g'day my name is ash and i have just taken up the sport. i just live in applex so will be down regulary when i hope to get my gear next weekend.
been flying stunt kites for over 2 years and thought kiteboarding looked fun as so i had a couple of lessons so far (2.5hrs) and really enjoying it, gonna start launching and learning how to ride next, so hopefully i should pick that up pretty quickly over the next 2.5hrs i have left.
i weigh about 85kg & 178cm tall and been advised to start on a 11m kite with 139x41 board. what kind of wind range can this handle? will this set up last me for a while or will i need to upgrade soon after?
also just wanted to know best sort of wind direction for applex. it looks like most of the guys down there head out on an angle and come back in on the same angle so i guess they are riding upwind on a SW? still trying to get my head around that..
and lastly is it worth joining the WAKSA from the start or after i gained a bit of experience and feel comfortable riding in more dangerour areas at higher winds. also does WAKSA have a forum? or is this the main forum forum for WA
If anyone wanted to catch up for a ride im keen.
thanks for the help, n hope to see some of you down there. 
as a beginner you should have been told by your instructor to join aksa. $125 for accidental death and public liability is worth it alone
Welcome!
Choose your gear to suit your wind... how much wind do you usually get, on average? Local knowledge will help; hopefully, someone will chime in...
Best wind direction is cross-onshore. 
It's always my suggestion that you buy a bigger board first; as a beginner you'll need easy riding to get up and learn the basics with a minimum of frustration. Then later, it can either be sold or become your light wind board. Wider is more important than longer for light wind and beginners. If you want a new board, then the Ocean Rodeo Origin is a great board at a great price!
I'm a cynical bastard but I'm betting that the instructor has some gear already selected to sell you...?
I think you'll pick up the skills pretty quickly - I started out flying stunt kites too, then power kites. Depower was another step, but the skills you've learned will help :)
Select to expand quotedusta said..
as a beginner you should have been told by your instructor to join aksa. $125 for accidental death and public liability is worth it alone
I only found out about the club this morning while surfing these forums, maybe the instructor hasn't said anything because i haven't finished the course yet.
Im keen to join though, just wasn't sure if its compulsory or not. and i thought I might have the offer insurance through my super.
Hi Ash - seen you down there a couple of times
South to South Westerlies are prevailing (seabreeze) at AppleX and suits as not directly onshore or offshore. Anything Easterly head to the beach just east of Point Walter.
Plenty of folk willing to chat and lend a hand. Whilst you learn to stay upwind ,best to stay downwind of the pack (and clear of our windsurfing comrades)
Most drift down towards Majestic Point and then walk back for another go!
11M a good size - maybe compliment with an 8M for strong wind/ocean if and when you get completely hooked (you will) board a bit small for starting but it'll be fine .
Andy
Hi Ash , +1 for what everyone has said..
Important note : don't go there if its Westerly (on-shore) . it is v dangerous there when it is onshore as the road etc is v close to shore. Don't try to self launch or self land .... always wait for someone to assist you to launch and land. There is always people around when there is wind.
Early morning Easterly's head to Point Walter Dog Beach which is at the end of Page st Attadale. good for beginners there as well.
With the set up you have mentioned u should be fine from 18 - 22knots which is fairly typical thru summer at Applx. any more wind and you will need a smaller kite ie 8 or 9. A slightly bigger/wider board may be the go..
Welcome to a great sport !!
Enjoy !!!
Hi Ash,
Newbie here too. I've learnt at AppleX, Melville Beach Road and Point Walter. Happy to go with you when time suits.
Give me a bell when you head out.
Hi guys,,
Thanks heaps for the advice have always asked for a hand with launching and not going out in over 25knts. Will def hit u all up for a session over the weekend if wind is good.
I ended up getting a 145x45 board and a 11m vector and have been out three times on my own.
It's really weird because I can go goofy stance really well and can park the kite at 2pm and almost go upwind. but going normal stance is really hard. I get up ok but then it's hard to keep it going. I think I might not be going down wind enough to get speed before trying to turn?
I guess I head about 45 deg from straight down wind, is this too much? I guess I am point the board at the kite when it swoops down..
Maybe also when I go goofy way, I feel more uncomfortable so I lean back more and put weight over my heels. It's bloody annoying cus normal stance should be my stronger stance.
Hopefly if we catch up for a session you guys might be able to see where I am going wrong...
Cheers
Ash it sounds like you got the addiction brother !! Fantastic !!
My tip : Don't try to over-analyze things .. its a bit like patting your head , rubbing your belly and hopping on 1 leg.... it will just happen after a few times of trying and failing ... When u got the addiction its hard not to over analyze..
PM me when u going down there and I will try to come and meet up for a sesh and see if you doing anything wrong .. im at Applx and Pee Dub whenever there is wind !!
Hey glasstraxx,
Good to hear you're getting going. Lessons are a great first step, but if you're into analysing things do yourself a favour and get "Progression Kiteboarding" app for iPad. In app purchases for beginner intermediate and advanced riders. I found these very useful to just get that tweaking of my stance and kite position etc. I still use the series but through the intermediate now.
PS I am not affiliated to the seller in any way.
Dave
sounds good guys, will dl the app... i think prac is the key.. been out three times after finishing my 4 hrs of lessons .. absolutly loving it! even tho im up the on board probably 30mins out of the 2 hrs haha
Hi glasstraxx and Hi everyone on the forum, I'm more or less in same situation, I've got my lessons I've got my gear (cabrinha crossbow 10) and I wanna use it tomorrow for the first time. If anyone want to join me I'll be applecross/poit walter tomorrow (saturday) depending on the wind that looks promising (around 19/20 kn). It would be great to have someone more expert to have some advice and feel safer :)
Also in a similar newbie situation. Managed to get a quick session in today at Melville and plan on going out tomorrow. Would be awesome if we can get a group down tomorrow. I'm keen as !
Hi guys, I'm happy to come down to applecross to meet up and kite together. Just drop me a PM with ur number...
Btw on the last session I had on Friday it's all clicked now .. Definatley recommend check out that progression app, it's really cheap and hassone great examples
Just gotta master learning to slow down and turn now without flying off the board!
See use down there 
hey lads i just started kiting aswell, finished my lessons and pickin my gear up tommorrow, would love some advice from ya's sometime !
Select to expand quotesamuel13 said..
hey lads i just started kiting aswell, finished my lessons and pickin my gear up tommorrow, would love some advice from ya's sometime !
hey bud... Ash and I heading out to applecross this evening, if you want to come down for quick session after work!!!!
Cheers
Select to expand quoteflyty said..
What time are you guys heading to AppleX?
Will be down about 5.15.. Trying to knockoff work a fration early!!
yeh, around that time and meeting at the gum tree, im gonna see how i go if i go out cus my legs is still bit sore from a self inflicted kiting injury on sunday... but ill be done there either way see use there :D
Just wanna say to anyone getting frustrated.. Hang in there!! I have been out 4 times now and I've started nailing turns and holding my ground. Dont give up! And get the progression vids :D
sooo been out a few more times with daddycool and got some footage taken so i made it into a short clip with music
Wish I had some one video when I started you will be able to pick up fast on what to tweak with your riding.
Such as, Dick to sky get your hips forward and maybe trim the kite a little so you can get your shoulders back and not have to 1 hand it all the time causing you to stretch out to de power. then you can use some of the extra power you harness to direct it into the board and motor up wind even more.
Select to expand quoteglasstraxx said..
unfortunatly in the second half of the vid my kite was full depowered it was just too windy for the 11m so i had to adopt that kind of stance.
Lower your kite and adopt the correct posture; if you really can't, put up a smaller kite. Use your board and your legs to control the speed, power and kite. Drive through your heels.
BTW there's no such thing as "depowered" - you've trimmed your kite, not taken any power out of it.
Shoulders back, eyes on the horizon, dick to the bar. You'll use the trim system so that the bar so that the bar is in the right place, when you're in the correct stance.
Looking good out there! Nice transitions
cheers, taken everything on board, def try to keep kite low now in strong winds, had the kite fully trimed (red pulled all the way), got keep leaning right back think like the other guy who was in the clip towards the end behind me
Fully trimmed and over-powered means the kite's too big. You're doing great for three weeks in, but at this stage you don't need to be over-powered - it'll hinder, rather than help.
Like snowboarding, control is through your heel side edge... standing tall and leaning against the kite (using all you bodyweight, not leg power) is the way to control power. When you edge the board hard, you can drive the kite further upwind and so reduce your speed and its power... and rocket upwind.
Keep banging on about it but using the board to control the kite (and not the "depower" on the bar) is a lost art, it seems. But it's vital for holding down power, especially in gusty conditions... and for boosting huge and it's better for your back.
Keep up the good work!
Hi all,
I've just bought my first set of gear too and looking to head down to applex this weekend if cond's suit. Forecast is looking pretty grim but I have a 12 so will probably just head out for some body draging in low wind if there's anyone around on Sat or Sun arvo to assist with launching. Haven't hit the water for 2 weeks so frothing to get out there!
Hope to see some people down there
Select to expand quoteantisense said..
Hi all,
I've just bought my first set of gear too and looking to head down to applex this weekend if cond's suit. Forecast is looking pretty grim but I have a 12 so will probably just head out for some body draging in low wind if there's anyone around on Sat or Sun arvo to assist with launching. Haven't hit the water for 2 weeks so frothing to get out there!
Hope to see some people down there
i know the feeling antisense... ill be down there if its gets to at least 15 knots, i usually launch from spey road intersection with Melville beach road. can definitely lend a hand with launching and can have a chat as well. send me a pm with ur mobile number
see u down there.
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
BTW there's no such thing as "depowered" - you've trimmed your kite, not taken any power out of it.
I'm not sure what kites you ride, but trimming does depower every kite i've flown...
