Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Real Valuable Advice

Forum for kitesurfers
User avatar
Xtream
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 576
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:15 pm
Local Beach: Brant Beach LBI
Style: Old School
Gear: Slingshot Machine 12M & 9M
Airush Ultra 17
Nomad Ultrawave
Rogue Wave 132
Rogue Wave Fat Bastard
Brand Affiliation: No Brand Affiliation
Location: LBI NJ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 10 times

Real Valuable Advice

Postby Xtream » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:07 pm

I have been learning to kiteboard along with my son I have been out about a dozen time and my son has been in the water about half that. I took lessons to get started, but to improve my skills more water time is where its at. The problem I faced is most of the time I would be alone.
One extream valuable technique The Upwind Board Drag has saved me from long swims after practicing water starts and getting up on the board and going downwind into deeper water. I learned from John Holzhall's Book and DVD Secrets of Kiteboarding, I have seen some posts not very positive about the use of different line lenghts, but Johns book and DVD is all about taking responsibility and learning in steps.
I just wanted voice my opinion on Johns Book and DVD, they have both been very valuable to me in helping me improve my skills. Its really awesome to be able to upwind board drag back to where I started and have plenty of waist deep water and practice staying up on the board. There is alot of valuable information in John's book Secrets of Kiteboarding in my opinion its a must for every beginner
Attachments
p1000279_1_1.jpg
p1000279_1_1.jpg (144.14 KiB) Viewed 1182 times

User avatar
Tom183
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3332
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:23 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: The United Mistakes of America
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Real Valuable Advice

Postby Tom183 » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:58 pm

Xtream wrote:II learned from John Holzhall's Book and DVD Secrets of Kiteboarding, I have seen some posts not very positive about the use of different line lenghts, but Johns book and DVD is all about taking responsibility and learning in steps.
I think a lot of guys are all for taking responsibility and learning in steps, it's just that John's posts sound like so much Messianic BS...

User avatar
Xtream
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 576
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:15 pm
Local Beach: Brant Beach LBI
Style: Old School
Gear: Slingshot Machine 12M & 9M
Airush Ultra 17
Nomad Ultrawave
Rogue Wave 132
Rogue Wave Fat Bastard
Brand Affiliation: No Brand Affiliation
Location: LBI NJ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 10 times

Postby Xtream » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:25 pm

Tom, You are correct alot of guys do accept responsibility, but its the one nut job that get the beach banned. I would have thought most beginners take the time to learn and use a step approach, but for the little time I've been out I have seen some real winners, trying to launch in a cove around sailboats, I convinced the nut job not to launch where he was attempting and tried to explain he should get upwind a bit so he has some distance before he get dragged into deep water. This guy was lucky he didn't drown, he eventually got dragged out into deep water, released his safety and got tangled up and hog tied in his lines a boater helped him by cutting him free from his tangled lines. That day the wind was 12-18 the very next day its was 22-30 this guy would have put up the same kite and killed himself. I guess John see.s hear's about alot more wacko nut jobs who are not taking responsibility for their actions. I talked with John several time's and he's always been real positive and helpfull to me. His books is full of great info and common sense.
As far a Messianic BS I was not aware John was a relegious fellow, or a member of the Free Masons I do think he feels strongly about safety :thumb: .

User avatar
Tom183
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3332
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:23 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: The United Mistakes of America
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Postby Tom183 » Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:31 am

Yeah, the first thing instructors should do is pull out two kites and a windmeter, and make the student figure out which one won't kill them.

I'm absolutely stupefied at the number of guys who show up at the beach, feel the wind parting their hair and pull out their 15m. (then they show up the next day when you can't even feel the wind, and pull out their 15m...)

dooooood
Medium Poster
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat May 21, 2005 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Postby dooooood » Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:02 am

maybe all they have is a 15meter :roll:

User avatar
Tom183
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3332
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:23 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: The United Mistakes of America
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Postby Tom183 » Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:54 am

dooooood wrote:maybe all they have is a 15meter :roll:
Exactly...

uncleneil
Frequent Poster
Posts: 456
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:27 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: San Fran
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Postby uncleneil » Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:16 pm

Xtream, What's up! I know the guy your talking about. He insited on not taking lessons and after that fiasco, I think he is going to get some more instruction now.

He bought his kite either from another shop or online. (Cabrihna Element 12m) The first day out with his kite within 10 minutes of trying to fly it, it luft and fell into a fence putting about 5 good size holes in it. Those holes were repaired for about $70.00. He picked up the kite and refused help with anything. His quote: "Don't worry, I got it!" The same day was when you saw him. He didn't just cut his lines after the hog tieing contest but cut his lines, leader lines on the bar and all the Recon lines in the kite. COMPLETE LOSS!! Now it going to cost him @ $400.00-$600.00 to get it fixed.

User avatar
Xtream
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 576
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:15 pm
Local Beach: Brant Beach LBI
Style: Old School
Gear: Slingshot Machine 12M & 9M
Airush Ultra 17
Nomad Ultrawave
Rogue Wave 132
Rogue Wave Fat Bastard
Brand Affiliation: No Brand Affiliation
Location: LBI NJ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 10 times

Postby Xtream » Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:20 pm

Hey Uncleneil, I wached this guy put his board on his feet on land, dive the kite and attempt to jump off land and water start on his face. I did ask him if he took lessons. he said NO, I asked him where he bought the kite he said got it when he was on vacation in North Carolina. When I was leaving walking back from the point I saw him white as a ghost I ask how did you make out? That's when he told me what had happened. This is all while his wife, kid and dog watched from the beach. I told him he should take some lessons and get a vest, he said he was going to get a Jetski so his wife could follow him around. See its your fault you let this guy back out, what you should have done once he was in your shop was break his legs and arms with a bat and tell him this is what it feels like when you hit a house in 30mph winds. The other thing you need at LBI Surf & Sail is a holding cell for all the kooks that decide not to take lessons. You could keep them in the basement and brainwash them into saftey before your release them into the wild.
Say Hello to the crew Mike Noel Billy... Here's a picture on Mike & Noel tearing it up in my backyard. Let me know if you want the High resolution picture.
Attachments
24061903_2.jpg
24061903_2.jpg (60.93 KiB) Viewed 802 times
Last edited by Xtream on Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Jaco
Frequent Poster
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:12 pm
Style: Waves
Gear: Naish
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 4 times

Postby Jaco » Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:45 pm

Having a jet ski would certainly be nice, but how many people can even afford lessons?! I know that is the right way to get into the sport, through lessons which I have done. But what i think is the deal with all these people who get injured are they just see people on the beach flying and they have big heads and think they can just get up and do it without proper technique or instruction.

User avatar
Xtream
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 576
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:15 pm
Local Beach: Brant Beach LBI
Style: Old School
Gear: Slingshot Machine 12M & 9M
Airush Ultra 17
Nomad Ultrawave
Rogue Wave 132
Rogue Wave Fat Bastard
Brand Affiliation: No Brand Affiliation
Location: LBI NJ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 10 times

Postby Xtream » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:06 pm

Yes Jaco... Big Heads...Big Balls.... And Small Brains.
There is nothing better to cure the BHBB Sindrome (Big Head Big Balls)
Than to take them out into the bay knee deep water, and strap them into a 16 meter kite and let them get their ass kicked.. Patient Cured!
That's why getting 1/2 day lesson is better than no lesson and reading and watching John's book & DVD Secrets of Kiteboarding is extreamly valuable. The Grasshopper approach is much better than the know it all approach. I'm always learning everytime I go out. I Thought I was pretty slick and got up and riding on a good day steady 15-20 mph winds. Than the next time I went out wind were 10-gusting to 25 I wasn't so good anymore.. Practice more practice... and when I grow up I want to be just like Noel. Cranking 20 foot + jumps in 18mph..... :thumb:


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: andylc, Baidu [Spider], Baptiste_FR, Bing [Bot], bragnouff, Breze, droffats, elrizo, ham-er, headintheclouds, Leon van Bergen, Pitu, purdyd, rnelias, SolarSet, Templeam, tonester, Tony, universalflush, Wainando, Yahoo [Bot] and 374 guests