New Arrive: North Rebel 7m 2012 - a user review

I use to check from time to time on eBay for some good deals on kitesurfing gear. I must confess that with a bit of luck you can save quite a lot of money on buying almost new equipment than in traditional online shops (that's where I used to go shopping... power of the WEB 2.0). Almost one month ago I was quite surprised when I managed to buy a completely new North Rebel 2012 7.0m on eBay from Germany for less than 750€. It has been more that a bargain. It has been a great deal.

This is the third North Rebel I got in the the last two years. I was happy with the first Rebel I bought (a 10m 2010model, used one), more than happy with the 2011 model (still a 10m). The North Rebel allowed me to progress quite a lot and start wavekiting. It's a powerful kite with a enourmouse wind range. I am quite an heavy sailor (between 98 to 92 kg, depending on the season), but I never had problem in sailing with 15kn winds when my friends were out with a 12m kite. It turns fast and generates lots  of power. For me it is simply perfect. Maybe it miss some hang time, but it's simply a no-issue for those guys who - like me - doesn't like those supa-coola-tricks of the month. I love wavekiting and this kite is almost perfect for what I do.

Now this are my impressions on this 2012 7m. Please note I had the opportunity to use it only two times with a similar wind range (14 to 24kn, 20kn average)...
The firts you'll observe is that this kite moves *FAST*, and when I say fast, I should add really fast. As a direct consequence, it generates lots of power, allowing you to pass those "wind holes" where even bigger - but slower - kites struggle to stay up in the sky.  The bar response is direct (I,m using  a 2010 one, to which I substituted the depower and the safety red line - thanks to North it is still compatible with the new model but North, please... use better lines) and I must tell that I love it - it is never not too hard, nor too strong, but still it gives you the exact feeling on where the kite is flying. Steering when de-powered sometimes is not that good but I will check the bar setup to see if I can get a better response. Not bad at all, considering I still have to improve quite a lot on the monodirectional board.

Construction appears solid, as all North products. The material being used here reflects the quality of the kite. No questions here. Please note that on the 2012 model there have been some changes on the back pigtail, now allowing for a better setup of the sheeting force  depending on the sailor preferences.

I hope there will be some good conditions during the next days around here, to give a you some more impressions on this kite, especially in waveriding...  next monday, maybe? :)

Unbeliveakelly

The Rip Curl pro surf contest in Bells Beach (Australia) has just ended. Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning made it to the final round. Not  surprise, especially for the 11th time world champion. Check his 10 score wave in the video above. He's almost 40 year old and this guy still rocks, man. Old man rules, young boys... you have to eat some more meat before getting up there!  

Our Waves

ONDE NOSTRE | A 16MM LIFE STYLE DOCUMENTARY from BLOCK10 on Vimeo.

Beautiful surf documentary about surfing in Italy.

Sailing in Ereaga

Ereaga when North Westerly winds are blowing strong. Killing shore wave.

Two days of wind and waves during the weekend in the Basque Country. We sailed in Ereaga, a urban beach near Gexto Town which uses to grant us some decent condition when the wind blows from NW direction. Usually everything depends on the tide, so timing here is crucial. At high tides waves are reflected by the big pier you see on the left (looking to the sea), creating so much chops that sailing becomes really challenging. You legs and knees are asked to do some extra work and you'd probably have some pain (like I have right now - at the end I'm almost 40 year old guy :) ) at the end of the day. Plus, there's a dangerous killing shore break so you'd probably have to watch out when getting in (and out) the water.

At low tide things are getting easier since there's almost no chop and no shore break.  But if the tide is too low rocks start putting their faces out of the water... even a hundred meters far from the shore line! When I was windsurfing there I destroyed one or two fins because I did't see that semi submerged rock in front of me when sailing at full planning condition. Most of windsurfers know what I'm talking about... and the cost in fixing you gear this represent. It is true that kite board fins are smaller than a windsurf boards ones, that's why we can sail in shallow water a 15-20 cm deep water but... Imagine jumping and then landing on a rock... ;)

The best conditions in Ereaga are during mid tides. The best of both worlds, so "almost" no chop, waves (if there's a big sell hitting the coast) and wind (have to be strong by the way, not too much from the west, not too much from the north...) - yeah, and the moon phase should be the right one, you don't have to work, attend your wife/child needs... :)

Guincho

Wordless

Muskiz Wave Session

I'm not saying that's *NOT* a good start for this season, but 6 kite sessions since the beginning of 2012 are definitely not too much. Reasons are different: lack of time, work (yes, we have to pay our bills), lack of wind... and a few other excuses. So as it is today, getting into the water actually means that almost all of the following factors  happens almost at the same time: waves not too big, wind not too strong or too light - and blowing during the daylight of course - the tide is ok, you are not on a business trip and your boss is not calling you, your wife hasn't ask you to get her to the mall... and if you have children, well... you know better than me. Put this all together and you could easily forget about kitesurfing.

Well, last saturday I managed somehow to have almost everything in shape. The wind forecasts promised some strong wind blowing from NW during the afternoon, perfect timing for me since I had some commitments during the morning in Bilbao. I arrived in Muskiz at 2:30 and went into the water as soon as possible. Good conditions: the wind was blowing up to 25knots (or more), low tide and 1 to 1.5m mushy waves. Perfect for my 10m Rebel and the surf board. Unfortunately we also had some rain showers but - hey! - this is the Basque Country, and it's winter time... what do you expect, 25°C and sun shining?

Check the video above!

Muskiz - 28.01.2012

We scored a new kite session yesterday in La Arena beach, Muskiz. During the past days the temperatures have fallen down to almost 5°C, so that we had a f..king freezing sail condition. The chilling rain surely didn't help, but guys... you know it: you have to face with such things if you want to sail in the Basque Country during winter time.... that's life. Nothing compared to what was our thought when we start kiting: sun, nice temperature, constant winds... cheeks... :-) something similar to what some friends are experiencing right now in Bonaire. 

By the way, we got into the water at 3pm. The wind picked up lille by little, I would bet that we had something like 18 average with gust up 23 knots, with 1mt mushy waves. I used my surf board (a Crazyfly 6'2") and the Rebel 10.0m and I was perfectly powered so I must confess this has been on of the best wave sessions I ever had... ok, I cannot say I'm too experienced anyway, but at least it's a start. I  enjoyed surfing those waves, I enjoyed carving...  even if the wind direction (completely on-shore) was not the best one... and that's the most important FACT. Who said "the best surfer out there is the one having the most fun"? I completely agree with him...

Because of the cold temperature I also weared a neoprene hat to witstand the freezing cold. It really works better than put neoprene gloves and shoes (which I dislike for several different reasons: lost of sensibility, painful harms...). If you are out in the water in a condition similar to what I described above, give it a try.

Laredo - January 2012

Let's start the new year with a nice session in Laredo. As usual, the wind blowing from E accelerates during the day up to 20kn thanks to the Venturi or Thermal effect (who knows...). Sun and really cold temperatures (finally the winter has arrived).

Here's the short video shooted with my GoPro and the Kitehero. Enjoy and Happy new year!

I'm too lazy for this...

As usual, I've forget to update at least once per month this. Sorry (to me first), It has been a quite busy period, few times into the water (actually only two since October I guess) and lots of other stuff. Of course the weather has not helped too much. Usually this is the southern wind season in the Basque Country, means very strong winds and really gusty. We missed a couple of session in Laida besides the weather forecasts were showing a consistent 20 to 30kn SE winds. There have been also some days when the wind was definitely too strong (that's why I need to buy a 7m kite...).
Now, thank to La Niña we are having a quite hot winter, no snow over the Pyrenees and the Alps, high temperature also in Germany (just came back from a business trip). By the way it seem we will have big storms from now on...
In the moment I'm writing this, there's an hurricane out there:  SW winds with gusts up to 160km/h. I went to take some picture this morning and it was spectacular. 9mt waves and onshore winds... WOW. Nobody was out there of course, it's definitely too dangerous and you would need a 3mt kite. Unfortunately I'm busy also during the weekends and I really doubt I will have the chance to go kiting a little bit before the end of the year. That's sad, I still have to try my waveboard, a brand new Crazyfly 6'2" Thunder:

 That's it. Next post will be the year 2011 sailing statistics...

Broken board and some videos

Ok Guys,
I definitely finish to break my kite surf board, and this time it's my fault (although, as everyone now has been able to check the "smoking paper" building quality of the x-tech RRD Fatal wave, this should have been happened sooner or later). The obvious suggestion is - never ever - surf in a 10cm deep water, which may sound familiar to most of you, not to myself three days ago. I was surfing in very low wind condition in Laredo during mid tide, my 13sqm GIN ZuluIII and some 30cm mushing waves. Not so funny but the surfboard let me ride somehow decently. The sand bar in front of me didn't seem too deep.  But I was wrong. The fin stucked into the sand, my heavy foot pushing on the top of the deck, the cracking sound coming from the bottom and myself screaming how stupid I've been. That's all the story... and the results:

By the way, due to my usual September "lazyness" I didn't post anything for almost one month and a half. That does not mean that we didn't had any nice kite sessions. Actually my personal counter scores 4  rides (not that much though), two of which at the Pantano del Ebro. Summer is lasting too much this year, with temperatures that are still quite high. We are all waiting for the chilly north coast winds and waves.
I'll let you with to videos from the Spaghetti Production. Enjoy!