my son turned me on to this board today.........straps or not this may be a schweet all rounder/low wind board.............................my neighbor rides a 6'1 Placebo thruster and loves it........................


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud9-TlUplmo&feature=relat...

http://foxonlinestore.com/inc/sdetail/494

I had the chance to try the placebo 5' surfskate while I was in Cuba 2 weeks ago. I am always the guy on the spot who ask questions until they say "do you wanna try" and then I say yes with a big smile !!!!

Unfortunately, it was the first time I went on a directional, and I only did 3 tacks back and forth.

my first tack was a mess.

on the second one it became clear how to stance so I was able to get upwind quite easy. It provides more float than my spleene 134 for sure.

I really like the feeling of a surf. I have no experience with surfing at all, but liked the feeling of more floats on the chop.

on my third tack, I tried jibing. Of course no success at first. Unfortunately I had to pass the board on to a Cuban who wanted to try too.

That gave me the hook to try a surfbaord this summer just for cruising.

I am tempted by either an Airush Choptop, a North freestyleFish, or a Royal High-Five. They share the same shape as the Placebo, being a small surf and wide, easier for a beginner, lots of float, good in LW, and skim ability.

I know a Placebo or a wakeskate like the Liquid Force or the InlandSurfer are cheaper but I am worry about the durability using them for kitesurfing and maybe jumping a bit???

really looks like the things that hyperlight made popular for skurfing.... always wanted to ride one behind the boat!!! those buggers are fast though wow

WTF? Help me understand......he's riding the wake of a boat WITHOUT a tow rope?! How on earth does one get out to the wake in the first place?

Denis - with your limited directional exp. do you think someone like me who has yet to "get" it on the water on a twintip might also enjoy something like a directional surf especially since I've determined I'll have little issue riding regular and then toeside? (Goofy is where my issues will surface.)

That is wake skating. You start out on a handle and then when you get on the wake and the boat gets settled, you drop the handle and they pull it in the boat. It requires additional weight in the boat which is usually set to one side to maximize the wake on the side of the rider, which seems to always be on the left of the boat. It's the perfect "on-demand" wave.

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Denis - with your limited directional exp. do you think someone like me who has yet to "get" it on the water on a twintip might also enjoy something like a directional surf especially since I've determined I'll have little issue riding regular and then toeside? (Goofy is where my issues will surface.)

Get on the water first with a twin-tip. When you can ride upwind effortless, ride toe-side, perform turn transitions on both side (to or heel), then I guess you can start learning on a directional

YEARS ago the first kitesurfers did not have twin-tip boards, they were riding on surf board with foil kite and handles

but anyone will progress faster starting on the twin-tip for sure, and there is enough thrill on the twin-tip when you first hit the water. so much fun !!

I guess the challenge is jibing and switching side on the board at same time, I look forward learning this

I think I want to try this for light wind

Not yet available though

http://www.sbckiteboard.com/features?news_id=798&uniqid=

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob That is wake skating. You start out on a handle and then when you get on the wake and the boat gets settled, you drop the handle and they pull it in the boat. It requires additional weight in the boat which is usually set to one side to maximize the wake on the side of the rider, which seems to always be on the left of the boat. It's the perfect "on-demand" wave.

They do this and they also take a modified wakeboard boat and run in a medium sized circle... and the surfer gets in the middle and rides a continuous wave... its pretty sweet

Is that what those weight bags I saw at the watersports shop today are for?

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Is that what those weight bags I saw at the watersports shop today are for?

Yep!

Wakeskating is banned on most or all of the larger lakes here in Idaho... . As far as i know. It looks like it would be a blast though!