Hey check it out

[tomstock]

http://www.tandemkitesystems.com/html/intro.html

[Skyway Scott]

I'll bite. I will play the positive devil's advocate (first time).

Seems like fun. Hey, now I CAN give chicks on the beach a ride :P
Should speed up learning time for newbies.

What are some of the negatives that I have overlooked?

[tomstock]

Actually I just watched the video and it actually works! I was waiting for them to jump it but they didn't... man I don't think I could have resisted jumping with with a buddy :D

Hey check it out, that guy on the back is JEFF WEISS!

I recognized the voice instantly.

[bryanleighty]

big fat homemade board with 2 sets of footpads...
girlies on the beach "wanna ride?" "hold tight".. "tighter"..

i'm down with it.


its only when guys at backside skyway start asking for rides should you be a bit leery.

unless thats your bag, baby.

[tomstock]

Man, at Treasure Island you'd be mac daddy with that setup. I've had girls jump on my BACK there while I was getting ready to dive the kite.

[bryanleighty]

watched video..looks pretty awkward...
need a huge kite to get 2 full grown folks up outta the water..

what the hell ever happend to Jeff. Dan and I got our lessons from him (thought he was a local rider w/ some times spent in Texas)... saw him one time a few days later and he didnt even say hi or anything and have not seen him since.

[toby wilson]

I have to disagree. There must be some kind of board that can support the weight of two grown adults, maybe a lot bigger but hey, this is a LESSON. I think it will be a VERY valuable tool for instructors because the "piece" that I was missing was slowly edging against the kite while diving the kite but mainly was keeping pressure on the lines when bringing it back up to the top of the window. Just feeling what the instructor does with his/her arms and legs will help to increase learning time twofold in my opinion...

[Skyway Scott]

Looks like it has potential. At the very least, it might give a rider with kite skills but not quite up and going (Toby.. gonna use you from a year ago) a "taste" of kiting, which might be incentive enough to keep at it :D

Bryan, I think it'll cost ya' to have the "chick magnet" board.

[toby wilson]

You bet, good buddy...it has taken me a long time and I still have a LONG way to go, but things are looking up for me!!! And that would have really been a great tool to be able to utilize... :wink:

[bryanleighty]

i'm all for whatever helps someone progress ... it just looks awkward when they are waterstarting .. maybe its the crappy filming .. looks more like Blair Witch Tandem Kiting Project..

that said..


i am 10000% in favor of whatever helps get the cute girls off the beach and on my back.. or front.. or whatever they like...


yippie ki-yay.

[Skyway Scott]

:twisted:

[tomstock]

Jeff Weiss used to ride with Scott at Fort Desoto back in the day (late 90s?) when it was still ok to ride at North Beach in the lagoon (not the swimming area lagoon). I think he started teaching sometime around 1999 or 2000 and like most fulltime instructors he has to go where the wind goes.

Last I head he moved to go to school, and will probably not be back for awhile. Anyway... he teaches a LOT of students and can't always remember faces. But yeah he's a really sharp guy and a good instructor.. and yeah, a local. Caught me off guard to see him in that video. I recognized the voice before the face.

[Optionryder420]

I don't like how he thinks it should be at resorts along with parasailing.... that's just stupid.

This won't be a good teaching tool, kiters need to pay their dues and know how dangerous this sport can be... Not go pay to take a ride on some guys back, show up at the beach with their own quiver and think they can just go.

[Skyway Scott]

Good discussions.

One thing is certain though, Jeff is a great guy.

I think this tandem board has potential if in the right hands. That's how most tools/instruments are though. At the very least, I could put Donna on it and grope her while riding :twisted:

In terms of "paying dues". Trust me, no one paid dues more than Raul or some of the other local pioneers like Rob Hassle and Jayson. No one pays close to the price (to learn to ride) that was paid in those days. Not even close. It use to take the average rider a year (or more) to go upwind. What is it now? 5 sessions?
I agree though, Keving, they need to respect what can happen and become independent. Hopefully this is used as a stepping stone to get there.

The fact that we all love kiting and get along is what matters most (I think anyway). We got to ride today at Blue Flag and then had a drink at the 'Tow. We got to watch Tom, Bruce, Randy and 4 others ride while just sitting there. It was pretty awesome thinking how cool kiting is and knowing everyone on the water, and knowing how cool they are :D

[mocean]

as above
aj