i am looking for a friend that is a kite boarder. i am a 27 year old kid from victoria and i am about to dive into this sport. I have been flying kites on clover point al summer and i am sick and tired of seeing you cats ripping it up out there. So i am looking for someone to contact with questions and stuff. i have not bought gear yet but i have alot of the cash together so any help would be so great

thanks guys and gals.
blair

http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1672
http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2072

I recommend Island view beach as a place to start...Light onshore winds & a helmet mandatory. Lots of used gear available here:
http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=7
A 12 M Bronco with a fifth line setup is a good start.

http://www.strongkiteboarding.com

For gear; DON'T BUY ANY NEW GEAR!!!! (unless the price is extremely reduce for clearance)

My first kite: 9m naish, can't remember wich one, 1400$ (5 or 6 years ago) Gone (still in my garage but in very very bad shape)

Second Kite: lost it on a very high tree, in Diego Garcia (1300$).

Third new Kite: lost in a sewer flood, had the money from inssurance but spend it all in partying. (1200$) Total: 3900$ (a lot less than yearly bar money but still)

Bottom line is: Go with lot's of used kites 12m-10m-14m-16m (100$-300$ a kite) Why? You'll cover a better wind range, you'll get to fly different brands, knowing more what you feel comfy with before spending a 1200$ on a brand new kite. You'll have a better chance of actually kiting when you go out to Long beach, Island View, Nitinat lake or Esquimalt lagoon. Esquimalt lagoon is a very bad place but I think it is a good first place to learn dragging, to deal with unwanted crashing/relaunching technics under gusty winds, to gain respect of how much what you are flying can be very dangerous. (but please go with the supervision of someone experimented).

I now have a used 10m/12m/14m and 20m for 850$ !!!!
Wait for good deals, take your time , don't buy under excitement. Knowing that it is used gear, expect them to not last very long, but also know that these kites will gives you more chances to kite during the time they last. And if ever one of them brake, actually I should say when one of them brake, then replace it by a new one.

About lessons...... I don't know how much it is$$$, but do you have some wake boarding or a couple of snowboarding years under your belt? Or a lot with skateboarding? And a friend that kite surf and can at least go upwind, showing/teaching you safety first and flying after?
If the answer is no in any of those (execpt the skateboard one), please spend the money to take a course, believe me, trust me, you'll be WAY more happy to have chose this path.

After 5 years and a lot's lot's of practice..... I am going for sure to take lessons this year with strong kiteboarding. (the link above).
But don't get scared about the 5 years thing, this is my own fault, and I do not have ANY board skills at all, that is why I am going to take lessons, plus there is probably some kite flying aspect that I don't understand yet. (There is people learning this sport without courses that will go up wind on the second day, but this is because they have a strong wakeboard/snowboard experience WITH an experience rider to teach and supervise them, with hours of flying a training kite) But please don't neglect the self taught/reading safety aspect of it.

Anyway if I can't go upwind on both direction after those courses, I'll be more than happy to go with you this summer for any kite surfing, you do 3 runs, we walk back and its my turn to do 3 runs, vice and versa. I am not looking for a friend here but more for somone to share that beggineer phase of walking back upwind (unless you are the kind of guy who is regularly throwing party with 3 university chicks for 1 guy, I'll be your BEST friend) hehehe, just kiding.

Good luck, Ian.