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Newbie...I dont know a thing about this sport.

 
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LFADAM
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PostPosted: Oct 16, 2005 2:43 pm    Post subject: Newbie...I dont know a thing about this sport. Reply with quote

Ive been wakeboarding for a long time now and kiteboarding always kinda whizzed by my head without sinking in until now. It looks really fun...especially for winter, choppy days, when the boat is not available. So Ill cut to the chase.

I have a LF substance 141 wakeboard...I CANT afford another 300-600$ board so its gonna hafta do. Im only 150 lbs so it should be pretty good (for a wakeboard) weight/size ratio (I gather this from browsing this forum)

Im only gonna be riding on lakes except maybe like once an ocean. I cant drive yet and if I could, the beaches are 3 hours or more away.

Our lake is glass a lot but usually a day or two out of the week is windy. During the summer this is like a 10 mph wind. Around this time of year (yesterday) we had a steady 15-22 mph wind. From what Ive gathered, this isnt that much...so Im assuming I need a good 15-20M kite? I was just at iwindsurf.com and saw some kites for 110-200 bucks. Thats my budget.

I dont want to become pro in this sport, I just want to carve around and catch a little air (maybe a couple tricks when I get comfortable) but I dont need to go 30 feet in the air. By what Ive read a medium (forget the term..."A" something...describing if your kite has fast holeshot or high top speed) kite sounds good.

What exactly do I need to buy...I got the board. I need a harness and kite also correct?

Can someone give me a link to how this stuff actually works? Like where you hook your lines up to and what each of them does and how to steer or catch air? If I do end up getting a kite, I wont have any money for a lesson.

Lastly, about how much is shipping on one of these kites?

Thanks in advance. Sorry for super long post.
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jason_ssr
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PostPosted: Oct 20, 2005 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Adam, sorry, just noticed this post. NC is a hotspot for kiteboarding. Taking a weekend and heading to Hatteras for a lesson would be huge!

Basically, you control the kite on two planes with the bar. You pull it left and right to steer, and pull it in and push it out to control power. The kite has 4 lines. two attach to the front edge and two attach to the back. The front lines are attached to the sliding loop line that goes through the bar and hooks into your harness. The back lines are hooked to each end of the bar. The back lines steer the kite. The tension difference between the front lines and back lines control the power. So, if you are hooked in and you slide the bar away from you, it puts slack in the back lines and causes there to be less power. You pull it in and the back lines become tensioned equal to the front lines and you have full power.

you will probably want a 14m or 16m kite to start with. smaller kites are very fast and need alot of wind to fly them. Not good to learn on. Big kites are too slow and take alot of timing, so while a 21m would get you going in less wind, it would be frustrating to learn on.

Getting air is done 2 ways, whip and no whip. No whip is more of a cable wakestyle move. You just get going and you keep the kite still and load against it like at the cable and just pop like cable tricks. Feels alot like wakeboarding. The other way is whipping the kite. This is the big air stuff you see with guys going 50ft in the air. You cruise really fast in one direction, and steer the kite in the opposite direction over your head. This takes the elevator to the top floor.

I shipped 3 kites for $20 so if you get one kite, it couldnt be more than $12-$15.

if you cant make it for a lesson, at least meet up with some local riders and watch how they set up and ride. Bum a trainer kite from them or the local shop. Get good with the small trainer before trying the big stuff. Dont go out by yourself and try to figure out the big ones. It is powerful and can pick you up and sit you down hard if you dont know what you are doing. If you have the ability, get in a boat and go out into the middle and launch it. that way, if you get picked up while learning to fly, you come down in the water.

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PostPosted: Oct 20, 2005 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry man but you aren't gonna get much support from the kiteboarding community when it comes to advice on saving yourself some dough by skipping a lesson. This sport's future is very uncertain right now. Its the fastest growing watersport and it seems like every few months another beach/lake bans it because of an accident. Given that there really isn't that many beaches that are ideal kite launches, this creates a very real problem that will have to be addressed in the next 5 years if this sport is to last. Most of these accidents involve newcomers to the sport, doing things wrong that are the first things covered in a lesson. I'm the type of guy that teaches myself everything, from guitar to rock climbing. I read up on the subject, do tons of research, and eventually get it. I TOOK A LESSON FOR KITEBOARDING! No joke man, its some serious sh*t. There's alot of variables going on that you can't control. We tend to lose at least 2 pros/year. How many pros has WB lost in the last 5 years?

Best advice I can give ya:

~Buy yourself a 2 line trainer kite. They're around $100 new, half that for a used. Go out and practice with that as much as you can for as long as you can. Having to wait to save up for a lesson actually helps you here. The trainer kites are fun and have pretty good power to drag you on sand (especially the 3 meter ones)! The more you fly that trainer, the more you'll get out of the lesson.

~Save up and take a lesson. Yeah you might have to travel a bit. Maybe try to lump it onto a vacation if you need to (that's what I did). I know you'll doubt me but honest to god that lesson will pay for itself. Say you spend $200 on a really old, fairly worn out kite. IT WON'T SURVIVE 2 MONTHS WITHOUT A LESSON! Period! It'll take you longer than that just to make it back to the same part of the beach that you started at - and that's if you learn quick and don't get injured. With a lesson, you'll be making it back to the same part of the beach within a month easy. Most guys get it within a couple weeks of having 1 lesson - and still on their first kite.

...I know it sucks man and yeah you might just blow me off. I was in the same boat as you are right now when I first discovered kiting back in 2000. I went out and bought a trainer kite at the end of that month and flew that thing for a whole year before I could afford a lesson/kite and harness. My first kiting attempts were on an old, garage sale surfboard. I've been at it since then; have 3 boards, 8 kites, 3 bars, 4 harnesses and I ride every chance I get.

If by next winter you still haven't gotten into it hit me up. I'm moving to Hatteras at the beginning of 2007 and I'll give you a free lesson as well as access to some gear.

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PostPosted: Oct 20, 2005 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies. If I get a vacation to the beach anytime maybe next summer Ill try to take a lesson. One last question, whats the difference between a trainer and a real kite? Thanks
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PostPosted: Oct 21, 2005 5:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The main difference is size. A trainer is only 2m or 3m. A trainer is typically and open celled foil rather than an inflatable. This allows it to fly in really light wind. It is designed so that you can learn to fly a traction kite without getting hurt. It doesnt have enough sustained power to pick you up. It will pull on you pretty good, and if you get on a skatebaord or mountain board, it will pull you faster than you want to go if you let it. its a good way to learn about the wind and kite control without risking your life!
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mikedren
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PostPosted: Oct 23, 2005 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not trying to hijack the thread but I'm looking to get into the sport to since I hardly ever get to wakeboard. I was wondering where the best place to get a trainer kite from was. Also what should I look for (rips, stuff like that) since I'm probably going to get a used one. Thanks.
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Wallrat
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PostPosted: Oct 25, 2005 3:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Um...ebay works. Ikitesurf.com has lots of used equipment. www.realkiteboarding.com has a big selection of stuff. You just need a 2 line trainer kite - either 2 or 3 sq. meters with a control bar and lines. I think the one I got was called a thunderfoil. Slingshot makes good ones in just about every size there is (but don't go bigger than 3m). Obviously if going used you'd like to have no holes, but minor holes can be patched up with ripstop tape. Also look for frayed lines, especially on the kite bridle system. These aren't a make or break always though. Just depends on where the fray is and if you can bypass it.
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PostPosted: Oct 25, 2005 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BEST has a sweet trainer package. The 3m is only $170 and it comes with kite, bag, lines, bar, safety release, and video. Slingshot makes a killer 3m as well, but its $299 just for the kite and bar setup.
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PostPosted: Nov 01, 2005 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey guys, I've been looking around and have found a really cheap trainer kite on e-bay and I am wondering if anyone knows anything about it. It's a T-Foil trainer kite, 2-line with bar, about 54" X 24" in size. I know it's not going to be a really good one for that price, but if it'll get me started, it might work. I'm not trying to be cheap, I just want to get a good deal. I'm still looking though. Thanks for the help.

Here's a link to what I'm talking about.
http://www.fullfx.com/fxstore/c9sc/index.cfm?page=product&prodId=453

Here's another one that I saw.
http://www.action-pact.co.uk/products.php?cat=54
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PostPosted: Nov 01, 2005 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stay away from those. They do not fly well. I ordered one of those, and sent it back. Get a good one. A good 3m from BEST or Slingshot may cost a little more upfront, but it will be used alot more. You will learn to fly with it, and it will give you an accurate representation of how a traction kite flies. It actually pulls on you. Then you will use it on your skateboard and mountainboard to get the feel of riding a board. then you will break it out again when your friends want to fly a kite.

A tfoil will fly, but it doesnt fly well, and had no pull at all. it doesnt behave like a real traction kite. it will just frustrate you and you will trash it.

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mikedren
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PostPosted: Nov 01, 2005 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sweet, thanks for the help. I'll make sure to stay away from those. One more question for now. Is the Best kite inflatable or a foil kite. I'm probably interested in a foil so I won't pop it the first time I use it. Thanks.
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PostPosted: Nov 01, 2005 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All trainers are foils, for the most part. I havent seen an inflatable one in forever, and only saw them with school instructors. Get a Slingshot B3 or the BEST 3m trainer. Also, if you come across an inflatble one, check it out. It is pretty hard to pop em even if you slam it alot
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PostPosted: Nov 01, 2005 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool, thanks for the quick responses.
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mikedren
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PostPosted: Nov 09, 2005 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more question. I've found a Naish Aero (inflatable) supposedly 4 meters, for around 75 bucks. It looks bigger than that though. I might still need to get a bar, but I could probably find one of those for fairly cheap. Just wondering what you guys think about it. Sorry to bug everyone with all these questions.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7195333657&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
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PostPosted: Nov 09, 2005 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It might be good for a very strong trainer, just dont take it out in really strong wind. you would prob be able to ride it on the water in 40mph+
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PostPosted: Nov 09, 2005 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.
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