It was great for 1.5 hrs. Then Gene got on the water and. ..need i say more?
Apparently Gene leaving prematurely OR coming later both could kill the wind! ?
Late shift as Gene was getting off the water, Barrett and I got on. It was an amazing day even though it was pretty light. I barely stopped all afternoon. Someone posted about spotting the exit on foil jibes. Can confirm. I was getting through ridiculous jibes today. The water was worthy of West Point as I only say maybe 4 other boats. Kind of chilly but not bad - upper 40s.
Hey bud! That picture is RAD! Thanks so much for taking! PS< how was the wind after 3?
Not sure if I'm the one who should answer this but,fwiw, pretty light. Most of the time, no white caps, maybe 7-12 or so? I don't think a wing would have been much fun unless your foil pumping skills are sharp.
Tony DeMil wrote:
I'll be out there today, noonish! Wow, yesterday was amazing. I see why you all prefer Van Pugh! WIIIIDE OPEN
The other thing is when the wind is stronger like yesterday, you get a good swell on the other side near the little islands just upwind from Aqualand. It will stay west even if the wind has a bit of NW which gives really good riding opportunities headed in that direction. On this side, you have to go about 500 yds directly upwind of the launch for some good chop/swell. Both start to appear when the wind is sustained 15+ like yesterday. If there is any boat traffic in the main channel, it will kick up the swell a bit. Yesterday was pretty flat given the wind. Just note that you are about 3/4 of a mile away from home at that point and if things go sideways, you are looking at hitchhiking back from Aqualand or phoning a friend. A few of us have stories...
Having said that, as your skills increase, go way upwind into the main channel and then you can play downwind. Yesterday, I was almost completely sheeted out just riding down the swells over there.
If you go past the islands the water gets flat and you can put on a bit of speed but the wind will start to die off pretty quickly because of the wind shadow of the Three Sisters Islands (big island lining the channel way upwind). So jibe in a good puff while you can and head back this way. On a SW/W, you can motor way up there in the flatter water. It can be a good place to hide a while if the wind kicks up for 10 min and you think it's going to cycle back down.
There, of course, will be chop/swell in the middle but it you get some good rollers in those areas. If you go a little closer to shore, it will flatten out for your jibe but the wind also gets sketchier as you do.
Edit - this map is for W/NW wind
Edit edit: added map for NE
Here is what you really need to know: The Devil's Rectangles. Esp. the big one. You can almost see it in this picture - the islands are connected and surrounded by shallow water. Go over it with you foil and there several possibilities: 1.) You get away with it. (known as the Hamdi Gambit) 2.) You break your board. 3.) You break your foil. 3.) You trash your wing. 4.) You break a body part. 5.) Any combination of 2-4.
—
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Randy makes a good point. Here's a topo from the area he's talking about - with the lake full, you are pretty safe in most of it but as the lake drops... just remember that it's rock and hard clay down there so anything you hit is going to be hard. There is a gap between two reef markers that should be okay if the water is reasonably high. The Corps lists the depths of those markers as 15 and 12 feet. To the right of it, not really worth it as the wind gets flukey that close to shore. Most of us just stay up from that chain of islands because of both depth and wind.
Tony, i am with you in that I can't make sense of any of these maps - couldn't yet figure out where our VP launch is in any of those, let alone understand where the islands or geometric shapes come into play.
So, my advice is simple: get as high on the foil as you can without breaching and stay up there - then, you can go through any shallows. If you can't see ground above water, it's deep enough!
Randy calls that "Hamdi gambit"; I call it "idiots guide to foiling thru shallows" (or sandbars or sand dunes or whatever they are called...).
I'm going this afternoon. LIghter winds is a small price to pay for the chance to feel my fingers and toes.
I'll be out there today, noonish! Wow, yesterday was amazing. I see why you all prefer Van Pugh! WIIIIDE OPEN
Just Wingin' It
I’m waiting till afternoon. I’ll go if the E wind holds up when it warms up.
Barrett
VP at 11 - sunny, some white caps
Langdon
Tony DeMil
Hamdi, thanks for the report. Waiting for a temp in the mid 40s at least.
It was great for 1.5 hrs. Then Gene got on the water and. ..need i say more?
Apparently Gene leaving prematurely OR coming later both could kill the wind! ?
Late shift as Gene was getting off the water, Barrett and I got on. It was an amazing day even though it was pretty light. I barely stopped all afternoon. Someone posted about spotting the exit on foil jibes. Can confirm. I was getting through ridiculous jibes today. The water was worthy of West Point as I only say maybe 4 other boats. Kind of chilly but not bad - upper 40s.
Tony DeMil
Hey bud! That picture is RAD! Thanks so much for taking! PS< how was the wind after 3?
Just Wingin' It
Not sure if I'm the one who should answer this but,fwiw, pretty light. Most of the time, no white caps, maybe 7-12 or so? I don't think a wing would have been much fun unless your foil pumping skills are sharp.
The other thing is when the wind is stronger like yesterday, you get a good swell on the other side near the little islands just upwind from Aqualand. It will stay west even if the wind has a bit of NW which gives really good riding opportunities headed in that direction. On this side, you have to go about 500 yds directly upwind of the launch for some good chop/swell. Both start to appear when the wind is sustained 15+ like yesterday. If there is any boat traffic in the main channel, it will kick up the swell a bit. Yesterday was pretty flat given the wind. Just note that you are about 3/4 of a mile away from home at that point and if things go sideways, you are looking at hitchhiking back from Aqualand or phoning a friend. A few of us have stories...
Having said that, as your skills increase, go way upwind into the main channel and then you can play downwind. Yesterday, I was almost completely sheeted out just riding down the swells over there.
If you go past the islands the water gets flat and you can put on a bit of speed but the wind will start to die off pretty quickly because of the wind shadow of the Three Sisters Islands (big island lining the channel way upwind). So jibe in a good puff while you can and head back this way. On a SW/W, you can motor way up there in the flatter water. It can be a good place to hide a while if the wind kicks up for 10 min and you think it's going to cycle back down.
There, of course, will be chop/swell in the middle but it you get some good rollers in those areas. If you go a little closer to shore, it will flatten out for your jibe but the wind also gets sketchier as you do.
Edit - this map is for W/NW wind
Edit edit: added map for NE
Thanks for the lengthy explanation! I may need this explained in person, but I'll keep it as reference for as I get to know the area better
Just Wingin' It
Here is what you really need to know: The Devil's Rectangles. Esp. the big one. You can almost see it in this picture - the islands are connected and surrounded by shallow water. Go over it with you foil and there several possibilities: 1.) You get away with it. (known as the Hamdi Gambit) 2.) You break your board. 3.) You break your foil. 3.) You trash your wing. 4.) You break a body part. 5.) Any combination of 2-4.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
arrogantj
Randy makes a good point. Here's a topo from the area he's talking about - with the lake full, you are pretty safe in most of it but as the lake drops... just remember that it's rock and hard clay down there so anything you hit is going to be hard. There is a gap between two reef markers that should be okay if the water is reasonably high. The Corps lists the depths of those markers as 15 and 12 feet. To the right of it, not really worth it as the wind gets flukey that close to shore. Most of us just stay up from that chain of islands because of both depth and wind.
topo map: http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=Lake+Lanier#16.99/34.20118/-83.97877/-2.6
USACE map with marks and mark depths: https://cesamusace.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b7ec0d32c7814763a8ac464d24419741
I can't make ANY sense of those maps. Try this
HamdiD
moredownhaul
I love this (but my monitor didn't like the colors). This is a version for people with crap monitors like me.
BUT, I LOVE THIS!
Tony, i am with you in that I can't make sense of any of these maps - couldn't yet figure out where our VP launch is in any of those, let alone understand where the islands or geometric shapes come into play.
So, my advice is simple: get as high on the foil as you can without breaching and stay up there - then, you can go through any shallows. If you can't see ground above water, it's deep enough!
Randy calls that "Hamdi gambit"; I call it "idiots guide to foiling thru shallows" (or sandbars or sand dunes or whatever they are called...).
Happy foiling!
The Hamdi Gambit. That's hilarious
Just Wingin' It
Nice dude! You got an early Start Tuesday!! I'll be headed out there today!
Just Wingin' It
Think Imma head out to the Ozark House and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride today! In fact, that's what I call my Wing and Foil Combo.
Just Wingin' It
I’m a probably not on today.
Alan
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