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Trainer Kite
Trainer Kite Samuel Mullin 4/6/08 6:18 PM
RE: Trainer Kite Dimitrii Korionoff 4/9/08 8:54 AM
RE: Trainer Kite Samuel Mullin 4/9/08 10:42 AM
RE: Trainer Kite Anonymous 4/27/08 5:24 PM
RE: Trainer Kite Dimitrii Korionoff 4/29/08 10:01 AM
RE: Trainer Kite Anonymous 4/29/08 1:58 PM
RE: Trainer Kite Dimitrii Korionoff 5/1/08 12:59 PM
RE: Trainer Kite Samuel Mullin 5/8/08 6:41 AM
Trainer Kite | 4/6/08 6:18 PM
I just recently took an on-beach lesson, and I realized that I'm going to need a lot more practice handling a power kite/ sport kite. So I was thinking about getting a trainer kite, but I have no idea where to begin. So here are a few questions:

1. What size would be appropriate? I definitely want to learn with some traction, so I'm assuming it'd be more than just a sport kite.

2. What type would be appropriate? I've seen people using small foil kites, but would a small inflatable provide a more accurate representation of how a larger inflatable handles?

3. Should I use a harness and control bar? This is a given if the kite is large enough, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Should I use these items with a small kite to aid in the training?

4. Can I buy a used trainer kite, or can I rent one? Does anyone know of any places that would be able to do either of these things for me?

Thank you very much for any information you can give me. I want to be as competent as possible before I get in the water!
RE: Trainer Kite | 4/9/08 8:54 AM as a reply to Samuel Mullin.
I bought a 2M Slingshot kite (I believe it's called the B2). It is a good kite, but looking back, I think I would've rather had a 3-4 Meter kite. The B2 is a 2 line foil kite. I think a foil kite should be good enough to learn how to handle a kite. If you get something in the 4-6 Meter range, you'll be able to use the kite for snowboarding later, if you are interested in something like that. I hope this helps!
RE: Trainer Kite | 4/9/08 10:42 AM as a reply to Dimitrii Korionoff.
Thanks for the info, Dimitrii! I do understand how to control the kites, but do you think it'd be better to improve with a 4-line, SLE trainer, so I could get used to depowering? And, just curious, why would you have rather had a larger trainer kite? Thanks again!
RE: Trainer Kite | 4/27/08 5:24 PM as a reply to Samuel Mullin.
well I have a B2 as well it's get as it flies with very little wind, but still works when it blows 25mph. The advantage of a little more kite is:
a. you could use it on snow and
b. you get a better feel for the overall power of kites.

what kind of practice do you think you need?
The more you fly a kite the better of you are.

Give the prices of SLE trainers you probably would be better served getting a small real SLE kite if you don't want to just get a simple trainer. If you get an 8m for example you would have a kite for thewindy days once you have it figured out. Alsowould suggest to go with last years kite and save some money.

Hope this helps

Good winds

Martin
RE: Trainer Kite | 4/29/08 10:01 AM as a reply to Samuel Mullin.
Personally, I think a 2 line kite is good enough to learn the "basic" feel for the kite. Once you get a larger kite, you will need the depower, but I think depowering is relatively easy to learn. The important thing is, how comfortable you feel flying a traction kite. The bigger the kite, the more power you feel. The bigger the kite, the more expensive it is. It all just depends on how much $ you want to spend on a trainer. The more $ you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Also, I like Martin's advice of buying a used 8M kite to practice with. You will be able to use it later on when visiting Maui or somewhere really windy!
RE: Trainer Kite | 4/29/08 1:58 PM as a reply to Dimitrii Korionoff.
I think the biggest thing for me is learning how to shift my body in response to the kite's pull, which is where a smaller, regular kite sounds like a good idea. This raises two issues for me:

1. Will the light winds (usually in the teens) near LAX airport be enough to keep an 8m in the air? (I'm just too much of a newb to know!)

2. What would be a good size that would provide comfortable pull for practice? I don't want to spend all of my time running back upwind. I weigh 165 lbs, if that helps.

I'm not sure how much money I want to spend, but my plan was to save up for a larger (~16m) bow kite to handle the generally light winds in the LA area. So, if I were to delay that by buying a small SLE...I'd spend around $300 on a small, used kite? What do you guys thing about this? Oh, and how much for a used bar with lines? As always, thanks for the advice.
RE: Trainer Kite | 5/1/08 12:59 PM as a reply to Anonymous.
Well, to answer your questions:

1. I think any kite size will stay in the air in the teens. Just the amount of pull will change. I can definitely keep my 2M in the air when it is blowing in the low teens, as well as my 12M and 16M. Now, once you get in the water it's a different story. Once you start floating downwind and not giving resistance to the kite, you decrease your relative wind, which is when your kite can come out of the sky. If you plan on flying the kite on the beach, it should stay in the air.

I don't know the beaches over by LAX, so you may want to check with the locals to see if you can actually fly a kite near LAX.

2. Comfortable pull? In the water or on land? If you are in the water, you will be walking upwind a lot anyway. If on land, you shouldn't worry about having to walk back up wind. If you do have to, it will be very minimal.

Disclaimer: I don't know how new you are, or what the rules are at your local beaches, so make sure you talk to someone (like an instructor/kite shop/local) with more knowledge of your experience and location.
RE: Trainer Kite | 5/8/08 6:41 AM as a reply to Dimitrii Korionoff.
I certainly will talk to any locals (mostly at kite shops), but I don't think any of them kite in front of LAX (probably because of the light winds). Other than that, I'm emailing the airport, so hopefully I'll get an answer back. If it doesn't work, I can just kite somewhere else along that beach.

1. I'm glad that the kite size won't matter just for flying on land. I'll buy a smaller used kite.

2. I definitely meant comfortable pull on land. I want to practice balancing my weight against the kite as I put it through the window, and I just want an idea of what size kite would be overpowered for that purpose in the teens. 4m, 6m, 8m?

I'd say I'm moderately new. I've been ogling kitesurfing on the internet for a while, I've read a lot about it, I took an on-beach lesson from Salty Steve (from Kites etc), and now I want to practice with a kite before I get in the water for more lessons.

Thanks for the advice!