I need convincing to stay with it.

[Dan_T]

Hi good kiting people. I started last year and due to lack of buddies, time etc etc my brand new kit only got an outing about 4 or 5 times. My feelings were/are to return to windsurfing as I can already do it and I can just pop out when I have the time.

 

So I been trying to get some money back on my gear (see ads all over the place) but for what I can get for it I'm considering having another go. I'm at, or was last year, at the stage where I could body drag and was trying to get up on the board. Haven't flown the thing since september and an aprehensive about trying again with my limited skills. I know I could just jump on a windsurfer and off I go.

 

Why should I stick with kiting? and I don't need the adreneline its cool kinda reasons.

 

Cheers

 

Dan

[jelly man]

no offence man but theres no point doing it if you dont enjoy it

 

 

but think if it like this next time ur windsurfing in 15-20mph and not going anywher fast, and then suddenly out of no where comes a kitesurfer fully charged on 15m he'll blast past u at like mach 10 and then send his kite back and rocket into the atmosphere. only then will u wish u stuck with kitesurfing.

 

 

its not an easy sport so getsome lessons sounds to me like ur making life to difficult for yourself. keep at it mate ull get there eventually and wonder what all the fuss is about

[the_lone_wolf]

i agree with the above, if you splash a little out on lessons (which would probably cost similar to what you'll lose selling your gear) then you will advance much faster, and although i've never windsurfed, and without wanting to sound poncy, kitesurfing looks so much more fun once you have the basics down:)

 

don't give up, you're obviously capable combining wind and water cause you windsurf, give it some time and the skills will come:)

[A.junkie]

Dan,

Stick with it son. Here's some of ther reason I made the transition.

 

Kites rig up quicker and easier than windsurfers.

 

Kites and boards will fit in the boot of your car, so no trying to hold a board on the roof in a force 6 and lash the slut down at the end of your session.

 

You can be rocking in a force 3, not pumping!

 

Carrying your kit to the beach when you have to cross the dunes doesn't take 5 people.

 

You can take you kit abroad without supplementing the whole airline.

 

There are limitless tricks you do with a kite and board, everything you loved doing on a windsurfer but more and with bigger air!

 

It's more sociable, you have to talk to the other guy on the beach even if you don't want to, so he'll launch your kite!

 

No pulleys, no clamps, no grit in your mast extension.

 

It looks cool, and chicks dig it.............................

 

You might want to take up mountainboarding to ease the transition into the water, it will imporve your kite skills no end.

 

Hope this helps

 

Keep it real

 

MP

[muppetdude1599968590]

8 years windsurfing before i was decent in waves - which usually meant travelling and waiting for conditions to fire

another 4 years before i landed a clean loop of any transition = 12 years to get into the serious adrenalin stuff - not counting the tricky light wind stuff which is fun bloody difficult but one day an old sailing buddie whizzed past with a kite cranked a huge forward loop transition and i thught sod this........

 

13 months as oppose to 12 years and im entering the adrenalin zone of high aerials.................i flew a kite for 6 months and landboarded before i started on the water cos i didnt fancy the preliminary stuff in mid winter - bear with it fly the kite non stop ...............

aving said that if ur not grinning then pack it in and go back to windsurfing but for me i was stuck plateu non progressing windsurfer who saw kitesurfing as a new sport entirely - and its alot bloody easier once your over that first big hurdle

 

i sold all my windsurfing kit after 8 months on the water and never looked back

 

in another 12 years ill probably get bored with k/s and start fishing

[Ted]

Dan - I've been kitelandboarding for 1.5 years and am just making the transition to water. I can get up each way and do 80 yard runs, but I need help out there for when I stuff up. I was planning on heading to Saunton Sands (N Devon) for a day trip this weekend. Extended forecast is looking good. If you (or anyone else) fancys some newbie company kite surfing or landboarding PM me. Ted

[the_lone_wolf]

Dan - I've been kitelandboarding for 1.5 years and am just making the transition to water. I can get up each way and do 80 yard runs, but I need help out there for when I stuff up. I was planning on heading to Saunton Sands (N Devon) for a day trip this weekend. Extended forecast is looking good. If you (or anyone else) fancys some newbie company kite surfing or landboarding PM me. Ted

hi ted, didn't know you were a wet one:D - you'll have to visit the IOW for a w/e, wind from any direction is surfable so all you need is strength, i might even be heading out today to do downwinders in the lagoon at appley in 10mph:) - anyway, PM me if you ever fancy coming down (very family friendly too if you have a wife and kids to keep happy)

[the_lone_wolf]

sorry, back on topic:

http://www.fr.tedcrilly.8m.com/images/mrsdoyle.gif

"ah go on, go on, go on, go on go on go on go on go on go oooon

[Tone]

OMG stick with it!!!

 

make the time....meet up with people...your in Cornwall ffs!! go down the beach and talk to people... i met up with the guys i am currently kitesurfing with down the beach and at local flying spots!

 

really dude, make the time! get down and get on the water!

 

i too was a windsurfer and the feeling i get when 20ft off the big blue is SOOO far past anything i got from windsurfing, i too was looping and stuff as a windsurfer... you need 20 knots and amazing tecnique to get high on a windsurf board... on my 3rd outting last year i was flying a mates 9.5 in 20 knots and getting close to 20ft!

 

it is the future of water based sports. fact!

[bucski]

totally agree with the above

 

 

I windsurfed seriously for a year and have now kitesurfed for a year and have progressed so much faster kitesurfing.

 

I went out last week in shoulder high waves, which i was able to surf in on and really chuck it about etc.... had so much fun it was unreal, it was that good I was almost crying when I came off the water!!!!

 

stick with it!!

[cave_raver]

I for one am just starting out in kitesurfing having been land based for a few years. Yeah it takes a while but it's such a laf. Again no offence but if you don't like it then why. Life is too short. When I have no mates to go out and play with then I mess about on my own in a safe area. Read up, try some stuff out and learn by experience is my preferred method.

 

On the other hand get some lessons. PM a chap called Sunset who is really good and he'll have you up and going before long. He's also VERY cheap and won't rip you off.

 

Practise on land as much as possible. Join the Devon kite club as we are always messing around in Cornwall (Daymer Bay etc.) with ALL types of kiting.

 

Where abouts are you based in Cornwall?

 

CR

[8015]

Hmm, I haven't windsurfed for years, and then only on flat water hauling the sail up, so I certainly can't claim to be able to windsurf. I'm not totally sure what the attraction of kitesurfing is, I used to sail a lot but have no way to transport a boat, and lets face it they get expensive quickly (even a cheapy secondhander will cost a fortune to keep on the water), I've been kayaking for like 16 years and love it but have got a bit fed up with the miserable weather (if it's not raining the rivers are crap) and the way everyone seems to be progressing to smaller steeper rivers rather than the big fun open stuff. I started with a kite last year, I've done static, I tried buggying and now race the suckers, I don't get on with landboards but kitesurfing is just the ultimate cross-over for me. It's sailing on planing surface (like my modern kayaks) using a kite like in the buggy, I can go out on the open sea with proper waves (well not yet but soon) and just have fun zipping along, flying and getting wet.

 

Why not a windsurfer? Well, like I say I never did much. I could stay on the board and gybe and stuff last time I tried it but I certainly never got into waves. or big winds and harnesses and stuff. I guess i could have gone back to it but I justt never thought of it. I still don't drive so transporting a windsurfer is a problem for me, although like kayaking I would go with others - ah there's the reason, none of my mates are windsurfers! Mostly I kitesurf with others so need a lift anyway, and I got my first kite I didn't know any kiters. I found them on the beach and in here! I now have plenty of contacts to get lifts with, and ultimately I know now that I could get a train down to Troon or Barassie when it's blowing and find other people there, at worst I'd need to wait a little while for someone else to turn up (not going to go out alone) - I couldn't do that with a windsurfer (well I could wait for one to turn up, when there is wind there are quite a few there too).

 

I say before you give up, dust your gear off, find a beach that is popular with kitesurfers (as someone said - you live in cornwall it can't be that hard) and go and talk to them! They are always friendly, and if you explain your story I'm sure they will be very willing to watch you and give you tips and get you up on the board, which to be honest isn't that hard, staying on it is harder! What's more they will probably look over you kit, make sure your board is suitable for learning, that your kite is flying properly and maybe even lend you a bigger board or a better size kite for the wind to get you started.

 

Don't go it alone, find some new friends and get help and you will make progress soon enough, and when you do you will start to realise why it's more fun than windsurfing (and if it isn't - then give up!).

 

Personally I've been struggling for a couple of months but had this nagging idea my kite wasn't flying as well as it should. When my mate tried it the other day and agreed I adjusted the line lengths and next attempt I was up and planing and totally over the moon - it was so worth while! All that was holding me back was 4" too much on the pigtails for the top lines!

 

JIM

[Dan_T]

Thanks you lot all good replies. I think I had already made up my mind and my reasons for gettin out of it and back to windsurfing were really down to laziness. I don't have much spare time at the moment (just started my own business) and thought I could just pop over to the beach and windsurf for an hour or two when I do get the time.

 

Having said that I'd be a friggin arse to change now. I'm a 5 minute walk from the beach where Denzil Williams (think he's quite good right?) goes and I know him from school. I know quite a few kiters when I put my mind to it.

 

The gear stays and I'll give it a go. Thanks again.

[dafast1]

sell the kit , with an attitude like that , you dont deserve to kite , stick to the pole:mad:

[Dan_T]

dafast1. Sorry mate you lost me with that attitude thing. When I said laziness I meant with the learning. I live a busy life and between work, my daughters and frequent visits to hospital in London to keep myself alive I don't always feel full of vigour to get out and do things. Theres always more than meets the eye when you read things so don't be so quick to jump. Its also one of the atittudes that put me off a few kiters and community. Am sure its just the way my message came across but I'm not counting yours as being that valid. Cheers Dan

[Dan_T]

Cave_Raver. Sorry forgot to answer your question. I'm in Par which is about 33 miles from Plymouth. I worked in Plymouth for 5 years until the end of April this year. Cheers for the advice about the Sunset dude I'll indeed PM him. Where do you head for when kiting?

[the_lone_wolf]

sell the kit , with an attitude like that , you dont deserve to kite , stick to the pole:mad:

well that was totally unnecessary

[Dan_T]

I thought it a bit harsh but I learnt a while ago that you never know what goes on in peoples lives and I don't want to be the one to say something or do something that is the last straw for them. Guess not everyone feels that way.

[cave_raver]

We were down at Par (the Plymouth lot) a few weeks ago for the land based stuff. Last weekend the Devon Kite club were at Daymer Bay near Padstow for water and landbased stuff, cracking laf.

 

I've only recently started messing about at Daymer but it is good for many wind directions. Of cousre there is always Watergate Bay. I was there a month or so ago on my own and there were plenty of other flyers there. Good people who were willing to help a newbie out. Otherwise we fly at Bantham which is close to Plymouth.

 

I would have thought that Par is ideal for any southerlies what with the shallow water on the beach. Daymer was okay for a SW last weekend although a little gusty. It's brilliant in a Northerly as is Watergate. I thought there was also kitesurfing at Carlyon Bay which is just down the coast but it's not so protected. You're reasonably close to the north coast, just cut up through the clay pits.

 

Don't dispair, practising is fun. I look on the net for tips and it does help. Talk to Sunset if you can because he'll sort you out no worries. Sounds like you're just a bit frustrated about the progression to waterstarts. Same here but when I get it right for a few seconds it's a wicked rush. One day I won't need to think about it. Personally I'm a cheapskate but once I have mastered the basics I think I'll get another lesson to aid my progression.

CR

 

Cave_Raver. Sorry forgot to answer your question. I'm in Par which is about 33 miles from Plymouth. I worked in Plymouth for 5 years until the end of April this year. Cheers for the advice about the Sunset dude I'll indeed PM him. Where do you head for when kiting?

[Dan_T]

Caver, Yeah Par is ideal for the southerlyies and literally a 5 minute walk from home. I've windsurfed at Daymer and flown my kite once at Watergate. Am thinkin about the club thing as that might help. (think there's as much a worry about really gettin into it and the start of another spending spree on expensive toys...

[buzbie]

STAY WITH IT!!

 

after a few months dragging behind your kite with the board attached to your leggs you will be up and running and wonder what the f*!k you were thinking of chucking in it for....

 

I am at the same stage you are now, but after last weekend I AM NOT GIVING IN !!!

 

But I am going to get some lessons though, even though I have been flying for a few years now, it pays....

 

Buzbie

[cave_raver]

Well we have an informal club in Plymouth see

 

http://www.flexifoil.com/community/forums/showthread.php?p=458554#post458554

 

but the Devon Kite Club is worth joining

 

http://groups.msn.com/DevonKiteClub/general.msnw

 

I have a restricted budget and I was worried about spending too much. I bought the kite 2nd hand and made a board. I had to pay out for the harness and helmet but I guess you were sorted with that from windsurfing.

 

We'll have to catch up sometime. You'll feel much better when you're seen how poor my kitesurfing is

 

CR

[Dan_T]

aaah informal clubs are just the thing. Am not a big club person myself but informal sounds cool to me. Next time you are heading somewhere I'd like to come along if I have some spare time and thats ok? Finance department has put a temporary block on my "Toys" Budget until I start makin money again.... Now theres an incentive.

[cave_raver]

Well as far as the Plymouth lot goes just subscribe to the thread and keep an eye out. All are welcome.

 

As for the Devon Kite Club, just stick a message up and someone will answer. I'll let you know when we go out though.

 

CR

[Dan_T]

Cheers mate am off to subscribe to the thread.