Paddlenround - 25-7-2007 at 06:41 AM
Hi All,
I am a 40 year old American living in France who recently discovered landboarding while on a visit to Le Crotoy. I was intrigued immediately. The
sport looks like a blast. I watched for over an hour as people raced up and down the shore.
Since arriving in France, I have been looking for a sport I can enjoy on my own. My wife is over here on an assignment and my days are free. Back in
the states, I ski and kayak. However, here we have no skiing nearby and kayaking is very limited.
I am thinking of taking up the sport as it looks like it is a good workout and a lot of fun. However, I need some of your advice and some questions
answered. Any help anyone can provide is greatly appreciated.
1. How hard is it to learn. I do know how to fly a kite and have been on a skateboard in the past.
2. How physically challenging is it? I am in good shape but I want a realistic assessment.
3. How dangerous is it? What safety equipment do I need at a minimum?
4. Does anyone know of someone offering lessons on the French north coast (Somme, Normandy)?
5. Any gear tips? Decathalon has everything including harnesses, the bar and kite and board.
Thanks in advance. I am looking forward to boarding on the beach.
Mike
Pablo - 25-7-2007 at 08:56 AM
Well, There's a guy by the name of Dave, AKA Sand Yetti, I believe he's getting up into the 60's and buggies in the dunes around Dubai, I also know a
handful of guys in their late 40's early 50's that are into kiting bigtime. Then there's Jon, he was around when the dinosaurs ruled the earth.:frog:
The only thing you'll probably find is that you may end up wanting a harness a bit sooner than the average young pup. Depowerable kites are also much
kinder to the body once you get used to them, best bet would probably be to pick up probably a 3m open cell foil, fixed bridal to learn on then test
fly as many kites as you can get your hands on.
As for tips, buy a helmet the same day you buy your first kite, it's always when you think you have it under control and are just taking it easy that
something happens. Start small and work your way up. With previous experience with kites and skateboards it shouldn't take that long to get going.
Couple questions, average wind speed? Your weight, mostly grass or sand?
B-Roc - 25-7-2007 at 09:11 AM
I agree with Pablo except I do think kite landboarding is harder than it looks and you will suffer through a learning curver - first to figure out how
to get going without getting yanked off the board, then how to keep going without outriding the kite and killing its power, then how to get up wind.
Aside from that, nothing beats just getting out and doing it. For boarding, its better to be slightly over powered and the bigger the space the
better.
Depowerables need a harness. Fixed bridles don't but you'll benefit from them. They are a personal preference (seat or waist) and these are
definately better to try before you buy (and even better if you can try them under load).
Helmet, kite killers, kite, board, that's about all you need - whether you want knee and elbow pads is up to you.
Be confident with the kite before you add the board element as if you try to do it all at once its a lot to put together.
I'm 36 and consider myself to be in excellent shape. As such, I don't consider kiting a workout but I will admit it has a physical element to it and
you will definately feel it in your forearms, shoulders and back (and knees on the board) and then anywhere that gets whacked against the ground if
you fall or screw up. I do additional back, forearm and wrist exercises specifically because I kite - wouldn't say they are at all necessary but they
helped me build up my strength in those muscles so I don't fatigue as quickly if not strapped in.
Bladerunner - 25-7-2007 at 09:23 AM
Here is a link I have thrown a bunch of good sites for getting started in to. Sorry about the Sour Grapes at the top. Basically anything that was
removed is repeated in the buggy sites.
http://www.skypilotkiteboarding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47...
Paddlenround - 25-7-2007 at 12:26 PM
You guys are excellent. Thank you so much for the perfect information. This is really helping. I ordered a Drill 1 DVD today and I am reading up.
So...here are my specs:
1.75m (5"9") and 180 pounds. I am not certain of the wind speed as I have a lot of options. However, Le Crotoy and the surrounding beaches get between
10 and 20 knots on a regular basis.
I am concerned about kite size. I think the one at Decathalon is 3.6m. Is that sufficient for my weight and height?
In the area of Picardy I live, I can find a lot of places to fly a kite for practice. However, I am confused on the whole brace and bar issue. I see
videos of both with and without and it seem like the bar is a better option for jumps and spins.
I know it sounds like I am getting ahead of myself but I am wanting to have what I need for a bit rather than keep upgrading.
Thanks again,
Mike
Paddlenround - 25-7-2007 at 12:40 PM
Oh...and right now I am sticking with the beach. No hard surfaces for me until I have a good handle on what I am doing.
Bladerunner - 25-7-2007 at 12:47 PM
If the kite you refer to is 3.6 m it is probably and HQ Beamer. 3.6 is a good choice. It WILL have plenty of power so start in low winds and work up.
I personally find that anything smaller than a 3m acts a bit different than it's grown up brothers. Like a 2 year old zipping all over the place and
hard to keep ahead of. At 3m they slow down and produce power without too much wind.
Bar or handles sort of ends up a personal choice. The majority of people prefer to fly fixed bridle kites on handles. (I like a bar)
B-Roc - 25-7-2007 at 02:29 PM
Bar or handles is only a choice for a fixed bridle kite. If you are watching people doing jumps and spins on a bar they are flying a depowerable kite
which requires a bar and harness. A 3.6m fixed bridle would be good for someone your weight in 10-20 knot conditions.
There is no getting around the fact that if you want to fly in all conditions you need several kites. Depowerables over more range and tuneability
but you pay for that.
Something in the 4m range is a good start for fixed bridle flying. I'm not recommending a depowerable for your first kite but if it were, you'd
likely want a 9-10m (safer with a 7 but safer still with a fixed bridle on handles with killers).
speleopower - 25-7-2007 at 04:00 PM
Get yourself a set of big giant hardshell skateboard knee pads and a helmet!
I've been kite landboarding off and on for quite sometime (started back in 1999). I have only had one major crash ever and that was at the end of
April 2007. I don't do big jumps on the landboard I just cruise. I wiped out and landed straight on my knees bouncing 3 times then flipping over and
smacking my head. My knee is still very very very sore (still can't bend my leg right) 3 months later and will probably be sore from here on out. I
was not wearing my knee pads or helmet because, I never crash :evil:
GET KNEE PADS and a helmet.
Scott
speleopower - 25-7-2007 at 04:02 PM
Oh, I'm 37 and have had open heart and shoulder surgery along with quite a few broken bones thrown in for good measure. I guess I'm more like 40 in
bone years.
Scott
Bladerunner - 25-7-2007 at 09:00 PM
DUDE !!! I can't believe your not getting better yet ! :megan:
What a tragic lesson !!! You are one of the folks on here that really caught my attention / respect !
I get tired of BEING an old man and telling younger folks that they should wear gear. Just today I was in the park a very nice Mother was there with a
friend and their about 12 year old kids learning on a 5meter kite. She was just flying by herself when we met yesterday. She has brought this brand
to town so I figure she can make her own choices . No helmets for any of them. They were getting yarded all over the place :duh:. I chose not to point
out how crazy it was but am feeling I should have said something. I know I did a very wrong thing by staying shut up but the lack of gear around here
is just too common. . It would be easy to get labeled Kenny the curmudgeon ! 
37 is YOUNG in this game ! I sure hope you bounce back. You may be able to get your stoke from a buggy at least :smug:
GET WELL !!!!!!!:!:
Pablo - 25-7-2007 at 10:26 PM
Now was she flying Skycountry or Radsail?
Flew the SC, haven't flown the new rads yet.
Bladerunner - 25-7-2007 at 10:55 PM
We had a miscomunication. She's Europian and I mumble ! I said is that a " radsail " and she thought I said RED SAIL so said yes :tumble: I thought it
looked like Beckey's :o
The "skycountry" ( .ca ) looks like a VERY well made kite. It has a fantastic tight webbing over the inlets that wouldn't deposit snowballs into the
kite like my Flexi's. I've actually flown Beckey's and it's a nicely behaved kite ! A bit pricey but you get what you pay for.
Paddlenround - 25-7-2007 at 11:45 PM
Guys - Thanks for the recommendations.
I planned on the helmet and knee pads sound like a good idea. I am pretty much on the safety bandwagon. I rollerbladed and played roller hockey for
years and it took a couple good spills to teach me the importance of that gear.
I appreciate all the suggestions and support. I have heard people having issues with the board digging into the beach. Is there a particular time of
day that is better to go? When I saw the others kiting, it was the late afternoon.
Mike
Pablo - 26-7-2007 at 12:12 PM
I flew the 5m SC both at Garry Point and down on Ivanpah, the kite does behave well and seems to fly fast and strong, problem is that it hates to go
upwind, I had more luck going upwind on the 4m Brooza, one trip across GP on the SC and it took 5 min to get back, switched to the 4m right away,
round trip about 45 sec.
Put it up against the 5.5m Brooza and the 4.8 Combat down on the playa, it's quick across wind and down wind, but once again, just didn't like to go
upwind at all. It's a parasail company, they've basically reduced the parasails to kite sizes and are marketing them as powerkites. Give them time to
play around a bit and I'm sure they'll get it dialed in. Maybe I'm just used to kites that can cut a huge angle into the wind. I've ridden JoJo,
Ozone, Flexi and a few others and they all go upwind great when pushed.
speleopower - 26-7-2007 at 06:48 PM
My knee is healing it's just taking a long time. Tendons/ligaments take months to years to heal up. I can kite no problem it just aches and I can't
bend my leg i.e. I have a problem squating down. I have probably 85% pain free movement in my knee. It was a really bad crash I had and won't
happen again knock on wood!!!! I got lucky nothing else on me was broken.
I had a bad regular skateboard crash back in 1999 while ramp riding. I busted up my ankle and foot pretty bad. The top of my foot has never been
right since. There must be a bad nerve because when I try to jump with my landboard the binding touches/pushes on the top of my foot just right
causing an electric shock to shot up my leg. It only hurts for about 2 seconds then it's gone but it puts a damper on land ATB jumping. I have no
pain when jumping with a kitesurf board only the land board.
Scott
WEAR BIG GIANT KNEE PADS.
If your riding on the beach get a tide chart and watch the tides for your area. Ride at low tide on the hard pack sand. After awhile you'll be able
to see the different shades of color and textures of beach sand and figure out while ones you can easily ride through or ones you need to approach
cautiously.
Pablo - 18-9-2007 at 05:42 PM
Ahh, someone found a new user name to bash me with, Try again, 2nd down at SOBB for the races, But I think Slawek would have probably gotten me if he
didn't have kite problems at the start. I think I know how to handle a kite. Lots on here will vouch for that.
Look at my list in the above post, JoJo, Ozone, Flexi, HQ, I have nothing to do with any of them, in fact they're my direct competition. I have no
problem giving a good review to a good product. Had a chance to fly a new beamer down at SOBB as well, great starter kite and they pull good for their
size.
One question I have for you Nemesis, where were the sponsored U-Turn team riders during the race? I know Dirtslide didn't leave Seaside till a day
after the race, saw him on the way out on the hwy. No U-turn, No Sky Country. It's a shame we didn't get a chance to see how they stack up. Maybe next
time.
Or you could just track me down and race me at GP or 72nd, I'll put a Combat up against a Sky Country any day. To be honest it's the Yakuza I'm having
trouble getting past, need more practice. RM+ to Combat I think it'd come down to pilot skills.
Please Nemesis, do yourself a favor and do your homework, talk to people further out than your own back yard before starting to sling mud at people.
You just may find an incredible group of guys out there that are working really hard to further the sport in general and willing to go quite a ways to
help someone out. Say hi to Ricardo for me as well.
BeamerBob - 19-9-2007 at 05:49 AM
Nemesis, your post is the first I have ever read here that had a negative tone to it. I thought there was one before but was mistaken. It was
cleared up with a U2U. Please take your conflict somewhere else than the brotherly (and sisterly) friendship that takes place here every day. I
never met Pablo but every post of his exudes experience and helpfulness. Pablo and others on the forum that sell products associated with kiting seem
to be open to other products and never bash competing equipment. Basically a very high class group of people. I imagine you are alone in your
opinion. I stand with Pablo.
B-Roc - 19-9-2007 at 06:06 AM
I also don't personally know Pablo though I have corresponded with him on forums.
I have actually been surprised by how often he has recommended new fliers check out kites he doesn't sell.
As the PKD distributor, I know he has a vested interest in their success and moving those kites but, if anything, his opinions and recommendations
have been fair and unbiased - to the point he has probably steered people away from doing business with him on occasion.
I would not form my opinion on Pablo based on anything Nemesis writes.
Bladerunner - 19-9-2007 at 09:22 AM
Nemesis,
If you had spent any time on this forum you would have noticed that it is not a place for personal battles. I think that you have no right to
bring this forum down with your style of communication. Please do us all a favor and keep your bad mouthing to the forum you have set up for that
purpose.
WE ALL have to ride together in Vancouver. Please put your beefs behind you. It is the adult thing to do. B'boy is adult enough ( at 1/4 your
age ) to NOT get into this. I would appreciate it if you quit trying to put him into it ! Like Paul or not, I am tired of having to hear about this
long dead beef every time I go to G.P..
NO ONE WANTS IT HERE !!!!! :ticking:
SWAT - 19-9-2007 at 10:53 AM
Never met him, but Pablo seems decent enough to me - I was welcomed chatting about dirtsurfers and kitewings on this forum, which makes a pleasant
change !!!