UK Ainsdale 2010

[garc]

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???

 

Depends what type of kite. On that one you've got in the pics, i.e. hybrid SLE - easy peasy.

 

Setup your lines downwind of your kite.

 

Go back to the kite and take off the sand holding it down but put some on top of the leading edge to hold it (this depends on how windy it is, as to how much sand you'll need).

 

Go back to the bar. Make sure the trim strap is set to full DEPOWER. Hook into the leash and then the chicken loop. You DO NOT want to be powered up on a self launch.

 

Walk around to the side of the wind window (any) As you get to the side the kite will start to slide around on it's leading edge. Begin to pull on the rear line nearest to you and it should just pop up into the air. Keep it low. Go get your board. Walk to the water. Pull on the trim strap to get some power and fire off into the deep brown yonder !!! Any questions ?

[brassneck]

^^^^ just to add to the great self launch description above.

One thing to add. some kites have 2 places to attach your safety leash, make sure you attach it to the one that give full flag out safety and not your suicide safety i.e attach to the one that lets the bar fly up the lines and makes your kite fall out of the sky. most modern kites both these safety systems are usually below the bar, the 'full' safety being the 5th line or the mini 5th line, the suicide being a ring on the chicken loop.... not sure on that starkite in the picture so, best check the manual.

Self launch is prob one of the first things you think 'this could just go horribly wrong', but pick a low'ish wind day and give it a go , you will then think 'what was all the fuss about, its dead easy!'.

 

enjoy!..

[garc]

^^^^ just to add to the great self launch description above.

One thing to add. some kites have 2 places to attach your safety leash, make sure you attach it to the one that give full flag out safety and not your suicide safety i.e attach to the one that lets the bar fly up the lines and makes your kite fall out of the sky. most modern kites both these safety systems are usually below the bar, the 'full' safety being the 5th line or the mini 5th line, the suicide being a ring on the chicken loop.... not sure on that starkite in the picture so, best check the manual.

Self launch is prob one of the first things you think 'this could just go horribly wrong', but pick a low'ish wind day and give it a go , you will then think 'what was all the fuss about, its dead easy!'.

 

enjoy!..

 

Good point Brassneckmeister and if you're really worried or it's winddyydydy, don't hook into the chickenloop either. That way you're leashed and can just let go of the bar. Either that or it'll get ripped out of your hands anyway. IMO you won't need to worry about any of that though, it's so easy. I even launch my 5 line Vegas that way - just pull a bit of 5th line in just in case and off you go.

[Kowboy]

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

[Bobby]

@Luc - Easier to try it than describe it. You'll have no trouble picking it up. As the others have said just pick baby winds first. Hot launching in hurricane winds is 'exciting'.

Remember though that sliding round that leading edge on sandpaper is not a good thing for a leading edge to do, (especially in the season of razorshells). It's why I would always rather buddy launch.

___________________

 

Yep I know XC is giving it next to nowt tomorrow ladies but Cobs (the kiters friend) is pink all the way.

LT is around 11ish givin fun filled incoming goons all afternoon, with bucket fulls of sunshine

 

Consultant dude has ripped off the plaster and given me a splint (splint I can get wet - plaster I couldn't ). Still a bit sore but better each day. Undecided but might slip on the shortie, slip down a medicinal Stella and give it a gentle go.

If you spot some dude with a robocop jacko lefthand glove effort waving at you please don't hesitate.

[Kowboy]

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??

[Bigbud]

North Wales Kiting Beach Map

 

There will usually be someone to launch and land you at most places, just be careful asking people who don't know kiting.

[Bobby]

...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...

 

Good choice Luc, lots of people fly 'em at Ainsdale, IMHO they were the first decent kite for not loads of money. Decent build quality and simple setup.

I always found them a bit 'flappy', sort of like flying a nagging woman above your head, but think that was a very early waroo and they sorted it out on later ones. (No direspect to nagging women there Tiki )

 

...and a wetsuit too, well done Sarah. There can never be too many woman in rubber IMHO.

 

...Oh and to all: Can anyone recommend a great place to kitesurf in wales..

 

Though I very rarely stray from the idylic surroundings of my home beach, NWales favs of mine are Newborough and Lligwy on Anglesey. Picturesque surroundings and bonny beaches.

Waking up on the campsite overlooking Lligwy beach with a fresh onshore blowin' the tent flaps and the sun shining through the canvas is pretty dam perfect .

[Tiki]

I always found them a bit 'flappy', sort of like flying a nagging woman above your head, but think that was a very early waroo and they sorted it out on later ones. (No direspect to nagging women there Tiki )

 

 

.

 

 

haha... i would def not come under the heading of a nagging woman so feel free to disrepect them all you like

 

and yeah now i have my wet suit I WANT A KITE

[Bobby]

Getting that spiral fracture through that rubber armhole was just too dam painful

 

Had a romantic sitting in the sunshine afternoon with the blonde. Sweet but it wasn't kiting.

 

I must have amassed a zillion brownie points with this duff metacarpel.

[williamjames555]

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??

 

 

yes yes yes ynyslas is the way forward. im there all summer wasnt kitesurfin last year but got the lei and all that just need the right day. boarded all last year i think it ace but ive only been to 2 beaches (ainsdale, ynyslas) lol and a few round the coast and abroad. i think it would be good as the estry will be easy to use as u can fly it pritty much any direction and there are some lagoons to be found also no interuption from any rangers or people as its mainly oldies that live there.

 

theres a few other kiters down there and some on the water but as i said im there all summer so if theres wind i will be down to help laurch etc.

 

im heading down next weekend and have a little inspection report back to you.

[Kowboy]

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...

Edited June 22, 2010 by Kowboy

[garc]

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...

 

Right then...

 

1) I believe the Supertype is a higher aspect ratio kite - it will be fairly fast in the air, so you'll get some biiiiig air baby. Usually for intermediate + riders - not beginners/learners. Could be wrong but had a quick look on kiteboarder.co.uk and they're on the list as not suitable for beginners. As it's an older C shape - you'll find it has a fairly narrow wind range compared to the Starkite I think.

 

2) If it has no stopper to actually close the valves - they'll need replacing, unless you can find some spare stoppers from somewhere but if they pop out while you're riding - you might be fooked. If there's a stopper but no non-return valve (i.e. stops the air rushing out when you pull out the pump) that's OK. Most older 'C' kites didn't have them. You have to get your thumb over it quick before putting in the stopper.

 

3) I'd wait and get someone more experienced at the beach to look at that bar then or post some pics. I'm not totally sure but if it's an old C kite then the safety will either be to a rear line or a front line re-ride setup - or should be !! I doubt it will work the same as the Starkite bar unless you rig it for the safety to work on a rear line release but then you'll just tangle it up every time you drop it and have to swim in to sort it out. Plus you'll probably need a shorter depower throw at the bar. I wouldn't try flying it on the Starkite bar yet until someone's checked it out. You can probably make it work if you know what you're doing.

 

I would try and download the manual for the Supertype if you can find it online.

[Kowboy]

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.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Kowboy

[Bobby]

Hi Luc - I rode one of these 8m dudes at Ainsdale - Kevob used to have 'em. I remember the day, bluebird skies and big winds on an incoming tide - that kite was as fast as f*k and to be dead honest scared me a wee bit.

 

I'm not up to speed on these RRD kites but there's a good review write up here on the Type8;

Kiteforum.com • View topic - RRD Type8 12m review....

 

Theres a lot of talk on that review on bar setup and changes required to use other setup on the kite.

 

Here's a link to a pdf on the Type8 bar setup -

http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com/cms/files/2007_kites_Manual.pdf

 

I know you know this Luc but If you do keep it make real, real sure you've got it setup safe. Any 8m 'C' in big winds can hurt a lot.

 

Yep I agree it'd be a bit odd if the only the centre struts had no plastic stops to stop the air rushing back out. (I hate trying to hold the air in with a fast flying digit - I could never do it) Sometimes them plastic discs inside get hard and outta shape - dunking the valve in some warm (not super hot) water helps them recover their shape.

 

Sweet looking kite by the way.

 

...and why isn't Sarah on that ladder finishing off the decorating?...shes's done a great job, send her round here when she's finished

[williamjames555]

im going down to ynyslas this weekend so if you come down then i will show you what i have been taught (not much) only kidding i no the basics toms a good instructor the winds are fairly light i think so would be idle.

 

i also have just bought a 8m lei so will be fun.

 

my outer struts have one way vavles and the rest dont (2 way) is because serposidly the bigger stuts are easier to plug in and the small it it the hard. u should find when you get to the centre strut and le its guite easy

[Kowboy]

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...

[garc]

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...

 

Oooh a bit more lolly would have got you a 9m hybrid to go on that Starkite bar. Depowerable down to a 7m - laughin'.

[Kowboy]

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...

[redmark]

lolly is cash nothing to do with kiting then again yes it is you need loads of lolly

[Kowboy]

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..

[redmark]

thats the spirit remember its all about the conditions if the weather is right the kite will be fine

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..

[Kowboy]

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!

[Bobby]

Hope Fred pulls through Luc. To be brutally honest I'm not a cat person and if the wind was blowin' and the furry dude was mine, fraid the poor feline would be strapped to my back clinging on desparate as I hit the water

 

High pressure is crap for wind. Though looking towards the beach yesterday it was blowing great even though the forecast was only single figs. Hoping Sunday might do exactly the same, forecast is 12ish but it just might get up to the mid teens. Oh then again there's that footie game to squeeze in - but if that wind blows.....

 

Newborough or Rhossi look really good...and if I wasn't so lazy I might even have gone.

[garc]

Hope Fred pulls through Luc. To be brutally honest I'm not a cat person and if the wind was blowin' and the furry dude was mine, fraid the poor feline would be strapped to my back clinging on desparate as I hit the water

 

High pressure is crap for wind. Though looking towards the beach yesterday it was blowing great even though the forecast was only single figs. Hoping Sunday might do exactly the same, forecast is 12ish but it just might get up to the mid teens. Oh then again there's that footie game to squeeze in - but if that wind blows.....

 

Newborough or Rhossi look really good...and if I wasn't so lazy I might even have gone.

 

Bobby there was a handful of us out in the morning trying to catch a bit. Started out looking good about 9:45 - even got the 10m out !! Big mistake. Back to the car, more pumpage and then the 14m Rhino was just about keeping me upwind in the end but could have done with a bigger board. Light wind skillz needing a bit of work too. Chokin' it like a good un. Managed 2 jumps before it dropped right off. Oooer !!