Flyers are available in most kiteshops, no pimping intended but I know Woodys in Hammy Hill has them for everyone to grab, Its great that your being proactive and want to help. To get and edge properly make sure your kite is depowered so the bar sits only 2-5 cms away from the chicken loop, this will not roll your shoulders foward and make you go downwind, front leg almost straight, and use your back leg to handle the chop. Melville is hard cause its pretty gusty, but learners love it cause its nice and shallow. If a gust hits tack more upwind, if it backs off, go more downwind. In gusty conditions you cant kitesurf in a straight line. Hope this helps with your progression
^^^^^^ Marvin, Ive seen up to 100 last season, all relatively new, its like cabarette with 35 kiteschools in a 400m beach.
I like the analogy used on the progression 101, "you wouldnt try to fly a helicopter without proper training, if you did actually get the chopper up in the air, things will go seriously wrong, C-kite stuff form 2005.
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We've all been there rick, I had 2 hospital visits in my learning phase, as benny says,BennyB12 said...
Kiting is one sport that truly makes you pay your dues and then some....show me a kiter that hasnt suffered a kitemare
Mate, I'm not making fun of you personally, stick with it, one day you will be cruising along, wondering if you are riding goofy or natural when you see a 'newb' do it and it will all come back to you. Bet you laugh inside too.
Really? I heard the hospital visits are more for when you start doing jumps and things.
You reckon I might improve if I change the foot straps in a different stance? natural I'm quite alright but goofy I am no good. just cant seem to shift my weight properly.. any tips?
^ Have you come from surfing, because I think that, initially, makes it hard to ride switch side.
A great tip when I was a newb. Point your shoulders where you want to go.
In other words, rotate your upper body away from the kite to point the board upwind. Through your spinal rotation, the board will follow.
That said.
Always take off pointing the board downwind. I know you don't want to loose ground, but, until the board is planing, you will not head upwind.
If you are a surfer, think of going in a line upwind as a continuous backhand bottom turn. Front leg straight, back leg bent, pulling and turning away from the kite which is trying to pull you downwind.
You'll get it mate.
Yeah, and one hospital visit was crashing a switch side jump.
My first taste of oxycodone.
I see what all the fuss about 'hillbilly heroin' is about.
^^^^^Ha, yep, 2 broken ribs from a failed kiteloop due to a front line snapping, Always have a visual check of your gear as it only takes another 1 minute. Valium was my friend, and a seat harness for the next 3 months sucked.
And you cant point your shoulders where you want to go with your arms fully extended, since the depower tip, most dudes start on one kite and kite in 15-30 knots here in Perth. Oxycodine soes NOT give you the ****s
, when feeding your lines out especially on on older kites and bridles, you notice a thin part of the line through your fingers. The lines are braided on the outside, but have a weakness on the insde. DM told me this can be due to salt chrystals forming if you dont wash your bar and lines in fresh water, salt chrystals are sharp and when a line goes to full tension again it deteriorates them. The most important things to check is the bridle points of contact and the first 1-20cm of the end where the larks head or the knot attaches. Most newer kites have solves these issues but beginners buy 2006-2009 kites to learn on which have these issues. "Set up twice and launch once", a famous saying. "kite like you want to kite tomorrow is mine. Hope this helps answer your question. If in doubt dont go out.
well said rick. i have to say i would consider myself an 'intermediate' kiter seasoned since 06 and i also spend a bit of time in here, and i've never caused any1 any headaches (that i am aware of) at melville, but this thread was the first i'd heard of melville being split for beginners?
eduation thru communication on location
-i suppose.
Can someone please, please RATIONALISE the signs at the hot spots in and around Perth (Melville, Peli, Leighton, Dutch and Woodies) in CLEAR English, French, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch and German outlining some simple rules.
The jumble of signs around the river is an indication of all the various deprtments - Swan River Trust, DEC and councils - jostling for authority and control.
Tell the punters why there's a rule, like at Peli Point where if one kid on trike gets a line across the neck it's kiss goodbye to that spot and there will be nowhere for CBD workers to get in a quick shesh after 10 hours at the desk. If I have to tell someone again they should not rig shoreside of the path at Peli, well, I'm going to have a fit and maybe start saying things that I regret later to a bunch of Frenchies (you know who you are).
Oh, stay away from the Point at Peli right now as DEC and the bird watchers are just around the corner. That said, even they haven't even got a sign or a 'soft' barrier up along the foreshore.
And I though there was no kiting south of the Leighton Beach footbridge in summer, but I've noticed quite afew these past few weeks.
All it's going to take is one swimmer to be hit and ....
And a mesaage to WAKSA ... Cott Council is currently looking at its beach signs. It was talked about at their October council meeting.
^^^ For sure the sign at Peli was placed there to be visible for everyone. It's not very convenient spot for a sign, tho, but well visible.
Even if translated, no one would read it except non-kiting and bird watchers:)
Mind you tho, Mosman Park was well known paragliding spot for advanced pilots. Not any more. Done and dusted...
