help out?

[ultimatediver]

Hey everyone. I am looking to get into this sport. I have done my homework and practiced with training kites. I have a ton of experience wake boarding (board control) and I have also flown bigger kites (10m) before. I have just never put 2+2 together. I am looking for a good used rig which is suitable for beginners (and st. pete conditions) but leaves room to progress. Any info on local knowledge, insights and gear would be much appreciated. If anyone could come up with a good package, including a quick lesson I would be very interested in doing business.

I could also offer a PADI SCUBA certification as a trade? (something to consider)

Please email me at squatter69@hotmail.com, or reply, if you have an idea on who to get in contact with.

Thanks,
Jarrid

[toby wilson]

Jarrid, Bryan Eagle can be found on tampabaykiteboarding.com. He can help you with the lessons. There are several used kites on the market, what you really need to spend your money on now is a really good new or used board. I suggest either an Underground Magic Carpet (what I ride so I am partial to this board), a Slingshot Glide (several locals ride them) or an Agression Barn Door (although I have never ridden one, I hear great things about them, maybe the best of the three boards). If I can help with anything else, PM me or e-mail me at tobywilson@hotmail.com.

Good luck!

[Skyway Scott]

Is Eagle here? I get the impression he may not be for awhile.
Yeah... just get any ol' kite (17m) and get a great board. You will NEVER outgrow a great light wind board in St. Pete Fl!! and they make great learning boards.

[toby wilson]

I meant to add that Randy and Billy Parker also give lessons. They are also top-notch instructors, Randy is very experienced and Bill is our best local rider and pro, hands down. I think Eagle is returning after the weekend though and I know his website...he may be returning to Texas later but I know he is coming back for at least a while after this weekend's competition. His best student, Josh was in the competition along with Billy this weekend in Texas, diver...

[tomstock]

Billy only teaches advanced lessons but prefers not to. So scratch Billy. There is also www.learntokiteboard.com which is local.

[Skyway Scott]

Ok,

I just got confused when Eagle said "see ya' when the cold fronts return".
I know I wouldn't leave Texas to come back here, especially if I was an instructor, I would stay.
I did get a PM from Roberto (he is in South Padre) and he said he has taught something like 20 days straight and is booked. Sounds like a great place to teach (and ride obviously)

I just assumed Eagle would stay with the wind there in Corpus and the "see ya when coldfronts......" seemed like it. I assumed

David at learntokiteboard is a nice guy as is Randy.

[bayflite]

diver
summer is not the best time 2 learn in st pete.

please help keep our access open.

kite bans are all too familiar l8ly.

15-20mph will should a piece of cake 4 u...

try learning in 10 - 12mph and you will not get a good value for your money.

having said that...i give night classes.
for $20 you will learn
1)how to pick a good lauch site for any given kitable conditions
2)rules of the road / kiting etiquette / who has the right of way
3)concept of the "wind window"
4)how to depower using kite position, board, sheeting system, ect

downwinders with a boat giving chase is the best way to learn fast.

local instructors

randy radcliff is @ 430-1379
bryan eagle is @ 798-2484
billy parker is @ 488-7537
david @ learntokiteboard.com
get a helmet and make sure the health insurance policy is up to date.
peace
bryan 251-7904

[Skyway Scott]

What Bayflite said is true, learning to kite in 10 knots can be VERY frustrating.
Great list, Bryan.

[toby wilson]

Yeah, ignore me, listen to Bayflites post, much less confusing...sorry, didn't know you were instructing Bayflite...

[Skyway Scott]

Ignore me too, just read Bayflite's post :?

[ultimatediver]

I appreciate the info.

[bryanleighty]

I really like the concept of learning the setup and ground stuff at a different time and different cost than when you are ready to actually start flying the kites.

One thing about my lessons were that I felt rushed to cram all the "on the beach" stuff out of the way so I could get out to the water..

Of course I didnt realize that today I use the "on the beach" stuff as much as I use the "on the water" stuff.

Its just that when you are paying for lessons at the price of lessons (not bitching about costs of lessons because they are worth every cent).. but to go over in detail on how to lay out lines, how to properly inflate the kite, how to check line lenghts.. all that stuff.. takes a good hour or more to go over in detail.. and if you are paying good money you are probably doing more time-watching than learning...

Thats at least how i felt.

A good system might be to learn all that off the beach, in a park.. so the student does not keep looking out to the water thinking "can we get going?? can we get out on the water????"

You charge less, the student is focused on the stuff they are learning and you teach them right up to the part where you are ready to launch a big kite...

maybe this is the norm for some instructors.. not sure..
only took one lesson..
wish I had taken more.
Myself and Dan took them together.. we didnt know a single kiter in the area so we were completely on our own for the first couple months and made NO progress really. Only until we met some folks who showed us what we needed to be doing did we get up and go.
More lessons would have cost a bit, but we would have been on the water MONTHS sooner.

[ultimatediver]

it seems counter-intuitve that slower winds are bad to learn in. Why is that?

[Optionryder420]

A)Pain to keep kite in the air.
B)Bigger kite=slower and just harder to get going.


With more wind, you just use a smaller kite... so you should really have the same amount of power. The big jumps are capable with the small kites because they can generate more power by moving SUPER fast. Big kites in their windrange won't jump nearly as high, but they'll keep you up in the air longer.

[ultimatediver]

thanks again for all the info. everyone has been very helpful. Bryan, I agree with your philosophy. I will contact you shortly.