LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

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le noun
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LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:09 pm

Hello all!
My name is vincent and I'm new to the sport (I started about 2 months ago).
I just wanted to stop by and say "thank you" to all the community.
Seriously, you guys rock. I've been spending a lot of time in alameda when I first started and now spend more time at 3rd ave (which I think is gonna become my favorite place to kite and start working on tricks).
Every time I get in the water, I meet somebody willing to help or give me tips.
When I first started in alameda, I remember guys coming to me after launching and telling me tips like :" you're holding your bar to close to your chest when launching" or Jane and rebecca telling me not to leave my kite tanning in the sun if it's not blowing, etc...
Yes, I did put my lines in the way and got bad looks from locals and learned not to do it ever again (I'd rather have people telling me what I'm doing wrong in my face than bitchin' on my back, which is why I love this community so far).
I know make sure to ask what I'm supposed to do every time I'm launching at a new spot. (thanks ramsey for spending a few minutes talking with me at the lower launch at 3rd yesterday, If one day I talk too much and ask too many questions, don't be afraid of telling me to shut up. :mrgreen: )
Another time, I launched everybody from the upper launch and ended up all by myself with nobody to launch me. A guy came back to the launch area, helped me to launch my kite and went back in the water. "I saw you were waiting to get launched, i just came back to help, see you out there!"
:shock: the dude just came back to help me, just like that.


I've been snowboarding for almost 20 years, and because I love this sport so much, I tried a lot of others to keep me busy when I wasn't on the slops.
I've skateboarded for several year, even tried windsurfing (that, I didn't like at all).
Finally find something close to hang on to with wakeboarding, but I was facing the same issue as snowboarding: it's hard to ride all the time. You need a boat, etc...

Then I moved to SF last year, and as I was walking on the golden bridge, sightseeing, I saw those guys, riding right under us.
Don't get me wrong, I knew about this sport before, but I've never seen it with my own eyes. To me it was just a marginal sport that a few people were practicing.
Ever since last summer, I started to think about it more and more. Got a trainer kite and played with it every time I was going to OB.
It wasn't easy to make the jump into the real practice of kiteboarding, I didn't know anybody riding and I must admit: I'm scared shitless of sharks, thank you spielberg and "jaw" for ruining my childhood :mrgreen:

Anyway, at the end of march this year, I invested into a board, 2 kites and every little thing needed and took a few lessons, and VOILA!
IT'S BEEN A BLAST EACH TIME I GET IN THE WATER SINCE.
This sport is clearly going to become my favorite sport. Not only for the sport itself, but for the community of people I've been running into since I started a few months back.
I've been riding at alameda, 3rd ave and half moon bay, and I'm looking forward to try sherman and waddell ASAP.

Anyway, I'm gonna stop talking.
As I said, this post was mostly to thank every kiter I've run into for the past few months.
Rebecca and jane from boardsports, bruce and nico from F-one, ramsey from 3rd ave (that I'm sure I'm gonna be bugging with Adam a lot with freestyle questions :mrgreen: ) and every other locals or non-locals who have been helpful to me so far.
Thanks again and see you out there!

Vincent.

PS: If you are looking for me, I'm riding 2 Black F-one Revolt 13m and 9m. But chances are, I'll be the one speaking first. :mrgreen:
Kites: 2020 F-One Bandit: 10m.
Board: 2018 F-One Slice 5'1 Surf/Foil convertible
Harness: Manera Union.
Wetsuit: Manera 5/4 X10D

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Aloha
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by Aloha » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:45 pm

On behalf of the entire kitesurfing community I humbly accept your gratitude in its entirety.

Sorry no one else gets any :mrgreen:

If you want to give Crissy a stab let me know I'm always more than happy to take someone out there for site orientation--It is one of the more sensitive spots you can kite near/in SF from a safety/conditions perspective.. But always willing to try and add +1 to the group of our post 5p working class team that shows up there everyday... the more safe kiters we have out on the water, the safer we all are from a response perspective.

Moreover it is a crew that really looks out for each other out on the water, is a beautiful spot to catch some waves and afterall it's where the kitesurfing incarnation of Vincent was born

Ciao and welcome to the community

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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by kief » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:46 pm

+1

G00D P0ST!!
=D> :greetings-clapyellow: :greetings-clappingyellow: :greetings-clappingorange: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :happy-cheerleaderkid: :happy-cheerleadersmileygirl: :character-beavisbutthead: :music-rockout: :obscene-drinkingcheers: :music-rockon:
peace,unity,love & havin' fun.
-Afrika Bambaataa

Greg
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by Greg » Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:47 pm

Welcome to kiteboarding!! You sound like a good dude!!!

I'm the Loud One- and I bet I talk more then you do too! (I'm a little hard of hearing so SPEAK UP when you say Hi!)

Enjoy Brother- ENJOY!
Greg

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:44 pm

Kief: thanks!

Greg: IS THAT WHY YOU ALWAYS CAPSLOCK ALL YOUR POSTS?! :mrgreen:

Aloha: Yes! Many times yes! Crissy field is on my list of spots I wanna ride!
I just wanna get a radio before I do... just to be on the safe side.
Seems like the currents are pretty strong.
I've been there to check out the spot at the last race about a month ago.
Configuration reminds me of 3rd ave at the lower launch: launch your kite quickly, keep your kite high and run to the water! :mrgreen:

I'll be there this saturday for the downwinder to help out as much as I can before going to work. ;)
Kites: 2020 F-One Bandit: 10m.
Board: 2018 F-One Slice 5'1 Surf/Foil convertible
Harness: Manera Union.
Wetsuit: Manera 5/4 X10D

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ramsey
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by ramsey » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:03 pm

Def nice meeting you too. 2 months only and probably the worst march-may on record. Way to progress man. Keep coming to 3rd and we'll have you doin handlepasses by the end of the summer :)

Stoke breeds stoke.....let's ride.....

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adamrod
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by adamrod » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:24 pm

seriously. time to shred some gnar.
Liquid Force Kites/Boards
ShredReady Helmets

Jox
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by Jox » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:33 pm

Just to piggy back on this post, I am also super new (started lessons a month ago, bought gear this week) and I agree that the community has been awesome and accepting. This is seriously intimidating at first and Rebecca + others at Alameda have made it feel much more friendly. Already had my failed "oh shit" launch that ended in a bush experience, I think thats just what I get for being over eager and trying to play with my 11m in 9mph winds :(

So thanks as well from another newbie.

Greg
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by Greg » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:15 pm

To ansure your question: If you read ONLY the CAPS you can SPEED READ many of my POSTS!

Kinda like CLIFF-NOTES... get it-

You SEE many PEOPLE SCAN for INFORMATION, not really READ EVERY WRITTEN WORD...

And YES- my nick name is LOUDMOUTHGREG or L.M.G. for a reason, whenever I saw my friends at the beach I'd say LUCO!! , or ANT!!, Chopper!! bla-bla-bla.... Thats just me talking.. but some call it YELLING! The funny part is I almost NEVER YELL, when I yell it's ONLY for a GOOD REASON--- Now, if I NOT TALKING, thats when I'm kinda PISSED OFF.

I'm like the oldest "kid" on the beach, and I'm STOKED to MEET YOU!

Enjoy KITEBOARDING! Greg

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:26 am

Adam and ramsey: let's do this! I mean , as a a goal: handle pass by the end of the summer. :twisted:
by september: boosted deadman unhooked :mrgreen:
I'm gonna get boots and crash every 10 yards until I get it.
Then once I get it, I'll do it toe side and then blind side. :mrgreen:

Greg: are you always hanging at alameda? If yes, I must have met you in the past 2 months with all the time I spent there! french guy with a black revolt F-one, last time I checked, I was the only one for the whole month of april! :lol:

Jox: take your time, i've been riding my 13m all spring. As a beginner I think it's easier to get riding overpowered with today's kite: lot's of depower right at your fingertips.
I usually launch with my kite all the way depowered, then I wait to be in the water to power it up until i get the right setting. (water=safer than land)
if you are over-powered even when your kite's setting is de-powered at its max, then go back to the beach and pump up your 9 or 10 or whatever smaller kite you have!
I'm 185lbs and I haven't needed my 9m all spring so far (I've been working when it was nuking 25kts and above).
Bottom line is: stay in alameda until you get to ride at least at the same spot, if not upwind. The set up of the beach is really nice there to learn (once you're done being dragged downwind, you just pull your safety, roll up your line and go back to the beach and walk your way back up to the shack) Plus it gives you a good training for 3rd ave: because once you've past the lower launch and you know you are not gonna be able to go upwind from there you have to be able to do a self-rescue within 15 min max before your kite hits the rocks imho. ;)
Kites: 2020 F-One Bandit: 10m.
Board: 2018 F-One Slice 5'1 Surf/Foil convertible
Harness: Manera Union.
Wetsuit: Manera 5/4 X10D

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