A New Year and a new chat zone...

Wishing all land based kiters around the world a Happy New Year, with quality wind from your favourite direction.

And looking forward to making 2007 the year of the kite...

i second that, happy 2007 every1

And with that Spig:

Time for Blizzad's top 10 sessions of 2006. It's time to take a look back upon what has been a highly enjoyable season for us buggy lads, at the end of our first real year as a squad.

10. At number 10 we have an after school session. Sym and I took out our new G2 15 and V1 16 kites. Wind was coming heavily from the south, but after a series of upwind tacks we successfully made it to the estuary. Managed to recruit some 10 year olds to carry the kites under the pier. Finished up after a walk of about 1-2km back to north beach and then fish and chips after the session

9. Spot X session during a Southerly. One of the first days out with the 6.5. Very overpowered, first time we made some progress. Zenon had the full face helmet and the 3.5, with the good bridle on. Sym must of been on the 4mtr teega.

8. 4mtr teega at the park during sunday night. A biggggg Northerly came up at Tullet, after mucking around for about 1-2 hours. Seriously huge wind. I was Sym's "Co-pilot" on the back. It got so dark all we could see was a slightly darker patch of sky, indicating where the kite was.

7. Zenon and I, during a Saturday, some time way back in April. This was when we had the 1.7 gual and 3.5 Ergowing out. Cruised the entire day, met Southie, had some pepsi to drink, then went back again. First time we saw Rob Hills, but didn't actually recgnise him at the time. First time with the kite on a strop, enjoying the benefits of riding one handed.

6. Easter Sunday. Although this day SUCKED for wind, it was pretty enjoyable socially. Made a jump, which we pushed ourselves over, then crawled our way back up to the pier for some deep fried moro bars. Sym on the 8mtr teega, Zenon on the rebble, I was on the 6.5.

5. Easter Monday. Arrived at the beach way too late, tide nearly in. I think Zenon held us up from memory, after we stayed up the whole night at Sym's house. Went up to the estuary, when Symptom's lines broke. Came back with the 8mtr on handles... then mucked about in the dunes for 1 hour or so, with the 8mtr on 10mtr lines, good fun.

4. JUNKIES!! Junkies down the beach in 25 knots of NE goodness. I can remember racing back with Sym on the 1.5 and I was on the 2. He actually PASSED ME! So fast it should have been illegal. I think it was a friday from memory. Saw Spig at North beach, ripped the bridles off the 2m, mid kiteloop.

3. Kitesailing on the hood. Freezing cold, without a full length wetsuit. First ever time in a boat, and up on the plane. Vortex 17, very good combo.

2. Whole day out, a couple of weeks ago. Got to the beach around 8-9 am. Launched the G2 from a log and went up and down all day long. Not the greatest wind, but just enough. Used the blokarts as roadcones and just cruised forever....

1. Waikuku. Great time, perfect conditions, awesome people. Enough said.

So there you have it! The top 10 of 2006.

-Blizz.

You young fellas have excellent memorys ....
Im lucky to remember what i did yesterday let alone last April

I think that he wrote it all down his memory is crap....but dont tell him i said that.

Happy New Year everyone....let it be a good one filled with favourable wind.

Ahhh, I only remember the important stuff Norwester. 8)

ahhh good times those were

happy new years may the wind blow favourably i sound like yoda. Spig ive masterd (well got them of any way) the things you told me to do on my landboard and now im ready to step it up a notch, ive learnt to slide my board and stop quickly and slowly and i can manouvere around obstacles well enuf to keep me outta trouble so whats the next thing to work on?

hey just wondering what is the best direction for the wind to be facing in conjunction to the beach, is directly onshore or ofshore the best or is it better for the wind to be going down the beach?

Cheers BOND

Best direction is normally onshore as that way you can travell both directions easily. Offshore works but it is not advised as if you loose your kite it goeas out over the ocean depending on beach size.

slightly along but mainly onshore is good for racing as it means your kite can sit lightly further infront of you giving a downwind run. But i think for what you want to do directly onshore is what you want.

zenon you forgot why we go to the beach....

the onshore wind has nothing but miles of sea infrount of it so that it is generally perfectly constant, no gusts to worry about

where as off shore or any other direction not from the sea has had to cross the alps and hundreds of houses and trees therefor giving the lumpy gusty wind we hate at tullet

Hey give the Norwester and Southerly a chance... they are good winds!!

BOND

Sounds like you are progressing well... sweet..!!

Now your first rel challenge... riding Toeside...

This is where you ride facing the oncoming wind, and effectively fly the kite sort of behind ya... My advice is to find a big area of beach in a smooth 10 knot wind and start by trying to do a very long upwind turn. Start by going along normally with your back to the wind, and then turn upwind and keep going round, until you are going in the opposite direction. This will feel very odd the first few times and you WILL fall off.

Keep trying the upwind turn to Toeside in both directions. Once you start to get a feel for it, try starting off in a Toeside position and go maybe 20 yards, and then do an upwind turn, (always going towards the kite), back to Healside. When you can link these moves up and move from Healside to Toeside with ease, you will have cracked the hardest ground move in my opinion.

Once you get Toeside nailed, you can do all sorts of 'switch' moves, slides and ground 180's.

The best advice I can give for riding toeside is to not focus on the kite... Hopefully you can reach the stage when the kite will almost fly itself. Try focussing on your feet...

Balance is cruicial, you have to lean really far. If you loose your edge, and let the kite pull you over, as spig has said... you will fall off.

Next stage after that... get an arc. I know these are expensive, but trust me it's worth it. With a big twinskin, you can do some amazing things, in a short space of time. The best kites for landboarding in my opinion.

I remember my first time out with a V 13

NOOOOOOOOO dont let him suck you in....get a Blade IV....

:runs for cover for the torrent of abuse hes about to recieve: :shock:

Mutter, mutter, mumble, I'm still trying to get the hang of just moving on my board. :oops:

I'm still enjoying my Bullets, but I'm not ready to step up to the Blades. (skill or $$):oops:

Anyone planning on being at Tullet Park Thursday/Friday? (Work is pretty dead so I can sneak out for a quick session).

If you are coming over to tullet you can guarntee the buggy squad will come and see you. Unless of course its NE and we have a ride to the beach that way we wont bother with the park.

I did mention I'm still learning, and are trying to keep all three wheels firmly on the ground.

You'll learn a whole lot quicker with the AEOBB boys there to help you... Now if there was only some decent wind

hahahaha cheers guys. Yesterday i relearnt one of my most important lessons when the winds no gud pack the kite up and go home, it was perfect strength for the 3m but a bit gusty but i was like oh what the hell and got going and it was good part from the odd gust that made me wobble a bit but then i made my way over to the soft sand and i was like of crap dont wanna get caught in that so i swung the kite round and in that moment of distraction a freak gust came and lifted me up but because i was disctracted i lost the board in mid air landed on my thigh and then got dragged for a bit and then i let go of the kite luckilly i wear kite killers my thigh bled just from impact and then my arms were a bit scratched up from being dragged but its come ryt now couldnt walk yesterday tho

Ookie dont despair bro i didnt actually combine landboard and kite straight away i kited when the wind was good then mountainboarded when thea was no wind so when i did combine the two it was piece of pie i think i gettn the hang of kiting really quick helped took me, took 15mins 2 get the hang of it lolk, if you have good balance shouldnt be a prob on the mountainboard just get the kite side of.

The kite flying is ok, it's steering the mountainboard and flying the kite at the same time that's giving me grief. I'm going to do the practice makes ... well makes better anyway.

arr yes i belive weve all had co-ordonation problems in the past, however u cant fall off a buggy

well, in a buggy, you can fall on your face.. which is just as bad as falling from a board

Sadly, the best member of the AOEBB squad won't be available until Sunday, as he has work to attend to in Ashburton. He sends in his apologies for not being able to attend beach sessions....

stop being so silly sherman doesnt work in ashvagas

:wink:

ookie practise patting your head and rubbing ure stomach at the same time. nah just practise with either the kite or mountainboard till you get good enuf not to have to think about it all the time and then focus on the other, i did this with my mountainboard practising but also practising with my kite wheneva i got a chance and nw i dnt have to concentrate on balance and stuff on my ATB coz i got that off nd nw i concentrate on flying my kite as best i can but its still good enuf so that i can still see where im goin and nt run into people and dogs e.t.c

this gonna sound like a real noob question whats (A.E.O.B. ?????

AEOBB = angry eyed octopus buggy brigade.
It includes:

Me (the best member)
Zenon (the silly member)
Symptom (the lazy member)

And not Sherman. He is a silly windsock.

Went out flying today, for 5 hours!! :shock:

Was actually really cool. The day was perfect, blue sky all around, wind was absolutely faultless... just the right amount, sun was out.... a really nice Southerly day for a change!!

Actually, I just came back for a break to make some adjustments (evil smile as he grabs his scissors) Back to Tullet I go!!

Lucky it was good yesterday but im injured so i decided to rest one day and then get back into it. Angry eyed octopus??? lol howd ya come up with that?

AEOBBs is there any wind out at the park? It's dead still at the airport.

check out the beach if you can ookie... it's gonna be a mint day

wind is building slowly....might get up later but the tide is coming in so our beach space is running out.

the wind looks pretty weak here but meh ive got work shortly, hopefully we get something decent 2moro

does anyone know what the MBS vixens are like? my sis was thinkin bowt gettn one

Yeah it was pretty bad at 3:00pm. Enough to get 4.5m in the air and not much else. :cry: I'll try after work in the Halswell domain.

every1 up for a day at south brighton 2moro? im assuming waimari is still bump and drift wood ridden?

im thinking of bringing the surfari instead of my buggy but we will see on the morning

Im in for that but got work at 2 so ill throw me work gear in the car and i can go from the beach if needed.

Everyone go to bed and pray for a NE'r we are well overdue for a good one.

C you on the beach.

The driftwood situation at Waimari is much better these days, with a small band of driftwood at the high tide mark. Everywhere elase is pretty much back to normal...

OK theres NE out there..... me and mason will be heading to south brighton at 10.30 i will catch up with rob later for my hour lesson and then go to work later.....today is going to rock.....

See all on the beach.... WOOOOHOOOO

:D

who else is gonna be there?

Happy new year from germany the kitecountry no 1. :?

im sitting here and wait for less wind so i can use my v-max racebuggy. we have 8bft up to 10bft so even with a poketkite too much.
temp is around 5-10 C so verry warm for winter :o

ill back on 25th of jan and will bring some new toys :twisted:

see ya than 8)

Tested gear all day yesterday... under the glorious NE sun.

KiteboatS (big capital pulral so you can all notice there will be more than 1) coming up in 1-2 hours... at estuary.

@Zenon: hurry up after work and come and fly a proper kite. Will have 14 + 17 vortex and 19 + 13 venoms.

Will be out until it's dark, either at south/north or estuary. Come and have a look at kitesailing in action!!

yo syMptom bro do you sell those junkies??? they look real sweet

lol the last junkie (the 3m) took half a year with the lack of motivation i have

i take it youve seen some of the pics of the 5m?


had a sweet day at the beach today, got out about 11 and just got back 20min ago, wind was realy solid and i got heaps of nice big floaty jumps, bugger you had to goto work joe it only got better, at the peak of the day there must almost have been 2dozen flyers.

once the realy thick sea mist cleared the day was brilliant

hoping that sunday is like today

happy new year man, id put my 1.5m junkie up in that we had something around 18*C 2day i think


oo goodie new toys

Happy new year Ollie. Sorry to hear it's so cold. We just had a 26 degree day and not a bad run on the beach today as well. I came back to take Zenon to work at 2.00 and looking at the sun burn on my shins maybe it was just as well :oops:

Warm tomorrow as well but forcast is NW so not quite as good.

See you when you return to paridise

Craig.

ahhh gezzz if you boys are not sitting in a buggy on the land you sitting in a boat on the old pooie.

Was quite good too, after all the bow kites buggered off

We had the whole thing to ourselves for some kitesailing... the water was surprisingly warm... but it tastes like shit. :roll: