Hi there everyone. Trying to convince my dad to get into kiteboarding. He's 53 this year.
just wondering if you could post how old you are. Im sure there are some guys that are older then he is that can kite.
Help me out!

54 this year.

Thanks for the quick reply guys.
He's currently got a broken wing because of a mountain biking stack. I plan to use this time to convince him haha.

Yep totally do-able. My dad learnt at 53

57

I FORGOT TO MENTION MY FATHER-IN LAW 73 AND KITES IN HOLLAND AND SPAIN

geordieboy said..

I FORGOT TO MENTION MY FATHER-IN LAW 73 AND KITES IN HOLLAND AND SPAIN

That's a MASSIVE downwinder. Good on 'im.

Beat you all so far 59 and 11/12s.
Getting tougher to harden up every year but beats the heck out of windsurfing.
Best sleep tonic you can get.

Kiteboarding is a brain sport. It is effortlessly easy if you understand what is happening with the kite and the board and the water and your body position.

If you don't understand it you will be constantly working against the kite and slogging along with the board half stalled. Examples of this are all the guys who can barely go upwind or mow the lawn in the same groove over and over again, guys on directionals with the nose flapping around up in the air and all the people doing the walk of shame up the beach.

The only way to understand it is to spend the time on the water and really practice with the kite until you understand what is happening.

If your dad tackles it with brute force and ignorance then he probably won't have all that much fun. If he is of a mind to think things through and understand things then he should take to it like the proverbial duck.

Looks like my theory is correct.
Kitesurfing is an old man's sport, windsurfing is a young man's sport.
Hell of a lot harder to windsurf. That's why there are so many ex windsurfers kiting.
Just turned 40 and still doing both.
Red thumb away ;)

westozwind said..

Looks like my theory is correct.
Kitesurfing is an old man's sport, windsurfing is a young man's sport.
Hell of a lot harder to windsurf. That's why there are so many ex windsurfers kiting.
Just turned 40 and still doing both.
Red thumb away ;)

i'll never understand the 'it's harder so it must be better' argument.

it's harder to surf a 70's single fin than a new quad.

it's harder to catch a fish with a line tied to a stick than with a proper rod and reel

it's harder to row a dinghy than start up the outboard...

if kiting is quicker to learn and makes it easier to: get back up the line in the surf, get out in lighter winds, progress to complicated tricks, sail faster, carry & rig your gear, and travel than windsurfing, why would anyone suggest that windsurfing is better than kiting? other than nostalgia and novelty?

stamp said..

westozwind said..

Looks like my theory is correct.
Kitesurfing is an old man's sport, windsurfing is a young man's sport.
Hell of a lot harder to windsurf. That's why there are so many ex windsurfers kiting.
Just turned 40 and still doing both.
Red thumb away ;)

i'll never understand the 'it's harder so it must be better' argument.

it's harder to surf a 70's single fin than a new quad.

it's harder to catch a fish with a line tied to a stick than with a proper rod and reel

it's harder to row a dinghy than start up the outboard...

if kiting is quicker to learn and makes it easier to: get back up the line in the surf, get out in lighter winds, progress to complicated tricks, sail faster, carry & rig your gear, and travel than windsurfing, why would anyone suggest that windsurfing is better than kiting? other than nostalgia and novelty?

You made the better statement, not me. You do agree it's harder tho.
Different is how I like to view it.

Gorgo said..

57

Same!

just learning at 59 this year and with a hip replacement.

Remember: technique, feel, understanding

Too much practice with the trainer kite is never enough. If he gets bored get him to think of ways of making it harder. Kiting in no wind is good. Kiting in too much wind is good. Standing there doing figures-8s in perfect wind not so good.

Get him to figure out how to self launch, land, relaunch from the bar without walking up to the kite. Understand how to wind and unwind and stow the lines and never get tangles.

westozwind said..

Looks like my theory is correct.
Kitesurfing is an old man's sport, windsurfing is a young man's sport.
Hell of a lot harder to windsurf. That's why there are so many ex windsurfers kiting.
Just turned 40 and still doing both.
Red thumb away ;)

Windsurfing is a dinosaur's sport (you have to be that old to remember when it was cool)