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World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 5:28 pm
by Osprey1
Not all of us have nice wide sandy beaches to launch and land. Here in the Pacific NW, many of our local launch sites are only a bit larger than your kite and lines, are rocky and without any downwind outs.

If you have a sketchy launch site that you ride all the time, please post it here. It'd be great to see pics of the gnarly launches all over the world.

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:07 pm
by ozchrisb
Pretty much everywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area, with exceptions for 3rd Ave upper launch and the coast. Rocky, small, gusty, parking lots, gravel, glass, you name it we have it.

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:32 pm
by ronnie
deleted

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:35 pm
by Tone
oh man, that is nothing.

I ain't gonna post mine on here though.

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:14 pm
by Larse
El Yarque, Margarita. Launching up against a cliff wall on a snall beach with beach visitors crawling all over the place. Even through my lines... That was sketchy...

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:08 pm
by ronnie
There was a thread on this before..

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2368759&hilit=sketchy

When I was in Tenerife I saw photos of Mark Shinn kiting this spot, where he had to throw his board in first then jump off the sharp lava rocks into the water using the kite. The kiter at 4.02 in the video may be Mark on that day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Rrte-LKTE

Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:53 am
by PBKiteboarding
This looks Sketchy....





The Funny Wheelbarrow Sketchy Launch...


Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:05 am
by jasontsai
Siafu, Taiwan was a gusty and sketchy launch site to me. Target landing/launching area was concrete and just a few meters wide. Things to avoid near my target include rocks, walls, slippery moss, sharp oyster shells, windsurfing sails, boards, fisherman with invisible fishing lines, and cars fully parked on a windy day. Many thanks to my windsurfing buddies whom helped me launch and land as a lonely kiter. Here is a photo and a video from six years ago:

Image


Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:11 am
by PBKiteboarding
Wow that is amazing...! Good thing it's only Windsurfing....
and the cars can't get out till the others go...
Great to see///
jasontsai wrote:Siafu, Taiwan was a gusty and sketchy launch site to me. Target landing/launching area was concrete and just a few meters wide. Things to avoid near my target include rocks, walls, slippery moss, sharp oyster shells, windsurfing sails, boards, fisherman with invisible fishing lines, and cars fully parked on a windy day. Many thanks to my windsurfing buddies whom helped me launch and land as a lonely kiter. Here is a photo and a video from six years ago:

Image


Re: World's sketchiest kite launch sites

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:33 am
by jasontsai
Parking rule was LIFO (Last In, First Out). So late comers should not kite or windsurf very long. :nono:

If you did, you will see :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire:

I took a photo when I came out of the water late...
Image