Scott Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 I was checking out equipment for Kite surfing for this summer and I came across kite snowboarding. Interesting... Has anyone ever tried this? Can it be done carving or strictly freeride? If the wind picks you up, up , up... how painful is the landing. I know how it feels wakeboarding, water gets hard above 25mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 Scott, I've got some great kite snowboarding shots from Larz Anderson Park in Brookline a few sundayz ago. I'll post 'em tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 Scott Typically you would want to stick with a freestyle type board, because you need to travel both directions based on the wind. You can stay in one direction with an alpine, but teh freestyle would give you an out it you needed it., but you better have a solid mid-section and obliques traveling one edge.(sp?). A local guy here in PA actually rents a few fields from local farmers during the winter and holds snow kiteboarding lessons. I havent been out to see it b/c I havent heard from him since last winter. With respect to some of the air that these guys get. They are seasoned pros, but sometimes unlucky beginners who then get slammed. The kite also acts like a chute in that you can semi control it to help control the descent , but you will still feel impact, I wouldnt want to be getting big kite air on land, only water. I have done some land based kiting and its a blast (Dunes at Kitty Hawk) with my firends kites ,but I havent hit the fields or water yet. We would get 8-12 feet of ground clearance and float about 50 feet distance on the dunes when powering up. Very pricy to get into and I gave up cow tipping years ago. I'd hate to slam into a moo moo while screaming across a field or hit a barbed wire fence. The best thing you can do is pick up a trainer kite for about $80-$100 that allows you to learn how to control the kite and move it from neutral through the power zones for the kite. PLease it is just plain fun taking to the beach and flying when you get bored laying around. If you do it, good luck, but get the trainer kite first. GReg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted March 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 Thanks Chubz, A training kite sounds the way to go. I thought Madd Mike gave free intro lessons in my area, but his website doesn't mention it anymore. It may be some money to get into it but I could always sell my gas-guzzling Malibu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 Check out www.kitesite.net They are located in MA and cover both snow and water kiting. I just filled out the intial questionaire to see what equipment is recommended, you gave me the itch for it again to pursue taking the sport up rather than just saying I want to. It will give me an excuse to take the family to the beach. They have some sales going on as well. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 larz anderson park in brookline mass. Let me know if you contact kitesite .Phil,the owner, is a good friend of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 chatham,ma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Willy I'm thinking about gettin a lesson in May with Phil. He sent me some info on kites, as I hope to get one this season. I'd be interested in your input on kites b/c I want to get that will be well rounded and reasonbly proced. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Chubz, I can get you set up with a trainer kite to get used to down in PA. 20 hrs on the trainer and you'll be ready for a bigger kite. Phil can hook you up with lessons, but it's pricey. I can give you plenty of tips along the way and you'll be ready for some down wind drag sessions on the Cape We're off to Hatterass on Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 I've been on a trainer kite for about 3 years now. A friend of mine who rides let me borrow it and I havent seen him to give it back. So I have teh kite skills down, just knowing where to put at the rigth time is what I need. I also had the chance to fly his 4m kite on the dunes of kittyhawk, OBX. Much more pull. I have years of wakeboard experience, which will help with edging. I realize it's a different sport, but I have been told the wake experience defintiely helps. I am going to start with just using one of my wakeboards. I will see what he is going to charge. If it's too high , I will just look my friend up again and get out on the water. Thanks Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Is there any on line training video to show kite flying patterns. It's my understanding that moving it along a sin wave is the way it should go. Noit just keeping it static and hoping it pulls you Let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 I don't kite myself, but a good friend of mine here owns a kite brand (and also a windsurf brand), so I can tell you a bit........ - wakeboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding - all help in terms of balance aspects; wakeboarding more than the others - also help in terms of the fitness bit too - kiting does have the aspect of flying the kite as well, which is something you really need lessons on; there have been some quite bad accidents as compared to a windsurfing sail, it has a lot of power and if you don't know how to control that power, then things can go a bit astray. Plus, you can't just lay the kite down when you get in trouble like you can with a windsurf sail..... the lessons don't need to be from a qualified instructor (although that helps!); just someone who knows how to control the kite.... If you rent the movie Space Monkeys, it has some quite good instruction stuff; http://www.airush.com has a bunch of info plus a forum to ask and answer questions and so on... but this bit it sounds like you have mostly figured already - the other bit you need to know before you start going out is how to do the things other than fly the kite; flying the kite from the water when you drop it; drifting around to get your board back when you have it fall off etc etc; turning around - again someone teaching you is best - I can find out for you, but a bunch of the kiteboards are made here; I may be able to line you up a decent one straight from the factory; if you are serious, PM me; you'll need to describe exactly, because I am a windsurfer, not a kiter I heard the winds are really good at Hattaras... I am sure you'll have fun.... we just got 15-20 knots this last weekend; first time out sailing in 3 months and I well underestimated the wind, then couldn't be bothered changing sails.... note to self, 11m sail in 15+ knots is a little overpowered :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freecarver Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Originally posted by Chubz Is there any on line training video to show kite flying patterns. It's my understanding that moving it along a sin wave is the way it should go. Noit just keeping it static and hoping it pulls you Let me know There is an on-line site that you can download some tips or order a training video.www.kitefilm.com P.S. Respect the power of the kite it really pulls you.Safety first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Chubz, a wakeboard will work but you really need a jumbo bi directional( 160 cm +) to keep you planing once you're up. A sinker will tire you out (and frustrate you )pretty fast. Your wakeboarding edging skills will help when you get comfy staying up and ripping downwind. Best has a kitesurfing 101 DVD that has ALOT of great beginner info and well worth dropping $20 bucks to watch over and over and over. Sounds like your on the cusp of putting it all together. A week in Hatteras would make a HUGE dent in your progress ie flatten out the learning curve. Zero to Hero in 3 days of steady wind.http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesnowboarding/?yguid=70443069 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesnowboarder/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vid Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 http://www.kiteforum.com/. Here you go. Check the snowkiting button. We have a lots of snowkiters here, I also tried this winter - but should say it's not so much fun as kiteboarding! So in winter i prefer pure snowboarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Thanks for all of the input, but it's willy off to Hatteras, not me. I will look into those vids and begin studying up. So much for my annual reveiw with my boss last week, that he wants me to go back to school to help in my development so 20 years down the road I will be too overqualified for anything after they lay me off. I dont think home schooled kiteboarding is what he was referring to. HHMMMMM should I become the company's resident expert in quality control or kiteboarding? I'm also going to have to do this on stealth missions to get equipment. Just dropped a heavy coin on a new TV yesterday that my wife has been asking to get. I figured after 2 years of "doing my research" I would finally get one. After chekcing out some of the video on the sites, I'm more amped know. It's weird seeing the influence of wakboarding in the style of tricks, except these guys are holding the move forever or throwing in a couple additional spins. Too cool. LAter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johann Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 whillywhitt: where are you located man? I have a group of friends heading to hattaras in about 2 weeks. Windsurfers though. I think they are going to be in frisco. I chumped out on the hattaras trip this year. gonna be on maui instead. unfortunatly i think my 16m is a bit overkill for there. I'm really interested in playing with the kites in the north east though. what spots could you reccomend for someone situated in the poughkeepsie area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A.C. Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Can't speak on the water side of kiteboarding, but have been kiting on snow for the last 3 months. I found the kite flying learning curve fairly short and overall not that complex, certainly much quicker than learning snowboarding. 20 hrs on a trainer kite is overkill for snowkiting. A local shop rents 4 line trainers for $10 a day, so you don't have to drop $100 for something you outgrow in a few hrs. This coming from someone who'd never before flown anything other than a single line kite. I flew 3m and 7m foil kites statically at a demo event (with some instruction) for about an hour total, then went out and purchased a 5m kite. I set up my kite, flew it statically twice and went boarding immediately after the second static flight. After about 10 days kiteboarding, I bought a bigger (10m) kite with more features. My bigger kite (Ozone Frenzy) has a number of safety features. A safety pin can be pulled to immediately separate kite from harness and rider in the event of disaster. Also, a red line release knob can be pulled, adding about 3 feet to the center lines, immediately neutralizing the kite and dropping it like a rock in the event of minor emergency. The control bar is depowering and there are brake lines for normal power down and control. Unlike the inflatable water kites, ram air foils have no solid frame and can be easily collapsed/neutralized by line control, as well as easily launched solo. That being said, I have seen a number of expert snow kiters flying inflatables, sometimes 20+m! These guys have no problem getting enough air off of ice heaves and small jumps to do 720's. On bigger wind days I've seen 'em go airborne 100+ ft lateral off 4ft jumps. I kite on snow covered frozen lakes, arguably the best venue for snow kiting (with the possible exception of high alpine plateaus above treeline). No trees, no hidden obstacles under the snow and smoother wind patterns especially on the bigger lakes. It is a different experience than snowboarding down a fall line though. Long fast runs in straight lines, not short radius linked turns like on the hill. For this reason a long, stiff, twin tipped board with little sidecut works well. Kite skiers tend to prefer the old school straight sticks for the same reason. On a board, riding switch is almost a given to save your muscles on long leg burning straight line runs. The kite demands almost constant attention, so your snowboard (or skiing) skills have to be dialed -very little time to look down. Sailing knowldege, or knowing how the wind window works is a bonus. I got blown downwind a mile or two my first time, but tacking upwind became easy by the 3rd session. Also, snowkiting is far more physically demanding than regular snowboarding, 3hrs on moderate wind day and I'm worked. Like snowboarding, it's another quiver sport, multiple kites for multiple wind conditions, big $$ and hard to back out of once you've expericened it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Johann, Just saw your post from 3 weeks ago. Hatteras was great. Downwinder in the ocean was kinda scary with big swells. Come to Cape Cod for kiting. Have fun in Maui. Here's dave kalama in Maui on a foil board.Laird Hamilton and Rush Randle are really figgering out the foils.Gonna try it behind the boat this summer.Anyone wanna sell thier K2 Clickers for cheap ? I need size 10.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johann Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I was chatting with some peeps at KSM and they were talking about using the foil boards for kiting. guess they work super for going upwind, although hitting a reef isnt' so much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Kiting on a foilboard would be wild. They're not meant to get much air and the kite wants to yank you off the water. Check out http://forum.bestkiteboarding.com/viewtopic.php?t=165 it's brand new and getting alot of hits. http://www.xsxe.net/ is good stuff,man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johann Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 from what I gather, one of the drawbacks to using a foil board with a kite is getting started after body dragging. Trying to drag board etc all in front of ya through the water, while flying the kite is a hassle. Willy, know any decent places in CT to kite? I have some friends in westport which is only 1.5 to 2 hours from me. I'm dying to play with the kite this summer without having to take a weekend trip or week trip somewhere. What's your email? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 the foil board advantage is that there's almost zero resistance as you slice thru the water.I've seen footage of guys just riding endless big ocean swell and not just riding down the face of a wave but up the back of the next wave, kinda like pumping a slalom skateboard.Email me at willy.whit@gmail.com and I'll put you in touch with the CT/LI kite guys. Happy Cinco de Mayo 5-5-05 !Check out the Tomcat, buuuuddee! http://www.xtremesportsxchange.com/xsx/moto/tomcat-roared-in-venezuela.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted May 16, 2005 Report Share Posted May 16, 2005 http://www.windrider.com/wrrave.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted May 16, 2005 Report Share Posted May 16, 2005 http://www.sskiteboarding.com/video/snow/snow.wmv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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