Not enough threads about this badass sport Finally got my shit together last year, and I'm out riding by my lonesome getting some jumps landed.

My wife is headed out with me to kitty hawk kites this weekend to take lessons (she really wants to kite with me).

Any other kiters in this place? Anyone going to be in Waves this weekend?

5/26/2010 2:15:39 PM

I've always wanted to try it.

How cheap can you buy all the equiment you need? Did you take lessons or just jump in?

5/26/2010 4:41:58 PM

Have you tried jumping around in a field on land? Seriously, that stuff looks awesome. Also, ^ What he said.

5/26/2010 4:45:10 PM

This might seem dumb, but how do you stop? Just divebomb your kite into the water?

5/26/2010 4:52:27 PM

With today's new kites, you can get by with having just 2 kites. They have an enormous wind range now. when I first started, you needed to have 3. Kite technology changes a lot year to year since it is a young sport, so I would go back more than 2 years, but you can buy a quiver of used kites for under $1500 including the board. New kites run $1200-$2000 a piece if you buy the good stuff (you can go discount, but you really dont want to).

My solution to the outrageous pricing is rental. I plan on kiting 3 or 4 times this year. I can rent gear at my skill level at most all places, and in general it will set you back between $100-$150 for the day. So I'll spend $600-800 on rentals this year, and the same for next year, but the rentals are always the latest/greatest.

You must certainly do not want to just jump in. The power of these kites is unbelievable. You will be intimidated your first time out. I'm nervous about my first time out this year. Best thing to do is take a kitecamp, or 3 private lessons which will get you to the point you can go out on your own, make mistakes, learn, and not kill yourself.

Plan on setting back $650-$1000 on lessons, but that will include your gear.

Trust me, once you can do it, there isnt much turning back. You'll want to do it every chance you can. One of the coolest things I did in maui was kiteboarding for a couple days. Hitting big 15 foot swells and airing off the top is scarey as hell if you arent used to it (I am not), but its a huge rush.

^Disco: Lots of ways. Divebombing isnt the ideal way, but its still effective best way to fly the kite to the edge of the window, and then landing it with someone on land or with your landing lines (if you have newer gear). When the kite is parked above you (12 o'clock) you can sit and chill and relax.
This is a good video on self launching and landing using Cabrinha's IDS (this is what I use)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2W4fNVq6S4

[Edited on May 26, 2010 at 4:57 PM. Reason : .]

5/26/2010 4:52:46 PM

Quote :

"Trust me, once you can do it, there isnt much turning back. You'll want to do it every chance you can."

This I can believe. Everyone I know that does it is obsessed. I even met a guy last winter who said he quit his job and started a business solely so that he would have the freedom to kiteboard whenever the wind is good.

5/26/2010 5:04:12 PM

thanks for the info, I was just out googling that very same info yesterday and couldn't find anything on it.

5/26/2010 5:04:28 PM

<--- Although, I haven't been to the beach in far too long. I do, however, HIGHLY recommend investing in a four line power kite (mine is 2.5 meters). It helps develop the kiting skills as well as allowing you to safely practice near your home without having to be at the beach.

humandrive is whom you want to talk to.

5/26/2010 5:39:53 PM

Yeah, I was powerkiting for years before kiteboarding.

5/26/2010 7:31:34 PM

i know a lot of people who kiteboard and they all love it

im too much of a wimp but maybe i'll try it out sometime

5/26/2010 7:35:45 PM

Actually, from my experience girls have an easier time learning to kite (especially with the larger ones) because it's all about finesse but guys tend to try and out power the kite which isn't going to happen.

5/26/2010 10:31:52 PM

I'm certainly hoping that is the case for my wife I told her that if she values money, she'll be able to get up and ride, at least downwind, at the end of 6 hours of private lessons. She already knows how to fly a kite, and can wakeboard (although I really think they are not comparable).

When we were on our honeymoon in Maui, I kited for 2 days. She wanted to learn there, but it would have been disasterous.

No joke, the outer banks is one of the best spots in the world. I can be 3 miles out on the sound, and touch. When you drop your board, its awesome to be able to stand up and go back and get it. I did, however, find out how bad my body dragging skills were when I dropped in Maui. You need to be good to fight through 15 foot swells to get back to your board 30 feet away.

5/27/2010 9:23:08 AM

i know a guy that teaches at kitty hawk kites

5/27/2010 10:28:50 AM

I may go out to the sound sometime. I am not keen on simply jumping into deeper water while learning/brushing up. Wrightsville Beach is a big hot spot though.

5/27/2010 10:43:56 AM

Had a bad ass weekend at Kitty Hawk Kites. Ended up kiteboarding Sat->Mon for about 8 hours total. They had demo day at KHK, so I was able to try out the entire Cabrinha line and a few kites from Epic, plus a ton of boards.

Did something pretty aweful on the very first day, however. I came in from a session and was intending on landing. An instructor cut out in front of me, which required me to try to move out of the way. I did so, successfully, and then was going to get back in the position to land. Moved my eyes off the kite for 2 seconds, and next thing I know the kite is in a dive, and it dive bombs the instructor. The kites and the lines miss him by inches. He was actually on the inner side of the kite. He must have been steaming, because he didnt acknowledge all my apologies.

In any event, also his fault, because he's not supposed to be within striking range of someone who also had first position.

Also bought an awesome Crazy Fly lightwind board and 17M Ozone Zephyr I plan on trying out at Lake gaston.

6/1/2010 3:27:57 PM

My new toy

6/17/2010 6:51:10 PM

nvm. That is one beefy kite.

[Edited on June 18, 2010 at 2:45 AM. Reason : I gather that's your 17m you mentioned before.]

6/18/2010 2:37:53 AM

Yup, my new 17M beast I have plans on using this at Lake Gaston. I will get this setup on land, wind the lines up, drag it onto the back of a boat, ride out to the lake, then launch it.

Never done this way before, so Im unsure how this is gonna work...

6/18/2010 9:22:54 AM

Good luck on a lake, I've never tried but I've heard that they are really gusty. I had a 17.5m kite, it was a pain. Took 6 days to inflate then if the wind picked up over 10 knots I was over powered.

But I'm spoiled by the beach.

[Edited on June 18, 2010 at 7:21 PM. Reason : if you are in the Wilmington area let me know, I'll try not to let you launch into a power pole.]

6/18/2010 7:18:05 PM

Thiskite only comes in one size. 17 meters. It is designed with a huge wind range of 7 knots to 20 knots (I'm not kidding).

For my size, putting the kite out in anything more than 16 or 17, regardless of how much I trim the front, would be more than I could handle.

6/18/2010 8:51:34 PM

The kite shop here in Wilmington closed over this winter and it sucks now. I need a new board because mine is going to break soon and I'd like to at least see a board before I buy it. The nearest stores I know of are either in Charleston or in the Outer Banks.

6/20/2010 8:35:00 AM

They had demo week at kitty hawk kites in waves 3 weeks ago. Tried some mako boards and a lot of RRD stuff. I ended up buying a crazy fly light wind. I tend to get more enjoyment out of the low wind boards in most conditions. The mako board was pretty cool. Awesome feel, but designed for surf and really hard to stay upwind.

6/20/2010 9:54:48 AM

Finally some wind this afternoon.

I can't find anything on the net but I've heard Ruben Lenten and Aaron Hadlow are going to be in Wilmington on Tuesday. I hope there is wind and I can get out of work early.

6/20/2010 9:40:31 PM

I'm going to land (actually try to throw) a handle pass some time

I've got it where I can raley and land heal side then finish with a surface pass but I can't get all the way around.

6/26/2010 8:55:57 PM

We anchored at about channel marker 32 in the Bogue Sound today. When we pulled up there was a guy out there on a Waroo 13 and when we left two hours later he was still going. He surfed by us a couple times and was looking particularly delicious.

6/27/2010 5:19:34 PM

Anyone know of a place to rent gear in Wilmington?

7/24/2010 8:49:47 PM