FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > General Discussion > HOW TO START, Kiteboarding Training & Schools > HOW TO START ...
Connect with Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/rick.iossi
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-26-2006, 09:21 PM
boardcanada boardcanada is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3
Default up North...

Hey,

Found kiteboarding on the internet about a week ago, and I can't stop thinking and researching the sport. I am glad just to have found this forum to ask some questions I am uncertain of.

Before I get into the sport or consider buying any gear, I will be taking lessons. From what I have read so far, the forum deals mostly with kitesurfing. I would love to do kitesurfing, but unfortunately, central Canada is not the best place to do so. But when I heard of kitesnowboarding, I knew I wanted to get involved.

Main questions would be:

1) When buying the kite for kitesnowboarding, what kind of kite would you recommend? I am also considering trying out some lessons on the lakes next summer, so I also wanted to know if certain kites can double up for both the winter and summer sports?

2) When you are on a lack kite surfing, do you plan on not coming back to your launching point? For example, if you are kayaking down a river, you plan your exit further down the river, so do you do the same for kite surfing - planning to end up at some other part of the lake?

3) Side question, any one know of any good kitesnowboarding spots in the Alberta area up in Canada?

Sorry for the lenght of all of this. All responses are greatly appreciated. I will be buying a smaller trainer kite some this week to practice some kite control.

Dominic
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-26-2006, 09:42 PM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default Re: up North...

Quote:
Originally Posted by boardcanada
Hey,

Found kiteboarding on the internet about a week ago, and I can't stop thinking and researching the sport. I am glad just to have found this forum to ask some questions I am uncertain of.

Before I get into the sport or consider buying any gear, I will be taking lessons. From what I have read so far, the forum deals mostly with kitesurfing. I would love to do kitesurfing, but unfortunately, central Canada is not the best place to do so. But when I heard of kitesnowboarding, I knew I wanted to get involved.

Main questions would be:

1) When buying the kite for kitesnowboarding, what kind of kite would you recommend? I am also considering trying out some lessons on the lakes next summer, so I also wanted to know if certain kites can double up for both the winter and summer sports?

2) When you are on a lack kite surfing, do you plan on not coming back to your launching point? For example, if you are kayaking down a river, you plan your exit further down the river, so do you do the same for kite surfing - planning to end up at some other part of the lake?

3) Side question, any one know of any good kitesnowboarding spots in the Alberta area up in Canada?

Sorry for the lenght of all of this. All responses are greatly appreciated. I will be buying a smaller trainer kite some this week to practice some kite control.

Dominic
Hello Dominic,

Sadly, you may find the snow kiting experience in Florida and on this forum to be a bit lacking. I have taken kites to the mountains on and off for 7 years but have yet to try it?! I need a big cornfield in Minnesota I think instead of alpine cliffs.

Anyway, there are some good snow kiteboarding instructors out there. I would wait to take lessons before worrying much about what type and size kites to buy. Snow kiting is similar in some ways to the water variety and yet quite different in others. Just as in water kitesurfing you need different kite sizes as a function of wind, you need this in snow kiting to some degree. However the surface conditions factor in as well. For instance I am told deep power is the most similar to water in power requirements. Hard pack requires less kite power and ice even less than that. Some guys are indifferent to helmets and impact protection in water kiting, a mistake in my view. From what I have heard use of these and even more padding is fairly common in snowkiting. One area where water kiting may be further ahead than snow kiting is in weather planning. Squalls occur in snow just like they do in warmer times over the water. There was a sad case of a snowkiter being killed at Alberta Beach a while back in a severe weather event. More about this at: http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=405

Anyway, regarding instructors you could interview:

http://www.kitesource.com/
http://www.rockymountainkiting.com/
http://www.kitesource.ca/contact.htm
http://www.mullerwindsports.com/feb05/links.htm#ozone

I don't know this outfits so you will need to interview them for course content, goals, etc..

I think Ozone Kites does an extensive winter race series across Canada and the USA in the winter which would be worth checking into for instructional opportunities as well.

I know in some alpine lakes in Europe guys do downwinders stopping for lunch, dinner, etc. along the way as they tour the coast of the lakes. I imagine snowkiters do downwinders just like the water variety with the same attendant logistical issues, i.e. how to get back.

I understand there are a LOT of good riding areas in the snows of Alberta but I would still say to check in with the best area instructor you can find in that regard.

Good luck!
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-26-2006, 10:01 PM
boardcanada boardcanada is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3
Default

haha I thought I would try here first to see if there was any response - thank you greatly for your response as well.

Safety is a large priority for myself as well. I have the helmet for snowboarding, but I will be looking into other protection as well.

For the second question I asked, to add on, can you easily plan to return to where you launched from?

Finding quality instructions is my main objective at this point.

Once again, thank you for the response.

I was actually planning on coming down to Florida, so maybe some good kitesurfing lessons down there would be in the agenda as well. I am sure if I head down, I will be on here asking for some information.

Thanks.

Dominic
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-26-2006, 10:08 PM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by boardcanada
haha I thought I would try here first to see if there was any response - thank you greatly for your response as well.

Safety is a large priority for myself as well. I have the helmet for snowboarding, but I will be looking into other protection as well.

For the second question I asked, to add on, can you easily plan to return to where you launched from?

Finding quality instructions is my main objective at this point.

Once again, thank you for the response.

I was actually planning on coming down to Florida, so maybe some good kitesurfing lessons down there would be in the agenda as well. I am sure if I head down, I will be on here asking for some information.

Thanks.

Dominic
As I understand, staying upwind requires a little technique just as it does on water. If you stay upwind and if you ride on a beam reach you should be able to kite back to where you started from. I have heard the time required to learn how to stay upwind can be faster on snow than on water. Kite power may also factor into this as a function of kite size, wind speed, surface conditions and rider experience. Unlike in the water, you can walk back unless you need snowshoes of course. If conditions are marginal you may have to contemplate some one way, downwind runs. Otherwise you should be able to return to your starting area.

Open cell foils are still fairly popular for snow kiting and are far less common on water. Flat kites offer lots of advantages on water and I suspect will be fairly popular on snow as well. Flat kites help to manage reasonable gusty conditions better. Land based wind shadow and uneven winds are common factors that flat kites should ease the issues with.
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-07-2006, 10:37 PM
boardcanada boardcanada is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3
Default

Hey Rick,

I know this is quite the late reply, but just wanted to say thanks for all of the info. I ended up taking a lesson up here in Edmonton from this great instructor who turned out to be the sole distributor for Flysurfer in Western Canada, and I must say, kiteboarding was everything and more than I could have ever expected. On snow, it is unbelieveable, and I can't wait to try it on some of the lakes out here. I have gone out a few times already and it continues to get better, as I do also. I decided to go with a Psycho III 13m from Flysurfer for my first kite which I'll probably buy end of December.

I was doing some research on this site, and I was unable to find any threads on how to get some air - I don't plan on trying anything until I am very comfortable with the kite and board - but I was unable to find any threads. I have an idea that it involves moving the kite from say 1 to 11 when you are heading in the 1 direction (if that makes any sense).

If you know of any good links or posts on this forum that would help, it would be great!

Dominic
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.