SoCal Kite sizes?

Bokeh · Since 07 Feb 2008 104 Posts Vancouver, WA Stoked

There's a very good chance I will have to move to SoCal early next year for 2-3 years.

One thing's certain - while it may be nice and toasty over there, the selection of places to kite sucks Evil or Very Mad

I think I may get over it after a while.
Now the question is what quiver should I expect to use in places like Sunset, Seal, or Huntington beach? I don't recall seeing nice steady strong flow the Gorge has in store for us...

I'm sure I'll find more useful info here than on scka.org

M.

P.S. Wish me luck - i.e. not having to move.

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

I am doing the same thing. Doing a graduate program down there.
I lived there for a year, earlier. The kiting is good. Not Gorge good, granted. But legit in it's own right.

I was on a 12 and 16m C kite back then, as a beginner...whatever that means.
When I move back, I'm going to do the 7/9/12 combo (with bows). Though it's rarely 7m. I weigh 150. If I could only get 2 kites, it'd be 9/12. Only one? 12.

kyle

scottnorby · Tue Oct 28, 08 1:52 pm

hate to bear bad news but.....yeah...it sucks bad.
Take up surfing or you will really be frustrated.

Surfing is great down there of course.

I used a 16, 18 and 20 meter kite with a surfboard every time I kited...which was rare.
I worked for Liquid Force and quit because I could not take it any longer.
Weather there is boring....always sunny and San Diego's average wind speed year round is only 6mph.
blah.

Blows hard during easterlies....santa ana winds....but there is only one place I know to kite and that is down on Coronado strand on the inside of the bay.

The windiest kiteable day in the ocean in San Diego (in the 3 years I was there) was 17 mph straight on shore.
Rode from Encinitas, through the swamis surf lineup (probably the first time that was kited because you have to do a down winder to get to it?)
Got to Cardiff state beach and the winter rain runoff was making the water BROWN....yeah shit brown.
Smells like shit. Looks like shit. It was shit.

Overflow from the sewage pump systems which can't handle the flow when it rains hard. They just overflow into the outfalls and into the ocean.
Don't go out after it rains.......you will get sick.
And I don't remember if I did.....but I had to go.

That was a few years back (2005) and I was riding a 20 meter C kite.
I was looping it the whole way.

The only semi fun spot is Seal beach because there are not as many rules and there are waves you can sort of ride.....while going around people (pylons?)
Or Long Beach which can be fun but really crowded.
Hit up Captain Kirks in San Pedro bcs Kirk goes to Malibu and some other fun spots.

I would suggest weekend trips up north to Malibu or all the way up to Pismo beach and Arroyo Laguna.
Central Cal is fun.

But....nothing compares to the Oregon coast ------

I just got back from Maui....and now even more proud of what we have here.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

only 2hrs to san carlos(by plane) just got back the best wave kiteing I have experienced.

scottnorby · Tue Oct 28, 08 2:01 pm

Yeah....how could I forget baja.
San Carlos and San Quintin.
Weekend trips that are so worth it.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

yeah just buy yourself a plane and day trip to san carlos

Bokeh · Since 07 Feb 2008 104 Posts Vancouver, WA Stoked

Thanks guys,
This sucks royally! Not only I'll be deep inland (Riverside area) but on top of it no good wind anywhere? And to think I'm just completing transition from T2s to new Revs! I haven't even unpacked my 7m!

Is San Felipe a good idea - just 8 hours drive time? Rolling Eyes

How's Jalama to the north?

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

i kited 2-3 days a week during the summer i was there in long beach/newport/sunset/huntington...
just sayin.
the drive from riverside sucks though. you need a new plan if you want a kiting life style.

Pete · Since 29 Oct 2007 843 Posts Opinionated

How much do you weigh, and are you primarily riding a twin tip or a surfboard?

I live in SoCal, and I'm riding twin tips, and weigh 185, and the kite I primarily end up using is my 14.

I primarily ride Sunset Beach. If I was riding a surfboard, I think a 12 would be what I would fly most often.

If you weigh 150, it'd be a whole different story.

The wind here in Orange County is completely different than San Diego. Most of the guys I know from SD trip up here on the weekends.

Bokeh · Since 07 Feb 2008 104 Posts Vancouver, WA Stoked

150lb, twin tip only. Never tried surfboard/waveboard (OR coast was was on my to do list for next season).

Pete/Kyle - if you're correct I should be good with my 11m REV/14m T2?

Pete · Since 29 Oct 2007 843 Posts Opinionated

Knot Kracker · Since 02 Jul 2008 130 Posts Clackamas River Stoked

Try Lake Isabella if your going to be Riverside. Up over the mountain north of you. It was calm in the morning and quite windy in the afternoons.

Bokeh · Since 07 Feb 2008 104 Posts Vancouver, WA Stoked

from what I see Lake Isabella is almost 4 hrs drive. Anyone tried Lakes Perris or Elsinore?

scottnorby · Tue Oct 28, 08 8:29 pm

I tried Isabella a few times. Really gusty, finnicky and not worth the trip ...you may get lucky but.....grr.

Kited at Perris and got kicked out by park rangers...illegal.
Kited at elsinore on east winds.....so so....very dirty water and super white trash area. My car got broke into while I was out. Ghetto dirt puddle.

Bonetti · Since 29 Apr 2007 411 Posts So. Cal./Oregon Obsessed

Do yourself a favor and stop making rude remarks about scka.org before moving down there. SCKA provides what they can with what they know and have. Granted the wind will never be like the Gorge...but SoCal does have good wind and killer spots that you will never know about. When asking for help...it is difficult to get it when you are criticizing a group of people who are willingly volunteering their time to provide information and demos for the locals. You are a mark kiter and you have yet moved to SoCal. By the way, did I mention you are a DUMB ASS.

Bokeh · Since 07 Feb 2008 104 Posts Vancouver, WA Stoked

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster

Bokeh - You may have gotten more positive responses if your post was more positive Wink

Anyway - I just moved here thinking the kite scene would be pretty LAME. It's totally not. From Malibu to Pismo there are some great breaks that can be kited, and the wind relatively consistant. Is is not the Gorge or the epic endless miles of windswept coastline that Oregon has - But it can be suprisingly good if you know where to look Wink

.

Seabreazes in the upper teens are common in the Summer & early Fall - Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. In the Fall and winter, the Santa Anna winds kick in and provide some good conditions, but not as consistant.

Typical kites are 9m to 11/12m and some larger for the big guys. Kind of like Sauvie in the summer.

What I have found lacking is a real good spot for wakestyle stuff. There are a couple of lagoons, but they are either off limits (would be epic conditions) or so damn polluted you would have to wear a Hazmat suit to kite them Evil or Very Mad

.

If the wind sucks - surf. I surfed for 25 days straight this fall when I couldn't kite . So there are some good things to be had. Twisted Evil

Oregon is the best place I have ever lived tho, and it would be nice to be back.