Just bought my first set up...

[LetsFlyaKite]

Hello everyone, this is my first time on the forums, as well as my first step into the sport. I am super excited to start learning. I just bought a set up off craigslist, and need to know what kind of conditions you guys reccomend I take my gear under. The kite is a 16m Liquid Force Hybrid and board. I weigh 140 lbs. My name is Curtis, I am an a very cool guy that has great potential, and I appreciate whatever kind of helpful advice anyone might have, thanks.

[tautologies]

unless you are trolling here is a free piece of advice that you'll hear a few times:

TAKE A LESSON.

No ifs or anything like that. Just do it.

[clint2070]

Hes right. If you dont take a lesson the least thats going to happen is youll spend more money fixing your gear than you would have on a lesson. What year and model is your gear ?

[Toby]

a 16 is a pretty big kite to start.

What wind conditions are you expecting?

And yes, take lessons...much cheaper than the hospital bill !

[Frank82]

[IanNJ]

Lessons are a must. That kite will work in 12-15mph and will want to kill you in 16+

[IanNJ]

Ps. Buying on craigslist is a horrible idea unless you have a solid kiter pointing you in the right direction.

[LetsFlyaKite]

Are you guys saying the kite is too big? I bought it to learn in low wind days. Here in Hawaii we have a lot of high wind days, but it would be good to practice on low wind. I don't have a lot of money and lessons are 300 dollars a session. You don't even learn how to ride in 1 session, it takes multiple sessions just to learn how to stand up. I know you guys think this is a big joke, but I am dead serious on trying to learn, and the whole reason I bought off of craigslist is because I don't have 3000 to dish out on new equipment.

[windybrit]

Yes, most people here are saying the kite is too big, and I will add my voice to that belief. A school will most likely teach you with a trainer first, and then when you display sufficient competence will take you to try and water-start, but it will be something a lot smaller than a 16m.
I'm sure almost everyone here wants nothing other than you to become a safe, proficient, and happy kiter, but your way of doing things so far seems a little unorthodox.
You don't want to be told to take lessons because of the cost but they might seem cheap compared to the cost of trashing what you have brought or the time you spend healing after an accident, of course there's also the issue of the harm your avoidable incompetence might do to others too.
Consider for a second what the overwhelming majority here are telling you, assume for a moment they are nice well meaning people who have more kite experience than you.... are we all wrong and you right?

Take care ... and I really mean that.

Are you guys saying the kite is too big? I bought it to learn in low wind days. I don't have a lot of money and lessons are 300 dollars a session. You don't even learn how to ride in 1 session, it takes multiple sessions just to learn how to stand up. I know you guys think this is a big joke, but I am dead serious on trying to learn, and the whole reason I bought off of craigslist is because I don't have 3000 to dish out on new equipment. And I am not just going to let my equipment sit here and collect dust, I am going to ride it dammit

[piccio]

most of us learned with a 16 meter and no lessons, you can do it with extreme attention .
use it with 12 14 knots no more .
large and long beach with no obstacle around
do not go alone
chek always weather forecast ,better playing when wind decreasing .
always concentrate ,give up when start getting tired
do not be easy
never with gust
of course if you spend some lessons much better