i just had a quick look on ebay to see what kites are on there... and the majority of kites for sales are old 02-04 which not many kiters that know what they are doing would buy.

Which would make me think that the majority of people that buy these kites.. and they were selling would be people that are looking to get into kiting. Do you think everyone that buys them gets lessons? or at least taught by a friend. for example there is a 14 cabhrina co2 04 kite that selling and its current highest bidder is in another state. what if he just decides to go down the beach and just give it a fly. .. It would be so good if you make kiting like scuba diving you have to have a license to do it

btw i am selling 2 kites on there if someone does notice :) but im also an intructor and offering free lessons with the sale and only selling local :)

Yeah stop selling cars too, how can you tell a persons driving skills, the car might be unroadworthy. Leave all the selling to the stores and salesmen then you're assured of it being right !!!! [}:)]

Ebay is what introduced me to the sport.

The pioneers of this sport started on this gear
Why is it any different these days
Although i know own new gear the old gear taught me to respect the kite and how you can be spanked.

The moment i brought my new kite my skill leval increased 10 fold...
WHY IS THIS YOU SAY......????????????????
Cause i respected the kite. The problem alot of people seem to not understand is that a new kite when you do stuff up it produces so much more power and is that much faster that when you do get hurt you generally take out not only yourself but other people as well and or the outcome can be fatal.
Yes people do the wrong thing but its the same with every sport/ fun thing you like to do, like cars we all love the V8 but there selling for a reason.......

there's a lot of things on ebay more dangerous than kites..

I believe that you have a good point here h20fly.
I sold 2 kites about 2 months ago on Ebay. They were "old" 02 kites C-kites but they were "beginner" kites (F-One L2K and Cabrinha C111). 100$ each.
I am not saying that these are not dangerous if not properly handled but clealry they were designed for beginners.
As long as you clealy mention that they are not "new style" full-depower kites, the buyer is warned and it is is responsibility to deal with the issue of taking lessons.
Want a full-depower kite ? well, then you ahve to be ready to pay a bit more.
You have nothing for nothing right ? So you don't get the best for alomst nothing.

Nevertheless, I fully support your view that some people might try to sell their old C-kites without any warning, and this is definitely a wrong attitude.

Most accidents in extreme sports are caused by and happen to experienced people.

THe guy who tries a fancy trick close to the shore, or thinks he is "skilled" enough to go out in onshore winds etc.

Selling kites on ebay is fine. Selling kites on seabreeze is heaps better(well faster for me anyway), then again when i sell my 1yr old kite to an experienced kiter do i tell him not to "pull a mobe" within a certain distance from the beach and make sure he gets some tuiton on when to pull a handle pass?

My 14m torch2 with 24m 5 lines is on ebay going very cheap,I am having trouble trying to sell this kite, it cost $1800 18 months ago, so ebay is my only hope. Hopefully who ever buys this kite knows how to fly them, 06 kites should still be worth at least $500 but no one wants c kites anymore and I am not binning this kite. Someone may as well get a bargain and have some fun. Just get lessons..

This thread hits the nail on the head for me. Although I hate to do it my x2 14 will go to the tip, over selling it. Do we really want people that don't give a **** kiting with us? I bought a kite for $200, who cares brigade aint welcome as far as I'm concerned. I kited with 2line kites for years, at the time the carnage was pretty funny, but now the sport progessed to the point of dickheads will get us banned etc..............Cut your old kites up, credit card style. Got my kite tangled by this brigade twice lately, and I was the one that was the asshole, figure that one, they don't have a clue of the potential. I don't have a problem with beginners but if I was starting out surfing, I wouldn't be heading to the north shore. Are experienced riders meant to go a k out these days? I find my self kiting at more and more doggy spots to get away from this ****, I guess thats across the board.

Anyway save yourself the crowds destroy your old gear, cash converter ****ers can get fffd

This topic is starting to get under my skin for the simple reason is that old gear is not bad gear.

How the heck do you think this sport is where it is today...

What by heaps of people DYING.... I DO NOT THINK SO

Old gear is what it is.. When you are selling an old v8 to a 17yr old do you care if he is going to go out that weekend and wrap himself around a pole... NO
you do not wish it. But it up to the person to take responsibility for there purchase.
Old anything is of course not going to be able to achieve what technology has to offer but the $ always affects your decesion.
I love to do wheelies on my bike at 180km/ph... did that affect the guy who sold the bike to me NO!! he got the cash and at the end of the day he made a sale.
Why or how would he/her know what i am going to do...
It's always up to the buyer of anything to know what they are getting into.
It might affect our sport if they mess up but a purchase is a purchase.
Why keep my old gear
the money off your old gear helps get you new gear. when i can sell it. i do not want it for a reason which is out of the buyers conception or reality of there understanding.
As long as they state what there gear is, they or you do not have to state how good or bad it is.(you would not state that you have to spend many $ getting lessons maybe better/safer gear... WOULD YOU!!!!!!
Harden up and accept the times of reality. I dont want any one to hurt themselves but i dont want my old shizzzz, so i sell it.

I watched 2 guys who bought a kite on Ebay and were trying figure it out on the beach in 9-10 knots even worse when the kite fell out of the sky and hit a couple walking along the beach. I had to give em some quick do's and dont's and they were grateful, but hey later I saw one of them, and he did take a lesson and I still catch him down the local out there.....My motto is if you see someone like that... give some advise as everyone was a beginner, if you don't then that's when we avoid the issue and watch our obsession become banned and hearded into spots where crowded , like cattle mooo...breeds anger and then aggression...like the surfing fraternity......something to ponder

And oh I've just sold my kids beedee beads to some guys in London as a party knockout drug ....but hey what can you do !! ............just jokin!