Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

OR Mako for learning?

Forum for kitesurfers
TommyDelly
Medium Poster
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:20 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

OR Mako for learning?

Postby TommyDelly » Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:51 pm

How are the Mako boards for learning and generally for total beginners (waterstart, first runs, getting upwind, etc.)?

Thanks for your input!
Cheers

adamj2281
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:21 am
Kiting since: 2009
Local Beach: Charleston, SC - Folly Beach
Favorite Beaches: Folly Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Playa Avellanas, Barker's, GC, East End, St. Croix,VI
Style: Surf mostly, some freeride
Gear: Ocean Rodeo Roam 7,12
Ocean Rodeo Crave 9
5'2" North Whip CSC
5'4" Tomo Hydroshort
Nobile 2HD
Slingshot H4 Batwing foil
Brand Affiliation: Ocean Rodeo
Location: Charleston, SC
Has thanked: 21 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby adamj2281 » Mon Oct 21, 2013 5:06 pm

I wouldn't advise them for learning unless that's all you want to ride for awhile. Mainly because they require a more even amount of foot pressure between your front and rear instead of the more traditional tt that requires more back foot pressure.

It's a great board, but I'd get comfortable on a more "normal" twintip and then buy a Mako to suit your needs.

whabbits
Medium Poster
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:32 pm
Local Beach: Vancouver Island, BC
Favorite Beaches: Comox, BC
Nitinaht Lake. BC
Port Renfrew, BC
Style: learning anything
Gear: LOL, kiting too expensive now.
Brand Affiliation: None, but I used to work at Ocean Rodeo.
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby whabbits » Mon Oct 21, 2013 5:40 pm

The local school here has one that they occasionally take out for students who're struggling to apply more pressure on their back foot.

I would agree with the above that a more traditional, wide, reduced rocker, twin tip is better for beginners.

User avatar
Laughingman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:35 pm
Local Beach: Kettle Point, Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay
Favorite Beaches: Kettle Point, Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay, Long Bay, Cayo Guillermo, La Ventana
Gear: Ocean Rodeo Gen6 Flites 10m, 12m Gen2 Roams 6m and 8m, Cloud D 4.8, 6.2, 8.0, 10.4
Xeon Laluz, Mako Wide 150, Jellyfish Custom surf board quad fin 6', LF Impulse Foil and Kanaha Shapes 37" board
Engine Harness with slider
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Has thanked: 17 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby Laughingman » Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:19 pm

I learned on a Mako 150 wide, and taught my wife on the same board then moved her to a Mako mini. and then she bought a Crazyfly girls and then I bought her a Epic Spartan. She has not ridden the Mako since she got the Spartan.

I think it is fine for learning.
I will never sell my Mako but there are pros and cons to every board, the Mako is great in waves but lacks characteristics such as POP, but it eats up chop like crazy and is a nice comfortable ride but it is certainly not a light wind board.

Life_Is_Awesome
Medium Poster
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 7:28 am
Local Beach: Keho, Alberta, Canada
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby Life_Is_Awesome » Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:38 pm

I agree with everything above, especially that the Mako is a sweet board :thumb:

It also depends on your local conditions. I learned on a Spleen Session, which is a beginner friendly board. But, since where I live we get higher winds and lots of chop it really was not a great board to learn on for me. Reason being is that it handled the chop poorly (still a great board though, just meant for different conditions). I then switched to a Mako and it helped me to progress since it was so much better in the chop. If you're in gusty, choppy conditions, consider the Mako even if you are a beginner.

fourperf
Frequent Poster
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:27 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby fourperf » Tue Oct 22, 2013 12:24 am

I taught my 14 yo son on a mako and think it works really well for a beginner personally.

User avatar
NYKiter
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2057
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:17 pm
Style: Wave
Gear: .
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 26 times

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby NYKiter » Tue Oct 22, 2013 12:52 am

Mako generates an EXPONENTIAL reduction in the learning curve for students...seen it four times this year... :party1:

User avatar
Slappysan
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1445
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:54 am
Kiting since: 2004
Gear: Wave Bandit Performer 4-10
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Has thanked: 44 times
Been thanked: 185 times

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby Slappysan » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:30 pm

Unless you have the Mako already or really want the surfy feel of the Mako I would get a Shinn Gintronic or Red instead.

tommeltot
Medium Poster
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:43 pm
Kiting since: 2002
Gear: .
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 0

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby tommeltot » Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:11 pm

I learn't on a traditional twintip but that was before I discovered the Mako.

I think the board would be just fine for a newbie after all why buy anything else when the Mako smooths out chop, boosts big (I speak for the 130cm size, 'Mini Mako') and is great in the waves to boot?

TommyDelly
Medium Poster
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:20 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: OR Mako for learning?

Postby TommyDelly » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:35 pm

Thanks for you replies!
I see there are very different opinions on this one. The board is not for me actually, but would be ment for teaching and i was thinking about the 140/40 size.
We have different spots, no waves, some choppy but mostly flat water, so looks like a board with less rocker would be better.


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ARK, Brent NKB, Breze, ham-er, jaros, lifeinthehood, mrcrss, vp and 143 guests

cron