Starboard Tushingham demo day 20-21st August

If you fancy a blast on some of the best windsurfing boards and sails over this weekend bring your harness, and come and have some great fun, at Minnis bay, great sailing and a fun friendly club.

Latest Naish Movie

Episode Ten : Jo and Jalou in South Africa from naishkiteboarding on Vimeo.

Slingshot Crisis 2011 New Kiteboard

Just had this cheap little gem in, the new slingshot crisis, this board was aimed at the cheap end of the market last year, but it seems for 2011 slingshot have kept the price right down, but added the sliding foot strap arrangement that the misfit has, and in fact the whole construction the board seems to of got whole 2011 feel to it, a little more spring in the core and feels a little more alive. ice that slingshot are treating the newbie to a serious board that will cope with anything that even a good intermediate rider will enjoy. How cheap less than £325 fully loaded, three sizes 134,137 and a 141cm, good product like it.

Best GP C kite 2012

Looks like Best will be selling a C shape Kite again soon, looks a little like the vegas with those rounded wing tips, but unlike the north it looks like it will be a 4 line performance kite, maybe give the slingshot fuel a run for it's money, more pictures here
Best Gp C Kite

Best GP C Kite

The new KiteFix movie.

Test winning windsurfing rigs @ a special price

Anyone thinking camber induced sails are too much hassle should try a Lightning – just 5 seconds longer to rig than a rotational but with stunning results on the water over a huge wind range!

Underground Flx 2011 Kiteboard

The new 2011 Flx underground has arrived, and yet again it is really going to turn on those riders that are NOT looking for easy friendly beginner type riding style, the board has the quad concave system underneath so it will channel and push the water down the rails not allowing the rail to lose grip, even when sending the kite hard for a massive boosting air in over powered conditions, the rocker is flattish again not ideal for the rider who wants a slow friendly board, this machine with such a flat rocker line is rapid, again helping those big airs, but you have got to be concentrating or you can stick the nose in. When turning around the quad concave system breaks up the water running underneath the board and sliding the board from rail to rail is easy. If any one wants to get on a board that will frighten you a tad, your all welcome, there is a demo sitting here at Whitstable, www.board-worx.com

Best Kites in South Africa

A pretty neat movie, of the best boys having a giggle in Cape town South Africa.

Unleash The Be(a)st!!! from Michael Schitzhofer on Vimeo.

Starboard Ultra Sonic wood Carbon 147L 2011

I had to put a few pictures of this new Starboard 147L 2011 Ultra Sonic Wood Carbon up, I am sure there won't be many of them about. This is a real thing of beauty, the carbon finish laid over a thin wood veneer has been hand sanded to remove every last once of weigh. Picking this board up, I was expecting it to weigh X amount and it didn't, it was so much lighter I nearly through it at the ceiling. The top deck has been hollowed out reducing volume in the mid and forward sections of the board. The wingers on the tail section are very subtle and the new cut outs are sharp and clean. This has surly got to be one of the fastest light wind beasts ever made. A stunning board Starboard, well done. Want to go really fast in lighter winds, this would be your weapon.

Strava & Boa Vista Cape Verde Kitesurfing

Well, just back from a brilliant time in Boa Vista ( Cape Verde islands) we only had 3 days of wind out of the week but we were well looked after, thanks to Strava (stravatours@hotmail.com). Now a little background on Boa Vista it is not your normal type holiday destination, there is a distinct lack of roads, tracks river beds etc is more the norm, and I learnt after visiting this wonderful venue that just hiring a car and trying a little self exploring is not really a goer at all, so finding a local kitesurfer with a four wheel drive and willing always to go the extra mile is a god send in a place as wild as this. Meet Strava Below.
Being meet at the airport ( four of us went) by Strava all the hassle of getting transferred to the 5 star Rui hotel was a breeze, over 250kg's of kit was lashed on, and off we went, Thomsons reps are good, but even they were not really to impressed with all the amount of gear we all had. Dropped off at the hotel and we agreed to meet Strava the next morning. The Rui is great you just can't beat ice cold beer on tap free of charge when ever you need to blow the head off a few. Girlfriends and wives also are super happy in this luxurious resort, pampered and well feed, and if they are happy then the boys are free to go and play.
Unfortunately we did not have any wind for the first few days but Strava was a legend, always being honest with the forecast even bringing a printed wind forecast for us to see. Always upbeat and sounding us out how we would like to fill ours days. Sharks were often a topic of conversation and Strava thought it would be a good idea for us to get close up and personal, so being reassured it was safe as houses going swimming with sharks off we went, reef and nurse sharks. Oh joy of Joys,lol. Dan you big Girl, taking photos instead of getting up close and personal is not a manly excuse,

.

Other days were spent looking for waves, being taken to Bahia a little surf spot, where we hired some surf boards and my little italian mates got some Sups, sorry I couldn't hire one, the piss taking would of been to much (Ollie). Fishing with rods and then with spear guns and snorkerling was another great day, finding the bait, then catching probably the best part of 15kg's of fish, where then Strava got us to find drift wood and BBQ'd fish was the order of the day, really super fresh fish then a beer at a local hostel on the way home, seems beer has been mentioned a lot so far, oupps.

Then dead on time, as per the Strava forecast the wind and a 3.2m swell came in, the wind started off light, but again having a local guide we arrived on the other side of the island where the wind is always a little stronger and had the first of a brilliant three days, kites used 12m to 7m, We explored big onshore swells, with super mirror flat water between the swells to cross off shore a point breaks, where numerous top and bottom turns could be linked, and a brilliant time was had by all. Try Boa Vista it is a really wonderful base, but would be a great idea to grab Strava (stravatours@hotmail.com) before you go, or you will miss out on what most of this amazing spot has to offer.

Slingshot RPM 2011 Kite

The new Demo 9m Slingshot RPM Kite,(Kitesurfing has just become even more fun) the 2011 RPM has just turned up on our door step, so if you fancy popping past and giving it a go you are all more than welcome. As you can see from the pictures those wing tips have increased in size, I am sure this will spin the kite really fast. The bridle seems to have a little more throw in it. I never found the wind range bad on the old rpm, but with a little more I guess this kite will be better for the wave riders now the Octane has disappeared. It seems Slingshot is aiming at the freestyle as well as the wave market with this kite. The RPM feels very light with just 3 struts but with inflated wing tips, and boy are those wing tips big, it gives the impression of a five strut kite. Combine with this the great slingshot build quality, I think the RMP will be another solid performing kite for them for this year.

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Flexifoil Hadlow 138

First ride and look at the 2011 Flexifoil Hadlow Pro.
For 2011 we have a new Hadlow board from flexifoil,
With the mix of a 5x times world champions input and Colin McCulloch Shape and Design you can expect a pretty special board.
First thing is the board only comes in 138x40cm same size dimensions Aaron rides. (A 135 and 132cm will be available later).
Looking around the board you will notice a caped bottom, this has allowed them to give the board a shed load of rocker for heavy landings and punching through chop with out killing the planing ability. The cap is flatter then boards rocker and has a large concave giving it lots of get up and go.
Graphics of the board have been kept simple but still have a premium look and finish.

On the Water the Flexifoil Hadlow 138 tracks very well, railing the Hadlow over allows you to track in very straight lines and it cuts up wind way better then any thing shorter. With help from the new fin design, you can break the tip and tail out to the side easier than the boards edging ability would have you think.
With the board being 138cm, it's swinging weight for the lighter rider could become a problem but with the light weight construction and wide stance you really dont notice it is a larger board.

All the benefits of a longer board (early planing, up wind ability, Control through chop and waves, easy landings.) with all the benefits of a smaller board (Over powered control, maneuverability, and Coolness)

Review 75KG rider in mixed wind ranges

Demo Available At Board-worx Whitstable Please ring 01227 276566

Slingshot Bamboo Pit 5'3"

The Snow and cold weather has brought in some pretty windy conditions and plenty of swell for the brave to make use of there winter wetsuits and Waves boards.

From the shop here we managed to get out on the new slingshot pit 5'3,
The board came set and ready to ride with a tri fin set up and Fastrack strap mounting system complete with its straps and pads.

A common problem with Surfboards is interests strapping after adjusting or removing footstraps for strapless sessions. The new Fasttrack system (first found on Burton snowboard) eliminates and strapping problems and gives you more strap and pad ajustement then any other board.

On the Water the Small little pit is very stiff, but with only 5'3 of length the board really gets away with it still leaving minimal bounce throw the chop.
With the board so short and slim and plenty of nose rocker punching throw and hitting aerials into and out of the wave with lots of control easy.
Riding with straps on the board gives you just as much grip and control of a over powed kite like a small twintip would.

The Pit wont replace a good flexible 6" strapless board for riding surf in moderate winds.
But riding maxed out on a small kite in large surf and chop is were this board is fun and out performs every thing else.

The Pit will definitely be keep-ed in the quiver of boards the staff ride and use on a day to day basis.

Lance