Hello to everybody,
I bought a radsails pro 3.0 2 months ago, since then I've had a lot of fun on beach(skying on my feet and jumpiung like a crazy frog) and in water
surfing with my body itself or with a little kayak. I'm quite confident with my wing now. I just bought a eolo scrub nebula...Is it ok? I'm waiting
for delivery and I'm going crazy...
but As I told, I'm total newbie, I mean, I used to go on skate and I was a pretty good windsurfer...but it was a lot of time ago...ok I'm 40 now...
So if someone wants to save my life and my old body...please post 5 things to do and 5 to avoid to ride my mb. (ok for protection gear...I got
it...)I mean something about stop... or save my knees
And...last thing... is my kite suitable for mboarding? Is it enough rockin? I'm thinking to try on the beach to start...
thanx for replies
fedPablo - 12-10-2006 at 06:11 PM
I don't know if I have 5 bits myself, but I do have a couple as a fellow board newbie.
1 spend a little time riding the board down a local hill to become familiar with it first.
2, be sure you can fly the kite mostly by feel, If you're still looking up at the kite, you won't be looking for stuff on the ground and planning a
route.
3, Fly powered up enough to skud. If you can't drag yourself at least 3-5ft at a go, you'll have a tougher time learning. It makes life so much easier
when you can park the kite and roll without having to time the working of the kite with the swerving of the board and such. You'll be able to get
along with less power later, but it's easier to learn with a bit more. You'll be getting pulled more up and across, making it easier to move and
ballance. When underpowered, you tend to have the kite lower and get more pull straight across and off the board.
That's it for me.fed.cat - 14-10-2006 at 12:01 PM
Thanx a lot,
actually I'm using my kite more with feel than looking at it,
Tomorrow I ll go to test the board down a little hill...I'm just a bit scared about bindings because if I'll got troubles to stop the board, I don't
know how to save my knees from distortion...
Anyway...I'll go and reportPablo - 15-10-2006 at 01:26 AM
If you're flying the kite blind already, then your kite skills are probably up to the task no problem. As for the board, set the bindings nice and
loose, make sure with the board on the ground you can jump out of it no problem, last thing you want is one foot getting stuck in the board. If you
can step or jump out you'll save yourself all sorts of pain. Can always tighten them up later.Cloudy - 17-10-2006 at 10:46 AM
Consider getting a depowerable foil (e.g Ozone Frenzy) rather than a fixed bridle kite (eg Flexi Blade). In my experience, it's a lot easier to be
able to put the kite at 3 or 4pm and power it up as needed - and you will be able to avoid the sudden yanking that a gust of wind may cause with a
fixed bridle kite - which will tend to pull you off the board. Plus, the power will go through your harness at waist height, rather than through your
shoulders - which also makes it easier to keep balanced.
In my hands, it's a lot easier to fly a big depowerable foil than a smaller fixed bridle kite on a mountain board. You can put the kite where you
need it and dial up the right amount of power - as opposed to either being over-powered, or having the work the kite in the window
Buona Fortuna! e buon divertimento!fed.cat - 17-10-2006 at 12:00 PM
I did it!!!!!
Today was my first day on mboard...I had a lot of fun and made not so many crashes...I feel trusting...
As you advised I just tried going down a little hill without kite...I guess that with kite it could be even easier...hope so...
Now I'm waiting for the wind...In the meanwhile I'll ride faster and faster.I did it for 4 hours today ...no stopping and... alone...Bucky - 19-10-2006 at 02:20 PM
O.K. 5 do's to keep you from hurting yourself
1: Get a bigger kite (fly in lower wind) Save the teeny kites for buggying in high wind. A larger (5m +) kite will give you a much steadier pull
that you can really lean into and have the kite support your weight. Remember, the more the kite is pulling up, (not out) when you wreck, the softer
you'll hit the ground! Plus, little kites are jerky and too fast.
2: Get REALLY familiar with scudding, hopping, jumping, etc with your kite before getting on a board. You want to be able to land on your feet (not
your face) if you have to bail off the board. Once you've mastered that, learn to slide sideways with your board on your feet (Remember, kite
boarding feels more like snowboarding than skateboarding.)
3: Stick to sandy beaches for right now. Sand gives a bit, and hurts way less than grass or asphalt when you wreck.
4: Find a smooth onshore breeze to fly in. Wind coming off the ocean will tend to be smooth and consistant. Wind that came over land before
reaching you, will be choppier, and more prone to gusts that can throw you off balance.
5: Use simple foot straps (no heel bindings) that are adjusted so that that you can pull your feet out and ditch the board at a moments notice
Better to land on you feet, than on your face with the board locked onto your feet.
O.K. Now 5 thing to avoid:
1: People. Stay away from large groups of people. You don't want to accidentally hit them (with your board, your kite, or your lines)
2: Getting in over your head. Do only what you're comfortable doing.
3: Big downwind runs. Sudden speed, but with nothing to hold onto!!!
4: Adverse weather. Lightning is BAD!!! nuff said.
5: Speed. I know it's what we all want, but excessive speed is dangerous. A lot of times we don't realise we're going too fast until we notice a
speed-wobble in our boards, then BAMM!!! 40 mph face slides HURT- even with a helmet on.
Hope that helps.Taper123 - 19-10-2006 at 03:41 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by fed.cat
I did it!!!!!
Today was my first day on mboard...I had a lot of fun and made not so many crashes
Excellant!! I'm still fairly new to mountainboarding myself, but love it.... it's very addictive.
The softer the surface, like a grassy field, the more kite you need to make it upwind and have control. I love to use a 4.9 for riding on pavement,
just have to remember to keep my speed in check. For packed sand beaches, a 6.5 or an 8 are my choices for the winds I have. When I first started a
3.0 seemed like a ton of kite with a lot of power... now it only comes out on really windy days or when helping someone new learn to fly.
But on a clear beach with a slightly angled onshore breeze... it's great to go upwind several miles, and then rip back down... then repeat, again and
again and again...
1) Keep your foot straps where you can step/jump out if needed.
2) Control your speed
3) Use a kite with enough power to get you upwind, and then fly it at the right angle to generate the speed you need, without getting overpowered.
4) Control your speed
5) Never ride faster than the path you can see... holes in the middle of grassy fields are not pleasant!fed.cat - 21-10-2006 at 05:51 PM
thanx...this forum is pretty amazing...
I'm going on to ride my mb downhill...I do really need some wind... though I understood that I've to buy another wing and I'm lookin for.
I'm lookin for mates as well...but here in Italy i guess we're not too many.
Btw your advices were very very useful and suitable. May I use your kindness a bit more?
I read some tips about power sliding, I can't do it yet, May be I need some more speed, but, could you tell me step by step how can I do it? or, if
too boring, just tell me if is it better backward or frontward and the final -last- position is with my ass impacting the ground.
federicoPablo - 21-10-2006 at 08:13 PM
One other thing to consider when practicing riding the board down hill, ride regular and goofey, that means some times you'll have your left foot
forwards and sometimes you'll have your right foot forwards.
When your kiting, you'll end up traveling about the same distance in either direction for the first while. Not many people ride with their back to the
wind.
