Kite Board Performance

[Andrew]

What kind of performance do kite boards get, i.e. speed, how close to the wind, and actuall progress to windward?

Thanks, Andrew

[Pete Dorr]

Andrew

The good guys in my area have no problem staying where they launch from but I've never seen them try to go to windward. I've also never asked them.

Speed wise they go pretty fast. Not as fast as a windsurfer goes but they compensate for that with huge jumps.

A friend got a training kite for Christmas so I'll likely try that out. I really don't have the $$ to really get into it but I'd like to try it.

Pete

[Andrew]

Thanks for the reply. Like you I've seen they have little problem returning to their launching area. The one time I saw them with sailboards the kites appeared way faster. That could have been wind conditions or skill level. I'm still curious about windward ability. Good luck with your kiting

[ 04-06-2003, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: Andrew ]

[PeterSibley]

It can be a bit hairy I'd say ...til you learn how,one guy up our way got pulled out of the water and across a main road ,traffic and all and survived to tell the tale and see himself on the TV news.Must have been his first time out !But I love the way they can jump !Sure look fast .

[Ian McColgin]

Always gotta worry about a sport where instead of cloths, you wear gear -

Black neoprenen with stainless hooks gear at that.

But seriously, the kites are trescool - the big leaps with flips are a gas. Saw one guy try to hop a sand bar. He practiced getting better height and length and then thought he had it.

Between the thought and the act fell the shadow.

But who cares. He'll do it one day. And then maybe move up to soaring over that barrior beach east of Bass River.

Don't get much cooler.