers, I was
holding my board with the uphaul, but I had no way >>to deal with
the rig. So I detached the rig and bade it goodbye and >>pulled the
board up and tied it on. I think it's just above high tide, >>but
not above the waves. >> >>The ladder is inside the boat bumpers. I
had to climb thru and jump >>back in to get to it. Once I climbed
up, there was plenty of dry space >>and a place out of the wind. I
took out my radio and called the Coast >>Guard. I also put on my
flasher, which Steve reported was visible from >>the launch! >> >>A
chopper showed up only 10 or 20 minutes later. I expected to swim
>>out to where they could safely approach, but they surveyed the
pier >>and placed their basket on the downwind end. The chopper was
dead >>steady in the air - very impressive piloting. I climbed in
and they >>raised me up as away we went! What a great ride! >>
>>They let me off at the San Carlos airport. I called my wife,
Kate, for a >>ride: >> \223Can you give me ride to 3rd Ave?\223 >>
\223Where are you?\223 >> \223San Carlos Airport.\223 >> \223San
Carlos Airport?\223 >> \223It's where the helicopter left me.\223 >>
\223The helicopter?\223 >> \223Yeah, they picked me up off the
bridge.\223 >> \223The bridge?\223 >> \223Yeah, I had a little
problem...\223 >> >>And even before she got there, Steve showed up
to give me a ride! >>I later realized I might have passed a message
thru the Coast Guard >>radio. >> >>And when we arrived at 3rd
around 9:00, Dave had packed up my 5.4 and >>was waiting by my car!
What a guy! >> >>So thanks to everyone for all the help! What a
great bunch of people. >> >> >>Plusses and minuses for the overly
analytical: >> >> -- inadequate maintainance (stripped fin screw)
>> + carried hood >> + wore a really warm wetsuit >> + asked for
help - at first mostly letting others know I am floundering >> +
told Mike to call Coast Guard >> + carried flasher >> ++ carried
radio >> - failed to get my 50' line out in time to save my sail >>
++ got myself out of the water >> - but not in the right place >> >
>-- >best regards >Kirk Lindstrom >Please Try My Online Store:
http://home.netcom.com/~kirk_69/Gifts.html > > > >

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