FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Forum > Let's Ride!
Connect with Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/rick.iossi
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old 01-27-2008, 08:43 PM
vstone511 vstone511 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: clearwater
Posts: 34
Default

i gotta agree with steve-o the backside of east beach is really Sketchy if you dont know what your doing or if you get to close to the mangroves but over all it was a good session with danny and chad
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-27-2008, 08:46 PM
Chad085 Chad085 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: clearwater
Posts: 98
Default

backside eastbeach is definetly a little on the sketchy side, but it works. The potential for gear wreckage is pretty high though, and walking through the mangroves with a kite up is not for the faint of heart!!!! I was disappointed to see people trying to ride the frontside of EB again with an offshore wind. Why would you do that???? It gives the wrong impression too, a newbie was pumping up his kite over there, and kept looking around seeing kites on both sides. He looked a little confused, and when i approached him he asked "is today a good day to practice?? ive only been out twice." Without being a dick i tried to explain the situation, and suggested maybe he sit this one out. His uncertainty was confirmed when he watched danny launch me from a wind shadow and i ran through the mangroves with a fluttering kite. Decent wind though, probly 13-18 knts with some gusts, rode a 14sb3 for about an hour then got on my 16sb2 til 5:30 or so. Went from NNE to NNW later on.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-27-2008, 08:51 PM
Galego Galego is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: venice, fl
Posts: 59
Default

we had 16-20 mph at Venice beach as it shifted around from cross shore to side on. i warmed up by doing some body drags with a 7m North and 11m Wipika and about 5 minutes into boarding with my Wipika the stitching along the leading edge suddenly ripped open causing the bladder to bulge out. needless to say it put an early end to my session. but the wind was picking up and the 7m provided some downwind fun as long as i kept it moving real fast. can anybody recommend a kite repair shop ?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-27-2008, 08:59 PM
Skyway Scott
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-O View Post
A little advice for what it is worth.....more and more folks seem to be using the backside of East Beach.....and walking kites through the mangroves. There can be some nasty updrafts coming off the mangroves and very gusty conditions. It might seem harmless, but when things go wrong it can get really ugly fast. Very risky IMO. Walk your gear already inflated and lines attached through the cut at the roundabout and launch on the other side. Even at high tide, you can wade out a bit a have a much better launch and avoid the risks of you or your kite in the mangroves. I saw one guy eat it last week in the mangroves, and another kite land in the mangroves on a landing. No one got hurt, but again this sport is all about minimizing the risks. I tried walking through once, and although nothing happened, I felt it was risky.

Wait a sec. Guys are walking through that one small opening in the mangroves to get to the other side of EB on North wind?!
Really bad idea.

I assumed you guys were launching on the "normal" side and then riding upwind, that's what I do on North out there. Although driving all the way to EB to launch that way (when you can launch BS SW and ride over there in one tack) doesn't make sense to me... but to each his own.

What does it take, 3 minutes to ride upwind around the mangroves if you don't walk through?
I would take the 3 minutes and play it safe.
I can guarantee someone will get worked out there doing that walking through, if it continues. It's just a matter of time.
I did that ONCE like 6 years ago... there's a reason I never did it again (C kite or not). Now I know why you guys are saying it's sketchy. Lmao.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-27-2008, 09:12 PM
Danimal8199's Avatar
Danimal8199 Danimal8199 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Clearwater
Posts: 634
Default

Easier said than done. Becasue of the wind shadow from the mangroves its hard to launch on the regular east beach side. When I arrived Abomb and I tried numerous methods to get his kite up and finally succeded. Steve-O has the right idea, rig as close to the walk-thgouth then walk your lines out into the water and launch your kite on the water side of the opening.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 01-27-2008, 09:16 PM
Sam Sam is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: St Pete
Posts: 106
Default

N Beach was good nicely powered on an 8 from 1 to 3 and a 12 before than at 180 lbs. nice surprise on the wind today after nothing this morning. remained steady n to nnw for the majority of the day and there wanst much current either my guess was 18 the morning and it was probibly about 23 give or take a few. seemed significaltly windier on the gulf than the bay today.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 01-27-2008, 09:31 PM
Skyway Scott
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Did Adam walk out 30 yards from shore?
I've done it at least 6 times, never a hitch. I put my kite out in the water, let it drift far enough out to catch some wind, water launch it, and ride. It's not dead offshore wind. Once you get out about 30 yards on a North, the wind is good enough to water launch and ride upwind around the point. It's only blocked in close to shore. I guess you'd have to walk a ways out and get your kite wet, but after missing a whole season to an injury, and knowing how much that sucks, that's a small precautionary price to avoid getting whacked again, in my view.

Hopefully nothing will happen walking through there.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 01-27-2008, 09:58 PM
Chad085 Chad085 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: clearwater
Posts: 98
Default

i dont think walking through there is a life or death situation, thats what the QR is for . The threat is against your precious kite!!! Those mangroves don't look friendly. It's not an ideal place to ride imo, no easy place to land if you get in trouble, etc. Wasn't real stoked, rode pretty conservatively. Shoulda just hit the beaches up here closer to home , but it was nne this am at sunset and dunedin and without a boat north county ain't happenin for nne, so EB it was, then a few hours later its NNW, perfect for north county beaches. Gotta love it!!! no sweat, any day under tight lines is a good one just gotta be careful
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 01-27-2008, 10:04 PM
Tom Stock
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Scott how about those pics?? You have pics of us riding on your camera (thanks Donna).

I know I want mine
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 01-27-2008, 10:27 PM
Skyway Scott
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I haven't looked, I forgot once I started studying.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.