20 Years of Kiting!

[matth]

I stayed with Windsurfer during those early years. No regrets I had a blast, and when I was assured by friends kiting had evolved and the gear was much safer I took the plunge. I haven't WS in 6 years and find kiting better in almost every way now......Only thing that comes close is fresh pow in Utaaahhh

[Toby]

Phil, AR5 didn't come out until at least 2001.

I started in 2000 with a Naish 3.5 9.0

November 2000 I went to my first kite holiday in the Maldives...I had a 16.9 (?) Wipika, and 2 Naish AR5 (I think 9.5 and 11.5) with me.

So definitely the AR5 was available fall 2000.

[fat blokes can fly]

I stand corrected Toby/Phil.

Everything (the kit that is) was evolving so quickly those first few years.

It was an expensive time.

[Toby]

Yes, the kites were cheaper though, but in 2001 I had a quiver of ARX: 8, 10, 12, 14, 16.

Never knew which size to take...loving today just using an 18...best way to progress if you have the same gear all the time.

[tautologies]

Yes, the kites were cheaper though, but in 2001 I had quiver of ARX: 8, 10, 12, 14, 16.

Never knew which size to take...loving today just using an 18...best way to progress if you have the same gear all the time.

haha nice, but for most people riding an 18 is probably the worst day kiting ever. This year my biggest kite is an 11. I might go biggest, but for now, this is it.

[Carlos_C]

15 years for me - bought my first Flysurfer in 2002 ( a Maniac 7) to landboard with and got wet in 2003.....Sill riding Flysurfer

[Toby]

Just found this from 2001 !
Fuerteventura...

[Dave K]

Hats off to Rick and Toby! I remember Rick taking some heat in the early days for promoting helmets and vests and even just reporting accidents.

18 years here, we’ll almost. First lesson from Paul Menta in Dec 2000 in the Keys. Wipika 2 lines with that cool wrist leash and of course no harness. Naish Skypirate for a board. Still remember that first out of control ride. My 10 yr old daughter stayed in Paul’s camper with his girl friend during the lesson watching Disney movies. (She’s 28 now and spent this last summer as a coach at Real Watersports).Time Flies!

I bought a Wipika 2 line but sold it the minute the Naish AR5 4-lines came out. Got a 9 and a 12 in early 2001. Was part of the early Lakes Bay, NJ kiting crew. First tt was a Pete Nordby (Zero Gravity) 2001 light wind monster, which served me well. Helmet, vest, snap shackle and real leash!

Never did sell that board, and here I am 18 years later, still mucking around with kites and finding a new life for that ole Bessy. Oh and thank god new technology like the Onda 633 and Stem cell prolotherapy for knees, or my kiting days would be over