southwest Missouri kiteboarding

[wwl_2]

Has anyone in the group kited Table Rock, Stockton, or Osage? Where
does everyone get their gear at in the St louis area?

[Richard Hunter]

I only kite Lake Carlyle near Carlyle,  IL, about  1 to 1.5 hours from St Louis depending on the launch site.  I get most of my gear via eBay. Who might you be, and do you live near St. Louis?

 

Rich

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

Hi. I have no experiences at those lakes, but I am sure they could
work. As far as gear, you have to mail-order it, there are no shops in
the area (that I know of).

I have Best brand kites (bestkiteboarding.com) and use a bar setup from
Slingshot.

Tim

"newbie kiteboarder"

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

Rich- this lake discussion reminds me...  has anyone ever tried kiteboarding/windsurfing at Horseshoe Lake, or the barge channel that goes under the Chain of Rocks bridge?   Carlyle is a long drive....

 

Tim

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Hunter [mailto:richs...@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 10:41 AM
To: windf...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: southwest Missouri kiteboarding

I only kite Lake Carlyle near Carlyle,  IL, about  1 to 1.5 hours from St Louis depending on the launch site.  I get most of my gear via eBay. Who might you be, and do you live near St. Louis?

 

Rich

wwl_2 <ww...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Richard Hunter]

I windsurfed Horseshoe once and don't recommend it at all for kiting. It is only good on an easterly for windsurfing. The reach is very short and the shoreline sucks. I don't even plan to windsurf there again.

 

Several river locations seem good to me but very risky if the kite drops and doesn't relaunch. I've studied the launch areas at the Arch for Southerlies and St. Charles just north of I 70 on the Missouri river for Northerlies. Launching and exiting would be easy I think at these locations. St. Charles has a no kiting sign refering to the recreational type kites.

 

Same goes for a SE'erly on the Mississippi at Alton and a Southerly at the sand bar below the rapids below the bridge at 270 and the Mississippi. I really like the lauch site below those rapids having driven down there and checked it out in the past. I would try windsurfing there first and see what its like.

 

However, I plan to stick with Carlyle for safety reasons. I doubt the barge channel would be very good since it is so narrow.

[erni...@msn.com]

Hi Tim,
If you are talking about horseshoe lake by granite city off of route
111, duck and goose hunters use that lake. I'm told there are LOTS of
at surface and below surface pipes and stuff they used to anchor their
blinds with.
Ernie

[Marcos Vidal]

I winsurfed Horseshoe lake once. Forget about it, is very shallow and full of garbage. Plus, I found no open areas, so launching a kite is almost impossible.

I think we should stick to Carlyle.

Marcos Vidal

>From: "erni...@msn.com" <erni...@msn.com>
>Reply-To: windf...@googlegroups.com
>To: windf...@googlegroups.com
>Subject: Re: southwest Missouri kiteboarding

---

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[Marcos Vidal]

I winsurfed Horseshoe lake once. Forget about it, is very shallow and full of garbage. Plus, I found no open areas, so launching a kite is almost impossible.

I think we should stick to Carlyle.

Marcos Vidal

>From: "erni...@msn.com" <erni...@msn.com>
>Reply-To: windf...@googlegroups.com
>To: windf...@googlegroups.com
>Subject: Re: southwest Missouri kiteboarding
>Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2005 06:57:48 -0700
>
>

[wwl_2]

Sorry...just realized no signature .I just moved into Southwest
Missouri, about a half hour east of Springfield. I was big into land
kites, kite landboarding and kite buggy but there seems to be few good
spots for that around here. The trees and terrain seem to make the wind
more turbulent then I like. The lakes seem big enough to smooth out
some of that turbulence...I wanted to see if anyone found that true.
And which of the many lakes out here were best for boarding.

If anyone is interested in moving up to some Ocean Rodeo gear, drop me
an e-mail.

William

[Chris Mihill]

The best place for sailing in that area is Stockton Lake.  I friend of mine used to go to school at Southwest,  he used to windsurf alot there.  If you look at a map there is a state park at the tip where the two main branches of the lake come together.  That's the place the locals launch from.  It gives you access to a 1x3 mile area of the lake....certainly big enough for sailing.  A few weeks ago, the Post did an article on wind energy in Missouri.  They should a graded map for average winds.  The windiest areas of the state were Northwest and Southwest.  Not surprisingly, St. Louis area was one of the least windiest places.  As far as sailing in front of the arch....that is closed to recreational boating.  I've often though of doing a quick session there just for the photo op, however the river is narrow and the current fast.

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

Ernie,

Good to know! I will stay far away from horseshoe lake. I guess I'll
be racking up the miles driving to Carlyle!

Thanks,

Tim

-----Original Message-----
From: erni...@msn.com [mailto:erni...@msn.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 8:58 AM
To: windf...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: southwest Missouri kiteboarding

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

William,

Welcome to the area! I'm sure you'll be able to find some kiteboarding
lake action down there.

Tim

-----Original Message-----
From: wwl_2 [mailto:ww...@yahoo.com]

Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 10:11 AM
To: windf...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: southwest Missouri kiteboarding

[Richard Hunter]

Today should be a very good day for Harbor Light Bay at Carlyle. Wind direction of 60 degress east of due north just misses the north point hitting the beach with about a 45 degree angle, good for kiting and windsurfing. Less than 60 degrees down to say 30 degrees creates a slight wind shadow for safer kite launches with increasing power away from shore. The north point is probably 1/2 mile from the beach allowing fairly steady but lighter wind to hit the beach between 30 and 60 degrees

 

The forecast calls for the wind backing from 80 degrees to the 50 degrees by evening. It will be about 60 degrees at 1:00 PM.

 

The south point at Harbor Light is directly south of the beach creating a good port angled downwinder for beginning kiters. The walk back would be easy either on the long curving beach or in shallow water.

Rich

"EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W" <tim.w.h...@boeing.com> wrote:

[Ralph Godkin]

Rich,

 

What about Rend today?

I imagine being further south there should be more wind, and the wind should arrive sooner?

Don't know about good launch sites for a N.Eastr though...????

 

Ralph.

[Richard Hunter]

Ed who lives near Rend is going to Harbor Light Bay. That should be a good indicator.

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

Rich- this sounds great!  But what about the 100% chance of thunderstorm?  Am I being a wimp?

 

Tim

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Hunter [mailto:richs...@sbcglobal.net]

[Richard Hunter]

My impression it will be steady rain without lightning but with wind. I am leaving for Carlyle now.

[EXT-Hossfeld, Tim W]

Let me know how it goes!!!  I can't escape work today.....  :o(

 

Maybe tomorrow or wednesday???