Forum for kitesurfers
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.Joel
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Postby .Joel » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:34 pm
Hi All,
My younger sister is interested in Kiteboarding. So i'm getting her a first time kit together. She is 12 years old, and weighs 45kg approx, and is quite tall for her age. At 12 years old she already takes to a ramp on roller blades, or a BMX depending on the afternoon. So her ability with "extreme" sports is quite respectable at her age already.
So far I have been having her fly a small trainer kite on a bar, then moved her over to a 3.5m kite on handles which she could fling around and do some static jumping with.
So far I have got her a buoyancy vest and helmet, will take her to the local shop to get fitted out with a small harness.
What Kite and board should I be looking for her ? Doesn't have to be the newest gear, more then happy to get a season or two old gear for her to start on.
Any suggestions and reccomendations ?
I should also throw in there she can already water ski, so has an idea of the whole being towed behind our boat feeling.
Looking for kites in particular that are well priced, however are also safe. What size should I be looking at ?
What size board should she be starting on ?
Regards,
.Joel
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Skyway Scott
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Postby Skyway Scott » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:38 pm
What wind speeds is she going to be riding in?
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.Joel
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Postby .Joel » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:43 pm
Ahh good point.
Looking for between 14 - 25 knots.
Don't want her out above that until at least a year down the track where she is both older and better at it. Kiteboarding isn't like her freestyle or her being towed behind a boat. She can get in more shite kiteboarding then all of the other 3 put together, so no nuking winds while i'm around.
Trying to get the right kit, then book her in for a two lessons to get her head on right, then i'll help her out from there once she has shown she's thinking not just doing.
Regards,
.Joel
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sw67
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Postby sw67 » Tue Dec 25, 2007 3:29 pm
I have been thinking about this as well for my son next year who is also a tall skinny 12year old
I have an old underground flx 142 he is free to destroy but i am not sure about kites - i fly slingshot TD1 and 2s and thought about buying the smaller sizes so i can use them in mega winds
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Buzzy
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Postby Buzzy » Tue Dec 25, 2007 4:13 pm
I have some experience teaching kids and girls with little weight
you are looking for 5 and 7 meter kites,
they must have a good safety system (5th line or 4 line sliding system like EH and Rev)
it can be a bow, but must bows and hybrids fly bad in their lower windrange now bar feel, you can not put pressure on backlines etc..)
get her any of those and a good bar
5 and 7 06 yarga (and get a set of airtime valves and replave the orignuinal opnes they leak if it is warm)..200 - 300$ a kite (the 5m 05 was ok, the 7m 05 sucked)
get a good 5 line bar (carved is the best (never tangles), north and nash are ok)
0
if you want new kites..
maybe the small generators are good (airrush 5th line is ok)
or 5 and 7 fuel (fuels rth line is ok, but tangles if you do spins)
7m Carved fireball is good and you can get it with the bar and ad any other 5m kite..
also 7m and 5 meter North Vegas are good
if you go for bows:
most do not relaunch well in lower winds and do not feel as good as with more pressure..
Core 5 and 7 meter are good (and have a 5line)
I think a 6m Reppehr might be one Kite quiver for her (but do not about relaunch in low winds)
for the boards..
I put the girls on 126*39 carved impertor boards (a good twintip with nive rounded edges, a soft feel and a big concave)
but any small twintio between 120 - 128 will do the job..
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Oleg
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Postby Oleg » Tue Dec 25, 2007 6:35 pm
Hi,
Here is some pics of our local rider Sergey. He is 12 years old, began kitesurfing 1.5 years ago. He have board 125x38 and Snowkiteboard 148. Kites 5,7 and 9 (rarely used 12 m).
I think that to start your sister will be ok with sizes 5 and 7. And of course she'll needs a good instructor. Not any instructor can work with children ... Good luck!
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Skyway Scott
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Postby Skyway Scott » Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:41 pm
Sounds like you got some great advice. I was thinking 7m.
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only1out
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Postby only1out » Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:48 pm
Hi Joel
I am 48kg and my 7m Waroo is in it's sweet spot from 16 knots. Your sister is lighter so a 7m should be good from 14 knots. A 128 * 38 board is perfect for me except in very light winds. At this weight larger boards are hard on your legs and glutes once your sessions are longer but your sister could learn on a larger board and sell it later. I learnt on a 145 * 40.5 with no problems.
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gandulf
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Postby gandulf » Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:12 am
i'm wondering the same thing... for a 14/13 year old/45 kgs
they already fly HQ montana 2 9.5 and ozone frenzy fx 7m on land until 27 knots...
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alpower
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Postby alpower » Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:53 am
My son is 12, he started riding at 10 when he was about 35kg, he's currently about 42kg. I can't get him too interested but when he does ride he spends 90% of his time on a Switchblade 1 5m which works from about 10 kts to 20 kts for him. This year I put it on 14m lines for him and it works a lot better that way, as it doesn't generate near as much power when flying through the wind window. (I discovered this myself when I flew it on both the longer and than shorter lines in 50mph winds in Hatteras). A couple of things to consider. Bow kites with the total depower are less scary for kids when learning. To me a 2 to 1 with light bar pressure is best as their arms are not long enough to reach 1 to 1 with total depower. Practice getting them to use the safety over and over and make sure they wear a life jacket.
For a board I had him built a Rogue Wave 120x32. I know this isn't an option for everyone but works awesome.
One last thing, kids shouldn't go out over 20kts until they are compentent.
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