Kiteforum.com

Louis

Pricewise ... we do not have a final price yet but it would be in the reigon of about £ 280 GBP (UK Pounds)- I think that is around 440 euros. We should have the final price mid September.

Yeah, in JHB. Used to be based in Durban where I started off kiting, but now doing some SAP consulting work in JHB for a little while. Not sure when I will get back to Durbs or Cape Town permanently.

Kiting in JHB does happen, but the closest spot is the Vaal Dam, about an hour from JHB. Wind is really gusty though, and no wind phone, so sometimes you head out there and get nothing. When the wind does happen though its gusty, and we just went through winter so the weather is cold. Also sterkfontein about 2 hours from JHB but also gusty and no guarantees of wind.

Going down to Durbs twice next month so should get some decent kiting in.

This is sterkfontein to give you an idea...fuggin freezing!



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MissionMan on 2002-08-27 12:41 ]</font>

It wont work. Sure it is a rocket. We need a kiteboard!!
Heavy concaves generates more lift as the redirect waterflow a little more downwards. Jimmy Lewis has done a heavy concave bottom last year (dominatrix). But the rails are round. Wipika has a board with this design.
The problem with this radical design is that it has no rails as we know as rails up to date. Try to imagine what would happend doing a slide transition with this board. The rails should be so grippy that they wont work.
A little concave is good for smoothing the ride, not being faster but smoother.
No extreme design has what a board should have: balance.
Little differences in rail shape changes how a board ride. Thing about the subtle difference between tucked and round rails and how different they feel.
As kites progress, boads will follow as in the windsurfing industry. It is easier to go upwind or hold an edge with latest kites because they pull more foward and less sidewards. With this we are going to see more traditional shapes, more round rails, found the sweet size (smaller is not always better) and everything is going to feel better.

I don't think its right to compare edging with windsurfer, or we'd have 30cm long fins on the bottom of kiteboards. Windsurfers use a difference concept to go up wind (Apart from maybe directionals), a kiteboard relies on the edge of the board, hence the reason a large amount of guys ride finless already on wakeboard style kiteboards.

I have no idea how the slide transition would work, but maybe rob can elabourate, or maybe it requires a different style.

I like seeing radical designs coming out, both on kites and boards because it means more people in the sport are thinking and the sport is progressing. We'll soon find out what works and what doesn't, but I don't think you can knock an idea until you have tested it.

Trust me it can and does work! It gave no problems in the transitions as the concave is on the tail only. The centre of the baord where you will do slides etc is only slightly concave. I agree that an extreme concave would create a problem, however, I have found none here yet. You can toe side no problem - but it is just a different way of riding boards. People need to realise this and as soon as they do they will find the true sweet spot on the board. It actually stands to reason that this board has to work. Go to the website OCEAN2AIR.CO.ZA - you can see the proof of it working there.

Rob, have you got some more footage to convince us?

Congratulations for trying out the idea, in any case.

There are a few pictures on the website - http://www.ocean2air.co.za - take a look at these.

We will be getting more pictures in tomorrow - and possibly the opinions of a few other riders who are testing the board as well. Should have these on the site tomorrow afternoon - will post a message when they are up.

really interesting concept and as MissionMan wrote before, good to have guys making experiments and imagine new stuff!

I will have an incredible grip and good for jumps and fast riding.
But still think you will have problems playing around with it since it won't be that loose on the foot. Didn't try it myself yet, but I imagine it to be that way.

Greez
Toby

Guys, the board is incredibly loose as you have so much less of the board in the water. You can actually ride the board on it's tail due to the smaller size (we can go even smaller - due to the different way the board rides - you don't need length on the rail) We are even looking at experimenting with a board 130 x 32 which would of course be a big wind board.
As I have said it is a different way of riding boards and it is amazing to feel this board "come to life as you get it on a plane" - it just accelarates. But not just that it does not skip out and you are always in control. It gives the twin tip the grip of a directional board.I even flew it in about 12 knots yesterday and it was faster than a big twin tip one of the other guys was riding. So I am looking at producing 4 boards. A small board (big wind) an intermediate board (all rounder) a light wind board and a beginner board (same concept but not as much concave).
Once you have ridden this board you will see what I mean...I have been kiting for 3 years now and it has really blown my mind.

hey Rob, so it is no problem to switch the board 180 and back on the water?

Greez
Toby