7 posts
Just learnig in Mackay. My brother left his 15m slingshot here an old girl. I weigh 70kg and took it ou today. Qas blowing about18-20. I had the kite in full neutral and it lifted me off the ground, lucky me mate was holding me. What size should i use in what winds guys?
NSW
1000 posts
I reckon his INSTRUCTOR would have told him all about how powerful different types and sizes of kites are when he had LESSONS. Must have forgotten eh?
QLD
295 posts
go for the biggest you can get and show your friends how high you go.
but in all seriousness at your weight an 11m would suit you in most conditions. it would also be best to get a bow or hybrid kite as they have alot more depower than C kites. i fly a 10m SB3 and that does me from 25 kts to 30+ kts and im only 60 kg.
7 posts
Cheers uys, the only instruction i've had is from my brother and he's onl learning as he goes, been out about 5 times i think. Gives me something to work with. dont want to walk in to a shop and be told to buy what their trying to get rid of that month. Thanks for the tips.
26 posts
hahhaahah bloody hell rjn...this post is a feast for us kiters hehehehe...I wanna go first ;)
No seriously - mate there is massive amount of posts with re to safety, kite sizing, self rescue etc etc... Don't take it offensively but
1. take some lessons form an instructor with some decent experience. I know kitesurfing looks fun but it can seriously fc uk u up when u don't know what u r doing (and it sounds like it). Go to youtube and search for kitesurfing accidents if you want to see what I mean.
2. 18-20 knt sounds like a nice wind but u had to spoil it with your large 15m cow. This baby not only will pull you up it will lift you up so nicely you will feel your stomach down your heels then will treat you the same way batsman treats the ball.
3. Saving money on instructors tuition will not get us (you and other kiters) anywhere. Say your 15m cow on a 20 knt wind will smack your foreseeing head on the wall....bam! there is it ...kitesurfing gets under a big magnifying glass on some beaurocrat's desk who decides that this sport is obviously dangerous and....well I am sure u get the picture :)))
7 posts
Cheers there common, i'll keep that in mind. if it's any consillation i did hav my hand on the release chord most of the time???
26 posts
heheh :) not much of a consolation mate you will knot sooner or later why - believe me (us). If you anywhere NSW then I make you a deal (out of selfishness/common sense not politeness) - dump your bothers tuition skills (as cheap as they may be he obviously has no idea either what he is doing) I ll teach you (free of charge). I ve been teaching this sport from 1999 so I know a thing or two :))) This way u ll have your exiting new skills and we - a peace of mind (not that we really care if somebody will bugger them selves up heheh)
7 posts
yeh, no worries. if i'm down that way i'll give you a cal. i guess we all have no idea when we first start off, sounds like you were born with the skills though so what a better person to get skill from. cheers common
26 posts
hehe :)) no I wasn't born with that cute sarcasm...but seriously rjn my offer is not a sarcasm I will seriously invest my own time in teaching you. I started to kite in 98 when no one knew what da hell we were doing. Two line kites, no power management systems, no quick release, not safety no nothing. I smacked my sorry looking arse so badly on stones, sand, trees, logs whatever... I don't even remember what else smacked me. There is no bone in my body (except my skull) that hasn't been fractured or simply broken due to the way we (at that time) learned.
Despite the sarcastic nature of my responses I am really trying to help you avoiding all those lovely little aches in your body when the pressure of the air changes and at the same time keep our beloved sport safe from banning.
Send me a PM when u want to learn :)
7 posts
i'm willing to learn common. if i'm down that way i'll give you acall. atthe moment i'm trying to find out as much as i can so that i don' go out and spend a whole s@#$load of money and end up with the wrong gear i can't really afford to spend money on the wrong s$#@ and loose money on it trying to sell and get new gear. having wife and 3 kids is good but my personal budget becomes somewhat reduced. we took the kite out in light winds the other day and waere able to have a god play around with it. assoon as i felt it lift me in full depower today i knewit wasn't right for me and i packed up as i am assuming beig in the neutral and fully depowered should be a position that i should be totally comfortable in controlling the kite in. it was controlling me at that position and i knew it wasn't good. scared the s%^t out of me so this is why i'm on tonight findingout stuff. looks like an awsome sport. i've done a few things and i like the idea of not having to relay on organising a few people to drive boats and stuff. just you, surf and the wind. love it man. my brother wastelling me bit about you guys back i the days wiht no depower on the kites and stuff and how there were heas of injuries. gotta give it to te pioneers man, they go through mot of the learning the hard way for us blokes taggin along later. cheers for your help man i've never been to nsw but i'd love to come down and maybe get some lessons one day man. safety is one of the main things i look at before i do anything and today was a great learning curve. fortunately i was able to learn this lesson without incident, we try to take 2 of us and keep close to help eachother to try and avoid any injury because we know that there is whole list of unknowns at this point. i love the big airs and s$#t man. hopefully in a couple of years with a few lessons and a whole heap of god days out i'll be out there doin them.
26 posts
if you don't know what gear to choose - PM me and I am happy to help out mate.
but if you love your wife and kids - seize learning on your own :) even in light wind if you send a kite through the power zone (I assume you know where it is) you might feel a "sudden pulling" sensation and land on a tree nearby....hehehe
Keep safe mate and c ya :)
WA
2184 posts
You sir, are an idiot.
You may die
You may get bashed by real kitesurfers
You may get away with a simple trip to the ER
You may kill or injure someone else
You may get us banned
or you could get lessons and be a welcomed member of the kiting community.
WA
186 posts
Its been said before, but:
Tip #1: Have some lessons.
Tip #2: Have some lessons.
Tip #3: Have some lessons.
Tip #4: Get your brother to have some lessons.
I can't emphasise the importance of lessons anymore. No (sane) kiter on this forum will advocate to go without them. In just one lesson, you will learn the important stuff like assessing location & conditions, launching safely, using your quick release, self rescue, etc. Your instructor can also advise on what gear to buy. Start with a lesson, then seat harness, ~10-11m bow kite with good depower and a cheapish board. The newer kites (2006 and later) are generally safer and perform better, so don't scrimp on the kite if you can afford to.
