Are there any kiteboarders on DBR?

[dukestheheat]

hey!

yep, I'm hooked on this sport and I'm wondering IF there are any folks on here who board as well? I'm heading to Key West Florida to spend some time at the Kitehouse and board with them, so if anyone here works this sport write me back and let's chat it up. check out the Kitehouse online.

I've got a Liquid Force M-80 12 meter kite and it pulls like a bulldozer when I pull it down to figure eight in the power zone. Lord help me without a harness in an 18 knot wind with that sucker.

ok, try checking out this link on the sport: www.thekitehouse.com, or realkiteboarding.com. Just take 5 minutes and check each one out!

dth.

[dukestheheat]

hello dukestheheat,

ok, so it's not cool to respond to your OWN post; but, am heading to key west tomorrow morning with a nasty staph infection on my left calf (it's not methicillin-resistant, though, thankfully) and let's hope that the 'fish' in the Gulf of Mexico don't take too much of a liking to my injury.

i am pumped about the trip. am having to take my own harness so it might be a pain getting that thing into the suitcase. i am not taking my own kite b/c they have one for me there to use and why cart that whole thing through the airline process if i don't need to do so?!

am also bringing my old and very torn-up trainer kite for some beach flying if i get bored sitting around.

see ya dbr, and we're still in the hunt for mr. patterson, don't give up the ship.

dth.

[Channing]

Have Fun DTH - i never was much of a kitesurfer, although I like the wave surfing.

[xenic]

I took a kite surfing lesson a few years ago and really liked it. I'd like to get into it more, but don't really know where to begin.

[dukestheheat]

xenic!

finally! a couple on board, you and steven (at least 1/2 way with steven).

where did you take your lesson? and, i'm currently looking into going to Air (training center) in Charleston, SC for some lessons. i just got back from key west, and we didn't get much done at all b/c the wind QUIT if you can believe that! i was really bummed by that b/c i've been looking forward to that one trip for 3 1/2 months, no doubt about it.

and, i'm looking into getting a 158cm board, definitely one that's used, and i know that Cabrinha makes one.

did you ever buy any equipment?

dth.

[xenic]

xenic!

finally! a couple on board, you and steven (at least 1/2 way with steven).

where did you take your lesson? and, i'm currently looking into going to Air (training center) in Charleston, SC for some lessons. i just got back from key west, and we didn't get much done at all b/c the wind QUIT if you can believe that! i was really bummed by that b/c i've been looking forward to that one trip for 3 1/2 months, no doubt about it.

and, i'm looking into getting a 158cm board, definitely one that's used, and i know that Cabrinha makes one.

did you ever buy any equipment?

dth.

I took my lesson in Hawaii.
I haven't bought any equipment yet, but given that I'm getting ready to move to Santa Cruz, I might have to reconsider.

[dukestheheat]

xenic,

was it easy for you to get up on the board? how long did that take? Naish is very popular out in hawaii it seems.

if you can find some shallows in santa cruz, it'd be well worth it to get going, at least with the body dragging. i think that in the drag, and in particular with the crouched/then forward-roll after a hard power dive to either the right or left, we learn this essence of getting up on the board.

so if the water is too cold or the wind is too light, i think it's wise to work on that (versus getting into deep water if it's too cold or if the wind is too light) so that when conditions are more optimal, you'll get going on the board much quicker.

Does REAL have a school in hawaii?

dth.

[xenic]

xenic,

was it easy for you to get up on the board? how long did that take? Naish is very popular out in hawaii it seems.

if you can find some shallows in santa cruz, it'd be well worth it to get going, at least with the body dragging. i think that in the drag, and in particular with the crouched/then forward-roll after a hard power dive to either the right or left, we learn this essence of getting up on the board.

so if the water is too cold or the wind is too light, i think it's wise to work on that (versus getting into deep water if it's too cold or if the wind is too light) so that when conditions are more optimal, you'll get going on the board much quicker.

Does REAL have a school in hawaii?

dth.

You're way out of my league... I just had a 3 hour lesson one day of my vacation, and I never even tried to use the board. I have no idea how we found the lesson, but I don't think it was through any formal school.

[dukestheheat]

ok, so the UPDATE:

lost all wind in Key West, stuck on the boat with trainer who was mad at Russian kiter who could NOT SPEAK a lick of English, and reggae lookin girl with dread locks down to her waist, and a british-speaking girl who was from france and swore allegiance to america. she was beautiful.

so, we get the kites up, and then they fall from the sky, and your buddy DTH was totally disappointed. Like Dan Akroyd in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, I threw a fit right there on the flat in the Gulf of Mexico.

so, the next day was a total depower on wind (enough to fly the trainers but not the water power kite) and i had to sit on the beach all day long. i was tortured.

so, now I'm off to Charleston, South Carolina to work with the coolies from The Air Company; check them out at www.catchsomeair.us

DTH.

excerpt from: The Traveling Duke Guy DTH who just wants to Kiteboard (bag work)

[bdh21]

Wow, old thread but I feel I should add this:

My brother just quit his job in finance to go to Northern Brazil for several months to kiteboard and do just about nothing else.

Is he crazy or onto something? I don't know