New to Kiting, lookin for peeps

PieroPDX · Since 22 May 2006 109 Posts Stoked

Hello all,
I'm looking to get into kiting...beena windsurfer for a number of years casually. Told myself i won;t try kiting until i got my gybe down...(sigh) but it never happened..lol

just lookin for other kiters to get me stoked! I'm a web designer/geek in pdx.

www.xocea.com

Bettyboarder · Mon May 22, 06 7:45 pm

Come bring some beer and hang out at Sauvies lsland and you will meet some really cool kiters. Also I think on Thur nights in the summer ASI has kite night out there, call ASI ahead to make sure they will be there. Welcome!

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1804 Posts XTreme Poster

Consider a lesson package from Jim at New Wind Kiteboarding in Hood River. He is a really good instructor.

Good Luck,
Eric

Mike Hawk · Tue May 23, 06 6:40 am

More proof that: "you cannot resist the dark side of The Force"
Welcome young Jedi, to the dark side

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

I wonder if Bow kites will bring over more Windsurfers...

dcrowe · Tue May 23, 06 10:06 am

only if they name one the "bowflex" and get Chuck Norris to market it.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

In regard to your question on MySpace, Bettyboarder is right, Sauvies is probably the closest spot (however from Gresham, it takes almost as long as the drive to Hood River).

-Adam

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 536 Posts Oregon Addicted

I bet that windsurfers, like myself, make up at least 25 percent of the kiting population. I think all those that are going to convert to 'the dark side' already have.

jdk · Since 21 Dec 2005 333 Posts Obsessed

i still windsurf too, but kiting is more fun with wind under 20. Maybe you can get landboard and learn kiting on the coast? this is wonderful place, acutally i'm not sure why i don't see more windsurfers out there too? if anyone go to coast today (Tuesday) bring your rain gear, i hope to be there around 5:30. no 911, but that's ok Laughing

how else would you want to go

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Mark · Tue May 23, 06 1:00 pm

I describe my first kiting experience it to my friends as:

Wakeboarding behind a boat being driven by a drunk! Your never sure the driver is going to speed up or slow down. Most likely the driver will crash the boat at a high speed with you tied on the rope!

Mike Hawk · Tue May 23, 06 1:50 pm **Windsurfing has been canceled**

I'd bet that more people take up kiting than windsurfing per year. Thus windsurfing will eventualy die out and become extinct, or at best suffer the fate of such sports as Extreme Rollerblading, Freestyle Unicycle, and Razor Scooter Expression Sessions.

I am sure bow kites, 5th lines, saftey QR's and a multitude of kite performance improvements over the past years have lead windsurfers to see the light that kiting is not that hard and dangerous as one might think.

A note on the bows...just as skiers (who rode 213's)scoffed at fat skis at first as skis for old people who can't ski the powder, now they praise the Fatty's. So as bows progress so will the sport in many ways.

Pretty soon you kite spot will be over run with people kiting Crying or Very sad

Better mark you territory now Twisted Evil

jdk · Since 21 Dec 2005 333 Posts Obsessed

surf, windsurf, kitesurf... all ways to attack the wave (or get out of way before it attacks you)!

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed

Sauvie is a cool place, however (in my opinion) not a good place to learn. Yah, Hood River is a ways away, but when you are learning to ride ie. body dragging, crashing kites, learning to self rescue, its much easier. I am pretty new to kiting myself, and still dont feel comforitable with going to SI. Until you can stay up and riding, I would strongly recommend learning out at HR......just my two cents. Very Happy

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

In my opinion kiting will never kill windsurfing. I have windsurfed for almost 20 years and just took up kiting last year. While kiting did kill windsurfing for me (I haven't been windsurfing since I started kiting) this sport is inherently much more dangerous than windsurfing. In windsurfing you don't have to worry about getting lines wrapped around your body, or getting lofted into some trees or dragged across the beach. Even as more and more safer technology is developed, the risks in windsurfing will pretty much always be lower. Also in worst case situations it is quite a bit easier to just drop your sail and paddle back to shore on a sailboard.

The one thing that may kill windsurfing is the sports coninued focus on hig wind gear. The last portion of the people that windsurf do it on lakes or in areas taht the wind is not very consistent, and the industry focusses very heavily on high wind gear. In my opinion windsurfing is quite a bit harder to learn than kiting.

mikes · Since 13 Mar 2005 90 Posts B'Ham

I've windsurfed since I was a teenage pup, almost 20 years now, but the last 6 years I've spent more time kiting than sailing. Windsurfing's not going away but it's not going grow like wildfire. There is the whole Formula thing that is better for alot of people than kites. No idea what the numbers are but there's alot of the big gear out there nowadays. I'll take two kites instead, thanks...

I do think the new kite designs will bring over more windsurfers because they work more like sails now, not one speed track bikes. I used to hate how kites would drag me downwind when I didn't want them to when lit up. Also I could do more on a wave windsurfing, but now that is changed. I am stoked on my Bow's, they are still kites, but work better in waves for me, and go into more wind. Now that I have Bow's the number of times I'll windsurf is even less, except for super lit 4.2 or better days, I'll still take the pole board

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Windsurfing is gay! Smile