Relax, with wind and water at your back.
Professional Development
Its been sometime since I last posted an up-date or an article. The holidays and work seemed to take over for a short time!
But thats not to say that I wasn’t busy sharing and enjoying my love for all things wind and water. Top of the list was being able to enjoy SUPing with my sister who came home from Germany, where she works in the Army as a 1st Lieutenant. December delivered some really awesome weather for stand-up paddling and she was over joyed to be able to get some sun. We did a bunch of stuff and paddle some really great places; including Weedon Island (which never fails to amaze me), Davis Island Sea Plane Basin and Hillsborough Bay, and we even got to explore the mangrove tracts at the south end of Picnic Island.
A couple of times in the mists of family holiday gatherings I got the anxiety provoking realization that there was a kiting session to be had, thankfully everyone understood and were happy to see me go. I have been mostly kiting with the course board lately as its a sure way to get in a session and to be honest its the biggest challenge I’ve faced so its keeping me engaged.
The youth sailing program at DIYC is growing and the sailors are progressing nicely. I traveled to Miami on the 26th of December to coach one of the programs many talented sailors at the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta. We saw two day of warmer temperatures in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s and winds in the 15-18 knt range. Challenging conditions but this sailor in particularly did well securing two top ten finishes in a fleet of 80 of the nations top in her peer group. The following two days were a bit on the cooler side with much lighter conditions. The breeze didnt cooperate fully with the Race Committee and no races were complete on Wednesday and two on the final day of competition. Over all it was a good outing for the sailor finishing 29th in the competitive fleet.
Finally and most recently I too sometime from work to sail a very competitive Snipe regatta in Miami, Fl. The Snipe is a two person dingy, very heavy almost 38o lbs rigged, technical and very competitive. This particular Snipe event was by invitation, all of the sailors were under the age of 30. This made the event different that most Snipe regattas but fun and equally competitive. I sailed with a member of the US Sailing Team Alpha Graphics (USSTAG) Match Racing Team. I learned a bunch and was thrilled to be asked to crew for her at the event. Sailing with a member of the Olympic Team, I gained insight as to what they do as athletes to continuously prepare themselves for the echelon of competitive sailing and competition. The dedication to fitness and nutrition was something that I did give the proper level of importance to as it both prepare mind and body for the stresses of physical and mental competition.
The regatta consitsted of 7 races, two were completed on Saturday and five on Sunday. We finished third overall, winning the 5 race and also a tie breaker. Brain Kamilar (a fellow college sailor and kiting buddy) with his crew Enrique Quintaro won the event qudos to them and their hard work.
From here, its back to my daily routine of continuing to promote Fl Boarder and its goal of helping people interested in Wind and Water sports and also helping the DIYC youth program succeed as a top level destination for sailing and seamanship skills.
Hoping the wind may always be at your back,
Tim
Kite Repair
Its been said that “you don’t really know how something works until you’ve taken it apart and put it back together”.
I think its true and applies to LEI’s and Kiteboarding. Recently I repaired a friends leading edge inflatable kite that was having trouble with inflation.
I quickly want to share with you the steps that I took in preparing and repairing his kite.
A quick list of things you’ll need:
Kite pump, bucket, dish soap, sponge, large enough area to inflate the kite fully, and a clean, hard, flat surface for the repair.
First, before you purchase any replacement valves you’ll want to perform a valve check on the whole kite. Most times when one valve begins to leak others will begin to fail as well. So you can save yourself a big headache and only one trip to the kite shop by finding all the valves to be replaced.
You’ll do this by inflating the kite and adding a small bit of dishsoap to the bucket of water. You’ll want and get the mixture of soap and water just right. If the mixture is heavy on soap it will be hard to find small leaks.
Once the kite is inflated go to each valve and dab a good amount of soap and water with the sponge. If there is a leak bubbles should appear.
What you’ll want to do next is make the order or the trip to the kite shop to purchase the replacement valves.
To access the valves that need to be replaced find and open the zipper on the leading edge. Depending on how your kite is set-up you may need to attach one of your kite lines to the end of the bladder so you can get to the valve and the pull the bladder back into place.
When your removing the valve be careful, you don’t want to damage the bladder. If the valve is stubborn heat up some water and using the sponge apply it to the valve to loosen the adhesive.
On a hard flat surface you’ll want to prepare your finger tips and the bladder with alcohol wipe included in the valve kit. Removing any oils from your fingers and bladder will ensure a good seal. This is most important: Make sure to the get area really well with the wipe as this is last step before putting the replacement valve on! Peel off the paper backing, get the bladder flat and carefully apply the new valve. Its important their are no creases between the bladder and valve so be careful and take your time.
Once the valve is on replace the bladder inside the leading edge of the kite, make sure the bladder isnt twisted. You may have to inflate the kite to check but do it slowly, because if the bladder is twister it will pop making your repair more complicated.
Kite repair is one more thing that will really expand your knowledge of how kiteboarding. With a bit of time and the right preparation it can be a good way to get your kiteboarding fix when the wind is too light to ride.
For lessons in the Tampa, Fl area or if you have a specific question contact Florida Boarder.
Water World
The morning started off slow. I warmed up a bit over a cup of coffee as I began to saddle a couple of SUP boards. I was eager to start my day down the thoroughfare into Tampa so I went about my chores as light fog hung over the river. Aside from the slightly cooler tempature, it was about a good day as your likely to see in this part of Florida where the Hillsborough River meets Tampa Bay.
I eased into my morning paddle as it was still on the cool side. I didn’t want to do too much before I had a chance to warm up a bit. However, it wasn’t long before I found a good pace and started letting my paddle go some. I was making my turn in front of the old Tampa Hotel to head back when I really hit my stride. As I was reaching the dock, the cooler water washing of over the top of the board was a welcomed feeling to my waking feet.
After I carried the SUP’s to the board livery, I jumped in the woodies pick-up and headed west to a venue where the east wind was finding its way on shore. Winds in Florida aren’t like the constant ones out on the left coast of the states and can be down right hard to forecast, but I’ve been reading the winds since a pretty young age and I felt confident that the moderate breeze would keep as the sun reached its highest point.
The breeze held up nicely so I popped up two basic trainer kites and worked with a new kitesurfing student on the rules of the road. The slow criss crosses we made past each other on the soft grassy area later proved to be a great introduction to right of way rules. A number of kiters found the smooth water on the leeward side of a good sized sand bar the perfect place to stretch their legs as the sun was beginning to set over the Gulf of Mexico.
With the sun beginning to finally fade behind the grass up on the dune that tops the bar, I was beginning to feel the cold starting to settle in under my top. So the new kiter and I lead the rig back to the beach real slow as we were both feeling played out from the afternoon of working on flying skills. About the time we were getting squared away on the beach, an old friend rolled up and was looking to have a bit of a friendly show down. As good friends who feel a bit of healthy competition between might, we pushed each others riding skills some, but with more power from his kite set up and some fresh legs, I was too tired to keep up with his pace.
After derigging, we shared some old stories and talked some about where future travels might take us in water world. We split shortly there after, but Im sure our paths will cross again knowing the miles we’re both likely to travel in these parts.
old beach Woodies are great!
What to do when the weather starts to turn cold?
When the wind and water start to turn cold so do most peoples interest in getting out and having a SUP session. But, there are a couple of reasons why you may want to reconsider putting away the board and paddle just yet. First, some of the coldest days will be the one’s that are most peaceful and quite you’ll have all year. Second, if your looking to improve your physical conditioning working out in the cold is a plus. Also, continuing to get exercise outdoors through winter is shown to help improve your mood! Lastly, the more you get out the better your odds are of getting those really awesome SUP sessions that only the Die-Hards get to experience.
To help get you prepared, here are some tips on how to dress and things to remember when the temperature drops.
Stay hydrated! Even though it may seem like its not as important drinking water is a must. You still sweat when its cold and you’ll want to keep up with the recommended 9cups (women) and 13cups for men.
Protect your extremities. Most body heat will be lost from your ears/head, hands and feet. Protect yourself and stay comfortable by taking a hat, gloves and probably some neoprene boots for your feet!
Layers are your friend. Common sense right? Yes, the colder it is the more you wear. But its important to wear the right stuff and in the right places. First, if your likely to be in the water; say if your surfing or doing a downwind paddle its probably a good idea to wear some neoprene and a PFD. But if your not fleece, spandex and windproof garments are your go to items. Look for materials that have wicking properties and stay away from cotton. You’ll want to remember to layer evenly on the top and bottom so you can keep mobility and stay comfortable on your upper and lower body. Wearing a bunch on top will result in sweaty pits and cold legs!
Lastly, the coldest time of your SUP session will be when you first get out of the car and when your breaking it all down to leave. Don’t let that stop you, when its cold you just have to prepare a bit more so take a heavier jacket and something warm to drink when you get back.
I hope this helps you get more time playing in the Wind and Water this winter. If you have specific questions contact me and I would be more than happy to make some suggestions about gear that I find particularly valuable when the weather turns cold!
All the best,
Tim
Thanks for Water
This Thanksgiving weekend we’ve been gifted with great weather; warm temperatures, high blue skies and wind. Ingredients for a great weekend of boarding in Florida.
My adventures started following Thanksgiving dinner with an evening kiteboarding session. Kiting at night is something that I really enjoy, while the sense of sight is reduced an exhilarating feeling takes hold. Relying more heavily on the feeling of pressure in hands and anticipating puffs and shifts in the wind are part of what makes kiting at night an amazing experience that are sometimes lost when kiting during the day.
Friday morning the easterly flow had lightened up behind the gradient so my folks and I packed up a few Stand-up Paddle Boards and headed to Weedon Island Preserve. This is a place I hope everyone gets the chance to experience from a SUP board. There is a marked paddle trail that meanders through mangroves and sand tidal flats. Numerous types of birds including Rosette Spoon Bills and Osprey, mullet and manatees. It was a nice time paddling with my folks and seeing nature.
Saturday I coached a group of 12 talented youth sailors at the Davis Island Yacht Club Thanksgiving day Regatta. The group did very, very well considering the how extreme the conditions became. The sailors completed three races on saturday and two on sunday in winds that increased to 25mphs on the Tampa Bay. Large tides, combined with almost opposing breeze made the chop in tampa bay look like a washing machine. I see a lot of great success in these sailors futures as they all rose to the challenging conditions.
That evening the breeze backed off some I took a small group for a stand-up paddle boarding tour of the Davis Island Seaplane Basin. As we reached the mouth of the basin the sun was beginning to set so we hung out in the lee of the club to watch the sun drop over Hillsborough Bay and Old Tampa Bay. Sunsets are something that really capture people, including myself, time after time.
I put together a short video of some of the SUP trip to Weedon Island. I hope you like it.
I’m glad to share the happiness I find in the water and look forward to seeing you out there.
For help finding your way to Wind and Water, find us at http://www.floridaboarder.com
Sunset SUPing
Had a great sunset Stand-up Paddle Boarding session with my folks this evening on the Hillsborough River.
There was a strong ebbing tide because of the mid morning showers that passed with the weak cold front across the area. However, it left the water butter smooth reflecting the deep colors from the clouds as the sunset.
I’m always amazed of how relaxed and grateful I feel after getting to paddle. It takes less motivation for me than going to the gym and I’d say that the benefits of SUP’ing are far greater. Taking in the air and seeing such a magnificent sunset really puts life in perspective.
Therapy on the Water
For many people the idea of therapy might involve a couch and talking or maybe physical trainers and coordinated movements. Where there is introspection and hard work to see success.
Today, I worked with a teenager who has impaired balance and movement on a Stand-up Paddle Board. We talked about other activities and coaches that work with him, and I began to see the schedule and dedication to these activities was very structured. While Stand-up Paddle Boarding requires coordination, balance and movement, it also allows the paddler shape and express his or her-self on the the water. The freedom that I saw this young teenager express was amazing. We worked on paddling and turning, but most of what he wanted to do most was lie back on the board and just float. I called it meditation but he said “I’m just not worrying”.
I think the really great thing about water is that while its always confined, it also shapes what confines it. I hope while this youngster works to rehabilitate his balance and movement that he finds a way to shape his world through Stand-up Paddle Boarding.
Im looking forward to see how I can help more people with the use of a Stand-up Paddle Board.
floridaboarder 