Can somebody help me???

I am a 16 yeear old boy from Norway and I want to start kiteboarding. Can anyone help me out with some startup tips??? (what kind of kite is a good starter kite, what is a ok price etc.).

testing

How much wind do you have where you live? How much do you weigh?

If it blows hard, you can get a 5.0 or 6.5 Wipika for a reasonable price these days (used). If you live in a lightwind area like most of us you'll have to fork over major dough to get a good beginner kite (Naish AR5.0, Concept Air New Wave, Peter Lynn Arc). Kites are generally priced for the male gearhead with loads of disposable income. No good alternatives for student and teeneager type budgets 8-(

No use starting with a kite that's too small. If you only have enough wind to use it 10 days a year it'll take you forever to learn.

later,

The c-quad is definitely not a good starter kite. I know, I ride one. The waterfoil might be an alternative but it only comes in small sizes and has no power control. Not the ultimate for beginners either.

you could always buy a Peter Lynn C-Quad or Waterfoil, they are

some other inexpensive kites

Vade Retro HQ Symphony

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What do you mean with no power control? It has breaklines, right? Isn't it possible to control the power with the breaklines? I am thinking about buying a Waterfoil...

BTW, the Waterfoil comes in 2.4, 3.6 and 5.7 m^2, while the 3.6 should pull as hard as a 5.0 m^2 Peel. Are these small sizes?

Regards,

It does. But what happens, when you pull on the brake lines? The kite slows down and it moves back into the power window, from where it will pull harder AND yank you of course downwind, where you're likely to gain more speed, thus more apparent wind and more power. The brakes are nice for turning and somewhat helpful to get a bit more power in the lulls but they do nothing for depower. What you'd really want is a kite that you can sheet out, i.e. decrease power and drag so it will fly further forward in the wind window. If you want to create more drag anywhere it's at your board (i.e. stick your bum in the water) to allow the kite to fly out in front of you.

I've heard lots of good things about the waterfoil and one bad. It is supposed to pull hard for it's size and be fairly stable and relaunch well, but landing can be problematic as it supposedly does not want to stay down. I've had problems like that with my foil and it's no fun.

As for a good beginner kite I still think you'll be better off with a kite with power control. It'll make the whole learning experience more fun, safer and in the end you can cover a vastly bigger range with just one kite. Btw I also heard that the peel has very little pull for it's size so I wouldn't take that as a standard.

Again how much wind do you want to kitesurf in and what do you weigh. If you always have steady 20 knot sideshore winds and endless beaches, just about any kite would be great.

Oh man I wish nasa wings would point. They're just a hoot to fly.

AFAIK you can depower the following waterrelaunchable kites: Concept Air New Wave, Wipika (when quadlined), Naish (when quadlined), Peter Lynn ARC, Davinci and yet to be introduced (so don't hold your breath) Flexifoil Nexus and Boom! kites. Probably more kites 3 months down the road.

At 4 Bft average (11-16knots) you're living in a windy spot (If it's 11-16 here I drop everything and go sailing). A 5.7 Waterfoil might be just right at your weight. If your winds are real steady you might be real happy with it. If it's up and down a kite with power control is key.

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You're right, I had/have problems like that with my NASA wing. It's really cool to be dragged over the beach, but if the wind is too hard I can't walk backwards... and if suddenly there is an extra gust of wind... ouch!

So what kite can depower? I only know of the Flexifoil Skytigers, where the brakelines are attached to flaps on the trailing edge. But (I think) Skytigers aren't water relaunchable, so not good for kitesurfing.

I see many surfers with Wipika's, can they be depowered?

The Waterfoil still sounds very attractive because of the price...

I weigh 73 kg. I guess the wind over here is about 4 Beaufort average, I don't know what that is in knots...

Thanks for the help!

I'm a beginner too and have just got my hands on a 3.6 waterfoil, and am having a ball with it. Although I've got nothing to gauge it by, this kite seems to have plenty of power, I'm pretty sure that if I'd got the 5.7 instead I'd be dead by now

Having no power control is a bit of a hassle but it's not too bad and the landing definitely take a couple of tries to get the hang of, but for the price I think it's fantastic.

The wind conditions here sound pretty similar to where you live and I'm even a little heavier, so if I were you I'd be a little wary of the 5.7