Just bought my first set up...

[Starsky]

Flat out, that kite is too big. You weigh 140 lbs. You should be learning on a 12m max. The conundrum is that in light enough wind for you to learn to fly that kite the wind is so light the kite will do a lot more falling from the sky than easy flying. it is also big enough to really get the better of your light weight very very quickly. On a smaller kite you will be much safer in slightly more wind. This will make the whole launching, flying, crashing, relaunching process much smoother and safer. That kite is more suite to big 200+ lb guys for learning.

I'm a dick, so have no pretences at being polite and welcoming. Still I don't like seeing anyone get hurt, hurt someone else, or put the access of other kiters at risk. I don't really give a shit if people shred their gear in stupidity.

Good luck.

[dyyylan]

Where do you live? Someone might be nice enough to offer a free lesson to explain the basics, so at least you don't die while trying to learn.

Even then, it's going to be very difficult trying to learn on your own. All the risks aside, learning to kite sucks, even with lessons. I suppose it could probably be done if you are very careful and only go out in very low wind (<12 mph) but it's going to be very frustrating. I would really recommend trying to take just 1 lesson (2-3 hours) at a minimum so you can at least learn some kite control.

As a beginner you can't even launch/land the kite by yourself, so you will need someone to help. At the very least, go to a beach with friendly kiters (and go away from everyone else) and pray to jesus you can find someone to help you out.

[tautologies]

I tell anyone who listen to not learn in low wind because it is harder to fly the kite. When that is said, I also always tell people to take a lesson. Either way 16 seems big for a 140lb person.

Maybe re-prioritize where your monies are spent so you can afford it, or make it a project to save up.
A tip to get the most out of the lessons. Ask the instructor to borrow their trainer kite before the lesson, and spend few hours on it...doing all the controls.
I am sure there are some youtube videos on figure eights etc.

That you find lessons expensive is not a great reason to choose to put other people in danger (yeah I know I don;t know your spot, but many spots have other people around).

[Laughingman]

Are you guys saying the kite is too big? I bought it to learn in low wind days.

Yes not only can a kite this large hurt you or likely kill you if used in too high a wind or gusty conditions, the larger the kite the more difficult it is too learn with. Especially when trying to get up wind,
Flying a kite in light winds is more difficult and can take years to perfect, so not conducive to learning

I don't have a lot of money and lessons are 300 dollars a session.

How expensive is your healthcare or how expensive would it be if you needed to miss work due to injury? Would you buy a parachute on Craig's list and jump out of a plane without lessons? How about a para-glider?
These things are not that far away from flying kites, especially when you are inexperienced and frankly ignorant to the dangers

You don't even learn how to ride in 1 session, it takes multiple sessions just to learn how to stand up.

Yes because there are a lot of things too learn, especially how not to kill yourself or how to save your self when something bad happens.

I know you guys think this is a big joke, but I am dead serious on trying to learn, and the whole reason I bought off of craigslist is because I don't have 3000 to dish out on new equipment

I do not think this is a joke, I think you may seriously end up dead, seriously, this is no joke. The guy on Craig's list is selling it there because he was unable to sell it on the beach or too his mates, that tells me that nobody wanted it
Pretty good indication that you also do not want it.
You can get lessons for less then $60 an hour, You do not need to shell out $3000 in gear, once you take a lesson your instructor will be more then happy to guide you in purchasing gear, what sizes to get what years to stay away from etc
Once you are safe enough to be around other people on the beach you will make friends and they will help you further.
DO NOT PRACTICE IN AREAS WHERE OTHER PEOPLE ARE. ATM, you are a danger to yourself and anyone within 100m of you.

My guess is that you are fairly young, givin the in ability to afford to pay for gear and lessons, also that you are willing to endanger your well being instead of reorganizing some expenses.
You may think you are invincible or maybe it is just the "it won't happen to me" syndrome. Maybe you are just to dumb to realize that people are not wasting their time trying to talk you out of this for their own egos.
We are trying to talk you out of this because we hear about people dying too often, or we made the same mistakes and it ended up costing us much more then the lessons would have.
We have people like you showing up at our beaches endangering us and other beach goers, and we are losing access because of you.
FFS, figure out how to take some lessons, and sell that kite on Craig's list to the next sucker, cause we love having to deal with them here.

Damit, now I'm angry.... people and the self centered, I know better then everyone that came before me yada, yada yada bullshit.

[Bille]

...
FFS, figure out how to take some lessons, and sell that kite on Craig's list to the next sucker, cause
we love having to deal with them here.

Damit, now I'm angry.... people and the self centered, I know better then everyone that came before
me yada, yada yada bullshit.

Actually Don't sell that : ((Way too Big for you kite)) on Craig's list ; we will just have to go through
this all over !!!

You should have asked FIRST , Why would you just randomly purchase equipment for a sport ;
that you know Nothing about ?

I fly Hang gliders and Para gliders ; there have bin More people Killed in this sport, this year ;
than in HG and PG combined !!!

Billle

[knot_moving]

If you look a little further down the forum you will see threads on 2 kiters who were killed kiteboarding in the last month.
Look in the mirror and see if you like who you see - if you do then save up / get a second job / do whatever it takes to go get some lessons.

If you don't like the person you see then take your 16m kite to the beach or a field or a parking lot & set it up directly downwind on a day with at least 16kts of wind and launch it straight up ...
just make sure there is nobody around so you don't hurt anyone else!

[dobiewan]

New kites are definitely pricey - I buy all mine used too. At 140 lbs, a 16m kite will be all the kite you will ever want - so do yourself a favour (get lessons) and get another used kite in the 10 - 11m range, which will quickly become your favourite kite! Hang out at the closest kitesurfing area - find someone who will set you up with some simple training so that after you've got the basics (and the boring save your life safety stuff that no one else will teach you properly) - you can get more tips from them and perfect the sport! Have fun - ignore those that chide - we all started as idiots...
Ken

[william_rx7]

[Do-it]

I witnessed a craigslister compound fracture both of his arms 30 yards away from me. Twas pretty brutal beating. He came out to the beach a week earlier with a bar that had rear lines with two feet of extra line. I told him to go get lessons. He didn't listen. I chuckled a little as the ambulance was leaving.

[LetsFlyaKite]

So if I had more experience would this kite still be useful? Or do you guys think it's totally worthless because it will always be a danger for someone my size?