Hi Newbie ( well to the site anyway )

[kite-uk]

Hi Guys how's it going.. I'm Mark from the UK . I'm toying with coming over to the bay area SF and kitesurfing under that red bridge you got there in the bay!

I've been over a few times to the area even had my own car over there for a while!

Just on my bucket list is to kite surf under the Golden Gate Bridge. Being 43 next year i want to start to think about getting my self over to ride the water...

I'm currently riding Best Kahoon's V5's on one of Daves Boards!"Lite Wave Dave".. A Spirit 146 board.. I have a Hadlow 138 as well. But still love Dave's board I can't part with it!

Anyway I thought I would say hi!

http://vimeo.com/78482927[/video]

It's been a bit windy here in the UK. We have had two big storms and nothing in between! Still the water in SF can't get much colder than I am used to LOL!

As a family we just have this odd connection with the bridge and the bay area. We love it there..

He's my lad on the bonnet ( hood ) of my Merc ( Mercedes w108 ) I had out there for a few years. I have it here in the UK now.



I did the Virgin Amarda this year with this guy

[Loscocco]

Hey,
Not much kiting under the Golden Gate Bridge until the spring as it's our off season.
Do you ride directionals? They are much more suited to the conditions here. When you do come talk to the locals and watch the tides and wind as there are LOTS of pitfalls that will get you.
It's def a fun place though
Welcome.
Btw the bridge is not red. International Orange. Google it.

[OliverG]

Most people could rightfully refer to it as a shade of orange though. It seems Wikipedia shows a few different shades of what is interchangeably known as International Orange.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_orange

International Orange (Aerospace) #FF4F00
International Orange (Golden Gate Bridge) #C0362C
International Orange (Engineering) #BA160C

The only one that looks pretty orange to my eyes is the Aerospace flavor. The others seems to display as much more red and not so orange, despite its name.

"The Golden Gate Bridge is painted international orange. The tone of international orange used on the Golden Gate Bridge is a deeper, darker tone of international orange than that used by the aerospace industry. It is considerably closer to red. It is also slightly lighter than the generic tone of international orange used by military contractors and in engineering generally in order to increase the visibility of the bridge to ships. The international orange paint used on the Golden Gate Bridge is specially formulated to protect the bridge from the danger of rust from the moisture of the frequent San Francisco fog that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean through the Golden Gate to San Francisco Bay."

[kite-uk]

LOL you say tomato i say tomahto.

It's a shade of red orange rust you name it LOL..

Yeah having been there a few times I was looking at the lay of the land as it where. It certainly looks interesting with it's hidden rocks in places, tide and swells. Wind direction being a major factor as it's either crisp up the channel or gusty off the land..

Why do you have an off season? All year round here.. are you not allowed out at certain times then? Or is it that there is no wind? or it's cold? I do hope it's not the latter. Or I will have to start calling you Norcal Softies.

It's just starting to get cold here -10 wind chill so it tests your gear. But will drop as the winter progresses. I am still in my 5/5 Ion suit I have tried a drysuit but find it is like being in a big sweaty bag! Recently purchased a 1mm beanie hat to go under my skid lid and that's stopped me having brain ache with the water chill. Works too......Winter is the best time here because of the winds! it's just that few seconds when you put on a cold damp/wet wetsuit from the day before that just makes you wince abit ! LOL...

[kite-uk]

Twin Tips is what I mainly ride, but I have just bought a Liquid Force fish tale to mess about with to try it out and work out what the fuss is about.

I know it's not the best board but at £90 $140 to try one out the kids will use it after me so no great loss.. it's been ok it rides well...

I recently bought a Flexifoil Hadlow board 138cm I knew of Colin the designer when i was at apprentice school at Fleetlands he was the year above me.. he turned out to be a great designer sadly no longer with us.



Freestyle board, I like it but I am still getting used to it.. I can't get my feet right in the pads! and having no central handle is a pain.. which is why I am reluctant to get rid of my litewave Dave board from your neck of the woods.

[le noun]

Or is it that there is no wind?

yup. wind season from march to september.
Then a few good days of northwest clearing winds or south winds during the winter.

[NCKite_Ryder]

It's going to be windy today