VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I'm getting into this sport and finally after about 10 days I'm going upwind and now working on transitions.

But, I'm finding it takes quite a time commitment which I'm a little short on at the moment. Realistically I can probably commit to about 15 days per year, perhaps 3-5 in the summer at Nitnat and the rest on winter holidays somewhere warm.

Is that enough to make this sport safe and fun? Or will I always stay at this level and not really progress?

Thanks for your honest feedback.

Once you are upwind you probably need 5 days a year to stay competent and 10-15 to make much progression. That said, it depends on the quality of the conditions on those days, your fitness, and how long it's been since your last session.

I think what most people find is the bug bites them hard and they do everything they can to make time.

Good luck!

Thanks mate! That's exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.

I'm 56, relatively athletic and have achieved an advanced/expert level in a couple of other sports, namely paragliding and motorcycle race track riding, both of which I still do though the latter much less so. However, after 10+ years of skiing at least 20 times/year I never got past the intermediate level and have to confine myself to blue runs. Go figure.

My dilemma is this: In both my other main sports, the "fun" factor is huge, even at the beginner level because you can simply choose more benign weather conditions or ride slower. (But I always tell people who want to get into paragliding, that if they can't commit at least 3 years to it, spending every free weekend or holidays flying, they shouldn't bother because it is deceptively easy to learn, but extremely dangerous without the requisite skills.)

In kiteboarding, if I only stay at the level I am and make very slowly progress over the next 10 years, say get to the point of going upwind easily and making really smooth transitions, it appears extremely boring (for want of a better term) to simply go back and forth in one line. I can definitely see the appeal and the huge fun factor if you get really good at it and start doing big jumps and tricks. But given the limited amount of time I have currently in my life and for the next 10 years, I'm wondering how good I can get at this sport in order to have fun and be safe.

I'm trying to be realistic about all this and am wondering if I should pack it in and pick it up later in life, perhaps when the performance and safety has improved even more, though I will be much older and less flexible, or stick with it and make really slow progress with just the equipment I have. If I had easy access to a place with flat, warm water I would definitely continue with it for the more rapid progression and fun factor. But, currently riding in choppy water with somewhat gusty winds, (La Ventana) it seems like a lot more work and dangerous than fun.

Sorry for the long post, but I'm at a bit of a loss for where to go with this sport and requesting honest feedback from people with far more experience than I.

Thanks again,
Amir

Wow, 15 days committed per year

I have been kiting for......13 years

1-3 sessions a year, hoping to "one day really get into it" and I assure you it will happen....in the meantime I am happy to windsurf and yes the time commitment is all consuming.....

Three generations of kites, three generations of boards, 2 proper smooth transitions made, one inadvertent toe side on the surfboard cuz it just felt right til I freaked myself out "hey, my feet are the wrong way" hahaha. I am always feeling comfortable, the new kites are amazing and so much easier and relatively safe. But I am also very selective and conservative so everyone stays healthy, knowing crap can happen.... seen it happen. Every time I go out I pick it up like riding a bike ....with a hangover... get ever so slightly better at things and reflect on fun had. Last summer was to be THE summer, maybe this summer is it?

I wouldn't give windsports up for the world, hope I can do it til I die. I think kiting will be a large part of that in the next few years as I get too old to windsurf hard 'n proper, eh?

btw, edit:

start doing big jumps and tricks

?? at my age (same as you) and declining body...NOT ME....the appeal for me is WAVES man....I can't see that ever becoming boring

Getting out 15 times a year sounds worthy of carrying on. I don't know how
much further you'll progress at that rate, but if you have the gear already, it's nice to just get on the water.

Sounds like you already have basic functionality covered. Sub 30 kts and with an attention to details (which I am pretty sure you have if you're a living paraglider), I think you can proceed safely. I doubt the gear will get much safer in next while ... seems the big progressions happened up to about 2010ish, since then its refinements.

As for your own progression, depends what you want to do. To some people, just getting on the water and zipping back and forth, "mowing the lawn", is considered fun enough. Think of it as an extension of sailing -- doing tricks isn't really much of a thing in yachting.

You're on the verge of starting jumping ... which you'll be surprised how easy it is, at least at a low level: hooked in dangling. The higher performance aspects can advance from there if desired.

You're also on the verge of being able to have some fun in waves, as Kus says. The ability to ride toeside is key on a surfboard. Or some twintippers don't really ride the waves, just use them as launch ramps or moving quarter pipes.

And then there's foiling: which can be a saviour for choppy days and bad knees. Opens up a lot of light wind fun potential.

I guess I agree with nanmoo: you can probably reasonably carry on as is, but really you're going to want to find more time. And if you're like most of us, priorities may soon shift to find you that time ... so it begins.

I find my 130cm MAKO ( https://oceanrodeo.com/product/mako/ ) easy on my knees. Fairly steady wind required to keep a tiny board planning. Obviously foiling reduces the effects of choppy conditions to a smooth ride. How many days of kiting it takes to keep your sailing level up really depends on your athletic ability & what kind of shape your in. I fall into the mowing the lawn, carving & bunny hopping level & kite 30-100 days a year.

IMO ( and experience albeit a long time ago ) having your kiting days close together is way better for your progression than a day or two a month apart.

Go on a holiday somewhere warm and get 5 days in over a week or so and you will almost certainly see a HUGE and permanent improvement. May be rusty after a long dry spell, but it'll come back again if you can string 2 or 3 days together at a time.

I agree with the days in a row advice.

I'm with the "most days in a row will improve your kiting" concept

Thanks guys. Will do.

I do find, however, that though I'm in good physical shape and exercise at least 5 days a week, that kiteboarding is taxing on the thighs. Despite my regular jogging, I really feel the "burn" and can't manage for more than 2 hours a day. That's not a problem once you're doing it for a week or more as I've been now.

I presume that as my technique gets better I won't have to work as hard. Also, it's possible that my large, flat beginner board doesn't absorb the chop as much, so when I get a bit better with the balance and going upwind I'll have to upgrade to a smaller board with more rocker.

raztec wrote:Thanks guys. Will do.

I do find, however, that though I'm in good physical shape and exercise at least 5 days a week, that kiteboarding is taxing on the thighs. Despite my regular jogging, I really feel the "burn" and can't manage for more than 2 hours a day. That's not a problem once you're doing it for a week or more as I've been now.

I presume that as my technique gets better I won't have to work as hard. Also, it's possible that my large, flat beginner board doesn't absorb the chop as much, so when I get a bit better with the balance and going upwind I'll have to upgrade to a smaller board with more rocker.

Body weight lunges, squats, wall sits, step-ups etc will go a long way. Jogging won't cut it as a cross-over activity for kiteboarding, but it will help with those long walks (jogs?) of shame back up the beach...

+1 on Winddoc
Squats with proper form are a huge piece missing in most fitness routines.

Kiteboard all of the time 6 hours a day in s tropical surf break