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Best way to start

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RichM
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Best way to start

Postby RichM » Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:47 pm

Hi all, new to this forum. I’m planning on starting kitesurfing on holiday in the med next year, and wondered what’s the best prep I can do before hand? Was thinking of getting a harness and control bar from eBay and a trainer kite and do some practice on land which I think might be fun and save me time in lessons?

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Re: Best way to start

Postby Toby » Mon Nov 28, 2022 5:32 pm

Welcome !

Yes, good idea!

It will get you the feeling how the kite works and how to control it.

If you get a four line kite with depower, in the beginning don’t use the harness, just keep in your hands, because you could crash quiet hard on land.

Later, once you have the control, you can use the harness.
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Re: Best way to start

Postby roQer » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:01 pm

Start wakeboarding at a cable. Learn how to edge, ride switch, do some bunny hops and so on. Solid wakeboarding skills will significantly shorten the time until you proceed from bloody beginner to intermediate.
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Re: Best way to start

Postby rtz » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:10 pm

Get a 2m trainer kite on a bar. It will save you a LOT of time when you start flying water kites.

https://www.realwatersports.com/collect ... ainer-kite

Get to where you can fly it and you can loop it, fly it every which way and never crash it.

Also watch videos on the board start and understand the maneuver in your mind.
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RichM
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Re: Best way to start

Postby RichM » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:35 pm

Great advice thx!

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Re: Best way to start

Postby Flyboy » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:47 pm

RichM wrote:
Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:47 pm
Hi all, new to this forum. I’m planning on starting kitesurfing on holiday in the med next year, and wondered what’s the best prep I can do before hand? Was thinking of getting a harness and control bar from eBay and a trainer kite and do some practice on land which I think might be fun and save me time in lessons?
It would be helpful to know where you are? A trainer kite is a very worthwhile investment - it will help you learn the basics of kite control. If you are somewhere that has big open areas that you could landboard on, or snow kite on, that is THE most effective way of developing kiteboarding skills that will put you a lot further along when you start on water.

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Re: Best way to start

Postby bragnouff » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:52 pm

RichM wrote:
Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:47 pm
Was thinking of getting a harness and control bar from eBay and a trainer kite?
Most likely the trainer kite will not function on any bar found on eBay.
Very few trainer kites work on a 4 lines setup (Ozone Uno, the biggest Ozone IMP), and they are pricey and not necessarily the best choice for the very first solo practice.

Best thing you can do is get 2 lines trainer kite on a bar. Practice flying the kite until you don't crash it anymore, explore the wind window, explore the half wind windows while moving across the wind...
If you can steer a kite and not constantly crash it because you're pulling on the wrong side of the bar, that will save valuable time on your lessons.

+1 for developing basic wakeboarding skills on the side.

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Re: Best way to start

Postby RichM » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:09 pm

I’m based in UK Midlands, about as far away from the sea you can get🤦🏻‍♂️😂. Buts lots of open fields around. 2 line trainer on a bar sounds like a good option, esp as I’m 60kg. Are there any other places to get second hand gear?

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Re: Best way to start

Postby RichM » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:24 pm

Flyboy wrote:
Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:47 pm
RichM wrote:
Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:47 pm
Hi all, new to this forum. I’m planning on starting kitesurfing on holiday in the med next year, and wondered what’s the best prep I can do before hand? Was thinking of getting a harness and control bar from eBay and a trainer kite and do some practice on land which I think might be fun and save me time in lessons?
It would be helpful to know where you are? A trainer kite is a very worthwhile investment - it will help you learn the basics of kite control. If you are somewhere that has big open areas that you could landboard on, or snow kite on, that is THE most effective way of developing kiteboarding skills that will put you a lot further along when you start on water.
I’m in the UK Midlands, about as far from the sea as you can get 😂🤦🏻‍♂️. But open spaces nearby to practice in. Looks like a 2 line 2m trainer is the way to go esp as I’m a lightweight 60kg , and those 4 line kites are expensive! Are there any other places to get 2nd hand gear?

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Re: Best way to start

Postby bragnouff » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:35 pm

I'd try to hook up with a kiting group, there must be some on facebook, and ask if anyone has a trainer kite, for sale, or for rent. If you're far away from any other kiter, it'll be a bit more difficult to just borrow it for a few weeks, but people tend to be quite willing to help, and a box of beer is a good currency.
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