kitesurfing

[lizzie]

hubby enjoyed his lessons - i'm not thinking of taking a few - but he's at the stage where he has to buy a rig a practice.

new is not that expensive, but more than happy to buy a good 2nd hand. anyone have a setup for sale? kite, lines, bar and bag? pump and harness would be good to but can get them locally.

i am currently bidding for one on ebay so no need to direct me there

 

[topcropper]

No, but what about a 20 year old hang glider?

Only crashed a few times. I'll include a harness and emergency parachute, parachute only used once, some brown staining on it.

$200.



















Only joking. But I do own a 20 year old hang glider that hasn't flown for 15 years.

Kite surfing looks great.


See ya's.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Man, I always wanted to hang glide in the 70s, but 3 of my older brother's mates were seriously injured. Gliders weren't as good in those days though.

I eventually went on a tandem ride off Cape Byron about 8 years ago. played in the updraft over the cliffs for 20 mins, then landed on the beach.

Loved it.

Running off a platform on a cliff, and floating, is surreal.

 

[josko]

Lizzie,

My husband has been talking about this alot in the past year. Can I ask how much lessons were? Could your hubby already surf? How did he find it, difficult?

Regards JO

 

[HiEquity]

Hi guys

Kitesurfing is great! Especially in Perth... Easy to pick up really with the four line kites these days allowing you to adjust the power without having to move the kite. I learnt on a two line kite which is much more difficult. The greatest skill is kite control - if you put the kite in the right place with the right power level then standing up on the board is no problem cos the kite lifts you as well as pulls you along.

I don't have any gear for sale (actually in the market for something at the moment but it might wait until next season) but just a warning about second hand stuff. It generally falls into two types - people who tried a couple of times and couldn't get used to it / lost interest and sell the gear = good stuff. Or people who learnt with the gear, dumped it, ran it into some trees / up a beach, patched it, generally wore it out and now want something reliable = bad stuff. If you don't know what you are looking at just buy a cheap new low aspect kite of the right size for the winds in your area for learning. You will wear it out by the time you want something with better "performance".

BTW - NEVER think you can teach yourself! Either get someone experienced with a good safety ethic to show you the ropes or get lessons (shops these days give you free lessons when you buy a kite off them). There are a few key things to know about setting up, kiting and packing up which, if you don't know them or get them wrong, are quite literally fatal. I don't want to make it sound dangerous because it's not if you do the right thing. Invariably the kiting accidents you hear about are people who were trying to teach themselves and got stuck on the wrong side of the power of the kite - they are not to be trifled with!

Have fun!

 

[quoll]

Try Seabreeze for second hand equipment.

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/classifieds/Results.aspx?search=NEIcyx8LOaA+t7qcQIuwaw==

Cheers
Graeme

 

[quoll]

I bought a trainer kite off ebay, look for something in 2m or 3m range, they are $150 - $300. Mine was around the $140 mark.

Kite control is the hardest part to learn. So playing with a trainer kite is great, well worth the time. Down the beach when it's wndy, just as the sand starts to blow along the beach is best as the trainer kite is easier to launch with a good breeze and it relaunches easier. You will crash it often the first few times. So keep away from other people.

Lesson are $180 for 2 hours.

Cheers
Graeme

 

[quoll]

hubby enjoyed his lessons - i'm not thinking of taking a few - but he's at the stage where he has to buy a rig a practice.

new is not that expensive, but more than happy to buy a good 2nd hand. anyone have a setup for sale? kite, lines, bar and bag? pump and harness would be good to but can get them locally.

i am currently bidding for one on ebay so no need to direct me there

Which beach, and who did he get lessons with?

Cheers
Graeme

 

[bene313]

Hi Graeme

What are your thoughts on boards? I've surfed since I was 12 but living in Perth (lots of wind, no swell) I've got to get a kite set-up. I go down to the beach for a swim in summer and all these guys are having fun with their kites! Kiting in summer looks like a good complement to surfing in winter

I'm wondering what board to start with and it seems the options are:

- wakeboard style board
- surfboard with straps
- surfboard no straps

I would prefer to just start using one of my surfboards (shortboard). However, I've heard that it might be more difficult initially and that I should get a wakeboard style board because it's easier.

Cheers
Ben

 

[bene313]

Ah also, would it be sufficient to play around with the trainer instead of getting lessons?

 

[HiEquity]

I'm wondering what board to start with and it seems the options are:

- wakeboard style board
- surfboard with straps
- surfboard no straps

I would prefer to just start using one of my surfboards (shortboard). However, I've heard that it might be more difficult initially and that I should get a wakeboard style board because it's easier.

Size of board needs to be matched with size of kite. Big kites work with small boards and small kites work with big boards. "Kiteboards" are generally smaller than surfboards and bigger than wakeboards but there is nothing to stop you using either if you have the appropriate size kite - it depends on what you want to do with it. For learning, a small kite with a bigger board has generally be considered "easier" however IMO straps are a big advantage and a full size surboard would be too big - plenty of people use them of course but the majority use boards smaller than surfboards.

BTW you don't need lessons for a trainer kite - they're relatively harmless. But even if you are a gun with a trainer kite I would still strongly advise lessons when stepping up to a kitesurfing model - purely for the safety aspects as well as etiquette on the beach when around other kitesurfers / windsurfers etc.

 

[bene313]

Size of board needs to be matched with size of kite. Big kites work with small boards and small kites work with big boards. "Kiteboards" are generally smaller than surfboards and bigger than wakeboards but there is nothing to stop you using either if you have the appropriate size kite - it depends on what you want to do with it. For learning, a small kite with a bigger board has generally be considered "easier" however IMO straps are a big advantage and a full size surboard would be too big - plenty of people use them of course but the majority use boards smaller than surfboards.

Hmm ok. I've got a short/skinny board with no straps I was thinking of using - 6'1"x18"x2" - ok size? Also got a 6'2"x18.75"x2.25". I'm 75kg, 185cm.

I basically just want to cruise along surfing the shorey.

 

[blaster]

hubby enjoyed his lessons - i'm not thinking of taking a few - but he's at the stage where he has to buy a rig a practice.

new is not that expensive, but more than happy to buy a good 2nd hand. anyone have a setup for sale? kite, lines, bar and bag? pump and harness would be good to but can get them locally.

i am currently bidding for one on ebay so no need to direct me there

Been meaning to have a bash at it , we have a great lake just over the road. It'd just be my luck though and I can see the headlines .
Kite surfing goes impossibly wrong sending surfer into orbit, authorities are still trying to figure out how to get him back to earth.

Cheers

 

[HiEquity]

Hmm ok. I've got a short/skinny board with no straps I was thinking of using - 6'1"x18"x2" - ok size? Also got a 6'2"x18.75"x2.25". I'm 75kg, 185cm.

I basically just want to cruise along surfing the shorey.

I would personally lean towards the smaller version but put some straps on. Would be fine for cruising and means you can get away with a smaller kite, which is easier to control in the air as well as on the ground. FYI I learnt on a 5'10" kiteboard with a 7m two line kite with 82kgs and I really needed 25 knots to make it work. The Freo Doctor is more normally around 20 knots so I was usually underpowered. For your 75kgs and bigger board 7m would probably be OK but the four line kites these days have a wider wind range due to the ability to depower so 9m would give you better flexibility. Also, if you just want to cruise - stick with a low aspect ratio kite at least to learn with. Low AR = stable and forgiving but slower to turn (good for learners) while high AR = eminently flickable but gee, if you pull it the wrong way you really know about it! I've seen too many learners buy "top end" equipment for experienced / acrobatic kiters first up and just given up because it's all too hard to control and that hurts!

There is a bit of an open question at the moment as to whether to tether the board to yourself as well. Experienced kiters these days seem to be avoiding a leash for the board due to the problems associated with getting launched by the kite, losing your board and then having it whack into your head when you land, yanked by the leash. Of course, they can control their kite well enough to reach their board again after they lose it...

 

[chrispy]

Just a word of warning...I am not a kite surfer..don't know the first thing about it...but my niece's husband was killed kite surfing leaving a 3 yo and a 1yo.

Apparently, he had just come back to the beach and took the board off first...the wind came, caught the kite, took him into the air, the wind dropped, crashing him onto the rocks and killed him.

Two points...(1) Can the kite be taken off first to avoid this?
(2) Always wear a helmet

This was at Cape Woolamai beach, Phillip Island in 2005.

Chris

 

[quoll]

Ah also, would it be sufficient to play around with the trainer instead of getting lessons?

Nope, the trainer kite will make lessons easier, you will have a basic understanding of kite control and wind, thats all though, a very basic understanding.

I reckon if you can find a buddy to learn with it's easier.

Boards are a real mix, I'm still not good enough to get out on a surf board so I've got a wakeboard style board with straps, easiest to learn on with and you can still ride waves on it. Working towards being able to get out on a surf board with or without straps.

I live near a surf beach, but the body is having some shoulder issues when paddling out so thought I would give kiting a go. Used to windsurf but needed new gear for that as well.

cheers
Graeme

 

[HiEquity]

Hi chrispy

Hard to know what to say other than express sympathy with what your family must have gone through and say that tragedies like this are avoidable. I know nothing about what happened in this situation so won't comment, other than address the following points about safety.

Two points...(1) Can the kite be taken off first to avoid this?

Generally not - the safest way to land a kite is standing on the edge of the water with someone to catch it for you after you have explained to them the only way to hold it (in the middle at the front). Other points to note:

- Only go kiting when the wind is across the beach so you just get dragged down the beach if you lose control, rather than out to sea or onto land.

- Make sure the coast is clear downwind of you at all times - no people, fishermen, rocks, obstacles etc of any kind. If you don't have a clear beach don't go kiting!

- Fully depower the kite before stopping. And unhook your harness before approaching the shore.

- Always wear an effective safety system so in the event of over power you can just let go and the kite will fully depower while still staying attached to you. This requires unhooking first to be effective as in the point above. This is the biggest problem as many kiters get lazy and stay hooked in on the shore with the idea that they can pull their backup safety system if they get dragged - the reality is that even remembering to let go can be difficult when things get out of control. "Chicken loops" are a false sense of security on-shore IMO for those who know what they are although I'm bound to be bailed up for that statement by a lot of kiters - it's not a simple question.

These are the types of things (there are plenty of others) that an experienced instructor should drill into you as "non-negotiable" when kiting. Unfortunately there are lots of youtube videos of experienced kiters flouting these types of rules regularly in the interest of making an "exciting" video so learners quickly forget their importance.

(2) Always wear a helmet

Agreed - the most common injury I've seen is people getting hit in the head by their own boards when they have a leash. Not a pretty sight when a heavy board has a lot of momentum...

 

[lizzie]

Lizzie,

My husband has been talking about this alot in the past year. Can I ask how much lessons were? Could your hubby already surf? How did he find it, difficult?

Regards JO

hubby is a surfer, windsurfer and yachtie from old ... so he found the technical side of flying the kite on the beach really easy. wasn't so keen when he got in the water next lesson and was dragged backwards thru waves as he tried to stand on the board. got up a few times but fell off so fast i couldn't get a photo of him upright!

learnt on a 12m kite so looking for something similar.

lessons were $150 for 2.5 hours at nobby's beach. 2 lessons were enough to to get him skilled enough to continue on his own - only needs to practice now! an, yes, safety was drilled over and over.