Can you plane in this? No, Seriously? Really!?

Have I told you lately that I love my formula board? I headed to the lake for an after work sesh planning to paddle and catch what boat wakes I could surf. I tossed the old Exocet L99 on the trailer just for the comfort of having it around and letting it get some fresh air. I paddled out towards the dam- low and behold there was a slight NE wind cutting across that I didn't see from the launch... So I tossed the idea of rigging the 9.5 back and forth for a while. I rigged. Then I decided it wasn't enough to plane. I paddle back out as before having no trouble paddling into the wind, but changed my mind yet again.

I uphauled in the glass of the cove caught the wrap around and sailed into weather. Oh Boy! I forgot what that kit can do. It was in the straps planing for over 2 hours. I'll just go ahead and say that N is absolutely the best direction once the leaves are on the trees. It wasn't gusty, the direction was between NW - NE and not a hint of a whitecap anywhere. Ahh, the sweet flat water jibes. Even in wind so light paddling the SUP wasn't a problem the formula kit shined. Sure the Summerfield wind meter may not represent what exactly was happening at Belews but it typically isn't far off. I sure needed that- some surprise stoke after a long wait.

So after couple hours in the straps when I fell of the plane I got back on the SUP and started playing in the boat wakes. Lots of folks out since the weather turned so perfect- for anything. When the boats where in their slips I fished a bit on the SUP. Caught one nice white perch and missed a few hits. Yep I'm loving formula windsurfing and SUPing.

How about some comments or thoughts on formula boards? I'd like to hear some opinions on why you have or will never have one. There is only so much long distance flat water paddling you can do before you're ready for something else. By the way, check out this vid of FW in really light stuff when I first got my exocet L99.