Going Postal on da Coastal!!!

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

Who's up for a little Coastal Assault!!! Very Happy

Chooch · Fri Oct 15, 10 5:10 pm

Has potential....gonna call it in the late morning. Where were you thinking of riding?

specialk · Guest

I'm heading out Sunday in the morning! :-)

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

The bar is blowing and we are going.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

My girlfriend's kid was having a blast. I could have gone out, but I decided to just hang out and teach. He's such a fun kid..[img][/img]

arkay · Since 06 Jun 2008 192 Posts Manzo/Hillsburrito Stoked

what's he flying? I've been thinking of picking up a depower moded hydra 300 for the kid...

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

He's been flying the 2 mtr. trainer with a fixed chicken loop on the bar for a couple of months. He's an absolute expert with the 2 line trainer. He can fly the window and walk the box. Next step is putting him on land board.

After we finished practicing some figure 8's and walking the box we moved on to the 4 line, 6mtr. kite.

So, as soon as he can swim well enough I'm gonna start him on assisted body drags with a 4.5mtr. rpm.

The really amazing thing about working with kids is that the level of trust very high until they get scared.

Does anybody else have advice, comments, or stories on teaching kids?

windpig · Since 28 Aug 2008 282 Posts Obsessed

I taught a quite a few kids this summer in Hood River. Usually way better students than their adult counterparts. The biggest challenge I found, was letting them do the work. It's pretty easy to jump in there and do it for them. What I mean by work is , well, everything. Pumping up, running lines, etc..
I also had really good luck with that Hydro 3m, it flies a little strange until it fills with air, but after that it's solid. It comes with long leader lines and for almost all newbies I would fly the kite on just those leaders (about 3m long). A harness loop is key as is teaching them to fly one handed. The best thing about that Hydro on short lines is that you can relaunch it without walking a country mile. The depower works really well which for the younger ones is pretty important. I can't tell you how many people I saw limping off of the sandbar because they got drug by a trainer kite. I love seeing kids get into it! You Can pm me if you have any more questions.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

That kite is really cool. I'm gonna modify a kite so that it has a chicken loop to the back lines and try that on for size.
The Naish trainer I use is slow and fly predictable. In strong wind I keep a hand on the harness all the time. It was really light and Karim has great control.
Teaching the trim on the true for line kite is the trick.
I didn't post the pics of us flying the 6 meter, but the point of that was a self rescue. I had him hit the safety, flag the kite and wrap the bar. As he did this on 17mtr. lines I thought about how I really need to make a 10 meter set of lines for him.
Epic also makes a great kid bar with a through line safety. I'm gonna try that on for kicks.
Swimming is the skill that's gonna keep me from doing deep water with K. He is taking swimming lessons right now, but has a way to go. I want him to be able to swim a solid 500 yards without a hitch. He's got to feel comfortable swimming, or it's just to risky.

I'll pm ya,
Very Happy