Neptune

I snowkite like I kitesurf - duck stance with a true twin tip. Don't be mislead by needing a long board - the kite gives lift as well, so short boards do work in powder with a kite! Look for old boards - they all used to be twintip - also cheap. Piste boards are better than off-piste boards. They are normally close to twin-tip. Try and find the lightest board you can to aid with the jumping weight. You don't need an expensive board to snowkite. Check e-bay for second hand bargains. I use Flow bindings as they are perfectly suitable for snowkiteing I snowkite with a 153. Normal snowboard with a 157 or 175 depending on piste conditions or off-piste!!! 70kg - 6ft I snowboard with a normal stance but snowkite with a duck stance - tried each stance for the other sport but found it too uncomfortable / unstable. My 2ps worth! Cheers - Mark

Yes - bindings are held down by normally three or four screws. On the board are multiple holes allowing you to relocate the bindings. Just measure from the tips of the board to get them as equal as you can. Also when the bindings are off of the board, you will see then you can alter the angle of each binding, by rotating the base plate before re-fixing to the board. Hope this helps - Mark

Ok - so you have normal strap bindings. Most boot brands should be fine. I would try E-bay for cheap boots. Lots get sold there. Just one note - if you are going to use the board for kiteskiing then be aware that your board is biased more in one direction than the other. Try and place the bindings the same distance from each tip of the board - this will help. Also angle the bindings to be the same angle for each foot - most people use a slight "duck stance" i.e. both toes pointing slightly towards the tips of the board. Regards - Mark

If it has step-in bindings then you will need the specific step-in boots! Unless you don't really mean step-ins or are going to change the bindings!

What temperatures of both water and air should be expected in December? Will check out famara also - thanks

Come on guys - some of you must have been here.......what about bars and stuff?!? (Maybe that is more along the line of what people remember!)

I am also looking at going in December. Seems like the most wave spots are on the north coast. Looking at renting a longboard (surfing) and a kiteboard (might take the kites with me!!) Wind and swell averages for that time of year? Temperatures? All advice welcome....... Hotels Apartments Restaurants Beaches Cheers - Mark

Kite speed is always the same whatever the length of lines!!! Just relative time in the wind window is affected. Turning radius of big kites is large hence they suit longer lines.

Longer lines just increase the size of the wind window for the kite, they don't increase the angles of the wind window but make the ammount of air the kite has to fly through larger. This can help in light winds, as then the kite spends longer in the power zone of the wind window before it reaches the edge of the window. This can give the rider the extra few seconds of power to enable board speed to increase sufficiently to plane and turn upwind. Larger kites also suit longer lines as they take a larger ammount of air to turn in. Hope this helps - Mark

Basic downhill snowboarding - not really as you are never holding one edge the same as you are in kitesurfing. Basic board skills and stopping are the only similarities I can think of. Snowboarding in powder has similar weight distribution over the board. Groomed piste - then you have your weight a lot more on the front foot when snowboarding than when kitesurfing. Snowkiting with a snowboard does help with kitesurfing. As has been stated starts are similar, but easier on snow and you edge against the kite the whole time, same as kitesurfing. Main difference is that you can go upwind with no speed, as opposed to kitesurfing when you need a certain ammount of board speed before turning to track upwind. My advice - pack a kite and harness with you, then as you are there for the whole season, go and find some open area to practice with the kite and board!

Not often - but I did need 7 stitches after my surfboard leash pulled my surfboard back into my head as I surfaced after a wipeout. It can happen although I would never normal surf without a leash! I haven't tried the retracting leashes so cannot comment, but would not use a normal surf leash with a kite board. Been there, done that, never again. I have been leashless for over a year and much prefer all aspects. A board is money - your body is priceless!

As a general rule of thumb I would say that if you double the Blade3 size then you have a comparable LEI size. Possibly take off a little bit because of lack of gust control! 4.9 = 9.8 (9m2 LEI) 6.6 = 13.2 (12m2 LEI) 8.5 = 17 (16m2 LEI)

Yes you can - and I do! Never go out further than you can swim in! Should be the same for all water users! They allow you to go upwind well. There is no gust control so board skills are required to compensate. All kites are a comprimise somewhere! Self launch and landings are the best benefits. This weekend I helped launch a 20meter LEI then self launched my 8.5 B3. What size were you thinking of trying with? Any specific questions then just ask. Regards - Mark

Take the blades. I use an 8.5 Blade 3 most of the winter and the 6.6 if the wind picks up. It would have to be really blowing to use the 4. Then it might be too uncomfortable/windchill/cold to be out in. However if you want to start underpowered then use the 4. Soon though I am sure you will want to jump!! Blades pack easier than LEIs and have better safety on snow. Regards - Mark

Actually no! Not in my experience!

The snow conditions also effect the height. Powder snow means you need more power to get going than a groomed piste as you have to get on top of the surface, but also that your snowboard sinks further into the snow when edging - giving you more surface area of snow to push against allowing more power to be held down, more aggressive edging and bigger jumps! Ice is the complete opposite - a fun sliding game!!

Yes you can try your climbing harness. Certainly with handles and a strop line it works well. I haven't personally seen a bar attached but I am sure it would be possible. I find a wasit harness very comfortable and that would be my recommendation, if you can afford it. Allows fully unhindered leg movements. The padding arround the harness is nice also, even though you are wearing lots of layers! It depends on your body to kite angle, as well as your body's build, to say whether or not "harness ride up" will be a problem. Just my two pennies worth:p

"Try before you buy" would be my advice - also if you are just starting kitesurfing then the seat will be ok to learn with. Will you be using the same kites from landboarding to kitesurfing? If so then no problems. P.S. Some body shapes get on better with waist harnesses than others!!

Or just use their front page - www.fmi.fi - and select english as language. Enjoy - Mark

I might not get out of work until 4pm so will be there about 4.30pm or so. Flying blue / grey Blade3 6.6 or 8.5.

sent you a pm with contact details

Just thought I could share the great feelings I just had this afternoon..... Crunchy yet soft snow, soft enough to sink in and dig an edge. Diamond like ice crystals flying off the board when edeged hard. Steady wind, perfect for my Blade3 8.5, with temperatures dropping from -3'C at 4pm down to -7'C at 6pm and sunset. Clear blue skies to start with. Then the sun setting into the trees edging the frozen lake, turning the sky into a burning orange glow until finally turning red as the sun sunk below the horizon. No-one else on the lake. Just the sound of snow crunching under my board and the whistle of the wind. Jumping into the clear sky and then landing back on the perfect white icing. Feeling spirits soar as every jump takes me up into the sky. Kite and man harnessing natures powers and enjoying its beauty. Finally I leave. Behind me are just tracks on the snowy lake. Nature continues into the night but the man leaves with a warm feeling inside and an enormous smile on his face. Thanks for reading.......

Buggying you don't want lift. BUt for kite skiing you want lift if you want to jump! That is why Blade3s are good for the sport!

Yes, that was me. Once I have started it is hard for me to quit! Haha It was a great day - shame the wind was a little gusty and not form the ideal location for the lake but hey, can't have everything. Glad you enjoyed your first meet.

Blade3 8.5 is a good snow kite. I am just back today from a full session on a frozen lake here in Finland. (Hi to everyone who was at Lahti today for the KiteSki 2005 - especially Joe and Adele!) For the winds that you state it is the perfect size. I weigh 70kg and was using my 8.5 today in the same winds as you report. You do get a lot of lift from a Blade3, which is great for jumping. As was said though, the Frenzy is depowerable, which gives it a wider wind range and more user friendly habits. I think it is a little more expensive than the Blade. If you can, try both out and see which one suits you more. PM me if you want to know anything specific. Best of luck and good winds to all. Mark