French Broad Photos: Playing the Ledges
A few cold, clear mornings this week and fun surfing sessions on the French Broad.
The waning moon hangs over downtown Asheville.
DAY 1
Mr Smooth, Chris Manderson schools us on clean cartwheel technique.
Adam Masters – Bellyak surfing in the kneeling position, similar to a c-1, canoe or kneeboard style.
Myself – Bellyak surfing in the kneeling position.
Adam Masters – Bellyak surfing in the prone position, just like paddling a surfboard.
Adam Masters – Bellyak surfing in the seated position, similar to blasting in a kayak.
DAY 2
Another day on the ledges with lots more water. Rob Peerson joined us for a brisk play session.
I’ve been using IR’s Royale Skirt lately and am very excited about this product.
– It’s totally dry due to IR’s proprietary “fin” rand, along with the apron/flange construction.
– The fin-rand combined with grip-strips makes for a virtually implosion-free skirt. Put it this way; you can put the skirt on a boat, air-seal the tunnel and jump up and down on the deck, sans implosion.
– Like IR’s old Special-K skirt, the Royale has a Kevlar reinforced rim for amazing abrasion resistance.
– The Royale would be applicable for 98% of boats out there, which would have a polyethylene (plastic) construction.
With the luxury of a high-water day, 10,000 CFS, Chris Manderson showed us some very fun playspots above the ledges park.
Manderson showing the appropriate emotion for the day’s events.
Rob Peerson blunting the right corner of the play hole.
Adam knee surfing the Bellyak.
Rob surfing hole number 2.
Adam drops into the ship rock wave at the top of the ledges park.
Rob and I scouting the ledges rapid from the center eddy.
Half-moon over pack square in Asheville
– Spencer Cooke, Effort Inc.
