New Guy checking in

42, Expat Brit living in SF Bay Area.

Not new to kites but have taken a break for about 10 years and I am just getting back in to it.

Left most of my kites in the UK but hope to get them out here soon.

Have the following back in the UK

HighFlyers Spectre X2
Highflyers Wild Thang X3
3ft Flexifoil (with hard Spar) X2
6ft Flexifoil (with hard Spar)
Revolution
A 3 line delta (With a jotstick style controller) whos name and make I cant recall at the moment

Most of the above are about 20+ years old but I just ordered up a new HQ Beamer III 2.0m out here in the US

A few Questions

Does anyone still just fly kites or is it all about traction and boards (Surf/Land?Snow) and Buggies these days?
Any suggestions for good flying spoots in the Bay area, I am guessing Crissy Field and Berkley Marina but does anyone know of any others?
Any recommendations on good kite stores in the area
Any recommendations on good, reasonably priced kites I should check out (I have lost track of the market a little and aside from the brands I already own, at least one of which has gone out of business I think, I am not really up on the current top manufacturers for Foils and Deltas.)
Any other good kite resources I should know about like online stores, clubs etc?
Any advice on the best way to transition from regular kiting to say ATBs or Buggies (Or even surf or snow kiting)?

Sorry for all the questions


Glad to have found this place and look foward to hanging out here.:singing:

have you met any one that kites in the bay area, we do have a few from that area

Sorry No, as I said I have only just got back in to kiting and only ordered the Beamer this weekend so am pretty much starting from scratch.

I have no idea on decent locations and what teh laws are.

In the UK I used to know where I coudl fly without issues but not here.

FYI if any UK flyers and Buggy Jockeys are looking for a decent flying spot then my old vaction haunt was Harbour Cove/Hawkers Cove near Padstow in Cornwall.
Harbour Cove/Hawkers Cove/Tregirls

If you look at the water you can see a deep channel on the right but when the tide goes out you get a large area of flat, reasonably hard (if damp) sand that can go as far out as 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile (at a guess) or at least almost out to the Headland

go to ocean beach ...take fell all the way to the beach....the week days are the best to fly out there...its an awesome place to buggy too....there are a few places inland also...Shoreline ampitheater parking lot....and there are a few sod fields in the valley...

but as far as sf bay...its definitely ocean beach hands down

good luck


DQ

Quote:

Originally posted by art_lessing go to ocean beach ...take fell all the way to the beach....the week days are the best to fly out there...its an awesome place to buggy too....there are a few places inland also...Shoreline ampitheater parking lot....and there are a few sod fields in the valley... but as far as sf bay...its definitely ocean beach hands down good luck DQ

Thanks Will check out teh beach, I am not far dfrom it and right next to teh park. However I need a little clarification, What is a sod field? Just a big open field with grass and no crops?

If you are looking for kites you popped up at a perfect time between Jellis and jonsing4wind , some of the best kites made are up for some of the lowest prices I've seen :wow:

I suggest to people that while flying " static" is fun a whole new world opens up once you start riding.

I believe Ocean Beach is the place to go in San Fran ???

Yes, big and open but grass is the crop.
Not the same grass that is B.C.'s #1 revenue making industry :P ( it's TRUE ! Even more than lumber ! )

Posted - 07/19/2008 : 2:43:34 PM
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Date: Sep. 20 & 21, 2008

Time: 10am until 5pm each day.

3rd Annual Family Days Kite Festival

Where: Marina Green Marina Blvd at the foot of Fillmore, San Francisco, CA USA.

I might make it both days if not one of them, but a few loc's will be attending for sure to make connection with

Ocean Beach is hands down the best place to go - you can kite out at Crissy Field - good for deltas and static flying but not for traction - the winds get a little choppy coming over the Presidio and through the Golden Gate. The winds at Ocean Beach are nice and clean. The only rules there are to be polite and considerate to other people on the beach and to listen when the rangers ask something of you. There are no buggy insurance or membership requirements - just show up and have a good time. A good place to go is on the North end of the beach - the area is much wider and there is plenty of parking. Weekends can be a bit crowded unless it's cold and windy - the way I like it.

seriously.....when its crappy outside in the bay we have an eagle eye on that beach....nobody goes out and it's ours for the day...its great to watch people come out and see what we're doing and then run away because the weather sucks in their mind but... we think its gold...flexiblade knows well.... when its a beautifull day we unfornuately should skip it...but when the weather sites say its going to be cold foggy and breezy...we're most definitely there....the only thing that contends with me anyway are the tides (flexi's got bigfoots, I got barrows)....the late winter/spring tides are insane on that beach...they seem to go out for hundreds of feet and the weather is perfect for us....coldish and foggy, and the wind is like a fan...constant and predictable.......and there is a little thai restaurant up the street that is great....just don't order a bottle of wine because they will charge you $12 for a bottle of two buck chuck...everything else is yumerific and reasonable........

DQ

OK so it looks like its Ocean Beach then, thanks for all the tips and advice

The weather doesnt worry me, I am a Brit I am used to cold wet and windy in the UK we call it Summer :D

I think I know the Thai resturant you are talking about, on Lincoln? Opposite the park? We went there when it opened, the owner is a freind of my wife although I am not sure if she is still the owner anymore.

Will keep an eye out for any other kiters/bugs if and whne I get down there

I will see if I can make it to that Family Kite Day will be flying a puple 2.0m Beamer if I am there.

Is Point Reyes also a viable flying spot?

I dont have room for a buggy in our tiny little appartment so if I was going to go for some traction it would probably be a board. Any tips or suggestions?

point reyes is too steep for traction fun plus its just way too far away.......

OK Beamer still hasnt turned up so I didnt make it to Ocean Beach or teh Kite Day. Sorry.

Hoping it will turn up this week.

Hiked up twin peaks instead, plenty of wind but I am not sure I woudl risk flying up there, one slip and I reckon you would be in Oakland before you knew it

Beamer has now turned up so hope to be flying this weekend.

Will probably try and get to Ocean Beach

Ok got to Ocean Beach this Sunday between 2 and 4.30 and had teh Beamer up. Wind was OK but a little variable.

Got back into the hang of flying and got the feel of flying a 4 line foil. Its simlar to my Rev but you have to watch for the Foil colapsing.

Got a good fight off of it which is what I was looking for though so I am happy.

There werent many other kites on the go although there was one Buggy with a big Dayglo Yellow Peter Lynn Foil and a couple of other foils turned up further along the beach just as I was packing up.

Dont know if any of those there were from this site though, I got a nod from the Buggy guy but that was about it