Hi

I am a windsurfer and I am now considering both snowkiting and water kiting in the summer.

I have read about kiting on a SUP. Very interesting! I already windsurf on a Bic Windsup. If I can hook it to a kite it would save me money and may even be go faster than with a sail. I think that with the SUP, I'd have the advantage of using a smaller kite than for kiteboarding because it takes a lot less wind power for the kite to move a floaty SUP than to launch the sailor and his board from the water..
Any comment on this option? I weigh 180 kg.

Now ,about the type of kite , I was at first considering open cells kites which are less expensive, but I just found out that they cannot be used in water, hence I'd have to buy two kites: an open cell for the snow and an inflatable L.E.I. for the water, but I cannot afford two kites.
A good solution would be to use a Kitemare water- launchable trainer kite. ( HQ Hydra line ). Somebody mentioned it in another now closed thread in this Forum. They are not expensive .. The only thing is they don't seem to go with a harness.. Are they hand-held? I don't know how comfortable they are to sail without a harness though..
Are these Kitemare Hydra trainers recommended?
Any comments or suggestions on all this?

Thanks

Francone

180 pies, wow

Fyi - you can use LEI in the snow

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Rails said..
180 pies, wow

Fyi - you can use LEI in the snow

yes, I know, but I was asking about using a kite on a SUP! Any idea, anybody?

Thanks

Francone

probs one of the ol single lines would do you well on a sup

Google is your friend. Just type in SUK (Stand Up Kiting)

I think using a SUP would be an interesting challenge. I have only seen them used in light wind.

I think when the wind comes up a bit, the wind may get under the board as it goes over chop, even with your weight. I also would want to use a leash on a sup, particularly if you are learning.

I also wonder about the amount of power required to pull you out of the water, it would be a bit of a difficult start position as you will have your feet quite high compared to your body. I think this would make it harder to learn. Once you had reasonable kite control skills it should get easier.

The kitemare is a training kite and doesn't use a harness. Therefore nothing to lift you out of the water.

If you are nimble you could get on the board first, whilst flying the kite then try to get the kite to pull you along.

I think pick one (snow or water) and do that first, this could give you kite control.

good luck.

Good to see you looking to get out there,

Get a 10meter get out on the water on the sup and loose some weight and then really kite!

Wow, 10 mt kite with a SUP? Isn't it too powerful? It may shoot you up to the ..jet stream !
Some people say that for a SUP you may need as little as a 4 m2 kite, even in light winds, because the SUP already sits on the top of the water and it doesn't take that much power for a kite to pull it along.

Only if you want to launch a kiteboard and you are standing or floating on the water, like a dead weight, it takes initially considerable more power for the kite to pluck you out of the water .. It is like planing a board: not much wind power is needed once the board is off the water ( or almost)
As I said in my earlier post, I am considering SUP kiting and I am looking into the HQ Hydra Trainer Kites made by Kitemare in Germany, They are close-cell, not L.E.I's , but they are water relaunchable. The largest size is 3.5 m2.
I was afraid at first that they would be just an expensive toy to learn the ropes on and then to discard , but apparently they pack strong enough power for pulling SUP's in light winds and they go fast.There are a few videos on Youtube .
I am waiting for some more info from the manufacturer and from Amazon. If I buy one, I'll post my comments .

Francone

Haha yeah I have done a bit of SUP kiting for sh i t s and giggles here and there.

You can use a big kite. Too small of a kite and you have nothing to lean back against.

It's kinda like standing on a barge holding a kite, only slightly more exhilarating. Until the novelty wears off. Then its like standing on a barge holding a kite.

Have done it with a 12m on lighter wind days

When I go on my SUP, I take a small 1m NASA Wing kite, which has like a 3mt line and on a bar. I rarely use it, but it's there in case the wind picks up and it's great fun. Almost like street kiting.
If you're going to do any SUKing, seriously, use a 12m kite at most for your weight and make it a LEI kite so when you do loose weight, you can use it for kite surfing, even foiling later on. One kite for all. I suggest a Bow or Hybrid style kite like Cabrinha FX or NAISH Pivot. They are very stable and easy for board riding... err SUKing,

Check out this "Kiting on a Sup" vid from the dudes at Caution Kites.

WHY!

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shred said..
Check out this "Kiting on a Sup" vid from the dudes at Caution Kites.

He does this way better than I expected.

Who ever thought SUKing errr.. SUPing would attract mates and the opposite sex?

Sausage fest dorking up the vibe in that last pic, WTF?

I guess you said "attract mates and the opposite sex?"....... mates not being a gender specific term here I suppose.

Ive used most of my bigger kites (10 to18) on a sup on light days when im bored ,but ill say it can be pretty good fun especially if you think outside the box ,, myself i prefer to use an inflatable kite and usually ride unhooked, seems weird but makes it a totally different feel and way more fun.
Have Fun
George

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Francone said..

Rails said..
180 pies, wow

Fyi - you can use LEI in the snow

yes, I know, but I was asking about using a kite on a SUP! Any idea, anybody?

Thanks

Francone

cant see any point of a sup unless you use a tiny 6m kite when everyone else is on a 12. and then it wont be fun either.
Truth is that kiting just doesnt require massive amount of buoyancy as you have the waterstart for that.


Btw the vid is hilarious. You don't waterstart. You climb onto the board and boardstart haha.