So... ever been sitting on the beach waiting for the wind to build enough for a session? theres wind but not quite enough. Or you have to constantly do the walk of shame. Or all you can do is just mow the lawn and nothing else?
Well if you have a hard beach buy a landboard and give that a go.
Use the same kites you normally would use. a landboard works real well in light wind. infact its like adding 5 knots.
So.... 10 knots on the landboard feels like 15 on the water.
So what does landboarding feel like compared to kitesurfing?
Imagine the flattest of flatwater. Thats what it feels like. mmmmh smooth. Rather than holding and edge you drift and slide. sliding is fun! You go faster, and can jump in less wind.
All of a sudden your boring 10-12 knot session is fast slidy and fun your throwing down airs and having a blast.
ps Jumping on a landboard is exhilerating. Even small jumps give you an adrenaline rush. why? because the risk is higher. But the reward is also higher.
Hey Plummet... only problem is that in Aus the type of beach your talking about are few and far between.
I'd love to give it a proper go though.
Well to be fair you don't actually need a beach. any patch of land with some cleanish wind will do. The boys in melbourne have some sweet grass feilds that they rip on.
if you find a mild hill with the wind going up of cross on to the hill then you can do some pretty silly gliding just like snow kiting....
Get a longboard(not the surfboard, the big skateboard kind), u need 5 knots and a trainer kite and u go really fast. Just a little tricky to stop...
I would have thought a guy like you plummet, would be wise to only kite over water given your pension for crunk air!
Mate, I'm keen. Where can you pick up a buggy from?
Imagine a 30knot southerly and boosting off a sand dune!
I'd give it a crack.
Funny you should mention dunes. They make for some epic kiting.
Check this out around the 6min mark is some jumping. Note most of this clip was done in 8-12 knots. Boring or impossible on the water. damn good fun in the dunes.
yep thats me.
that beach and dunes are sweeeeeeeeeeeet. pity its not my local! i get to sample that goodness once per year!
landboarding is a great alternative, coming from a skating background i loved the amount of tech thats possible all the way up to laying flat loops!
i remember boosting off of an airstrip maxed on an 8m, you can hold so much more edge (tyres bold after 1 session!) that you get some good height.
ahh those were the days!
Hey Plummet
I am with you on the land kiting in less wind. We have some amazing dunes up here and hard beaches are not too hard to find.
If you are in a buggy with big wheels you can go anywhere!
For those that are on the look I have 2 buggys, some land kites and a landboard for sale so pm me.
Cheers
G