Sunday, June 28, 2009

Kite Practice #1- How Do You Hold This thing?

Scott & Frank- ready, set, bodydrag!


Kiteboarding gear is too small for my truck- I'm starting to accumulate some kiting gear and there's one thing that seems very strange about it. I can fit it all in the front seat of my truck. What's with that? I keep thinking where's my gear? It's not a real watersport if I don't need racks, a van, or a truck. It's hard to adapt to something new.

Kite Practice #1- Scott and I had an informal kiting lesson from Frank today. He set up his 9M Waroo and risked his well being, and his kite, to spend all afternoon coaching us. I can't thank him enough!

This was my first time using a real kite. It was a little scary at first. We were on dry land and the wind was pretty gusty, very slightly side off. We just practiced keeping the kite at the side of the wind window and bringing it up very slowly, just a little off the ground, then back down.

When we got wet I felt less tense. We could be much more aggressive with the kite in the water. Bodydragging was a kick and I just wanted more power!

I can tell that it takes a lot of time-on-the-water to learn. My muscles have a lot of memorizing to do. Just handling and carrying the kite made me feel like a klutz. It was a fun session, a great way to squeeze as much excitement as possible out of mostly light winds!

Revere Beach Notes; Kiting is done on the north end of the beach at the last bath house.

Revere Beach, Kite Practise, Bodydragged, N, NNW, NNE, 5-20, 9M Waroo, With Scott & Frank

1 comments:

Snowy Guy said...

TOW, that's what it's all about. It isn't about equipment costs or other concerns as much as the amount of time you want to devote to learning a new sport. I see beginners with all the bells and whistles struggling endlessly it seems to get up and stay up on a kite board. Do you want to give up quality windsurfing TOW for that?