Ok so first off I would like to say that most of the questions you have asked can be answered by sifting through all the posts on this forum. The only information that may seem uncertain is kite brands as this can often be a personal thing and these days a lot of brands are coming closer together as technology improves.

As a beginner I can say that you are going to hit your kite into the water a lot when you are learning and although most kites are designed to handle this you will still die a little inside everytime you see your brand new North kite hit the water hard :)

Although a lot of people bash cabrinhas on this site they are a good kite to learn on and are very forgiving kites. The advantages of the cabrinhas is that they are very stable in the air and they relaunch very easily which is very handy when you are learning. You can pick up cabs from the last 3 years for a very reasonable price, anything older will not be as safe to learn on.

In regards to wind range all I can say is that I know the cabrinha crossbow has quite a large range and many kitesurfers get away with 1 or 2 sizes of this kite and can still fly in a wide wind range. This also depends on where you are going to kite because someone who is kiting in perth will likely carry a different kite set (quiver) than someone kiting in adelaide.

Most importantly you will want to grab some lessons as this will save you a lot of pain and frustration when learning - something as simple as not setting up your lines correctly can end badly, ranging from serious injury to ruining your kite depending on the situation - so safety comes first before choosing any type of kite.

An instructor may also let you test a couple of brands and recommend what would be good for your area - with some lessons under your belt you may even be able to look around your local beach and discuss different kite options with local kiters.

"Port Phillip Bay - towards the Peninsula and every now and then at Sandy Point" - i don't know about this location so if anyone has some input it would be good.

Your local kiteshop will be able to give you some information and may even let you try out some models - the only issue I can see with testing out a kite from a store is that as a newbie you have no idea what to look for - you put the kite in the air - let it sit at 12 on the beach and go "ooh that looks pretty" because at that stage you have no idea what the kite is supposed to do or how it compares to any other kite.

hope this helps - if you have any questions feel free to pm me :)

There are really no black and white answers to your questions unfortunately.

Ignorance and misconceptions from many kiters will lead them to give you honest but inaccurate advice.

I would suggest check the pros and cons of 5 line kites before writing them off. A 5th line can only get tangled if it is slack, just like any line.
Also 100% de-power by letting go of the bar is BS, be wary of such advice.

Both North and Naish use only one size bar for all kite sizes so this can work well.

With kite sizes it will depend on the day so no 1 kite size is ideal. The joy is when the wind is strong you can pinch one of their kites and when it's light they can use yours.

well if you want to go with north there is the 4line fuse and it has the 5th line choice so if have several north kites you can just swap bars .and as far as the instructor teling you they always tie up it not true can be done in the surf due to a bad crash ,,but it only happens when you do something you should'nt have done to relaunch.had north for 6 seasons now and havent wrapped one up yet ...i am an instuctor bye the way

Thanks for all the advice - we are beginners because so far we have only done the lessons - so now want to take the next step.
All the best,
:)
sgk

sgk said...

Hi there,
I am trying to kit out the whole family.
We will be kiting mainly in Port Phillip Bay - towards the Peninsula and every now and then at Sandy Point.
Right now we are all beginners.
Me - 80 kg, wife 63kg, son 67kg (18yrs) and daughter 50kg (15yrs).
Could anyone recommend what best options to pick with 3 boards and kites? I was looking at 2010 kites, North Rebel or Naish Cult or Charger, but am unclear on what best sizes for kites and boards to pick.
The idea is to pick one brand, so equipment is easily interchangeable. I am not married to a brand, but am looking for easy kiting and trying to pick the right size gaps so three can go at the same time or myself or my son can cover most wind ranges. Realistically we will not be out there every weekend, and just want to enjoy kiting (giving up on windsurfing). The son can get more radical gear as he progresses from his own money ;) and someone will always have to stay on the beach, anyway.
Would 8m, 11m and 13m Naish Chargers be suitable? Or too large for the Bay? I don't think we would be going out in much more than 30 knots and are more likely to look for fun in conditions where flying sand does not pain those left behind on the beach.
Or would a 2 metre gap be more appropriate, i.e. 8m,10m,12m?
I am more interested in the North due to reviews, my son doesn't want them at all because of the 5th line which he has been told by an instructor will constantly tangle - so he is more after Cults or Chargers. Obviously availabilty and pricing are also an issue - especially when trying to keep all kites within the same brand - either new, 2nd hand or combined.
I believe different kite brands have different wind ranges which their sizes cover - and there isn't much to be found on Naish kites in that regard.
Any advice, ideas or suggestions will be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Steffan

Firstly, why focus 5th line Norths, they make good 4 line kites now, like the Evo. Five line kites - yeah listen to your son, they are going to make learning and relaunching a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
Why get a kite that has a troublesome internal one pump inflation system, like the octopuss system? Why does no other brand use that system?

For availability you would have to also consider Cabrinha, Slingshot, Core, Ozone, they are all 4 line kites, with simple, reliable external inflation systems, all have super easy relaunch and let go of the bar primary depower systems.

Your sizing estimates sound good, and for a 3 kite quiver to suit the family it is probably ideal. Having 2-3M gaps is ideal when starting out, with more experience 4M gaps are easily doable.

Boards - get something around 1.25-1.30 for the lightest rider and something around 1.40 - 1.55 for you. Get another board around 1.30-1.40
Each of you should use a larger board for your first few rides, then keep the larger board size in mind when the wind is light and you still wan to get out and ride or practice, using a larger board will give you another 2-5 knots bottom end from each of your kites.
Call me on 02 95296894 or PM to discuss any kite brands/models, boards, new or used, purchased anywhere. However, I also have some great deals on superseeded or ex demo stock.