Hey Guys, Just been reading through your forum and it sounds like a whole lot of problems finding a spot to kite in NZ. I am currently based in Edinburgh and finding spots no problem with a max of 15 kiters on the busiest days and recommend a summer visit.

That said, i am visiting my brother in invercargill over xmas and most of january. I was wondering what size kites i need to be taking?

Choices: 18.5m slingshot, 14.5 Raven, 12m Wipika wip, 6m flexfoil

Have been kiting for three seasons now and experience level is best described as being able to land a controlled front loop?

Any suggestions on kites sizes and some spots to hit would also be useful.

cheers.

Finally someone who knows where to look. Down there it's usually windy as. I'm sure guys like Kane an Doofus can offer you much more imfo but from seeing wind stats probably best to leave your two biggest kite sizes at home. Infact you'd probably be on your 6m most of the time.... I'm sure Kane can fill you in on Colac Bay etc etc. It's much much much much windier down there than it is in the NI.

PS Finding a spot to kite in NZ is a piece of piss. It's just a few visitors get it all wrong and head to the NI and Auckland during summer (off season with only 15 knot winds).

Enjoy your trip... no crowds down there either.

cheers thrasher. my kitebag can hold three kites and a board comfortably so reckon i will take the three smallest ones.

i am also looking for a beginner board for my brother? i'll post a wanted on this site, but any of you guys ahve some kit you don't use anymore thats suitable?

If you want flat water, drive south toward Tiwai point and turn left just before the causeway across to the Comalco smelter. This is the Awarua inlet, It has long white sand bars and is good in pretty much any wind direction.

If you want local waves go to Oreti beach which is best when the wind is NW which is sideshore from the right. It's still fun in the prevailing W/SW onshores.

For proper waves drive west and just over the hill from Riverton is the finest bay on this island, Colac. Launch at the obvious bus shelter half way along the bay, where the 'SW' wind is about 10 - 45 deg onshore from the right but is still fun... the prevailing westerlies are reasonably cross-off, not too gusty, nice clean lines. Westerly is best and in summer can be sunny warm dry fohn type wind blowing very strongly indeed. Self launching a 6m at high tide is not easy but worth it because the waves are much better at high tide if there's a good size roll out there. Just look at the weather page in the southland times, you want to see swell from the SW at 3m-6m with a yellow 'moderate' westerly arrow... gives well spaced double overhead waves. I've had whole days of smooth freestyle quality 6m wind there. Also 14.5 is good as a biggest size. Drive out west to monkey island beach and there's a good chance you could ride with hectors dolphins. A bit further on take the gravel road left to the Te wae wae lagoon, 5km of absolute glass in a S-SW with interesting terrain through the paddocks. Hook up with riverton dude, 'happypost' on here, for safety in numbers.

cheers kane, that information is awesome. If the kiting sounds as good as your post i might have to move down there. Especially if there are no crowds or boats of fishermen.

can't wait to get there now......

Hi guy's I kite Awarua all the time and at the moment you would need a boat & wake board but this is not the norm. I normally use 11 & 16mtr but also have 7.4 & 20mtr kites. I have a tt 169 which would be siutable to learn on. When you get over let me know as i'll be round over summer & plan to be out at Colac a lot , always keen to get out , if I see one other kite out it is a bit of a shock . Colac is not the best for learners but Awarua is good as you can alway find a shore if things go pear shaped. Anyhow catch you on the water .
Cheers

thanks g-man. invercargill is sounding better and better. Might have to rethink my trip to egypt next year.

g-man will hook up for some session for definites, i don't want to learn the local conditions the hard way by losing my board in an outgoing tide :oops:

is your 169 for sale? (that'll save me bringing over two boards) if it is then i'll get my brother to give you a call.

You might have seen him out a couple of times. Hes using a blue and white 10m wipika.