Select to expand quoteRails said..
When do you stop being a newbie?
When all you can talk about is newbies getting in your way when you go to your favourite spot...
IKO publish KB skill 'level's', beginner, intermediate, advanced. I'd suggest using this before you announce to your friends you're not a newbie ;-)
Select to expand quotezarb said..
After about 500 posts.
Damn it! I'm further behind you... and I joined this website before you! Seems you don't really do much other than post or make amazing progress with Kiteboarding...
I hate you!
I lurk on the surfing and longboarding forums 
So I won't stop being a kiteboarding newb until 500 posts in the kiteboarding forum alone. Even though I have been surfing for 15 years+, I am still a newb surfer because my post count there would have to be under 200. 
Select to expand quoteRails said..
When do you stop being a newbie?
When you don't need to ask this question anymore 
Select to expand quotezarb said..
I lurk on the surfing and longboarding forums
So I won't stop being a kiteboarding newb until 500 posts in the kiteboarding forum alone. Even though I have been surfing for 15 years+, I am still a newb surfer because my post count there would have to be under 200.
As long as you're clear about that, that's good.
So Zarb, I'd say, even accounting for the fact you're clearly a work shy beach bum, you've made pretty quick progress kiteboarding...
Would you say your surfing experience helped you out much with learning to kiteboard on a twin tip?
Probably not as much as I would have liked. It was even a bit of a hindrance learning to ride on my weak side. It helped a bit with carving turns, but it counts for zilch when it comes to jumps and transitions.
Select to expand quotezarb said..
Probably not as much as I would have liked. It was even a bit of a hindrance learning to ride on my weak side. It helped a bit with carving turns, but it counts for zilch when it comes to jumps and transitions.
Roger. Interestingly, I've started to take up surfing,... and i've found Kiteboarding is setting me back... When I catch a wave and go to stand up on the board...I find I genuinely don't know which is my strong foot any more... so there is a 2 second processing time before I decide, in which time, I've missed the wave!
Hi All, I am one of the new test subjects for kitesurfing and I also do SUP. I figured out I preferred to avoid riding goofy when doing SUP and so I adjust my stance based on going left or right down a wave. I just love seeing what is about to smack me in the head.
I have really appreciated reading the first 9 pages of the newbies forum and I am sure I will have some funny and painful stories to tell in the very near future.
I have taken the advice on lessons (three so far) and I am getting ready to stand up (tried but face planted). Pretty sure I will be implementing a great number of the lessons presented on this forum ......
Select to expand quotebigtone667 said..
Hi All, I am one of the new test subjects for kitesurfing and I also do SUP. I figured out I preferred to avoid riding goofy when doing SUP and so I adjust my stance based on going left or right down a wave. I just love seeing what is about to smack me in the head.
I have really appreciated reading the first 9 pages of the newbies forum and I am sure I will have some funny and painful stories to tell in the very near future.
I have taken the advice on lessons (three so far) and I am getting ready to stand up (tried but face planted). Pretty sure I will be implementing a great number of the lessons presented on this forum ......
Do you mean that you ride facing the wave at all times? That means that you are riding goofy at least some of the time The terms you are explaining are 'forehand' and 'backhand'. If you are always adjusting your stance to face the wave at all times, you are riding forehand.
Goofy and Natural (or regular) relate to your stance on the board and whether you have your left or right foot to the rear. Left foot back = goofy, right foot back = natural.
For you more experienced guys following this thread. I am finding that I am riding to close to the wind when going up wind and I end up stalling,losing power or hitting a wave and falling backwards. Can any of you guys provide any considerations to prevent ridding to close to the wind?
Select to expand quotekitebt said..
For you more experienced guys following this thread. I am finding that I am riding to close to the wind when going up wind and I end up stalling,losing power or hitting a wave and falling backwards. Can any of you guys provide any considerations to prevent ridding to close to the wind?
If you bring the kite too far forward in the wind window (in your direction of travel) and keep the bar in to try and generate power the opposite happens. The kite loses power, you lose board speed, then you can get smacked by waves like a sitting duck, or just sink back into the water.
Try bearing downwind a bit, let the bar out and get the kite to get back into the power zone. When you get your speed up and the kite well powered then pull the bar back in, edge the board back upwind, but not too much of either.
There are some more details here: kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/progression/going-upwind
Assuming this happens when you're powered, flatten the board a bit and don't edge too hard. If you are underpowered, get a bigger board, a bigger kite or wait for stronger wind.
I think you must be thinking about the Cabrinha Crossbow. Slingshot is a different brand.
Hey everyone,
I have travelled to Sri Lanka to take kitesurfing lesson and so far I just simply cannot get past the board balance as I have never did any boardsport.
Should I go for cable park or should I do a little bit of wakeboarding in order to get it right?
Sadly the wind in UAE is extremely weak, the wind rages from 10 to 16 on best days. Do you think 17 meters dyno would do me any good in these conditions?
Thanks
Select to expand quotecyber98 said..
Hey everyone,
I have travelled to Sri Lanka to take kitesurfing lesson and so far I just simply cannot get past the board balance as I have never did any boardsport.
Should I go for cable park or should I do a little bit of wakeboarding in order to get it right?
Sadly the wind in UAE is extremely weak, the wind rages from 10 to 16 on best days. Do you think 17 meters dyno would do me any good in these conditions?
Thanks
Cyber, yep, a cable park will do you a world of good, or at least it did me. I also had no board sports.
As for kite size... you need to include your weight to get a good idea of what size kite you need. I.e. if you're a big heffer (which is fine), you'll need a bigger kite than if you're a light weight.
An alternative to a bigger kite is a directional board, which has a lot less resistance (if you're into cycling, think road cycle tires at 100psi, vs mountain bike tires at 20psi).
Select to expand quoteSaltySinus said..cyber98 said..
Hey everyone,
I have travelled to Sri Lanka to take kitesurfing lesson and so far I just simply cannot get past the board balance as I have never did any boardsport.
Should I go for cable park or should I do a little bit of wakeboarding in order to get it right?
Sadly the wind in UAE is extremely weak, the wind rages from 10 to 16 on best days. Do you think 17 meters dyno would do me any good in these conditions?
Thanks
Cyber, yep, a cable park will do you a world of good, or at least it did me. I also had no board sports.
As for kite size... you need to include your weight to get a good idea of what size kite you need. I.e. if you're a big heffer (which is fine), you'll need a bigger kite than if you're a light weight.
An alternative to a bigger kite is a directional board, which has a lot less resistance (if you're into cycling, think road cycle tires at 100psi, vs mountain bike tires at 20psi).
I am around 85kg and I have best Kahoona 13.5 and twin tip board "Breeze" 145 by 44. Id love to get a directional board but wouldnt it be hard for a newbie like me?
Im 85kg as well, and my 17m Zephyr and 140x41 Tronic is a great combo for winds over about 12knots. With a little bit more experience in light wind, could probably get down to about 10knots. Add a lightwind board and the range could get down to 8knots.
Select to expand quotezarb said..
Im 85kg as well, and my 17m Zephyr ......... .
That must have a turning circle of a road-train.... jeez and I thought my 12m was slow to turn....
It's fast enough to get the job done on light-wind days
It's actually been quite comforting having such a slow kite to practice stuff on. No matter how much I bone-up the move, the kite will always be in the same place I left it.
I guess ill start saving some money for a bigger kite :/!!! in the mean time ill just go out whenever the wind is around 15-18 knots and do a little bit of wake boarding.
Thanks for everyone
Note to self, if one's kite drops from the sky, turns itself inside out and is unrecoverable, it's worth considering firing the QR. This might give the bound kite enough free line to untangle.
Also, if you're going to swim in with the crippled kite, remind yourself as to the motivations as to why you chose not to wear booties whilst clambering over the rocks at Brighton beach (you turkey).
Today's lessons:
1. If you never soak your wetsuit in clean water... it's going to smell...
2. If you spend your time sitting in the water in gusty wind, you've more chance of losing the kite in the water... or similar.
explain number 2 for me salty. are you looking for your board that floating around? is your board attached and the kites at zenith but your procrustinating which way to go? is your board on or nearby but your kites down and your trying to relaunch? or are you sitting in the water looking at your kite float into the horizon?
allso bloke who learnt kiteing in sri lanka they should of had you up on the door within 3 days easy. theres plenty of kiters in uae if you meet any jump on them with questions as to how to contact the rest. shouldnt be hard to find a kite buddy or 2. if your really into the sport you should be at the best kite beach within 2 hours drive every day you get off just waiting till you see one up in the air or getting pumped. bring sandwiches and a stunt kite to kill time. even if theres no wind its good to just be there dicking around on a trainer or stunt slowly absorbing how wind interacts with surounding object why clouds form where a good bit of shade is and water all these things become important as theyll reduce your stress levels on your first steps on your own. being aware and comfortable with your surroundings is a big part.
Kozzie,
thanks... short answer is,... typically if the wind drops off or it's gusty and I want to adjust the depower, I sometimes sit in the water to sort it out, but I think I've been pulling the bar a bit, causing the kite to accelerate over my head, stall and drop.
I'm not quite sure where you're going with the whole UAE thing... as I'm in Melbourne, but it's all good. Plenty of kite buddies here... It's a good crowd!
Select to expand quotebigtone667 said..
Hi All, are there any issues moving a slingshot bar onto a cabrinha kite?
just make sure u have the same bridle type kite.
nearly all bridle kites are set up so any bar lines are of equal length will work
but for instance if u go putting a hybrid bar onto a c kite u could end up in hospital
best to be sure and check with your local kiteshop, they tend to dispense safety advice freely
I'm still not getting toeside, but I have been practising on my scooter (skateboard with a bar, type of thing) ... much to the amusement of by standers...
