Power Kite Forum

new to me kite

vibe - 8-1-2007 at 01:27 PM

Well this is my first post, I have been stunting with 2 and 4 line kites for about 6 yrs and a Beamer 3.6 traction kite, so I decided that it was time for a bow kite. I went on ebay and got a 2003 15.5 cabrihna acess kits with power drive control system its brand new and i got an amazing deal but i think i may have over done it with ths size ( should have done more research). Im 5'10 180lbs and in decent shape, I live in Nova Scotia Canada. So now i need suggestions as to what to do sell kite and get a 9m or around there or keep it and take lessons with it ? thanks for the help guys/gals

leebrianh - 8-1-2007 at 01:45 PM

I don't know that kite very well but I would say go to manufacturer website and check its wind range first. Maybe have a test flight when wind is steady and very very low and go from there. As you develop your skills, you are going to need a bigger kites anyway..... Brian

gene9999 - 8-1-2007 at 02:31 PM

What do you intend to do with it?
Seems too big for anything but kitesurfing.
I've gt a 7m bullet and at 15mph I get nice long scuds & can leave the ground at will. Oh yeah I weigh in at about 250.:duh::cool:

vibe - 8-1-2007 at 02:57 PM

i plan to surf with it and there is a place here that give lessons 200 bucks for 3 hrs for 2 people

gene9999 - 8-1-2007 at 03:04 PM

Well the kite isn't too big. There will be days when it's too much. The bad thing about taking the lesson is you clearly know how to fly. Hopefully your instructor will tranlate this to more water time. They can also reccomend a size for you.

bigkahuna - 8-1-2007 at 03:25 PM

A 15.5 at your weight would make a good lightwind kite. I'd recommend you keep it (for now) and add a 10m or 12m later (which would be better for most days I'd guess).

Have you been to the "Skypilot" forum ( http://www.skypilotkiteboarding.com/forum_eastcoast/viewforu... )? Everyone there is from NS, PEI or NB. You can probably get lots of local advice there. Tell 'em "bigkahuna" sent yah!

HTH,

Paul

vibe - 8-1-2007 at 03:37 PM

instructor sells north and as soon as i said that i bought a cabrihna he started actin like a bit of a dick cause i didn't buy it from him but i cant afford to spend 1500 bucks to buy my first kite that im gonna probally just smash

bigkahuna - 8-1-2007 at 07:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vibe
instructor sells north and as soon as i said that i bought a cabrihna he started actin like a bit of a dick cause i didn't buy it from him but i cant afford to spend 1500 bucks to buy my first kite that im gonna probally just smash

Hmmm.... We have a couple dealers here that act like that as well (fortunately we have several kite dealers here). Some guys just kiss a** to get on the guy's good side and in return get "special deals". Others, like me, shop's the internet and find other sources. Living in NS your options are limited, so it's really up to you.

If it were me and a dealer gave me attitude like that, I'd tell him to stuff it and see if there might be a local kiter or two who would be willing to give you a couple lessons. After that, maybe locate a "kite buddy" (friend, girlfriend, etc.) to watch you, launch and catch your kite until you get proficient.

OT a bit, but check out www.awindofchange.com for their clearance specials. They've got a Bomba 17m for $175USD. That's about 80% off the original price of a very good kite (lots of overlap with your Cabrihna though). Kent at A Wind of Change is the kind of dealer you want to work with though, super nice guy, super helpful and honest.

Good luck!

code - 8-1-2007 at 08:57 PM

Vibe.... Take the lesson! A lot more can go wrong with these larger kites and then you're mixing water into the scenerio. The lessons are typically worth their weight in gold. See if you have any local places that are PASA certified for kite lessons. Typically they have different sessions that you can sign up for too... ground school, beginner water ..with body dragging, etc. and then actual getting on the board kite surfing. Like someone else said...if you explain to the instructor that you've been flying foils for some time now, and understand the basics they should be able to get you in the water faster and possibly skip over a large majority of the stuff you already know. They may cover some of it regardless just to cover their butt, but either way it's worth it.

Also, the 15.5 should be a good mid- low wind kite for you. I'm the same exact size as yourself .. had purchased a slingshot fuel 13m this past summer.
Due to our new family member I sold it as I lacked getting to the beach.

Furthermore, a lot of decisions in gear isn't just based on your size... You have multiple parts to your gear now.. board size for instance...beginners start typically on a larger board for stability. On lighter wind days you'll probably see people out on larger boards too. Smaller boards for higher wind days. You also may even see people on skimboards or surfboards on lighter wind days. Then meshing those parts of your gear with kite size, wind conditions and how all of that relates to your weight, size and ability...this is when an instructor is helpful. People online can't really help with that, and if you try to figure it out yourself chances are you'll either end up hurt or frustrated.

Hope this helps some...keep the kite, go get lessons and you'll probably be up on a board in no time. :tumble:

vibe - 9-1-2007 at 06:17 AM

thanks for all the great info guys, I do plan on taking lessons just from who im not sure gonna see if i can get in touch with some of the local riders and see what they think. Thanks alot