Hello to everyone

Im a friend of Thodd and often make the the same weekend trips as him to the welsh coast to catch a few waves. Great site guys/gals, will definately be spending some time here.

BTW if thodd ever predicts big swell down at swansea, take your kite instead... or a good book...

Hi Bodhi,

Good to have you here.

One rule when travelling to the coast is to ALWAYS take ALL of your toys, theres nothing worse than going on a windsurf trip with no surf board only to find no wind and perfect surf, or going surfing only to find it flat and perfect for kiting etc.

Glad you like the site. We'll be planning a spring meeting in Borth soon, so hopefully you and Thodd will make the trip to Mid Wales rather than South / North Wales that weekend... We'll probably wait until the clocks go forward though.

Al.

Hows it going mate!
Good to see you've found the site!

As for that Swansea swell prediction I made last summer......... you cannt get them all right
Did I say 6ft and clean? I meant 6ins! Doh!

Greetings fellow Mancs!! I'm in Heaton Moor (stockport) - where are you? where do you sail etc....

Thanks for the warm welcome, I've spent a bit of time looking round the site and I think it's really really good. The diary idea is brilliant for sharing experiences, and the toybox is a fantastic idea. I've made an entry... if it worked, to get the hang of it. Promise to have a more water related one next time folks.

I'll have to find borth on the map, never heard of it before, but sounds good.

Thodd (stu) comes from Cheadle, and I'm in Chorlton, so we're not that far from you shawn. We fly the kites and buggy on a field near me, or venture up to Lytham where we have a kite maniac friend. Generally I am a surfer or mountain boarder with odd other things thrown in, you know how it is. I've never sailed really apart from things like toppers/herons/mirrors(sp?) when i was younger, so I'm a little lost with the wind surf stuff. Will have to give it a bash sometime though.

Catch you all soon

Regards

Chris

[Edited on 5-1-2004 by bodhi]

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Originally posted by bodhi
Thanks for the warm welcome, I've spent a bit of time looking round the site and I think it's really really good. The diary idea is brilliant for sharing experiences, and the toybox is a fantastic idea. I've made an entry... if it worked, to get the hang of it. Promise to have a more water related one next time folks.

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Hi Bhodi
What kinda kites r u flying? I've recently shelled out on a huge inflatable for kitesurfing, but only used it once due to knackered wetsuit and cold weather - daren't put it up in a field as I'd doubtless end up rocketing towards the m'way head 1st. I also got a smaller 2.3m Ram kite, which is wicked fun, but i don't know if it'd work with a buggy.

What's in lytham, and er... where is it?

My missus used to live in Chorlton - near that green at the end of er.. whatsits' name rd - with the lead station.

Just read about yer new years day antics - good effort, even the hiding in the van bit - I struggled to switch on the TV without being sick, never mind doing buggy power slides in the doggy doop (which i've got to say, sounds absolutely f***ing minging guys).

Beech road. I live near there too, very poncey, and full of pretty people with too much money!

Lytham, is just past preston, on the coast, Lytham st anne's being the more well known part. It has miles and miles of beaches with a good mile or so walk to the sea. So for kite surfing, it's going to be a bad day at the office, but buggying...... you'll not get better!

The dog poo... well it's fortunate that the lighter coloured ones, being the softer variety are easier to see and thus more avoidable... am I really talking about turd?.... enough! The field is'nt too bad, but the inflatable is no kite to be using there. Your 2.3 would be good on a really windy day but it will take quite some breeze to ride the buggy. With it being so far inland, the window is smaller and less consistent, so you often find that patches will be gusty. One minute you're happy bombing along and next you're sliding sideways as fast as you're going forward. Hell of a rush, but a change of underwear avoids embarrasment!

yeah less of the turd talk thanks, doesn't make good reading over my early morning coffee!!
Beech rd, good description - that's the one - those breakfasts at the lead station are wicked. I quite miss 'em.
Hey - next time yer planning on dirt dodging in Chorlton I'd love to come and check it out. What size kites do u use for it then? I took my 2.3 out a month or so back & reckon I clocked up about 20 mph straight down wind, and cross country, on my ass (my jeans have never been the same since, and i ended up with a wedgie straight from satan himself.) - dread to think what you'd have been doing in a buggy...
As fer beaches - have you tried west kirby beach - the tide goes out further than u can see and I've seen ia few people out on buggies, although it's not caught on 'bigtime' yet - it only takes about 45min from chorlton (driving like a loon - about an hour otherwise). Check out www.iwindsurf.co.uk for info on location, tide times etc.... it's a great place, and they run kitesurf lessons there too - i reckon u 2 could be easily converted!!

Dave T

Hi Bodhi and Thodd,

iWindsurf.co.uk has a very strong following in the NW England and North Wales, with plenty of Mancunians as members.

Many Mancunians also sail at West Kirby, infact WK has people from all over coming to sail on real good windy days.

There is now a webcam (supplied by Camserv) accessible fomr iwindsurf.co.uk, pointed directly of West Kirby's main beach and corner of the lake so you can see people launching and the conditions very well.

Shawn is a regular down the beach, when he's not being a big wuss in the winter! Maybe see you guys down there ?

E.

Hahaha i've had the very same wedgie i think, nearly cut me nuts off!
Like I say, in a decent wind, the 2.3 will pull well enough. We have a 3m radsail, a 4.5m ozone little devil and a 5m flexifoil blade (awesome!) which gives us a reasonable range of winds to play in.
The ozone was bought from the guy at prokites who i think lives in west kirby. We've been there a couple of times with a mate who comes from there originally. It's pretty similar to lytham really.

You're more than welcome to come buggying with us when we go. Drop us your no. or email, and we'll let you know. I think we're surfing this weekend, but I'm sure we'll be out soon. I'm definately up for trying kite surfing, but I have to admit that those massive inflatables scare the crap out of me! Do they not pull as hard as the foil kites, cos that blade is scary at 5m let alone 10m!

Ta for the webcam address "E" I will meet up with people some time soon.

Bodhi.... Inflatables are nowhere near as powerful as foils.... Your 5m Blade will have about as much power as a 12m inflatable.

Don't be scared of them, just get out there on the water with one... Water is so much more forgiving to land on than hard sand or grass as well...

Although up around that way there are probably just as many turds to contend with in the water as there is in your fields!!!

Al.

Alrighty Bodhi - I'll drop you a message (so keep yer eyes open) with my no. so's you can let me know next time u r buggying - I'd love to come and have a bash - so long as it's not new years day!

I've got a 16m inflatable which is generally less scarry to fly than the 2.3 (in big winds), cos it travels at about a tenth of the speed and is more contollable. Although having said that, I reckon i've probably covered half a K, face 1st down the beach. It's like the ultimate facial scrub (so my missus tells me anyway). Fortunately I'm off to Feurte for a week on 22nd feb on a kitesurf course, which should help.

Subtle Mr e, very subtle.... I like it!!

I watched a few people with the inflatables, and just thought of my little 3m and decided that there was no way I was getting near one. I reakon I may give it a bash now though. Might get some tuition though, stop me nailing myself first go!

Mate - you can have a go with mine if there's suitable conditions - it's great fun to fly on the beach between about 6 - 10 kts, provided there's plenty of space down wind and not too many unsuspecting members of the public. It's not to hard to do, esp considering the kite experience you've already had - in fact, you'll probably be better than me!
I'm on holiday until 7th feb from this thursday though - woo - hooo - 2 wks in the Carribean ahoy!!