Kowboy

haha... Bobby... you certainly paint a picture of what is going through your mind as you are kitesurfing lol... and all at Ainsdale beach haha... Weekend was sweet... really like Sarah's kite... just has the perfect mix of manouverability and power... just need to grow a pair and power it up a bit more.. and maybe not edge the board so much... I can almost see what I am doing wrong.. I just cant seem to coordinate the lot at one time in my head.. and to be honest I am more of a learn from feel kinda person.. it will come though.. im deffinately determined.. and keep watching the you tube guides etc.. to assess my last sessions mistakes and come back better prepared for the next session.. Spent some time out of the water after you shot off into the waves the other day... and practiced jumping the kite.... so well aware of how to do that now... and the shrieks of yahoooooo... were plenty... I felt like I managed to get a pretty good control of it.. just need to be up on the board.. and carving along now.. and once I can do that.. we will push for the jumps! Bring on the next session!!! Oh Bobby.. thanks for the pointers last weekend.. some of them you didnt even know you were giving me lol... watch and learn stuff... as I still struggle with the angle of attack for the kite.. to get the sweet spot for keeping my big ass from sinking after I get out of the water... Catch you on the beach next time!!!

Hey Bobby... we both managed to get out on our kites last weekend... Saturday saw Sarah's maiden pink flight... and I had a go and its a great kite... Sunday saw us sitting in the car as the 9 and 11 were too big for the 35 with 40 gusts that were blowing most of us off our feet... except those very experienced and with 7meter kites... Later on Sunday.. I blew up Sarahs 9 metre pink waroo to go out in the 25 winds.. and the end strut wouldnt stay inflated.. which when I got it home and took it out to inspect.. didnt have anything wrong with it... grrr I then waited a little longer... put off my roast dinner and managed to get into the water around half 4... to 5 ish pm.. was worth the wait. Then next day woke up with a damned ear infection.. now stuffed .. cant kite for 2 weeks.. as cannot be in the water for two weeks.. arghhhhh! Not a great month this month! So when will you be back .. whats the doc saying... will you soon be flying again?? We will probably go the beach this weekend so Sarah can go in the water.. and I might even get some land based practice with my deathly 8mtre Supertype.. wind force dependent! Sarah.. deffinately made some serious body dragging progress last weekend.. looing forward to seeing her succeed again this weekend! Keep you eyes pealed for a speedy pink kite!

Bobby... those guitarists are awesome.. and we are hoping to get down the beach this weekend to fly the Pink kite for Sarah's first time.. exciting stuff. I havent been in weeks now and Im seriously itching to get out on the water again... been too long. The Sunday is looking preferable.. however if theres some lightish winds to practice in I might head up with sarah after she finishes work today.. Hope your paw is mending .. our kittie is eating and drinking well.. and being mischievous as his nature expects..

So then.. it sounds like the weekend produced varied opportunities for different people.. did anyone manage to get some photos of their escapades this weekend.. I am fascinated about how small kites and large kites differ in light winds.. normally I would expect that in lighter winds you would need a large kite.. then I read williamjames555's comment about his escapades with an 11 meter in 6-8 notts.. Jtshort42... your a brave man with the shortie wetsuit...I have a 5/3 and even when its hot.. love the comfort of the heat when in the water... kind alike being wrapped up in a duvet and still being in the cold sea and kitesurfing.. (although that does paint a rather interesting picture.. lol) Bobby.. did you make it out this weekend then or doc still forbidding any surfing?? And thanks for the message of well wish to Fred.. he seems to be perking up a little and eating.. we shall see whether he has made any improvements when we take him to vet on Thursday... hopefully he will be better soon and Sarah (Tiki) will be able to go and fly her kite with all her new gear.. soon!

Im sorry to say that this weekend will not see my girlfriend and I travelling to wales.. unfortunately our cat has taken a rather critical turn for the worst.. and we will have to make him comfortable and nurse him through whatever he is facing... to all those hitting the beach this weekend.. have a ball.. do some great stunts and if you have pics.. look forward to seeing them after the weekend on here.. send some positive thoughts for Fred the charismatic nutcase that even in illness baffles the shit out of the vets with his test results... what a legend! Thanks for all the help over the past weeks and I look forward to having a beer with your guys on the beach soon!

Markcath.. thanks for the lesson in language.. ;-) Indeed .. I could have got something with a bit more cash.. but it was cheap and a bit of an impulse buy during the worldcup match.. its all good... I intend to be good enough to fly it one day lol..

Garc... not quite sure what your post meant.. forgive me.. if you are using kitesurf lingo.. ive not been in the kitesurfing world long enough to understand... what did you mean by lolly?? and what about etting a 9m hybrid to go on the starkite bar?? Just so you are aware.. I have the 11meter Starkite... to go with the bar, lines etc.. which is my current kite until I get good.. and now the 8meter .. so where you implying that I could get a 9meter kite in addition to the current lot?? If so my girlfriend will get her 9m Best Waroo soon (in Pink) cant wait to see that.. and hers comes with bar, lines and leash etc.. so I guess wont need to use my lines and bar either... still not really sure what to do about the aged system that I shown in the pics above.. thinking of getting rid of all the system from chicken loop to where the 25 metre lines are attached and replacing it with an upto date system...

Thanks again to all for comments.. I think the RRD will probably be put in the cupboard for now then... until I know what I am doing.. then get it out ... at the end of the day it cost me no more than £119 so not the end of the world if it doesnt get used for a while... the last guy who had it.. put it in his shed for 7 years.. and didnt use it... guess he must have been scared of it too... well I guess thats what I needed to know... will wait till I am an ace kitesurfer then I will call it eleanor and treat it like Nicholas cage does the 67 Shelby Mustang..lol...

ok... so the non-return valve is normal.. that just makes me wonder why the outer two struts have non-return valves whereas the inner three dont.. and the leading edge doesnt either.. but then it doesnt have an additional wide bore let down valve either.. I am aware the kite is for the more intermediate to experienced kiters and to your query it is an old C kite.. so I guess that explains the long line with the wrist strap... that attaches to the backline. Due to not being a pro or intermediate.. my intentions where to use it in low winds at first .. which to be honest there is alot of.. just to feel the difference of the C shape and also to teach me more about the wind range.. which will inturn improve my skills on the less high aspect Star Kite... One thing I know is I will not be letting my lovely lady anywhere near it... or it will put her off before she has started... The Starkite is sound as a pound for beginners and so easy to handle despite its size... What I was hoping to do with the bar and lines was simply replace the system from the chicken loop to where the 25meter lines attach so that I can upgrade the kit to something more manageable and up to date and keep the bar and buy floats to add as at present there are shoddy and broken rubber covers where the back lines attach to the bar...that must be possible surely.

Bobby.. and William James.. thanks for the advice on Wales.. and if we head to Ynyslas we will no doubt look out for you.. I have recently purchased an RRD supertype 8.0 it was advertised as an 8 metre... 1) Have no idea what size it is or how to measure it as I believe its a Cshape.. fancied a different type of kite to try... it came in white and had a few stanes hence I got it cheap.. 2) I have a few problems with it.. the centre and the two struts either side of centre have no valves that close when you pull out the pump nozzle.. is that normal for these kites??? 3) The lines are wierd.. has what I can only imagine is an arm or leg strap that seems to attach to the centre lines, a chicken loop but no donkeys dick, no safety stuff to cut away other than just push the chicken loop off.. not sure whether I can just buy another bar and safety set.. and keep the lines or maybe use the normal kite lines with safety I have from my current Starkite? Anyone with advice would be very grateful..as I am wondering what to do and whether it is sortable or I have to start proceedings of complaint and return...

Bobby.. thanks will stick to buddy launching until I am forced to go for the self launch option... which could be soon as I bought my Lady a wetsuit and we are currently looking at a 9m best waroo for her first kite.. any issues with these or are they as great as people tell me for beginners?? oh by the way its a 2007 .. Oh and to all: Can anyone recommend a great place to kitesurf in wales.. I have found the on various sites Borth to Ynslas (just north of Aberywysth) to be a good location.. anyone heard the same/different or recommend a good place for two learners ... safe, sandy beach etc??

Guys from what I am reading..(please correct me if I am wrong).. the set up is as per usual when adding lines to the kite... then rather than having someone hold the kite while I walk round to fill the kite with wind... it is on the ground with sand on its leading edge...and then employ the basic water relaunch approach but on land... Brassneck.. thanks for the guidance and I will ensure to review the manual.. and do my first self launch attempt on a low wind day as you suggested... seems like there are plenty to choose from at the moment..grrr.. Thanks for the advice

TIKI- or Lady as I know you... wetsuit is the next stop this month... yippee .. then we have to find you a harness, leash.. etc then a kite.. then your BKSA membership.. and an Ainsdale beach Permit.. and we can hit the water together... hummm I better get practicing my self launches... Guys.. any tips for how to self launch a kite.. something I will need to learn so that when my lovely lady starts to hit the water I can help her launch hers.. then self launch mine... Ideas???

Bobby, thanks for the ace pics .. my name is Luc or Luke if you want to spell it the english way.. lol.. really great to meet you and also thanks for providing me and sarah with an extra arm..... oh yeh and the chance to be in a picture together for once... great shots.. wonderful colours.. and the one with me face down.. is awesome.. thanks and look forward to seeing you out with two working arms soon ;-)

Good morning all.. I see you were all up till the small hours of last night.. Bobby.. you particularly uploading pics.. oh better introduce myself.. Bobby I believe you were the guy taking pics of everybody yesterday on Ainsdale with that rather impressive camera.. you met my girlfriend Sarah and helped launch my kite a few times.. while I was trying to get up on my board for the first time.. had a great day and nice to see some of your pics.. did you happen to get any of me face planting in the lagoons????