Chaos continues - my kite was in TWO, but Alain saved the day (Mauritius day 4)
[Pic: The flat water lagoon just before sunset after the wind dropped]
Alain saved the day for me – after writing yesterday I realised my kite was ripped right across, parallel to the central strut – Matthew Rescuer from (the very friendly!) Club Mistral dropped it off with him on the way home, and it was ready for collection by 11:30 today! 400 rupees for petrol and it was back in my hands, plus an expensive repair at 3000 rupees (€80) – but looks like he did a decent job, patched and stitched both sides, matching colour, and guarantees that if it breaks again at the point he’ll do it again for free.
The other issue of course was the bloody bar/chickenloop etc
To recap-
The central rope/chickenloop snapped – a fundamental problem with Slingshot kites – they wear out. Oddly though it snapped and the whole kite disappeared into the waves, with the flagging line (the crappy bungee cord) snapping too as it shot off into the distance. So I lost a few bits too – the cruisecontrol/stopper thing. Fortunately I have a slingshot 7m bar as well so cannibalised that. Real struggle to get the chickenloop rope detached from the plastic loop – there’s a bearing in there that gets wedged. Anyway hacked off the remains of the rope and jammed it out. Still struggled to get the remnants of the rope out of the polo-mint centre of the bearing. Alain found a hammer and got that done for me.
Upshot is, by the time the wind was up again today, I had got a fked kite and fked bar/lines back in working order so didn’t miss a beat!
Had a two hour session, first half playing around in the waves again – smaller than yesterday, less chaotic out there and seemingly less kites/poledancers.
Trying to find that muscle memory again – it’s coming back. To coin Nick’s “man & machine” – well I’m not quite there again yet – but another couple of days like this and I’m bound to be.
Second half was on the lagoon. I tested the bottom on a number of occasions and can confirm it is soft.
Now managing to land backloop transitions 90% of the time in both directions, with a bit of a kiteloop – not sure if that’s the right way, but seems to work.
Played with frontloops but need to look up technique again as totally screwing them up.
Also playing with toeside to the right which I’ve always been sketchy with
Toes side left is totally “dialled in”!
Contemplating renting/borrowing/buying a surfboard tomorrow to play with that.
The F-One team next to us a re friendly – they're here for 2 weeks testing next season's kit and getting promo vids/shots. Had a chat with the kite designer – gave me a recommendation to go in France – Beaudoc. Tarifa too manic.
Body still buzzing!
Family getting into it – babysitting at €8/hr helps
View Kitesurfing spots - Alex on Tour09, inc Mauritius Kiteival in a larger map
