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sidekicknicholas 12-27-2013 8:12 AM

Wakeboarding to Kiteboarding
 
Just wondering how anyone's first attempt at Kiteboarding went after years of wakeboarding....

I'll be in the Dominican in a few weeks and the resort we're staying at seems to have kiteboarding as an option, figured I would give it a go (never have tried before).... I've been wakeboarding for a looooong time now, how different is it and/or is there anything that will help trying kiteboarding easier?

Thanks!

Kane 12-27-2013 11:45 AM

Wakeboarding will help once you are up n the board, but it'll take a bit of time before you get to that level. The beginning of kiteboarding, at least from my limited experience, is all about the kite, it'll be an hour or two before you you even think about putting on a board. Once you do though wakeboarding will be a big help, you can focus solely on the kite, unlike a non wakeboarder who will have to think about the kite and the board.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

sidekicknicholas 12-27-2013 12:05 PM

Quote:

Hope you enjoy your trip.
Thanks! Postponed out honeymoon until winter rather than traveling when it was still 60's + here (Minnesota).... 10 days on the beach will be a nice break.


I figured keeping the kite in control would be an awful mess.... but glad to hear there is enough crossover to keep me from looking like a total *******.

baska 12-27-2013 5:15 PM

If there's enough wind and your kite is trimmed well you shouldn't have a problem with learning how to operate this thing. In good conditions it's really not that hard. I've used to teach kiteboarding for 4 years and I saw that wakeboarding definitely helps with board control. At first kiteboard can feel a bit wobbly, but once you set a proper edge and have enough speed you will be fine ;)

There are actually 4 main phases when learning kiteboarding:
1. Steering the kite on shore/in the water.
2. Water start.
3. Riding upwind (basically staying on your heelside edge all the time).
4. Turns.

Good luck man ;)

Dustfarter 12-29-2013 11:50 AM

Learning to fly the kite is the hard part. Remember that you're the "boat driver" and the rider.

It's a super fun sport though as is snow kiting. As far as I know there is a pretty healthy snowkite scene up in Minnesota which may stoke you out through the cold months.

Just be sure to take some lessons. It's a sport that seems super mellow but commands respect quickly and brutally if you make a mistake.

501s 12-29-2013 7:21 PM

I'll be in the Dominican in 2 weeks as well and my resort has kite boarding and I was planning on trying it out for the first time. Maybe I'll see you on the water!

kyle_L 12-29-2013 8:29 PM

how long does it take to get good at flying the kite? like after two hours will I be able to do some air tricks?


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sidekicknicholas 12-29-2013 9:55 PM

Quote:

I'll be in the Dominican in 2 weeks as well and my resort has kite boarding and I was planning on trying it out for the first time. Maybe I'll see you on the water!
What resort?! We don't fly out til the 25th, I used "a few weeks" pretty loosely.

Quote:

how long does it take to get good at flying the kite? like after two hours will I be able to do some air tricks?
I'm curious too.... I figure once the kite is somewhat under control most of the stuff I can get done on a cable should be do-able on the kite.... unless they give newbies a smaller kite to avoid any sort of "takeoff"

Dustfarter 12-30-2013 3:39 PM

Not unless you have serious talent. Kite control is by far the hardest part. The thing is that an inch of movement at the bar translates to feet of movement up at the kite so learning to keep the bar steady while doing tricks is the challenge.

It's not as easy as it looks but once you get the kite flying down you feel like a super hero wakeboarder as the added air time makes air tricks a lot easier.
Wakestyle air tricks required different technique (and sometimes gear) compared to straight boosting massive airs.

brettw 12-31-2013 8:30 AM

If you want to try kiteboarding on a vacation, do yourself a huge favor and by a trainer kite ahead of time and learn how to fly the kite 1st. As most folks, said, it is all about the kite.

granddaddy53 01-08-2014 8:18 PM

The crossover is not easy at all anyone that will tell you that it is hasn't tried that much kite boarding just walking your kite down the beach doing the walk of shame is not that easy wait to you get there it's a lot of Hardwork

granddaddy53 01-08-2014 8:19 PM

And make sure you're taking a lesson or two for four hours or more from very competent professionals or you're going to get hurt

granddaddy53 01-08-2014 8:21 PM

After two hours you'll just be doing your land practice forget it nothing comes easy inkite boarding

iShredSAN 01-09-2014 7:16 AM

Where are you staying? We just got back from Punta Cana about a month ago. The Dominican is awesome!

sidekicknicholas 01-09-2014 7:46 AM

We'll be at the "Breathless" resort... I think its fairly new

curtbernstein 01-09-2014 8:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brettw (Post 1857401)
If you want to try kiteboarding on a vacation, do yourself a huge favor and by a trainer kite ahead of time and learn how to fly the kite 1st. As most folks, said, it is all about the kite.

I completely agree with Brett. I was wakeboarding for a long time before I started kiteboarding, and the trainer kite is a huge help. Lessons aren't cheap, and you'll get the most out of it if you go in with solid flying skills from trainer kite practice. If not, there's a good chance you'll end up flying a trainer kite on the beach for your first full session.

Trainer kite or not, make find a good instructor to teach you. A wise man once told me, it's better to be standing on the beach wishing you were out on the water than being out in the water wishing you were on the beach...:cool:

VinnyA 01-10-2014 11:15 AM

Just moved to cape town, was headed to Blouberg to surf but I think I may get a lesson while I'm there as well!

biomaster 03-08-2014 4:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyle_L (Post 1857260)
how long does it take to get good at flying the kite? like after two hours will I be able to do some air tricks?

Lol. After two hours you'll maybe have mastered body dragging and a water start on the board.

Kiting is pretty much 80% kite control and 20% board control. From my experience it usually takes most people around 2-4 hrs of lessons to get the basics of kite launching, landing and flying/body dragging. Then you can start practicing water starts with the board and basic riding.

For your first couple of sessions you'll pretty much get up and ride for a few minutes, and you'll most likely rocket along, and then end up 500m down the beach, and have to do the old walk of shame back upwind and start again. Basically everyone does this when they first start.

Once you can stay upwind reasonably well, and change directions comfortably then you can start doing basic jumps. Doing wakestyle tricks on a kite is a little different to cable, as there's a slightly different action in the takeoff.

On the kite for a basic load-and-pop jump you charge along holding the kite at about 45° and holding a solid edge, then release your edge and veer downwind slightly, before progressivley carving hard back upwind and pulling in the bar whilst popping off the water. Once you can do this you should be able to do a few basic moves such as backrolls.

Keep in mind that most proper wakestyle tricks in kitesurfing are done unhooked, which usually requires at least 6 months - a year of experience before attempting.

trayson 03-10-2014 8:46 AM

I keep telling myself that I need to try kiteboarding, but I really don't have the time for yet another hobby... I used to fly stunt kites all the time, and have snowboarded and wakeboarded forever, so it seems like I'd have a head start. I did try out a buddy's trainer kite on land once and he said I did great. Flew it all round, put it comfortably in the various places of the wind and pretty much never crashed the kite the whole time...

But between snowboarding all winter, wakeboarding/wakesurfing all summer, and trying to find time to squeeze in the sportbike, M3, road bike, and rock crawling jeep I just think I'm spreading myself too thin. (not to mention all the hobbies I have gear for that I used to be really into that I haven't done in forever--mountain biking, rock/ice/mountain climbing, river rafting, etc.)

If I didn't have my damn job taking up 40 hours a week, I'd have a lot more play time! And too bad, since I live a little over an hour from Hood River, OR. The Gorge is definitely a kiteboarding mecca.

joeshmoe 03-12-2014 2:36 PM

Here in northern Ohio, where it is an awesome place to wakeboard almost Anytime in the summer, it is also the best place to kiteboard within 500 miles around! I would be happy to make The walk of shame 500 ft. just to kiteboard, because I have a kite but I do not have a kiteboarding board, so I am going to try to use my wakeboard to kiteboard and we will see if I can make it upwind. If I like it maybe I will buy a board. One thing is for sure is that kiteboarding will help you ride heelside switch, so it will definitely help your wakeboarding too! Also, I get tired of waiting for people to get out of work!

Dustfarter 03-19-2014 5:58 PM

Jo. Save yourself a lot of hassle and get yourself a kite board ( even if it's cheap beater). Wakeboards do not not make great kite boards and your learning curve and experience will suffer.

behindtheboat 03-19-2014 11:33 PM

Is the Slingshot B3 worth the extra money as far as training kites?

biomaster 03-20-2014 10:04 PM

I agree with Stuart, get yourself a kiteboard. Just get something cheap and big, will help you progress a lot quicker. Once you can comfortably go upwind on a kiteboard, then maybe give your wakeboard a crack and see how you go. Using boots is also bloody dangerous when you're a beginner, so I defintley recomend a kiteboard with footstraps for learning.

As far as trainer Kites go, I personally wouldnt bother. When you take lessons, you'll use a trainer for an hour or so, and that's all you'll really need.


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