vgabndo - 12-14-2005 at 12:18 AM
Any of the Nomads ever do any land sailing in Baja? Does Laguna Chapala get as smooth and firm as say The Alvord in SE Oregon, or the dry lakes
around Las Vegas?
How about Malarrimo Beach? Seems like it would be wide and flat enough to tack back home if necessary due to wind direction.
I'm recently addicted, and would like to try some spots in Baja.
Frigatebird - 12-14-2005 at 09:18 PM
vgabndo,
Funny you should ask. I was down at Chapala for part of Thankgiving weekend. Sailed for a couple of days with a blowkart and 3m sail. The winds
were from the south at 10 to 20 mph. The surface conditions varied. Some parts were nice and flat, while others were bumpy for all the wide cracks.
I haven't sailed Alvord, but Chapala seemed about a firm as can be. Small rocks and an occasional boulder kept my attention across most of the playa.
Got one flat, maybe that small rock at speed. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.
There is another large playa west of Chapala about 2-3 miles called Islotes? We tried to check it out, but our low clearance wouldn't allow it.
Maybe next time.
Malarrimo might work, although my observations were from afar. We camped about a mile west of Malarrimo's sandy shores. The coast below our
cliffside camp was mostly tilted sandstone, not suitable for vehicles. But the beaches east of us were sandy. A low tide should expose some nice
highway, and most of the time you'd be beam reaching.
I also have the addiction. Go get your fix. 
Malarrimo...
Sharksbaja - 12-15-2005 at 12:46 AM
is certainly windy enough but it is a relatively narrow beach with soft sand. It may not be suitable.
Earlier this year on the Playa at Alvord
vgabndo - 12-16-2005 at 06:14 PM
Thanks for the info. Frigatebird. I sailed with a guy in a Blokart earlier this year. Not blazing fast, but left me behind in light air.
I'm convinced I want to build one. Do you visit the msn research and development site? Or are you aware of the Brits world speed record yacht?
This might be trouble on Malarrimo
vgabndo - 12-16-2005 at 06:22 PM
These guys couldn't get the right wind on the right dry lake this year, but they need about 117 MPH for the record. Perhaps a Baja appropriate topic
since it certainly is desert racing. My top speed so far in the boat in the photo above is about 55 MPH.
Addiction IS the word.
Frigatebird - 12-16-2005 at 07:25 PM
vgabndo,
is that a Manta you're sailing? 55 is a project in the works for me. Heck, I'm not sure they'll go that fast. I wasn't aware of the msn site, but
it sounds like a fun project. I got the blowkart because of the portability and setup time, but those larger rigs look fun.
I heard about the British effort. They were somewhere in Nevada at the last America's Cup. Are you going this year? I guess they'll keep trying.
That would be some ride.
Here are some pics of the Chapala trip.
Wind Sailors
mcgyver - 12-17-2005 at 08:37 AM
Vagabondo,You guys need to go to Laguna Agua Amarga between highway 1 and Bahia De Los Angles, the wind is always blowing, there are parts of it that
are totaly smooth (if the Mc,s have not been cutting circles) after a good rain and it drys there are places you can run fast for a long way, I have
driven a Geo on it 70 or 80 MPH. The north side has some rocks and gets worse the futher you go but all of it is acessable except when wet. I was once
caught coming from Bahia Guadalupe by rain towing the Geo with my Tacoma and before I got to the highway I had made some loooong slides! 2 years ago
the west side had some deep holes and cracks but the center and east side was smooth. I don't have any knowledge of how much your sailboards can take
but it would be worth a look or maybe someone already knows???
Phil S - 12-17-2005 at 09:33 AM
vgabdo. Have you tried sailing using a kite instead of the mast sail? I almost popped for one about fifteen years ago when I built a home on the
Oregon coast beach & looked like a great sport. Got sidetracked about the same time, and bought a motorcycle instead. (no longer riding them now.
Too old. Maybe I just grew some brains instead) Anyway, you've peaked my interest again. Can you buy those tires in ten ply? Think you'd want
something like that in case you 'blew into the cactus'. And who are the kit makers for the 'land yachats'? Phil S
oladulce - 12-17-2005 at 10:24 AM
Our friends have a kite and cart set up that they use on the beach in San Juanico but it's a 10 mile, one-way run with the wind. The beach is a 20
mile stretch but it depends if the estero is flowing at the half-way point. It looks like a blast and I'm anxious to try it.
(Using a kite is probably considered a different sport in the world of landsailing, so please excuse if not-tacking-back is blasphemy to purists of
the sport! By the smiles on the guys' faces, I don't think it matters to them.)
Geez, I just wrote a long response to everyone, and blew it away looking for a URL to post.
vgabndo - 12-18-2005 at 02:33 PM
I am attaching two URLs that will take you anywhere in the world you wind to go with Land Yachts and Dirt Boats.
This is also done on frozen lakes with blades not tires.
The hot jobs can go pretty near 2.5X wind speed.
Google "Ice flyer" for a design you can build at home using a wind surf sail.
Blow carts like Frigatebird's are cool cause they'll fit in the trunk of a car.
Here are four boats on our way to SE Oregon.
And now my photo didn't upload...Hmmmmm
And I forgeot to add these:
www.windjet.co.uk
www.sevenravens.com/landsailing/
[Edited on 12-18-2005 by vgabndo]
[Edited on 12-18-2005 by vgabndo]
I'm getting an error message, I'll try again
vgabndo - 12-18-2005 at 02:48 PM
A load of fun heading for Oregon
Vgabndo's first mug shot on Nomads
vgabndo - 12-18-2005 at 02:52 PM
