launching a kite from the beach

Launching your kite from the beach

No matter where you decide to launch it is always a good thing to have someone with you who knows how to kitesurf and spot you when you take off and land. It can prevent disaster from happening if you get to close to other surfers or swimmers in the water. First of all, you should never try to launch a kite anywhere near people. It should be done in areas designated just for kitesurfing. Beginners should first learn to deploy from the beach before taking out to the ocean.

You must first have all of your gear on and ready to go, including having your kite’s lines flat and stretched out. If your kite is inflatable, you should begin inflating a few minutes before hand so you are ready to go when your gear is secure. Begin to sail your kite from about 10 feet until your kite is stretched to maximum length. Depending if you use 2 or 4 lines, it will be key to keep the kite downwind as you gear up. Hand over the bar to a friend or spotter while you head towards the water. Winds and ocean conditions during beach take offs are key on getting you out to sea and not back on land.

Once you have secured your gear and are ready to go, proceed to the edge of the water. Going out about a foot or two into the ocean and place your board in front of you. Place your feet inside of the foot straps. Let your spotter hand over the handle keeping the kite back. Pull the kite into a full dive to gain a bit of momentum and push off into the ocean. Once you have gotten yourself level, insert feet into foot straps.

Enjoy the ride!!!!!

Technorati Tags: kiteboarding, launching

Pismo beach Calif

NORTH from the fishing pier at the town of Pismo Beach, Calif., miles
up the shore and past the beachgoers standing in the wind and staring
out to sea, the green hills of San Luis Obispo County loom in the haze.
There, on the very edge of a continent, the Pacific winds blow
unremittingly into those big California hills, blurring the air and gusting up to 30 miles per hour on a typical day.

Technorati Tags: kiteboarding, pismo beach

shark attack

came across this little article,  not really kiteboarding, but thought is was interesting.  well thought it was scary actually.....


Shark Attack News

Shark teeth found in man's bone after attack

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 August, 2006 : - - A
Cape Town teenager scrambled into a boat to escape a shark only to
watch with horror as it turned around and attacked his brother, biting
his foot off. "I got in the boat. It turned and went straight for my
brother," Taariq Hassiem, 17, told of the ordeal which unfolded in the
waves off Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg at 11am on Sunday.

"I stuck my hand in the water to see if I could hold him. He grabbed
on to my hand. We grabbed him out as fast as possible... His foot was
cut clean off," said Taariq. "It's the worst thing that could happen to
me. It was the worst sight ever." While Taariq helped pull his
seriously injured brother Achmat, 24, from the sea, the shark -
believed to be a great white - circled and attacked the boat.

Technorati Tags: kiteboarding, shark