Saturday, December 19, 2009

Brother & Sista With SOL

Aloha gang! More new toys on the island...Mad Dog & the Bonsters with their new Sol wings, couldn't wait for Friday to arrive, my first day off work & met Bonnie at Kualoa Park to kite my Sol Torck. Very North 360' but perfect 8-12 on beach, had fun for a quick one hour session & called to post up possible perfect Bay crossing day at Kahana.

As I drove to Kahana we met up with Maui Doug to check the wind in a few different spots as we were getting different readings from NNW at 350' to 40'?? Finally checked one last place, Punaluu Beack Park to confirm a 5' North at 8-10 mph so up North launch at Kahana we hiked, all excited with the new toy! Side Hill Tom, Don, & a visiter Paul also joinned in on the fun of North launches 3-10 gusty stuff. Maui Doug went off first & was tossed around a bit & after few minutes he decided to hit the calmer reaches of the Beach, I was up next & not used to the dental floss lines of a 2-3 wing grabbing like velcro was a bit nervous to break a line on the maiden voyage, but Tom calmed me down & said now get in the air & out of our way so we can fly too (Kidding).

Wing came up perfect so I kitted for a moment or two then a gust lightend my load so I stepped off to nice lift! Very comfortable as soon as I sat in the harness & up I went, two quick passes at launch & around the Rhino Horns corner to better lift from North direction, Tom was up next & had velcro problems also & brought a bush up flying with him so to the beach he went & Don unfortunetaly ripped his wing on launch so also to the beach he flew...Wow all by myself & nobody to play with as I climbed the left side of the ridge we normally fly as it was blowing 355' NNW !!!

I soared up to a quick 1700' altitude & after only 20 minutes of flying the new machine wich I feel very comfortable on, across the Bay I went! Only lossing 300' on the cross & getting up to 3000' on the Crouching Lion side with cloud base still another 800' plus above me. Still climbing but I was in a hurry to cross to Kualoa so on I pushed in my valiant steed. Arriving at Kualoa at the back high peak 2500' I slowly decended with no lift because of the NNW wind excactly splitting the ridge! Down to 2200' before my vario made the first beep, it was too up wind to retrace my steps to Kahana so the beach below at Kualoa where I was earlier kiting must be the obvious LZ, but way to high for that I thought so looking downwind saw a nice patch of green on Kanaohe Bay's shore toward the Hygenic store. Whats 2 miles of water crossing on a new wing I fiqured so turn & burn out across the open bay I went.

Gide out over the water was smooth as silk as I headed towards Hygenic store but was to scared to push the new untested Torck to such extreams on that expanse of water, so I chose Maui Dougs favorite kiting place to set it down at in Kahuluu by the Hawaiian plate food place, a huge green grass field on the Bay, arriving at 850' altitude. Testing some wing overs & a deep spiral down to the shores of Kaneohe Bay & a perfect first landing with the Sol Torck which I am now very stoked with on my maiden voyage! Can't wait for tomorrow as I packed up with Dusk fast approaching, Tom & Don stopped as they drove by to chat a bit & then Jeannine La Peste showed up to retrieve me with my 4Runner & off to the Reapers Birthday party we all went!!! Thats a whole nother story! fun & wild ass usual...

Aloha Mad Dog

3 comments:

JeffMc said...

Nice story, Mad Dog. Same colors as your Dune huh? Looks sharp!

Brazilian Ray said...

glad to hear you're enjoying your new SOL wing, congratz!!

Aloha

MauiDoug said...

Maddog does that make 4 bay crossings in your last 4 flights at KNA? I'm happy to hear your lovin your new wing!