The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

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windstoked
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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by windstoked » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:37 am

Zip ties are good advice Nick. Old timers like me grew up in the days when bailing wire and chewing gum were all you needed to quick-fix anything mechanical, but zip ties, duct tape and super glue are the new standards (and can even be helpful for minor first aid).

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by MehYam » Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:23 pm

Software engineer, which I kite to forget.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by nick_80044 » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:27 pm

MehYam wrote:Software engineer, which I kite to forget.
Sorry to hear that. One of the reasons for posting this thread was so that we could network a little and maybe one result would be that folks like you might find something they enjoy more.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by RPskater » Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:22 pm

I'm a mechanical Engineer who has worked at all of the big computer companies. Currently at Apple enjoying the 17 minute drive to kite.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by etxxz » Fri Jun 21, 2013 2:23 pm

i'm also a mechanical engineer, designing opposed piston engines as part of a small team in san carlos... my whole life is engines too. track cars. track bikes. i just built a dirt bike. Life is racing, everything else is just waiting ; | Kiting has had a tough time being secondary yet i still go out 3+ times a week... there's a wife too somewhere in between. (lol jk)

Very much enjoying the 15min drive to 3rd!

kiting tip: constant progression will keep u from getting bored. applies to everything.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by yojimbo » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:56 pm

Low-tech worker here. I like the whole idea of talking about jumping:
This is about jumping. I notice that a lot of people crash land when they jump. I found that the key to avoiding this (after I did a lot of crashing) is: don't oversend your kite, and keep it overhead as much as you can while descending. Your kite should be like a parachute on the way down. It's easier to oversend when the wind is light, so jumping really works best when you're reasonably powered.
I have been working on my soft landings, nail most of them except for the monster ones. One of the things that has worked for me is sending the kite in the direction I am going once I have reached the apex of the jump and started descending. Sometimes I have soft landings after a huge jump, and I have absolutely no idea what I did to make that happen.

I noticed in super strong winds it doesn't take much sending of the kite to get lofted and the intense wind actually continues to give you additional vertical boost as you go up.

I particularly find jumping useful when going out in big surf, as a way to get over a wall of water that would normally bury you. Once airborne you must be able to land and sail away immediately or else you will be caught dead in the impact zone.

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Post by tgautier » Fri Jun 21, 2013 6:01 pm

Work on jump transitions both ways.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by nick_80044 » Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:53 pm

yojimbo wrote:I have been working on my soft landings, nail most of them except for the monster ones. One of the things that has worked for me is sending the kite in the direction I am going once I have reached the apex of the jump and started descending. Sometimes I have soft landings after a huge jump, and I have absolutely no idea what I did to make that happen.
There's only one reason you have a soft landing--your kite is directly overhead, or close to it. The goal should always be to have the kite overhead as you start to come down. The more you oversend the kite, the harder this is to do.

You don't want to send it forward too soon after reaching the apex because by the time you reach the water it might be losing the "parachute" effect. The less "parachute-y," the harder your landing. I try to get my kite overhead as I'm starting to come down, and then send it forward just enough before landing to give me some momentum when I hit the water. It's all a timing thing. Of course, this all depends on the height of your jump--shorter jump, things happen more quickly.
I noticed in super strong winds it doesn't take much sending of the kite to get lofted and the intense wind actually continues to give you additional vertical boost as you go up.
I love being a little overpowered for jumping! Ironically, you can have better landings in stronger winds with bigger jumps because you barely have to send the kite. Just a little twitch from 11 to 12 o'clock and you're zooming. Keep the kite at 12 and on the way down you have your parachute.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by Red_Element_Andy » Sat Jun 22, 2013 7:49 am

Mgmt consultant in Energy and Tech Industries, heading back for my MBA. The rest @ LinkedIn.com/forquer

Pro Tip: Get a surfboard- any surfboard. My $20 Craigslist board got me first out and last in privileges many times, and is wayyyy more cost effective than a monster kite.

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Re: The "Kiteboarders Who Work in High Tech" Thread

Post by WindMuch » Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:07 am

LANSharks Consulting - my 20th year of providing Apple, Network, Mac and iOS support, installation and diagnostics for home and small to medium businesses. I designed and built the network Sunset Magazine (Menlo Park) is published on. From cabling, installation & configuration of their mail and file servers, internet connectivity, training their internet IT staff... the whole shebang.
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http://www.lansharks.net

Specializing in backup systems, extending Wi-Fi networks, IP router configuration.

Think: "Genius Bar" guy with way more networking experience, doesn't balk at non-Apple hardware and software issues, who does house calls.

Oh yeah, I also help keep this forum on-line.

Tip: Learn to ride toe-side. It really helps for riding in the surf!

Kirk out

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