Where to find waves?

pipedragon · Post by **pipedragon** » Mon May 01, 2006 11:59 am

Hey all! I just bought a kite wave specific board and I am itching to get in the waves. What is the best bet. I usually head to Waddel but Half Moon bay looks good to and is closer. How is ocean beach? Never kited there believe it or not. I am planning a trip to the coast Saturday, weather permitting. Who's down? and where?

pipedragon · Post by **pipedragon** » Mon May 01, 2006 12:01 pm

P.S. Im not looking for huge swell at this point. Just nich waist high easy rollers and go 16-20 wind. Gotta take it easy at first!

zgur · Post by **zgur** » Mon May 01, 2006 12:10 pm

Is the board directional? if yes, best bet is to ride it in flat water and learn how it feels and how to jibe the board. The feel of a directional is VERY different from a TT and takes a bit of getting used to. Best to get used to it in conditions you know vs. somwhere new. Never want too many new things all at once.

Where to ride waves: Since you are just starting out, you don't need much of a wave. With that said, anywere will work. Realize that getting over white water w/directional is a bit diff from a TT....your milage may vary ;-)

Here are some basics:
Ocean beach - more on shore riding, which means you hit the wave more backside if you ride normal, facing it if you are goofy. Not true down the line wave riding. Good place to learn some basics if it's not too big.

HMB - beach break, more side shore, but still very short rides. Punchy wave and requires skill. Good place to practice as well, not as many people on the beach as OB.

Waddell - more tranditional wave, where you can do bottom turns and go down the line. A mor crowded, on the water, location. Stay out of the main break in front of the lot and ride around the creek mouth. Less congested and you won't get any dirty looks.

No matter where you ride: Rider on the wave always has right of way over people going out. First person on the wave has it. Before you jibe onto a wave, make sure someone is anot already lined up for it. Upwind kiter keeps kite high, downwind guy keeps kite low.......just a few basics.

Not on your list, but good place to learn - Stinson. Read launch guidelines. IT's a beach break, so rides are not that long, but you can practrice the basics of bottom turns, jibing a board, clearing white water, etc. Takes good NW flow for it to work, and you can get skunked quite easy.

Get some, Z.

pipedragon · Post by **pipedragon** » Mon May 01, 2006 5:10 pm

The board is a directional. The Naish Kitewave to be exact. I am defintly going to learn to ride it at Alameda first but I know I will want to get on the waves once I have it down. I have ridden waves before on a twin wakestyle but it was not really much of wave ridding as it was just powered kiting in front of the wave.

Hope you get better soon so I can watch the wave master at work.

zgur · Post by **zgur** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:30 pm

Pipe - I'm just a hacker who has spent some time in the 3d water. Far from a master, just a humble student.

I am going to partner with a shop/school in the near future to put on a wave clinic. Stay tuned.

Z.

whitecap · Post by **whitecap** » Tue May 02, 2006 11:46 am

Glad to say that the above hacker is back shredding the peaks with da boyz in SC....

Welcome back Z! Glad you got your mojo back...

Bob

BayAreaKiteboarding.com

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