Advice?

[reyrivera]

I think the area that you launch at is a marine preserve. I think you have to deal with boat traffic, and those rocks that are used to prevent erosion don't look too friendly.

Thanks for the input!

I am on an older SS Fuel 120... I also have a Fuel 140 that turns like a slug and scares the crap out of me.

Are there any ordinances regarding where I can and can't launch from? I live in Ballena Bay just across from crown beach...just around the corner is a jetty...flat water...gray ships...

[elli]

Maxes? I really haven’t been to Alameda for a looong time.

A few suggestions:
You will not cover 12-25 with one kite. At least not have fun covering both ends.

Get bars with the kites. Don’t try to fit one bar on multiple kites, unless they are the same model and year and it is the spec from the manufacturer. The safety systems of kites have bar side component, so mixing and matching sometimes means you are compromising the safety system (or removing it).

Pimping: Switchblade 3-4. At least you will not feel different.

[uptightandwhite]

Thanks for the info on this post, I decided to get a Ozone sport 9M...hope it works out (=

[mikaya]

Well, there are a helluva lot of good kites out there now. If you want good value for money, go with Best kites - they aren't always well made enough to last for years, but I guarantee you will want to update your kites in a year anyway. They are pretty forgiving (an important thing, imo, for a beginner). I wouldn't choose a fast moving kite until you have really good kite control. I love my 10m Airush Flow because it has incredible lift. I love my 7m Bullaroo because it takes gusts well. I usually ride in winds over 15mph. Under that I have a couple of big Waroos.

I've heard that slingshot kites tend to invert (which is not fun). Cabrinhas are powerful for their size but tend to have stupid gadgets that don't work, and GK Sonics have too little bar pressure to be good for beginners.

I watch how other people fly and what they are flying - I bought the Airush because I saw someone repeatedly staying upwind on it, much more so than anyone else on other kites. Do be very careful about what people say - it's not just that people are prejudiced, it's also that how a kite flies depends on how it is rigged (length of lines), and that is something lots of people don't understand at all.

Harnesses: make sure it fits well. That means tight. I much prefer seat harnesses because they don't ride up around my ears. But I've heard guys complain that their private parts get pinched. You know how that goes . . . so they use waist harnesses.

Any board between 130 and 140. It's hard to appreciate really good boards until you are a really good rider. Don't buy anything too expensive because it is really easy to lose it when you are a newbie, and you don't want to use a leash. (Trust me).

Have fun and don't do stupid stuff close to shore, or close to other kiters.

Mikaya

[super_monkey]

Harnesses: make sure it fits well. That means tight. I much prefer seat harnesses because they don't ride up around my ears. But I've heard guys complain that their private parts get pinched. You know how that goes . . . so they use waist harnesses.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm of the opinion that if your waist harness is tight you are much more likely to bruise/crack/break ribs. You don't want to have it loose and flopping around but if you go down hard letting it ride up to your chest is much better than having it dig under your ribs.

[windhorny]

And to clarify, North has the same bar on ALL kites. I dont know what other manufacturers do as well but pretty sure a few do as well.