On Monday June 20 the New Weather Center was added to the Wind Power Web site. The Site has it’s own URL at WindPowerWeather.com .  A Weather Center link is available on Wind Power home page and under Information pull-down menu.

As you can see in [...]]]> The Wind Power web site has a New Weather Center! 

On Monday June 20 the New Weather Center was added to the Wind Power Web site. The Site has it’s own URL at WindPowerWeather.com .  A Weather Center link is available on Wind Power home page and under Information pull-down menu.

As you can see in the picture above the Wind Sensor is mounted much higher than in the past.  It will give a more realistic reading in more directions due to the added height.  My brother Andy donated an A-Scow mast which we put on top of the shop.  The Wind Sensor is on top of it which should put it at 60 plus feet.  This is around the height of the neighboring trees.

But that is not all that the Weather Center is about.  It has a very detailed graphs of the wind speed with gusts,  direction and speed, temperature and wind chill.  There is also a tabular data.  Forecast are available from several popular weather links.  Water Temperature is also available.  There are graphs with a detailed history of the past weather. Personally I like to see the peak gusts.

A local advisory tells you what launches are good for the current conditions as well as the type of equipment to use.  Don’t forget to add the Wind Power Weather Gadget to your desktop.  It will keep you up-to-date with the wind conditions on Lake Winnebago’s south end. WindPowerWeather.com/gadget

The Weather Center is dedicated to Stellablue, a longtime companion of the developer of this site. Stellablue was a yellow Labrador retriever and learned to windsurf as a puppy and loved cruising on the long-board. As you can see in the photo, she was ready to go, but was not much help up-hauling the sail. The Weather Center is dedicated to her memory.

The Weather Center was many hours in development and deciphering data find what would work best for Wind Power. Some of the unique features are the recommended Launch Sites and desktop gadget (for Windows). The Weather Center not only provides weather data, but provides a lot of explanations and educational information. Check out the Information and Sensor pages for example.

We are excited to bring this new service and it’s features to you.  Feel free to blog back or contact us with any comments and suggestions.  Enjoy the weather Center and make the most of it to increase you fun in the WIND on Lake Winnebago.

Kevin   USA 8

Spring is [...]]]> Have you blown the dust off you soft water sailing equipment?  Well it’s time.  Lake Winnebago opened on April 7th, as far as we could see to the north from Wind Power .  The water temps are in the upper 50’s already.  A few more warm days and you can put the drysuits away.

Spring is a great time for those with experience to get out and enjoy some high wind action.  Be sure to check all you cold weather gear so it’s going to protect you as designed.  Don’t forget to also check over your equipment; u-joint, lines, all screws.  Breakdowns can quickly become a much bigger problem with colder water temps.

Wind Power enjoyed it’s annual spring trip to Hatteras. A great group of 14 enjoyed warm temps in the 70’s and lots of wind.  I windsurfed overpowered on my 4.2 and kited with an 8m.  Christy, Pat and Greg, new kiters, worked on getting rides on soft water and Debbie learned how to Windsurf.

Wind Power’s Online Store has been busy this spring and new items are being added daily.   Check it out at http://www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/shop/ The Mid-West largest used inventory and replacement parts will soon be showcased in the online store!   The road construction on Winnebago Drive (in front of the shop) is completed and it’s a big improvement to the area.  Come and enjoy a sail out of Roosevelt County Park.

School will be out Soon! Wind Power is currently taking registration for the Kid’s Classes on wed.  Starting Wednesday June 15th there will be a morning kids class from 10:00 to noon and an afternoon class from 1:00 to 3:00.  Last year the classes were full.  We will add a Thursday program if there is enough demand.     Call Kevin at Wind Power or see the web site for more information: http://www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/lessons/windsurf#kids

Are we having FUN yet?

Wednesday night will be the Advanced Windsurf classes.  This program covers all levels, from those who have just learned to the aspiring racer.  If you are nervous and not real comfortable out in the water, this is the class for you.  Kevin will get you relaxed and having fun while learning how to windsurf better.  Class curriculum is adjusted to the students level and the wind conditions of the day.

Beginner Windsurf Lessons are available anytime just call ahead to set a lesson time.  Wind Power prides itself on having the best lesson equipment available.  We want you learning experience to be easy , fun and fast! Roosevelt County Park has a nice shallow sandy area where the beginner lessons take place, it’s an ideal location.  See our web site for more information: http://www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/lessons

Kiting Lessons are available, Wind Power supplies the equipment if you don’t have it.  A large Pontoon boat is the launch site and a Jet-ski is the chase vehicle.  Contact Wind Power for more information and to setup a time.

Stand Up Paddling (SUP) Lessons and equipment are also available.  If the wind dies stop over to the shop and pick up a paddle.  Paddling along the shore checking out the houses is interesting, you can paddle back in the channel behind Wind Power or cruise up to the Light House and even go in Supply’s marsh.

Jay and Dr. D

Increase your Summer Fun with Wind Power!

No.1 It’s a party! A get-together with friends that enjoy the same sports you do. Everyone likes to have others around them to kite, windsurf or sail with when they are enjoying their sport. You have to admit [...]]]> I can think of many reasons to attend a Regatta,  a Windsurfing, Kiting, or sailing event.

No.1 It’s a party! A get-together with friends that enjoy the same sports you do. Everyone likes to have others around them to kite, windsurf or sail with when they are enjoying their sport. You have to admit it’s more fun when there are others to watch and hoot, holler and encourage when doing your sport. Most people find the  social aspect of the sport a big part of the sport and a boost to the fun factor. You meet new friends that enjoy the same thrills you do.  At work your fellow workers are probably sick of listening to you babble about how much fun you had in the wind. Why, they hate the wind, for it makes their sports harder or impossible. They don’t understand your psych, nor do they want to. When you get to the beach it’s a whole different story. Everyone wants to hear you story and share theirs.  So go and party with those who enjoy those who enjoy your sport.

No. 2 It’s a great way to learn and improve! For those new to the sport, they can hang with those experienced and learn from them. Most of the those I have meet are more than willing to share and HELP those who are learning. Remember all of us were Beginners at one time and we don’t forget those days. We want to help beginners get through the tough times as fast as possible and enjoy the sport at a higher level.  I have personally watch  and experienced everyone who competes improve a much greater rate than those who fine every excuse to not compete.  How many have said they are not competitive but when you see them on the water they are trying to out do others.  Jumping higher, going faster, or doing harder or more tricks.  Those sailors should be honest to themselves and join the FUN.

No.3 It’s Fun Competition! It’s fun to compare yourself to others.  Getting the jitters on the starting line is exciting.  Where else do you get a rush like that?  It’s great fun to be next to your friends pushing eachother to do your best.  You will find you push yourself harder than when you are alone.  I enjoy cheering others on and hooting it up.  It will promote you to pay more attention to techniques, equipment setup and tuning, tactics and weather.

No.4 Help Promote your great sport! Having a Competition bring a bigger group than normal and showcases our sport. It entices and creates interest in those who watch to join the fun.  How can one not help wanting to participate in a sport where everyone is having so much fun.We all want to share our enjoyment of our great sport and help it grow.  So we have more friends to Party with!

No.5 Don’t be a Party Pooper! If you enjoy Competitions and would like to see more of them as well as see the existing ones grow to higher levels, you must attend.  Not attending an event because of lack of wind is the most common excuse.  Forecast are often wrong, weather always changes.  Wind can come out of no-where.

That mentality is the quickest and sure way to kill a Competition or Event.  Think of the big picture of the makings of an Event.  You must have a race organizer, support personnel and sponsorship of some kind.  A lot of behind the scene work goes on.  Not attending because the forecast does not look good puts all their work in vain.  The sponsors do not see a return for their investment, therefore they pull out.  Soon the event is history.

So remember instead of  contacting your friends and telling them you are not going to make the Event because of  a poor forecast.  Contact all you’re friends and tell them to come and join you at the Party!

Now that JohnO has completed his beginner lesson, he needs more time on the kite to get comfortable handling more power.  John also needs to improve his light [...]]]> Below is a video of JohnO after his initial 2-3 hour beginner kite lesson.  He has great speed and form for only kiting about 10 minutes in his life.

Now that JohnO has completed his beginner lesson, he needs more time on the kite to get comfortable handling more power.  John also needs to improve his light wind kite flying.  In light winds, technique plays a big factor in keeping the kite up.  John was flying a 5 meter Naish Helix (4 line SLE Kite with 100% depower).  Don Altmeyer, an excellent kiter was kiting with a 12 meter Naish Helix at the same time.  On soft water John would not have enough power to get up and go, but Don with the 12 meter would have had enough power to get up and even jump.

After the beginner lesson one needs to put another 15 – 20 hours on the kite to build on their skills so they can handle the power required to get up on soft water.  One can shorten that time with another lesson or two.

The Winter is more than half over so don’t procrastinate if you want to kite this summer.  GET OUT and RIDE!

The Winter ice has many advantages:

The human being is born with instinctive reactions for windsurfing.  I say “We are born with a windsurfing program in our brain.  It’s [...]]]> Most People know by now that Windsurfing can be difficult to learn.  There is also a misconception that it takes a lot of upper body strength to learn.  Well let’s discuss some facts.

The human being is born with instinctive reactions for windsurfing.  I say “We are born with a windsurfing program in our brain.  It’s a poor program like Windows 98.  It causes you to crash a lot!”  The windsurfing Instructor’s job is to make you aware of the instinctive problems and teach you the proper techniques so you have good balance while windsurfing.  The instructor will teach you the proper reactions.  Repeated use of the proper reaction will build muscle memory and eventually the poor instinctive reaction will change to the proper reaction and balance will improve, windsurfing will be easy and fun with no swimming involved.

For instance, most beginners fall backwards quite often.  Why?  Because their instinct has them not standing on the centerline of the board but to the windward side of the board and they tend to put too much weight on their heels.  That stance along the instinctive reaction of hugging the sail (bending the elbows) after up-hauling leads to an in-balance to the windward side of the board and the result is falling in backwards.

Windsurfing has many, many different balances and the instructor will teach the student how to be aware and feel the balance points.  Our instincts make it difficult to find and feel the balance points.  An Instructor should have what I call the Instructor’s Eye.  The instructor will see the reason for imbalance or the cause of a fall and they will inform you how correct the move and work on muscle memory.

The misconception that windsurfing takes a lot of upper body strength is correct when one uses poor technique.  Learning the proper technique of keeping your arms straight and relaxed, thumbs on top of the boom, back straight with a sitting posture transfers all the pull from the sail into your legs instead of using hand, arm and back muscles.  There is no need to, and using those muscles just wears one out in no time.

A good Instructor teaching the proper techniques with a seasoned Instructors Eye, will make your 1^st time learning experience fun, easy and successful.  Oh and a lot drier!

Advanced Windsurfing Instruction is equally important because again of the Bad Instinctive Reactions.  They seem to appear at all levels of this great sport.

Don’t waste precious time, you only live once! Put forth the effort to find a good Windsurfing School and learn to master the great sport of windsurfing quickly.  Put yourself on a fast learning curve, it will be your Best Investment in Windsurfing!