BayAreaKiteboarding.com

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Since you're in Berkeley, Cesar Chavez park is the best place to fly a trainer kite. Go all the way down University Ave. past Sea Breeze market and take a right at the for in the road and go down to the park. Wide open grass spaces and usually good wind.

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDis ... x?id=12102

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Hey logic - i wouldn't overthink the location for a trainer. find a windy parking lot, school, or any neighborhood park and that's all you need. That Slingshot B2 can be flown in pretty light and heavy winds, it has good range. Keep the 20m lines. For self launching, you can prop it up due downwind against a pole or tree, then pull the lines tight and off you go. Don't park it at 12, or anywhere for that matter! practice figure 8s or loops or even small boosts. also, not sure what you mean by running around - you should be standing in one spot (unless you getting towed on a skateboard).

If you fly at the berk marina you are better off either all the way in the back or at the very front where the trail is. The wind really gets fluky if you fly around the mountain top. I used to buggy there al the time and it was always wierd when flying over the backside of the hill or within 500' of the backside.

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If you are willing to drive further ocean beach in San Francisco will be your ideal post. Lots of space, sand, good consistent wind. Crown beach has little space near the water on the sand, and if there is wind there are kiteboarders there anyway that need that space. The grass area in crown beach is behind trees and the wind is very turbulent because of that. Crown beach also has poor wind statistics, when the wind in Berkeley blows good it can be near dead in Alameda. So don’t go there unless you have real time reading of the wind before you leave, the odds are against you.

I used to fly power kites before kiteboarding, so I am pretty familiar with all the spots. When it comes to power kites, Ocean Beach is in a class of its own. It is maybe little further, but you sound little frustrated, and the smile you will have when you are back from OB will stay on your face for a long time. Treat yourself for a fun day, it will be worth it. Having said that, you can get skunked in any beach, so check the wind before you leave.

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" and had some kicks dive bombing the kite down to the ground at some of the joggers only to swoop it up before it hit the ground (or them). "

oh great, you are going to make a wonderful kitesurfer!
:)