New to the area, need some advice and gear

[oferm]

Hi,

I am new to the area, I came in from Israel last week and will be living in the bay area (south bay).
I am looking for some local advice on the spots to visit and what gear (wet suit, shoes...) I need for them.
I also need some gear to on top of what what I already have. I am looking for a good deal on a TT board (2009 and up). my style is mostly free ride, my weight is around 185 and height is 6 feet.

Thanks.

Ofer

[oferm]

Hey look at me replying to myself... :roll: :roll: :roll:

Help anyone?

[Thor29]

I think you need to be a bit more specific in your question. For instance, what type of conditions do you like to ride in and what is your skill level? But what the heck, I'll get you started. 3rd Ave is the best all-around location from the South Bay. You'll need a 12m kite most of the time and maybe a 9m for those really windy says in spring. Right now you can get by with a 3/2mm shorty wetsuit but a 4/3mm full wetsuit is nice in the early season and is also good for surfing or kiteboarding in the ocean. There are lots of rocks and you need to walk on hot pavement to get to the launching area, so surf booties are nice to have. Personally, I use FiveFingers KSO shoes instead. More expensive, but it feels more like barefoot.

I recommend taking a drive out to 3rd Avenue when the wind is blowing and talking to the locals for more information. Walk up to the upper launch and check it out. (Walk up the bike path around the corner from the parking lot and head north, it's not far).

[oferm]

Thanks,

My skill level is intermediate, I mostly do well in flat/choppy. I do have a 11 meter Bandit 3 which will have to do.

If anyone can recommend a good shop for a suit and used board that would be super.

Also where do u all get you wind forecasts from?

-- ofer

[le noun]

what he just said.

You enjoy wave surfing? waddell. You'll need full wetsuit 4/3, surf booties and some people are using hoodies. Half moon bay is a beautiful spot as well but shuts down in the summer.

Beautifull scenery? Crissy field: golden gate bridge on your back and alcatraz right in front of you. But probably the most challenging spot to ride on the west cost from what I've heard. water is cold and you'll need all the self rescue equipment. (whistle, radio, mirror or light, etc...)
DEFINITELY NOT a beginner spot. You'll need to know how to self rescue yourself in a heartbeat.
Highly recommended: ride with somebody out there: try to find a local to get in the water with. And use a surfboard just in case you are good for a swim on your way back.
Oh, and AVOID the south tower like a plague.
I haven't ride there yet, but that's my goal before the end of this year. :P

Freeride or freestyle in the bay? 3rd ave. lower launch is more the freestyle area (flat water from the rocks) upper launch is more for the beginners who are going downwind to the lower launch or for the freeriders who want to shoot straight into the channel.

Hot and flat water with wind all day? Sherman Island. A little over an hour to drive from the city but dang it feels good sometimes to ride in shorties or even without a wet suit! Plus, on week days, I rarely see more than 10 people in the water at the same time.

I get my wind forecast from Ikitesurf. I pay 10 bucks a month. But I mostly take my decision from the onsite sensors.

Oh, and I'm thinking about selling my TT F-one Fluid 2010, I just got the acid 2011. But I don't know if I wanna keep a backup board or not. So, not sure yet. lol. :mrgreen:

[le noun]

And there are a few shops to buy stuff from.
I personally like jane and rebecca from boardsports.
They have a location at coyote point and at alameda.

http://boardsportsschool.com/

[behindThePeak]

Thanks,

My skill level is intermediate, I mostly do well in flat/choppy. I do have a 11 meter Bandit 3 which will have to do.

If anyone can recommend a good shop for a suit and used board that would be super.

Also where do u all get you wind forecasts from?

-- ofer

Welcome to California Ofem

good stuff on forecast in this thread:
https://www.bayareakiteboarding.com/for ... int#p66172

Helm of Sun Valley and Boardsports are both in San Mateo. i don't know if they carry used boards but their both helpful shops. around here craigslist.com is great for used gear.

if you're in the south bay you may want to check out Santa Cruz for wet suits. all the shops do big sales on Labor Day which is only a month away. buy your full suit and booties then.

[jwest21]

If you watch like a hawk, booties come up on whiskeymilitia.com pretty often for around $30, as well as wetsuits just over $100. I picked up a used wetsuit here in San Francisco at Rematch Sports; you can visit their website to see all the current selection, plus they usually have a handful of kitesurfing equipment. I've found that a lot of kitesurfers have gear they just have lying about in the garage, so ask around at the sites if anyone has a cheap board they're willing to sell and just never got around posting it somewhere. Definitely want to add a smaller kite soon or you'll miss out (or ride unsafely overpowered) on some great days at Sherman Island and 3rd.

Welcome to the area, you're gonna love the winds here.

[elli]

Welcome.
You better act quickly because the season is closer to its end than the beginning. Your 11m is fine for third Ave on a windy day. You still need a wetsuit. 3/4mm is the most versatile size. Best selection in the area to my knowledge is Wise surfboards in San Francisco. It's a drive from the south, but totally worth it. Huge selection. You can also get good deals in Santa Cruz I heard but never tried.

Also look for deals on http://www.live2kite.com for every gear you need, they are a local shop. Its worth a visit to their main location in the north bay.

Used gear you can find in the classifieds section of this website buysell/
and also http://www.craigslist.org which is an all purpose classified, also good for other things (apartment, car, girlfriend, tickets, etc :) )

[Aloha]

With your gear 3rd Ave and probably mostly just mid afternoon @ this point in the season

Lately it's been a more LW setup oriented spot by late afternoon/evening

Good luck & welcome to California :]