VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Anyone got or seen a solution for taking a bit of gear out with you while windsurfing? Maybe a water bottle and a bit of food, or ? I've got a pocket in the "life jacket" I use, but it wouldn't hold much water (does hold a phone though). There are days when I'd rather not go back in to the beach. (The big formula board being a contributing factor.) -Tom

kiters have this figured out, just wear cargo shorts over the wetsuit.
for hydration, maybe integrated into a helmet?

downwind dave wrote:kiters have this figured out, just wear cargo shorts over the wetsuit.
for hydration, maybe integrated into a helmet?

Nice pic Dave! That might get a little top heavy though

Try this..... http://www.silentsports.com/Kiteboardin ... k/WA21025/

ditto on the camel-back, used to use it training on formula and IMCO.

You probably also have room for a solar panel, apartment stove, and turkey. Just duct-tape them down and hand out sandwiches to the rest of us.

or get your hands on one of these, and you can cook inside.
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Thanks guys. I did think camelback when I wrote the initial post. A small one might work under the floatation vest. With gatorade it might suffice on its own. The idea of cargo shorts outside the wetsuit is a very good one. Thanks! -Tom

I wonder if an anchored float just off the beach or somewhere on the water in your location could serve as a crash pad and a food stash. That way, you wouldn't be sailing with all that stuff on you making you heavy (especially water) and not so nimble and quick. I have a similar situation where I sail here and I'm considering building a small, say 4'x4', float and anchoring it just out from the reef I navigate to hit the water. I just want a place to park the board and rest but a small plastic cooler bolted to the float could hold water and food and stuff that might be nice to have along. Maybe a bit of hot tea this for time of year.

IMHO, the dock idea has merit if it would be out of the wave action (and preferably out of the strongest wind if it is supposed to be a rest/crash pad). I'd probably borrow a dingy or blow-up raft unless I had a chunk of dock "floating around".

Back when I was first sailing a heavy O'Brien, I was looking for a small anchor so I could setup a temporary bouy off the beach so I didn't have to carry the board in every time I stopped.

Oh, and I also remember being driven nuts by the constant reports of 15-20 knots at Kelp reef and nothing on the shore... thinking that anchoring a dock out at Kelp Reef and running out there in a boat was looking attractive. That might have been a summer pattern, wind over on the San Juan's ... but nothing here. Unfortunately, while I can get my hands on a smaller zodiac, iI think it would be a bit small for carrying windsurf gear (maybe ok for transport, NOT fun for rigging). I have no idea if that wind extended to Darcy Island.

Still, a small bag with a little food and a thermos in it attached to some "stickies" on the board (behind the mast?) would make a rest stop on an offshore island beach much nicer. (I'm thinking about the sticky pads used for gopro mounts.) ... Will likely find a solution somewhere between that and the cargo shorts and camelback.

-Tom