How to Steal a Kiteboarding Session

How to steal a kiteboard session and switch out gear until you hit the right size.

by Steve Negen

The boys headed to Lake Michigan to go kitesurfing yesterday and I "stole" a kiteboarding session.

The 2013 Liquid Force Envy kiteboarding kite close upI arrived at the pier to find Jake and Aaron sitting on the sidelines after a few bolts of lightning had forced them off the water. I looked up at the clouds and storm front and figured they had moved on. It was a perfect beach setup. The new Liquid Force Envy 10 meter and NRG 10 meter were pumped up and ready to go. They also had an 11 meter Switchblade and 13 meter Cabrinha Crossbow set up.

The forecast was for 20-30 mph winds, so I was pretty anxious to try the new Liquid Force kites, but the wind was only blowing around 18, and at 200lbs those 10 meters were not going to get me ripping. I jumped on the 11m Cabrinha Switchblade and hit the water. No pumping, no bar run-out, just a kite ready to go. I had my 139cm Caliber kiteboard with me and was out and riding. About 4 tacks into it I was drifting downwind and Jake was very kind to offer me his Aggression Barn Door. POW- instantly upwind ripping by the pier. It is amazing to go from a 139 Caliber to a 140 x 46 Aggression kiteboard and pick up about 5mph on the bottom end. Again I pounded out a dozen tacks and began drifting downwind. By now Aaron was on the water with the 10 meter Envy kiteboarding kite and really going downwind. He was on a surfboard, but it was a bit too gunny for great light wind riding.

Luck was with me as Jake again saved the day, and I grabbed the 13 Crossbow. At this point the wind had ticked down to around 12-14 mph, but with the Barn Door and 13 Crossbow I was knocking out some nice 6-8 foot jumps with some back rolls and front rolls tossed in for fun. It is truly amazing to see what a bump up in kite and board size can do to change your session.

Super shout out to Jake and Aaron for having kites pumped up and letting me "steal" them. I scored a great hour session and got back to work in no time.

Oh, and while I was driving home, a huge downpour came and flooded the boys - I owe them big time!