D
Deleted member 478
Guest
Has anyone tried it?
Swagman
Well-Known Member
Yup.
Tried was the operative word.
I never managed to get up despite trying really hard.
After two days, the orally induced salt water enemas taught me it's a pastime for people younger and fitter than me.
JOHN
Tried was the operative word.
I never managed to get up despite trying really hard.
After two days, the orally induced salt water enemas taught me it's a pastime for people younger and fitter than me.
JOHN
D
Deleted member 478
Guest
Probably being a similar age too you, that's not what I wanted to hear.
I've just been given a board with a kite, harness and steering thingie with lots of string and was hoping someone was going to tell me that it is as easy as falling off a windsurfer.
Maybe I should just head down to the beach with my Raybans and kitesurfing kit, and just sit there under a palm tree, in the hopes that some bikini-clad babe is blonde enough to think I am a kite-surfing stud-muffin.
I've just been given a board with a kite, harness and steering thingie with lots of string and was hoping someone was going to tell me that it is as easy as falling off a windsurfer.
Maybe I should just head down to the beach with my Raybans and kitesurfing kit, and just sit there under a palm tree, in the hopes that some bikini-clad babe is blonde enough to think I am a kite-surfing stud-muffin.
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
LOl
had one go.
After years and years of windsurfing to reasonable standard, I figured it would be a doddle.
It wasn't......
had one go.
After years and years of windsurfing to reasonable standard, I figured it would be a doddle.
It wasn't......
rwoofer
Well-Known Member
Done about 2 years of it.
Much easier to pick up than windsurfing. Basically should be planing along within a week of learning, although the process can be a bit brutal at times. I had some pretty savage wipeouts due to the fact that you crash, but the kite is fully powered up dragging you along like a rag doll.
Haven't really touched windsurfing (17 years of it) since I picked up kiting. You don't need a roof rack and it is a lot more fun in the lighter winds you get in the UK. My current board is about 140cm and weighs about 2kgs....
Reckon windsurfing is better above 25 knots though - kiting just gets too scary especially in the transition zone from land to water, which is where most accidents happen.
I would get some tuition, if only to pick up the safety tips..
Much easier to pick up than windsurfing. Basically should be planing along within a week of learning, although the process can be a bit brutal at times. I had some pretty savage wipeouts due to the fact that you crash, but the kite is fully powered up dragging you along like a rag doll.
Haven't really touched windsurfing (17 years of it) since I picked up kiting. You don't need a roof rack and it is a lot more fun in the lighter winds you get in the UK. My current board is about 140cm and weighs about 2kgs....
Reckon windsurfing is better above 25 knots though - kiting just gets too scary especially in the transition zone from land to water, which is where most accidents happen.
I would get some tuition, if only to pick up the safety tips..
PembrokeshirePromise
Well-Known Member
I did a 2 day course (had some friends who taught it). Could hardly say I was proficient at the end but did manage to coordinate a couple of short periods (we're taking seconds not minutes...) when I managed to coordinate kite, sinking board and incoming surf before picking myself up out of the water, untangling everything and wondering what happened.
Would love to have a week or so at it after which I think you'd make some real progress. However if you are slightly lacking in patience - or have a tendency to throw your toys out the pram - it could be very frustrtaing in the first few days I suspect.
I'm not a big one for courses - but would echo the comment that a day or two would give you some good pointers and safety tips
Would love to have a week or so at it after which I think you'd make some real progress. However if you are slightly lacking in patience - or have a tendency to throw your toys out the pram - it could be very frustrtaing in the first few days I suspect.
I'm not a big one for courses - but would echo the comment that a day or two would give you some good pointers and safety tips
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
How'd you know who is on starboard in a x'ing situation?
TigaWave
Well-Known Member
Yep, but I used to do some kite buggying few years back....which has similar accident success ratio. I still prefer the windusrfing as I like those 25-35knot days and waves. Kite board is sat in the garage with the other toys gathering dust. Next yachty trip I'll take it though, for those 12-15 knot days they're fun. I'm still pretty much a beginer though.
temptress
Well-Known Member
Yes - it's great.
You need to learn to fly a kite first. Go out and buy a bigish stunt kite or similar and learn to fly it so you have complete control - should take a few weekends only. Then sign up for a course (I went to Flag Beach in the canaries a few years back as it's nearly always windy and warm) and concentre on learniong how to ride the board.
It well worth it AND you can keep the board and kite in a locker onboard! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
You need to learn to fly a kite first. Go out and buy a bigish stunt kite or similar and learn to fly it so you have complete control - should take a few weekends only. Then sign up for a course (I went to Flag Beach in the canaries a few years back as it's nearly always windy and warm) and concentre on learniong how to ride the board.
It well worth it AND you can keep the board and kite in a locker onboard! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
bbg
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
How'd you know who is on starboard in a x'ing situation?
[/ QUOTE ]
The Coast Guard always has ROW - ignore this rule at your peril.
How'd you know who is on starboard in a x'ing situation?
[/ QUOTE ]
The Coast Guard always has ROW - ignore this rule at your peril.
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
Absolutely right. Flying a controllable kite is a prereq... knowing where the power window is and being able to dump is important. I've never boarded, but I have buggied - in half a gale on Camber sands behind a tiny Revolution II four line kite (area about 0.5 sq m) Great fun. Some of my two line kites are a real handful on a good day (400 lb line dragging 17st of me across grass)
temptress
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
..... as easy as falling off a windsurfer.
[/ QUOTE ] No it much easier to fall off but potentially more dangerous
[ QUOTE ]
....Maybe I should just head down to the beach ......
[/ QUOTE ]
Get some tuition - a big power kite could lift you 100Ft in the air and then drop you if you can't contol it - but when you can it is quite a rush. I find it easier than windsurfing but learn to control the kite first - this is the most important thing the rest is realtively easy.
look here UK KiteSurfing association
or here Internatrional Kite surfing org
for info and welcome to the madness.....
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
..... as easy as falling off a windsurfer.
[/ QUOTE ] No it much easier to fall off but potentially more dangerous
[ QUOTE ]
....Maybe I should just head down to the beach ......
[/ QUOTE ]
Get some tuition - a big power kite could lift you 100Ft in the air and then drop you if you can't contol it - but when you can it is quite a rush. I find it easier than windsurfing but learn to control the kite first - this is the most important thing the rest is realtively easy.
look here UK KiteSurfing association
or here Internatrional Kite surfing org
for info and welcome to the madness.....
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
TigaWave
Well-Known Member
If you havn't seen this it could put you off, he gets some updraft and gets hoisted 200ft+
Amazing piece of video,
http://www.funny-videos.co.uk/videokite.html
you may have to right click on the wmv below the vid screen and save it to a folder, it needed this on my machine.
As far as stbd is concerned, which ever way the board is going, you still have a port and stbd side. If wind is coming over stbd side you're on stbd.
Amazing piece of video,
http://www.funny-videos.co.uk/videokite.html
you may have to right click on the wmv below the vid screen and save it to a folder, it needed this on my machine.
As far as stbd is concerned, which ever way the board is going, you still have a port and stbd side. If wind is coming over stbd side you're on stbd.
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
That is unbelievable!
Bet he was absolutely shitting himself!
Bet he was absolutely shitting himself!
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Blimey.
Can't see it catching on.
Can't see it catching on.
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
Couple of years back a lad was lifted off from St Osyth and made it a few hundred feet towards Mersea, that was only an 8' Flexifoil...
rwoofer
Well-Known Member
Happened to me once. Took off from the beach, over a promenade and a wall and landed in a field. Wasn't scary cause of the height/distance (which was not that much even though I thought I was going to break my legs), but absolutely scary from the perspective of 'is this the end of it' ie. until your kite is fully depowered/undercontrol you are still totally vulnerable.
This is why the land bit of kitesurfing is so dangerous comparied to buggys etc. You are way more powered up to get the speed and height in jumps on the water. Some kites will go up to 25 sq m of area!! My old Hunter 707 (which I got 17 knots out of once) only had that, but it had 5 crew and a tonne in the boat itself. Kiteboard weighs 8kgs max.
This is why the land bit of kitesurfing is so dangerous comparied to buggys etc. You are way more powered up to get the speed and height in jumps on the water. Some kites will go up to 25 sq m of area!! My old Hunter 707 (which I got 17 knots out of once) only had that, but it had 5 crew and a tonne in the boat itself. Kiteboard weighs 8kgs max.
