Great Wind & Swells At Roosevelt Park – July 22

Roosevelt Park in the eastern Gorge

If you ask Gorge sailors to recall some of their best days on the river, most sailors will includea classic day in the eastern Gorge at Roosevelt.  Roosevelt Park is located 75 miles east of Hood River where the river is wide, the wind unobstructed by high walls(steady wind), and a fetch several miles long which is perfect for big swells.  With gas prices at well over $4, you want to be certain the forecast and set up for wind is perfect…like it was on Tuesday.  Many of the sailors who frequent Roosevelt are from eastern Washington and Oregon; Spokane, Tri-Cities and other smaller towns.

Jeff tests the straightline speed of the SE

One of the first sailors out was Jeff from Bend, Oregon.  He’s in need of a new quiver and was excited to try an EzzySE.  Jeff’s a great sailor who loves to slash the swells, get big air, and generally RIP!  He had a chance to try both the 3.7 and 4.0 SE in the classic Roosevelt swells on the Oregon side of the river.  And even though I was standing on the Washington shore, I could see the walls of water as he slashed wave after wave.  Sorry the pictures don’t do him justice, I need a bigger lens.

This guy can rip!

Before he went out he noticed the draft that the SE has after it’s rigged, and wondered if the sail would depower while wave riding…good question Jeff.  I told him other sailors haven’t found it to be a problem, but he should get out there and see how the SE fits his style of sailing.  And his comments:  “…beautifully stable and smooth power.  They really are easy to sail in the waves, just sheet in as you turn down the wave face and the sail de-powers.  Super control in the waves or in the air…they are great.”

Roosevelt veteran Bud tests the new Freewave

The next sailor is a vetern sailor from Yakima, who has been sailing Roosevelt for more than two decades.  It was fitting that Bud was my first sailor to demo the new 2009 Freewave.  He isn’t an Ezzy owner, but his feedback and thoughts are still important to us.  He took out the 4.2 for a 30 minute session and returned with an impression that he expressed as, “…very managable and manuverable.  And it jibes like a dream!”  Thanks Bud, you help make windsurfing fun.  Watch for more reviews as more sailors get a chance to ride the new Freewave.  See you on the beach, Gary & Nancy

Don’t forget to share the river with barges