If you've got way too much time on your hands and are getting paid by the hour to surf the net, check out one of our registered user's websites www.abstylen.de - a kraut named Enno who has a great slide show of kiting in our fair country including a record of the recent Christchurch Nationals.

Also, I downloaded a video from the gaastra site the other day: Sky Solbach down-under which features footage of him riding at Taranaki, on the day when many of us scored that wave-riding sesh after the last Red Bull debacle.

Cheer cheer

Meet this Enno,nice guy for a german.Spent heaps of time being a kite bum at Tahuna beach~Nelson.during summer.
Kraut's dont know the meaning of, giving way for locals though!
But hey! it's a big beach.

And another bit of chewing gum for the mind:

Kite Sails For America's Cup - by Dean Jordan,
Spokesperson for KiteShip USA

The 2003 America's Cup regattas brought the world's best
and fastest high tech sailing yachts to compete in New Zealand, but none
more exotic than the USA team's yacht which flew a kite sail spinnaker
designed by KiteShip USA during the Louis Vuitton Cup trials, to prove once
and for all that regulation designed kite sails could be a decisive
advantage in the America's Cup.

"We brought a 280-square meter OutLeader Brand kite sail
to Auckland," says Dave Culp, President of KiteShip USA in Santa Cruz,
California, happily. "When put to the test, our 70-meter kite sailing crews
triumphed over traditionally equipped competitors that were flying 20-meters more sail area, and we pulled away every time!"

KiteShip USA is the innovations leader in wind-powered sea
transportation solutions. "In Spring of 2001 Chris Todter approached
KiteShip and asked "is it possible?" says Dean Jordan, spokesperson for
KiteShip Corporation, KiteShip USA's parent company. "Under highly secretive development for a year and a half, this engineering endeavor has truly paid off. It's patent pending, and is featured in our OutLeader Brand products line." Jordan adds.

"In any racing class, a sail that exploits steadier
airflow at altitude without disturbances from the vessel's own motion
produces smoother power transfer with a minimum of control input," explains Culp, who with 25+ years of kite sailing experience is a co-developer along with Dean Jordan, Frank de Winter and Ron Swenson of OutLeader Brand spinnakers. "We've demonstrated 30-50% more wind-power transfer over traditional spinnaker designs," Culp notes.

The use of free-flying kites in place of traditional sails
is not new, but it is a rare sight. If KiteShip USA's demos for the 2003
America's Cup prove anything they forecast that everything is about to
change in the design of ISAF and IACC-legal racing spinnakers.

"Offshore and cruising boats, as well as the commercial
shipping industry, will reap the power and fuel-saving, alternative energy
benefits of kite sails," says Jordan. "We've designed a future; and see it
now," he grins. Visit www.kiteship.com for more information.

hmmm 280 square meter?? would that be enought to get me on the plane??

oh, I just got back from a kitesurfing trip to thailand, the verdict is don't bother unless you are a 45 kilo thai, it just isn't a windy place. best 10 days they've had since november, and that was 7 days of 10 knots and 2 of 15 and one of 22

but it was nice and warm and the beer was cold.......

Doof

hey doofus!

where did you get to in thailand?

pattaya, 150 k's south of bangkok on the east side of the gulf

try www.cuttlebone.net
or www.bluelagoon.biz





:twisted:

ooops that was me not logged in
:twisted:

Looks like some good riding in that neck of the woods. I was over there about 10 years ago and went to some sick spots (kiting was the furthest thing from my 21 year old mind) but never made it to Pattaya.

Did you see the Starboard / Airush HQ / cable-park in your travels? A couple of kiwis are up there slaving away in the hot sun.

Connoisseurs of fine websites will appreciate Wipika's re-launched beauty with some great action photos / vids etc:: www.wipika.com

You folks might also appreciate www.kitesurfing.org
A brit site for the British Kitesurfing association
Lots of info and etc

nah not really
only if you've got bones made of balsa wood

or like sitting on the beach drinking beer....

EiEiEy That bit on the left hurts my eyes! And it doesn't work in Opera.

Chris

Yep not much wind in Thailand, only during squalls or thunderstorms, or on real hot days 25 degrees and 10 knots, = need a frikken big kite, mastair 16 maybe? I get hidiously overpowered in 10 knots on one of those and a wakeboard..

yeah we spent most of the time riding 18 g-arc + 840 stacks
and the huge 15/13 stack
some guys on rhino II 18's and 20's were struggling too

the air was just too hot, light and fluffy

one of the locals had a 16m warrior and was going ok but that kite is the definition of SLOW

we had the best wind in our ten days that they'd had in 6 months

but the beer and food was GOOD!!

doofus :roll: :roll: