This guy needs a new wetsuit

[Thewavebb]

I know this is sorta off topic, but I was cruising on a Kitesurfing forum and just thought this was great.:laugh:

http://nwkite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=357&sid=3ceea31751496767368f765f0f415e91

[Kosk]

Ben, do you do any kiting, snow or water?

[Buck]

hahaha Hell yeah been that made my day!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


L8R
Buck

[manual63]

Dude, that's funny. I bet the guy didn't even know his @ss was hangin' out....:laugh::laugh:

Just say no to Crack!!

[Danimal]

Naaasty! You can't tell me he didn't feel a draft.

[Thewavebb]

Ben, do you do any kiting, snow or water?

I have been windsurfing for that past 11 years and have done some kiting on the snow. I am looking to buy a couple kites of my own this fall so I can rip it up on the lakes this winter. Its sooooo much fun on snow, but the water intimidates me a bit. Hopefully I can take a spring vacation to Padre or hatteras and get some water time with easier launchs and a good instructor. There is a huge crew of people in the metro that Kite and Redbull has put on events around here in the past.

[Buck]

aah yes they have...:cool: Redbull has put on events around here in the past.

[Kosk]

Nice dude, I've been wakeboarding for 11 years now, and have been looking at kiting as a way to get out on the water and ride on the weekdays, after work, since wakeboarding has been limited to weekends up at the lake.

It's been really hard to get information though, seems like you have to know somebody that already does it or pay for lessons.:confused: Understandably so, since there's a lot that could go wrong. I've been toying with the winter idea too, seems like it would be much easier to learn then than in open water. Alot safer anyway. The only reason I haven't started is the fund-age situation and lack of friends that want to do it. Keep me posted, we should hook-up this winter sometime so you can show me the ropes.

[Thewavebb]

Check out www.lakawa.com (http://www.lakawa.com/) It is a MN based windsurfing and Kiting webpage which also has a forum (chat) section. It isn't nearly as active as Morc, but it does have a lot of usefull information. Winter kiting is easier since you have dont have to worry about beach launching as you can walk to the middle of the lake to launch. There are a ton of guys that kite on Waconia and "kite Island" on minnetonka in the winter.

[dave t]

Pete,

I do a bit of winter kiting also. It seems like the technology is developing so fast that the used market is getting pretty saturated. Hit http://www.lakawa.com for the local kiting site. there is a chat like this on there too. They have a classified board also.
One thing to remember about kiting in winter or summer is that safety is relative and kiting is unpredictable with the chance of getting really messed up.

[Tetreves]

I know this is sorta off topic, but I was cruising on a Kitesurfing forum and just thought this was great.:laugh:

http://nwkite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=357&sid=3ceea31751496767368f765f0f415e91

Hey, you should warn people when you post something like that. I really didn't want to see that.

[manual63]

Hey, you should warn people when you post something like that. I really didn't want to see that.

If you would have read my post, you would have seen the "Just say no to Crack" phrase I put there.........but you just had to go look....didn't you....:p

[Kosk]

Yeah man, I have heard some crazy horror stories of guys getting dragged off the water, across the beach and up on to the PCH!!! It's similar to sailing, never under estimate the power of the wind!

I figure at least in the winter, on a completely frozen over lake you can always powerdown and put the kite on the ground, then just walk back if you have too. Can't do that in open water!

I've hit up LAKAWA and the otehr sites. I'm pretty much at the point where I have absorbed all available information out there, I just need to commit and buy the gear, and learn to fly the kite, the board control, edging, and wind concepts I already have down pretty good. (Granted the piloting of the kite IS the hard part!!)

Do you use a foil for your winter riding? I figure those are cheaper so I could start that way and then if I like it and get the mechanics down solid, I could always step up and get an inflatable and try out the wakeboard on the water after a coulpe seasons of winter riding.

[Thewavebb]

you can foil in the winter, however I have been told that if you plan on using Inflatables, just start with them since they have a different feel and they can be used in the winter and summer.

[dave t]

I have a foil and thought that it would be the best for winter because you don't have to spend the time inflating the bladders in the cold but it turns out that you spend time untangling bridle lines after you drop the kite or it folds up after a jump. There are +/- to both. I don't even know if the cost is much different on the used market.

The idea that you can always just drop the kite with the depower system is only true to a point. Depower systems can fail or jam and the wind can gust enough to give a properly depowered kite enough power to slam you pretty good. Ice is a really poor landing mat and hard snow isn't much better. Bad things can happen even when you think you are safe. I have learned that you should never let your guard down until the kite is back in the bag. If you use your head, you don't have much to worry about but you can't get lazy.