Has anyone considered (or is doing) using a 3m water launchable trainer kite, www.briskites.com.au/index.php?l=product_detail&p=365 to get themselves a couple of km upwind, then pack up and turn around for the downwinder? There's some technical challenges there but having windsurfed/kited/SUP'd for years I don't see it as impossible. It means you get to start and end your downwinder at the car, quite handy in itself, but presents a totally different potential for distance paddling.

I'm on a 2016 Naish 14' x 29" Javelin so I can pack the gear up and strap it onto the nose. My two bases are Safety Bay and Brisbane.

Hahaha, yeah probably. It'd only be possible in the right conditions. I was thinking tack up in the light wind in the morning and blast down wind when it kicks. I don't really understand the patterns here in Brisbane yet (only here 18mths) It just seems from the north or the south, no real land/sea breeze. Does that sound right? In Perth we have a reliable offshore followed by a sea breeze so is pretty predictable which would make it possible at some spots

How do people downwind on their own? Drop off and pick up by the manageress I guess...

All good points Piros and Paul thanks for the input guys. I'll have to give it some more thought. I do have a number of early memories of a 10m kite in 20 knots going one way and my surf/kite board acting as a sea anchor with me being stretched for quite a while in the middle. Definitely some potential to get myself in the **** here. The ideal day would be 10 knots to get me up there then 25+ to blast me back but I have a feeling this east coast weather won't allow that :-) You'd have to get the timing right. It'll need to track sideways to get up wind so that's ok (fin lift and all that) I was thinking of one of the little water reverse launchable foils for when I fall off. Just enough to putt up to the top of the bay, not planing or anything so there's not too much kite power required, kind of like a ski lift. Get to the top of the run, pack up, strap it to the nose and then paddle out into the wind when it kicks. Mmmm, thinking, thinking, it's gotta be worth investigating crazier things have worked (kite/skateboard) just not having being done yet doesn't make it impossible

To be continued...

Now we're talkin'


www.briskites.com.au/index.php?l=product_detail&p=365 these are foils but none of the advertising tells you about how far out on the edge of the window they can get. I haven't kited for 5 years (knee haha) personally I'd prefer an inflatable as that's what I used to ride (North II's at the end) I expect the gear is a lot more refined now. Are there inflatables that are better for getting upwind?

North Dyno or Rebel sit further forward in the window.

For a SUP, my kite preference would be a Peter Lynn Arc eg. Venom/Synergy due to the auto zenith feature, which would make climbing onto your board easier when the wind isn't strong enough to lift you out of the water. With the auto zenith, can can still swim a bit without your kite falling out of the sky.

I have a synergy that I keep meaning to use on the SUP, but I just prefer to paddle..

I'm definitely not giving up SUP down winding and not going to 14' kite boards, just struggling with the drop off pick up bit that comes with it