A noob who was suckered in

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1530 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

contact nate at airpirates. He teaches at Jones and that is a pretty easy drive from P-town. best of luck and take a lesson or two or three. It will not hurt you and will save your life in the end!!!

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

If you're bummed that you spent $500 on kites and don't have anymore money for equipment I've got bad news for you, kiteboarding is expensive, there's no getting around it. On average it's a $2000 investment to get into sport between equipment, lessons, and other costs.

It sounds like you saw this stuff on craigslist and thought why not with out doing any research into finding out what gear works, how much lessons are, good spots to find wind, etc. Next time do some research first.

Kitboarding is not a cheap sport period.

Nak · Sun Jun 17, 12 3:20 pm

Your paragliding skills will help, but you'll still need lessons. You are asking or serious imjury or worse if you skip the lessons. Even worse, it might not be you who gets injured but an innocent bystander.

Learn the theory of kiteboarding. www.kitesurfingschool.org http://thekiteboarderschool.com/

Get a trainer kite with DVD from a local kiteboarding shop. watch the DVD and fly the hell out of the trainer kite. When you can fly the trainer both one and two handed, and you don't have to stare at it all the time, then you're ready or your lessons.

Get a few lessons.

Now, you can buy more gear. A good used kite can be had or $300 - $400. Do you live on the west side? Sauvies is a great place for beginners. Plan on starting with a bigger kite (13m to 17m) for Sauvie Island.

I'm not familiar with Detroit Lake. It sounds sketchy... Will you be ready to ride an out of the way spot in 3 weeks? Almost certainly not. You'll need the skills and the judgement to make decisions about an iffy spot. If you get 10 days of lessons & riding in between now and then--and you learn quickly--you might have the skills. Maybe. You won't have the judgement though. Stick to spots others are riding till you don't need to ask questions anymore. That'll be a while...

Have fun!

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2622 Posts The 503 METAL

I had the Naish AR 3.5 (circa 2000)and converted it to 4-line and if you were to put a modern bar in it with a long depower throw and good release systems it would work.

I don't remember much about the "Virus". Was it released in the US? if nothing else you may have kind of a cool collectors item. But if they were design to convert to 4 line like it's 2-line predesessors, then it might be worth a shot. Especially in the bigger sizes that you would be using on lighter wind days.

DangerDave · Since 17 Jun 2012 11 Posts Portland,OR

They are the 2003 Nash Airborne Virus.

Nak, thanks for your respons butI mentioned I have experience with land boarding with 2 and 4 line ram air traction and C kites. The theory between the two are closely related I assume. Is it safe to skip the " I have never seen the equipment up close" videos?

Kite handling in Paragliding is very important and I understand the need to be able to feel the kite instead of seeing the kite. These are not excuse for me to skip lessons but to give you guys a better understand of my position.

Because safety is priority to me, I am taking the advice you guys give.

If the kites are able to be turned into 4 lines, Are they still too dangerous to fly? They are still super crispy and its a complete matching quiver so I hate the fact that they are worth nothing. Not because I lose money but because they are in such good condition.

How would I determin if they can be turned into 4 line kites?

Of course these questions will be presented to my instructor for the final decision. I contacted Nate at Air pirates as recommend by KMG-365, so we will see what he says.

Thanks again for the help. I am here to learn to be a safe and responsible kitter and you guys are helping.

Dave

Bettyboarder · Sun Jun 17, 12 6:42 pm

Even if you could turn them into 4 lines they are still not worth anything.

You really should try to get gear thats like 2010 or newer if you can. Nate is awesome he's probably going to be your best bet for lessons that are close to PDX and a good price.

I would just boat Detroit lake you probably wont be good enough by then to kite

BeerKite · Since 29 Mar 2011 471 Posts Obsessed

The Virus was Lou Wainman's pro model essentially. There is a great shot of Lou flying two of these kites on top of eachother. You have a piece of kiting history there if your willing to hang on to them for another twenty years.

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

I have been to Detroit a few times. It can get windy there in the afternoons - but I can't really think of a wide open sandy beach with no trees around or stumps and twigs around. Its all just camp grounds, trees, stumps, boat launches, etc. If you were an experienced kiter - you could probably try drift launching from a boat - but that is an advanced move.

Wind is not even consistent at Detroit - that is why it is a waterski lake. Some people sail there - but it is mostly waterskiing. If you only have one vacation and you want to make it a kite location and the best chance for kiting - go camping at Floras Lake on Southern Oregon coast. It is a great lake for beginner kiting. They have great instructors and lessons there and you can use their gear there. If you do not want to drive that far, call Nate at AirPirates.com and take lessons 4th of July weekend at Jones beach for your vacation and camp at Clatskanie park. You can take your boat and play around on the Columbia via the boat ramp when you are not kiting.

I agree with everyone else - lessons should be your next purchase. The instructor will give you skills to be safe and help you figure the best bang for your buck on your kite purchase. Once the instructor sees how you actually kite - he can help you figure out a good kite for you to maximize your dollar.

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

this has got to be a troll thread

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2622 Posts The 503 METAL

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 537 Posts Oregon Addicted

Detroit is a windy lake. I grew up windsurfing there along with the gorge and coast. I have kited there a few times would give you the following advice:

- You have to be able to launch from a boat to kite here ( Nak may have some advice and tip and trick for this)

-The wind can be very good or very gusty

- The wind is best about 1/2 to a mile down wind from the dam. (we actually launched from the Dam but thats even harder than from a boat)

- Once you are about a mile from Mongold state park the wind will die and you need to have a boat or flag down a boat for a ride.

-the wind is really poor near the shore due to the trees and steep sides.

-lastly, I would not recomend this for you until you have a solid season of kiting and are comfortable riding in the gorge.

Sorry to be a buz kill but this is not a beginner place.

jeremy · Since 18 Aug 2006 276 Posts Manzo & HR Obsessed

A lot of those 2-line kites were designed to convert to 4-line, so look for attachment points a foot or so up from the tips, if they are there you can roll up the tips. I started with a 2002 Wipika 2-line kite, I basically wasted a whole summer with those, but after I converted them to 4-line, I started learning the sport. Being able to depower the kite is CRITICAL to making progress.

Those old kites fly like dogs. They do the basic stuff, but if you want to enjoy the sport and not fight your gear, you'll need a newer better designed kite. I'm on 2008s and having a blast. I've flown 2006 and 2007 kites that work OK, you can get them cheap if you are on a budget. Last year I demo'd some 2011 kites, thought they worked just a tiny bit better than my 2008s, so I'd recommend getting kites made in the last 5 years to use on the water.

I played with my 2004 kites with my landboard in light wind for a few summers, those virus's would be great for landboarding in light wind where you don't need any depower, 2-line is fine. And, you've got lots of spare bladders and fabric, they have some value.

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Dave-

Who are you IRL?

This is Steve Myers, local PG pilot and kiteboarder in the Portland westside.

PM me if you want.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

I had a 2 line kite that I converted to 4 lines it helped a little but still had very little depower then I got 2004 4 line kites they were so much better. Then in 06 I got new kites. I decided to keep a 04 as a back up kite and sure enough towards the end of the season my new kite needed repaired so I took the 04 out. I scared the crap out of my self I could not believe how bad the 04 was. Then I got new kites in 06 and agin could not believe how much better they are. Now I have kites from 2009 2010 2011 and 2012 and they are about the same. long story short do not fly kites older then 2009 one good kite from 09 will be worth 10x that whole quiver even if you convert them to 4 line. old kites had terible range almost no depower liked to fall out of the sky and in general sucked.

Weaz · Since 23 May 2012 360 Posts Beaverton Obsessed

Deal too good to be true, 100% of the time it is. You should have known something is up when you get 2 boards, harness, and 6 kites for less than a 2 year old new kite from a dealer.

Anyway,

Flying the kite from a land board perspective is close, but not exactly the same as on water. On land you don't have to deal with currents, chop, swells, just under the water obstacles, self rescues, body dragging upwind, etc.

As said before, with lessons, just to get into this sport you really need to be prepared to spend around 2,500 - 3,000. You will not have a full quiver, but in your first year your not going to want to be hitting the nuking 40+ mph days.

You apparently have land board kite experience, you just need to get the lessons from an instructor. They will help correct your technique, teach you about the safeties that are needed on the water, and get you going.

There have been some long-time kiterboarders, that are on this forum, that learned before there were a lot of instructors out there... I haven't met one that hasn't said they would rather have taken lessons then spend the year or two learning on their own along with the cost of repairing and replacing the equipment they destroyed while learning.

In my opinion a 5-6 hour lesson is worth far more than even a brand new kite. Within 4 hours my instructor had me riding. I can tell you that if I was left on my own I would be no where near my ability in the 2-3 months I've been riding, and probably been out for the season with a trip to the ER.

Even though the 2 boards, harness, wetsuit was still probably worth the 500 you spent.

Sella · Mon Jun 18, 12 12:56 pm

C Johnson · Since 17 Apr 2009 854 Posts Seattle Opinionated

2003 sounds newer then 2 line technology. I learned on a 2003 Cabrinha Access and that was a full on 4 line C kite.

Don't waste your time converting them or flying them. You will be so incredibly frustrated flying that old style kite. Buy some bow kites. Lots of good used gear that is from 2006 and newer. If you're not going to bother researching anything maybe consider buying some switch kites. They are factory direct and about the cheapest route for new gear. Of course I ride for switch kites so I'm biased.

Lessons are a great way to start but if you aren't going to do that then get some time in wakeboarding behind a boat and watch the progression youtube instructionals for learning how to kiteboard. that and practice practice practice in light wind.

An impact vest or kayaking pfd is a good idea too for when you're learning so that you have a little extra buoyancy.

Be safe and welcome to the most addictive sport.