Recently some friends of mine, Laurie and Yuri who run the very popular Our Kite Life Channel on youTube decided to ask a pretty is simple question, “Is the OneWheel better than kiteboarding”?  They explored this topic in their latest episode which you can watch above.  So I thought I would write this article to answer the question for myself.

The first Torqeedo 1103C Units are starting to be shipped in Europe.  It's a little longer before we receive ours but here is a video of what you can expect.  They are direct drive and even more quiet than the 1003C model.  After the break we have the press release direct from Torqeedo.

You may have noticed your kites get inexplicably inverted or tangled even though they were setup just fine, well there actually is an explanation.  Lines can get tangled anytime your kite gets flipped around on inverted.  This can even happen if someone lands your kite and flips it away from you or if you land it cleanly but then wrap up your lines a certain way.  Then when you go to relaunch you notice the tangle where there was none before, so how do you fix it.

The safest way is to always land the kite and re-walk out your lines.  This also gives you a chance to r-inspect your lines which is never a bad thing.  But this process, while safe, can be time consuming.  Another way is to have someone fix your lines while holding the kite.  The problem with this is you are trusting your safety to someone else whose skill level and attention to detail may not be where it should be.  Personally, when it comes to safety systems, I prefer to do my own checks and adjustments.

One way to fix tangled lines is through a process called bar juggling.  Recently Damien LeRoy and Evan Netsch, two amazing team riders and some of the nicest guys I've ever met, posted a tutorial video on how to bar juggle.  There are lots of similar videos but I like the way they covered this topic. Have a look and see for your self.

One point I want to make is when you notice your lines being tangled it is often when someone is holding it ready to give you a launch.  If you decide to bar juggle the process might take a while and if the person holding your kite is waiting to kite themselves it may not be the best etiquette in the world to see them standing there while you figure things out.  That is why you should have practiced this technique before hand.  If you find it is taking you more than a few minutes then the right thing to do is to signal to land the kite and then re-walk the lines.

At some locations, especially in Ontario, solo drift launching is the norm.  Attempting to bar jungle in this scenario can be unsafe.  The maneuver requires you to unhook your safety and untwist lines while the kite is directly down wind of you and fully powered up.  Needless to say it should not be attempted unless you are a seasoned bar juggler and the conditions are within your skill set, otherwise the kite could go into a spiral and be ripped out of your hands, and if you are lucky your arm will not be tangled in lines when it happens.

As you grow in skill level and experience, bar juggling is one of those things that you will eventually want to learn.  As always practice and be safe, but if you do learn it, it can mean less time untangling lines and more time kiting and that is something we all want!

Thanks for reading, I am Ivano Stellato, a PASA certified kiteboarding instructor and founder of www.MysticPointWaterSports.com, wishing you happy and safe kiting.

​Video Credit:  Damien LeRoy

I just received an email the other day from customers Shawn and Jill - They recently took delivery of their new XCAT with Sailing Kit and RowMotion.  It was snowing in Vancouver but a few days ago it hit 20 degrees and was like summer so they sent me a note after their first two outings and I wanted to share the pics and note.  Thanks Shawn and Jill - I was smiling the whole time I read this.  It feels good helping someone do something or get something that brings them happiness.

​So yesterday, March 12th 2019 was a HUGE day for a LITTLE product as OneWheel introduced their new e-board, the “Pint”.  I have not seen the internet light up with so many comments about a product release since the early iPhone days!  I have to say they did a great job of building the suspense and hype.  Their Instagram and home page posted all sorts of cryptic clues for prior to the reveal as people everywhere were commenting on what might be released.  Many guessed a new suspension system based on a mysterious patent someone uncovered, while some thought they would release a successor to the highly successful XR board which was released just a year earlier.  Come noon(ish) they finally unveiled the Pint which replaces the Plus model as their entry level offering, while keeping the XR as their flagship much like the Tesla 3 is to the Model S.

Here is a nice buyers guide for Sea Eagle inflatable kayaks and canoes from YouTube creators, "The More We Explore."

Want to see prices?  Shop for Sea Eagle in our online store HERE.

With proper instruction and modern gear, kiteboarding has evolved to be very safe and fun, but like any sport, things can go wrong.  One of the most dangerous situations that can happen is the infamous "death loop" which occurs when your bar and lines get tangled in such a way as to cause your kite to loop repeatedly.  This builds a lot of power and invariably will drag you aggressively through the beach or water like being pulled behind a bus.  Sometimes the bar gets tangled in such a way as to block your initial safety release, so what should you do?  I came across a couple of good tutorial videos that cover some ways to recover from "death loop" scenarios and wanted to share them with my readers.

Before you watch them I just want to make a few points:

• Never fear releasing your kite.  Kites can be replaced but your health and safety can not.
• Some death loops are caused or exasperated by the rider panicking and holding onto the bar, when in doubt, let go and pull your safety.
• Some, like those in the videos, are more complicated.  Practice resolving them first with a bar only, not attached to a kite, then on a day with a kite but in winds under 10 knots and in shallow water, wearing a life jacket and helmet and with help and support around you.
• Don't kite until exhaustion.  Your judgement and skill is not as good when you are tired and that's when accidents happen.
• Make sure you have a knife and don't be afraid to use it to cut your lines.
• What if there are kids and beach goers down wind and releasing your kite could harm someone:
  • Like everything in life you have to remain vigilant and evaluate the potential risks.
  • If the threat of imminent danger to you is greater than the possibility that the loose kite may hurt someone down wind of you then you should release it.
  • But if you are not in imminent danger and there is a greater risk that the loose kite may hurt someone down wind of you then you should take the opportunity to try and fix the problem using one of the techniques shown in the videos.
  • Always evaluate the options and choose the one that has the least risk and highest probability of a safe outcome.
• Always be vigilant.  Kiteboarding is like driving a motorcycle, even though it is really fun and safe, you should always be scanning for potential risks and be ready to act if something happens unexpectedly.
• Gradually build up your skills and experience over time.  Don't go out in conditions, locations, or circumstances that are either unsafe or beyond your skill level.
• If something happens, stay calm and focus on solutions, don't let fear cloud your judgement and get the better of you.
• Something new and potentially scary can happen every time you kite.  Learn from it.  Once back on the beach debrief yourself.  Figure out what happened and how you could have avoided it and resolved it better in case it should ever happen again.  Keeping a journal can help.  Ask instructors or other seasoned kiters for feedback.  Do some research at home on solutions to the problem you encountered.  Practice resolving it before your next session.

Thanks for reading, I am Ivano Stellato, a PASA certified kiteboarding instructor and founder of Mystic Point Water Sports, wishing you happy and safe kiting.

​Video Credit:  Anton Chernyshov

Mystic Point Water Sports will be at the 2019 Spring Cottage Life Show, March 21-24 at the International Center in Mississauga.

On display will be:

• MiniCAT 460
• MiniCAT Guppy
• XCAT Row & Sail Catamaran with RowVista
• Row on Air - RowVista with AirSkiff 17' and Sea Eagle Needle Nose
• Sea Eagle Inflatable Kayaks
• Eleveight Kites and Boards
• RRD Kites
• Litewave Boards
• Special Demo area for you to see and try the amazing OneWheel!

​More to come....

What is the best portable / inflatable sailboat?  This is actually a trick question.  The answer of course depends on which boat is ideal for you and your needs.  So the real title of this post should be - How to choose the right portable / inflatable sailboat for your needs - A buyers guide to choosing an inflatable sailboat.  In order to answer this I want to break it down into sections.