Alameda Catch-22

[Jox]

I'm looking for some advice. I am a beginner level kiteboader, I took my first lessons a month and a half ago and have ridden solo on my own gear 5 times at Alameda. At this point I can consistently get out of the water, but still need a lot of work at staying up. So obviously things like going upwind are still a good chunk of water time away from me.

The issue is that Alameda is getting more inconsistent, and from what I hear will be pretty poor for the rest of the season. I understand that it will have more good days, but I keep hearing that they will be come more infrequent from this point on.

Does anyone have any advice on what a newb like me can do to keep progressing in this area? Its doubly frustrating due to me having almost 3 weeks off and just wanting to be out on the water. I keep hearing that 3rd Ave is a bad idea until you can upwind, and that Sherman Island is tricky as well. I was told about a downwinder you can pay for out at Sherman Island, but my only kite is an 11m and i've been told that will be too big for that area.

I bumped into two other people in a similar situation to me at Alameda yesterday, and figured I'd ask you guys.

[behindThePeak]

i don't know anything about sherman island but i did all my newb sessions at 3rd ave last year. totally doable as long as you're solid on your safety info.

launch from the mud flats, drag out, do your best to get as many runs as you can before coming in at the lower launch, drag in, wrap up lines, hike the path, repeat.

you'll stress a little more about the rocks and deep water, but they provide some good self-rescue and body-dragging practice which isn't really a bad thing. also, avoiding that muddy swim/hike can be a nice motivator to learn upwind riding faster.

Also, being constantly powered is important to the learning curve. consider bringing booties, life jacket, extra leash for board during SR, and helmet.

[Aloha]

I agree I think you could probably start taking a stab at 3rd

Launch at upper--body drag out... keep at attempts till you reach end of rocks

Then start heading in to lower launch or the way lower landings

Rinse / Repeat!

Also go on low tide afternoons and you can probably stand up out there pretty far out

[kitenaked]

Sherman Island downwinders are your best bet or an assisted downwinder with Edge Kiteboarding.

After one assist, you will likely be set.

11m can work fine at Sherman. Though Sherman can be stronger where a 7m will have you lit up.

May not hurt to add a smaller kite to your quiver so you are not so limited when the big winds come up .

Give me a shout if you want someone to show you Sherman. There are a lot of friendly people that are willing to help out.



Chris

www.kitenaked.com

The Wainman Hawaii Source

[Greg]

3ed on a lower tide is ok and Sherman on a solid ebb after a few downwinders with Nat or Nauticat and your set!
Take Chris's advice and get a smaller kite sooner rather then later....
Enjoy!
G'

[windhorny]

I personally think it's a little sketchy to advise a downwinder at 3rd. If you make it in, you are dealing with a big wind shadow that puts you right in the middle of everyone's playground. If the tides aren't walkable you can get blown down past the lower launch and then have to risk the rocks at last chance beach.

A Sherman assisted downwinder is the way to go. Nat...Edge. Can't lose. The winds will be much more consistant and smooth as well.

A few words of advise:

1) the delta is hot but the water can be very cold, especially out in the channel. Plan on being in the water and wear a 4/3 or at least a full suit.

2) the delta is fresh water and you will not float at your neck line like you do in the bay. Wearing a life jacket can really be a huge peace of mind in the delta. I know you have a kite and a wetsuit and someone watching over you, but if you feel like it is hard to swim you distract yourself from the real task at hand-kiting.

3 )If you do decide to hit alameda on a light day, PLEASE respect everyone on the beach. I live on shoreline and way too often do I see a kite floating right through the most crowded areas of kids. It gets very hard to watch. We are kiting here on a very thin thread as we are at most spots.

Have fun!

[nick_80044]

You *must* go where there's wind, and make everything else work around that.

I was in the same boat two years ago. Took my beginner lessons, kept going to Alameda, kept getting skunked, finally gave up and just started heading to 3rd where I *always* found good wind. At the time, I could sort-of ride on my right, couldn't right on the left at all. I toughed it out, got as much time in as I could, and took advantage of low tides to back-track in the water and get in extra bonus runs.

The biggest frustration was the shortness of the "course' when you're mostly riding downwind. No miles-long beach like at Alameda--you zig, you zag, and then you have to land, roll up your lines, and walk back up to the start. It takes a lot of discipline to cut your run short and angle in to land at the landing beach. I ended up overshooting the beach and coming in over rocks a few times--not life-threatening, but not fun. This improves as you learn to edge better, and then eventually go upwind.

Another thing: I strongly recommend that you have some protection for your feet after your run. One of my worst kite-related injuries thus far is burning the bottoms of my feet while walking up the asphalt path to the upper launch.

[Jox]

Really great responses, thanks so much!

I think I may be "close" to doing that downwind loop at 3rd Ave, but don't trust my skill level quite yet. I think i'll try to give the Sherman Island assisted downwinders a try, though the prospect of getting a second kite already is abit daunting. I just burned through most of my savings on this gear setup as it is.

I'm thinking about trying that "Kitethebay" board techniques course since I feel pretty good about my kite control for my level...but feel like a snowboarder going over ice every time I get up on the board.

[le noun]

I think you could try 3rd as well. I was still unable to ride up wind when I first started there a few months ago. just be confident with your self rescue skills. I think that's the most important thing for 3rd as a beginner.
Start from the upper launch, and when you are at the lower launch, aim for it. If your kite fall from the sky due to the wind shadow, do a quick SR and then walk up the bike path and do it again!
If you are not confident body dragging upwind to retrieve your board yet, try to go at time when the tide is coming in, that will hep you.

good luck! :P

[mighty]

Get on a plane and go somewhere with a long beach, consistent winds, and where you can get a beach boy for the day to launch and walk your kite back up wind all day long, and stay until you have your shit together, e.g., going upwind, getting over kookiness around launching, landing, rescuing, etc. Dribbling out enough experience in the Bay to kite all of the Bay spots can be frustrating and inefficient with lots of backsliding. Get a flight to SPI and just hang out there for a week. I watched a friend make more progression in one afternoon with a beach boy in Vietnam than I made in 3 months heading out to Alameda on the rare occasions it decided to blow over 15 (and he didn't kook out and put his kite in that tree next to the shack, or rip his kite on a failed launch in light wind).