LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:00 pm

Aloha: definitely gonna go shop at westmarine in the next couple of weeks. Whenever I get the radio, I'll let you know and we can meet up at crissy! :P

NCKite_rider: I usually get a season pass. They sell them for $380 before the season starts and you have access to 3 different resorts. (I don't care about the black out dates, it's usually when I DON'T wanna go there because it's full).
But I agree, this isn't cheap.
And snowbunnies do rock :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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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:16 am

Wow! On my list of people to thank: Frank.
I went to waddell for the first time on tuesday, and oh boy! nice surf and wind! :shock:
Made me use my 9m for the first time!
I'm not gonna lie, it was impressive. (the only time i rode out of the bay was at half moon bay a month ago and the surf wasn't as big and the wind not as strong)
I got nailed by a 6 feet wave on my first try to get in the water :mrgreen:
Body dragged with my board in my hand back to shore, put my board on again and tried again! (yes, I'm stubborn. :mrgreen: )
Second time worked and I was riding upwind pass the surf.
I stayed there for a while, riding up wind and jumping and small stuff.
But then I lost my board, and, I don't know if it was because I was a little lit with the 9, or because the swell was pretty impressive to me or because I was pretty far from shore and that made me a little concerned (for me, it was pretty far, most kiters were riding in the surf, so none of them were riding by me, made me feel a little lonely at that point :? ) BUT I couldn't body dragged back to my board. it kept staying like 6 feet away from me. :evil:
After what seemed like a while, a rider passed by, i yelled for him and told him I couldn't get back to my board. By the time he reached it i drifted downwind too far from both of them so decided to body drag back to shore (which was actually pretty fun, powering up the kite and flying belly first over the waves :mrgreen: ).
By the time I made it to shore and self-land, the helpful rider was already there with my board.
After a lot of "thank-you-so-much-that-was-so-nice-of-you!" I introduced myself: "hey I'm vincent", "frank, nice to meet you".
Then he went back riding. =D>
So, thank you so much frank! definitely saved the day for me as I was getting tired of body dragging and starting to think: "f**k it! I'll buy a new board." :(

On a side note: Until tuesday I was using an old 4/3 prolimit wetsuit which was starting to tear up everywhere. Just spent the money the same morning into a brand new 4/3 "ION quantum". I'm happy I did as I spent easily more than 30 minutes IN the water swimming. (Maybe I knew this would happen somehow :mrgreen: )
I REALLY recommend this wetsuit! kept me warm the whole time! :shock:
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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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by jwest21 » Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:43 am

Welcome to the sport and the forum. I'm in the same boat as you, just a few months behind. Got years of surfing, skating and snowboarding under my belt and learning the ways of the kite. Still on my trainer but I've bought my lessons and should be taking them in early July (so busy lately). I too have been so impressed with the community and people in this sport, everyone is generous, helpful and kind-hearted, but they'll rip you a new @$$hole if you come in there threatening the public and the beach access with an eBay bought C kite. Just the way it should be.

If you're ever down at OB and see me flying my trainer (3m air foil, white with blue and black accents) come say hi and let me know if you need an assistant for launch/land. I'm usually on the North side above Fulton.

-Jaron
Sold all my gear; ebbs and flows; see you next season.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
— Albert Einstein

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:23 am

I'm not gonna lie, OB still impresses me.
The surf can be pretty big and the wave period quick.
But I hope to make OB and crissy regular spots for me as I might be moving from the mission to the presidio in september.
Whenever you take your lessons and feel ready to go somewhere, let me know.
I usually ride on tuesday and wednesday (both my days off) and I'll be happy to help you out. :wink:
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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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:14 am

le noun wrote:I'm not gonna lie, OB still impresses me.
The surf can be pretty big and the wave period quick.
OB may be the heaviest, toughest, and most humbling beach to kite in all of the west coast. Spring is absolutely amazing for the spot, and winter has some sweet southerly days. About this time of year it can shutdown, but good thing is Crissy picks up. SF has two of the most challenging riding spots in the country. Also two of the best spots!!
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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:57 am

I feel like SF is just kiteboarding paradise.
between crissy, OB, sherman, 3rd ave and waddell you pretty much always have somewhere to ride and for different style too.
I just whish the water was a bit warmer :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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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by Aloha » Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:24 am

Noun have you been able to get out at Crissy yet?

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:10 am

I've been there a couple of time, but not in the water yet.
I went there a month ago to see the spot and I was there for the downwinder to help people launch.
Kites: 2020 F-One Bandit: 10m.
Board: 2018 F-One Slice 5'1 Surf/Foil convertible
Harness: Manera Union.
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by kitenaked » Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:33 pm

le noun wrote: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:


Vincent, Welcome to the sport!

reminded me of one of my first posts ....

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5246
Chris

Kite Naked
Benicia Kite and Paddle Sports
4562 East 2nd Street, Unit J & K
Benicia, CA 94510

209-304-2200

http://www.kitenaked.com
Slingshot

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le noun
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Re: LONG LIVE KITEBOARDING

Post by le noun » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:42 pm

Thanks! :P
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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