Hi, I am new to the forum . I have done 6 two hour lessons got up and riding and have been hiring gear . I have bought a second hand kite now and got a harness. I am a surfer and have surfboards so I was wondering if it's OK to use one of my boards rather than having to buy a twin tip . I can see that experienced riders use them but can't find any information on how much experience you need to go to a surfboard from a twin tip. It would save me having to pay for more gear.
go the surfboard just get out there,dont worry about the straps get them latter if needed. the only thing is....... you wont learn how to boost,edge,i know theres more pu a cheap ttip over winter
Effectively you are asking if you can learn in waves on an ustrapped surfboard with a 2006 kite. The simple answer is sure, if you have the time and patience - but do you really want to? All your gear will be less than optimum for learning and you will spend a lot more time and effort trying to get it right than you will if you start out on a twin tip.
I tried the same thing when I first started, and very quickly bought a twin tip (airush hammer wave board) when I realised how bloody hard it was to learn on a directional made for waves. I then went back to the surfboard when I was a lot more confident and skilled. I still have the Hammer and ride it in the surf now as often as a surfboard.
Ultimately you will get there, but do yourself a favour and get a TT to learn on. You will be out in the waves carving it up on your surfboards much quicker.
I agree you can pick up a mediocre TT for next to nothing ($300) these days. using the twin tip teaches you lots of skills that you will learn a lot quicker than on a surfboard. Then when your confident move to a surfboard
if you can afford 6 two hour lessons im sure a couple of hundred bucks on a twin tip wont break the bank! its DEFINATELY going to be worth the purchase, unless you really like body dragging and have a lot of patience!
Is it a set thing that generally Twin tips are better at light wind then surfboards? And for Upwind? On Kite course racing is a surfboard type the norm? I am thinking Slingshot Glide Vs. Celeritas (Or Fuse) . Thanks, for the input.
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Surfboards are good for surf. nothing else. They are a specialist tool and generally have too much rocker to be good at upwind or lightwind riding.
Light wind and racing are again specialist directionals. The below are links to two airush directional boards that are good lightwind and race boards respectively.
Hi , Thanks for all the info. I haven't looked at the forum for a while but not long after I put the post up I bought a Cabrina Caliber twin tip. I didn't give the surf board a go at all and can see that I have a way to go before I will be up to riding one . I Started off using a second hand 12 metre 4 line C kite but have since bought a 2007 north rebel 12 metre and a 9 metre 2010 north rebel . These kites are so much easier to use than the air rush C kite I have got . The C kite seemed to just fall out of the sky sometimes.
Hey Hugo, Great to hear you've gotten yourself more gear. An some newer model stuff. I have to say given the fact your a surfer you'll probably end up back on the surfboard, given a good surfer usually has good balance and determination you can learn on a surfboard unstrapped you just have to ease into it and be prepareed to do a ot of body dragging, make sure your not using a leg rope at all.. Don't be affraid to get off the twin tip and give a surf board a run, it's wear some of us started many years ago :) Good luck and great kiting
Hey Joseph123 Have to agree with paradox boards for racing, surfing, light wind are all individual specialist boards. I own the celeritas and is a really lovely surfboard and definetly great in the light winds to get up and going riding waves, how ever the glyde is amazing for even lighter winds and cranks up wind even better as well.. Unsure on the race style upwind directionals as have never riden one. I do know the glyde was what alot of guys were originally racing on in the early days.. Someone even said it was cheating to use a glyde at one stage.. Good luck let us know how you go :)
