Wakeboarding to Kiteboarding - Big Jump?

Crash

I just returned from a vacation in the Dominican Republic. Believe it or not they actually have wakeboarding there!! It was awesome. The water was warm. The river was just wide enough for wakeboarding. It was my first time behind a "competition" style boat with a tower. Man was I a chicken.

Anyways, while we were there we went into Cabarete to watch the kiteboarding. Having only wakeboarded about 10 times I was not brave enough to try it. The ocean waves were huge and the air these people got was absolutely incredible. They had both regular wakeboards and surf style wakeboards. Some of them while up in the air would flip the board and put it back on before they would come back down to the water.

I wondered if anyone has tried kiteboarding and how much more difficult it is than wakeboarding.

h2oslider · Posted: Mar 05, 2003 10:11 am Post subject:

Its really not that hard at all, I f you can ride your wakeboard and ride fakie just as well as switch you are on your way. The only thing you'll really have to learn is how to sail the kite. Its kind of like driving your boat while your riding.

I've been doing it now for about a year and a half and honestly my boat is starting to collect more dust than it should (I'm taking it out this week though). The sports addicting.

Its cheaper to get into than wakeboarding (50, 000 Boat), you can ride for hours at a time, your boats (kites) fit in your closet, gas is free (wind), you can ride places you can't even get a boat in, still have butter water, and you don't need anyone to drive the boat for you.

My favorite is riding in the waves cause it mixes my love for surfing, sailing and wakeboarding all into the same package. Plus you can boost higher than any double up possible. I think there are some guys that do lesson up by you. DO a search on the web and you'll find them.

I still love wakeboarding, I just found a different boat to ride behind.

Paul

actiondcpd · Posted: Mar 05, 2003 10:27 am Post subject:

Kiteboarding is awesome... it is a little bit of an investment to start, but not nearly as much as a boat. I've grown up windsurifng, surfing, and wakeboarding so it is the perfect addition. Learn to fly the kite and the board part is easy... course, flying the kite isn't all that hard either.

actiondcpd · Posted: Mar 05, 2003 10:34 am Post subject:

Kiteboarding is awesome... it is a little bit of an investment to start, but not nearly as much as a boat. I've grown up windsurifng, surfing, and wakeboarding so it is the perfect addition. Learn to fly the kite and the board part is easy... course, flying the kite isn't all that hard either.

Crash · Posted: Mar 05, 2003 12:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks. I hope I will get to try it soon!!! It looks and sounds like it would be quite the rush.

jason_ssr · Posted: Mar 05, 2003 1:27 pm Post subject:

It is!! It requires a little more coordination then just wakeboarding but can be picked up pretty quick. i just started this winter, and Im pretty comfortable with it. Get a small trainer and ride it with your skateboard to see what you think. Thats the best way i found to learn to fly the kite properly..

STPETECREW · Newbie Joined: 11 Mar 2003 Posts: 15 City: St Petersburg

Kiteboarding is definitely sweet, but it can also be frustrating. I kiteboard down here in SW Florida where the wind is not the greatest (gusty, unreliable) and it has to be perfect conditions for you to go. One thing about wakeboarding is that if you decide your going to go wakeboarding, then it's a 100% chance you're gonna end up doing it. When it's windy and you decide to go kiteboarding, it's about a 20% chance that when you get out to the beach and get your gear set up, that you'll be able to go. Don't get me wrong, when you actually do get out there it is the most fun sport there is, and the air you get is unbelievable, easily twice as high as any double up you'll ever do, but it can be frustrating if you're not in the perfect location. If you do end up getting into it, definitely take a lesson. You can get seriously wrecked if you don't know what you're doing. Wakeboarding helps alot because you won't have to think about riding the board and you can just concentrate on flying the kite. Good luck if you end up trying it, but be careful it is the most extreme sport there is.