Alysum said..

G'day,

I'm a noob planning to go kiting at Dolls pt mostly

I'd like some advice on kite size for my weight (84/85Kgs). I saw a chart on this site and it looks like a 12M (and later a 9M kite) would be a good start ? Probably from the Cabrinha brand...

Also what twin tip board size would be best ?

Thanks !

Go and talk to the guys at Kitepower mate and they will sort you out. Kite size is going to depend on how much wind is out, what style of kite, how much experience you have. Ditto for the board, do you want a door that you could almost surf on that will ensure you get up or do you want something that is going to be a bit trickier at first but last you longer in your kiting life, will also depend on the combination of the kite you are using it with to a degree as well.

Easiest thing is to go talk to a shop, kitepower are all local guys that all kite at Dolls and know the conditions and will be able to give you the best advice.

Kitepower do sell second hand gear upstairs, go and chat to them
Also talk to James from alliance gear in Kurnell
Also have a look and chats to the guys at dolls, most are friendly, find some one your size and weight and see what they ride

Howdy Alysum,

I'm around 85kg and do most of my kiting at either Dolls or further up at Brighton. I've kind of progressed over the past 3 seasons from complete noob to intermediate(ish) now, but I would completely agree with what the guys above have said. I.e. have a chat with the guys at Kitepower and most definitely James and Milada from Alliance - I have picked their collective brains several times over the years and you will generally find that they are always very helpful and willing to spend time getting noobs up and going.

For the record, after doing my lessons and all the ensuing research I scored a bargain of a bundle at the time for a 2nd hand 12 meter naish boxer (good for the beginner - not so good for the advanced) with a naish harness (most important to make sure this is comfortable and fits well) and a 138 twin tip board. 2nd season into it I bought a second hand 9m cabrinha switchblade and these 2 kites have kept me going so far. I will probably look to upgrade both these by next year as I start getting a little more advanced and have to worry about fine tuning and using a more performance based kite, but for the stage that you are at now, your main focus will probably be finding something that is not too expensive that you can trash around as a beginner. At the time my 2 kites were 2 - 3 years old as it was suggested not to get anything older than this due to the constant changes in kite technology so you will probably find that most people will recommend that you don't go for anything older than a 2011 / 12 model.

Good luck with it all and be prepared to get very hooked very fast

I ended up getting a 2011 Switchblade 11M brand new at a bargain price :-)

stay tuned for my board choice & see you out there

Alysum said..

I ended up getting a 2011 Switchblade 11M brand new at a bargain price :-)

stay tuned for my board choice & see you out there

Nice work mate, look forward to seeing you out there.

As far as boards go, it's a bit of personal preference and what style you are aiming for.
Personally I plan on just general freestyle, mostly flat water, but bit of surf riding as well. I got myself the Crazyfly Allround board (138x43 size, i'm around 80-85kgs as well) and am happy with it so far, from a noobs perspective anyway (just getting my first proper runs under wraps). That being said, I've had a few more experienced friends give it a good thrashing and they all comment on how nice it is to ride as well.

You can go bigger and it will make it easier to get up initially but you will also outgrow it quicker when you want to start getting more maneuverable.

Just some food for thought.
See you out on the water

As a beginner myself, the board is the first thing you are going to loose on the water () since using a leach is bad idea). So far, I've always got mine back, but there is always a small chance you may not be able to retrieve it. Make sure you put your name and phone number on it as it may get found by someone else. Also, be mentally prepared to loose it.

I use a second hand board I got for $100, so no drama if it's gone.

Cheers,

Jeremy

Alysum said..

I ended up getting a 2011 Switchblade 11M brand new at a bargain price :-)

stay tuned for my board choice & see you out there

Good score, a new kite at the right price beats a used one for sure! We do sell a good range of used boards, as well as new boards from $699, we don't care where you bought gear, come in and give us a chance to see if we can find something to suit your needs.