Repairing your Kite and boards

This post is to assist those who have arrived on the west coast of Cape Town to enjoy kiting - and then .......... a kite goes down and gets ripped by the waves and wind or lands on the only thorny branch on the beach............ or a favourite board gets trashed.

For board repairs:

Cape Doctor - Angus "Goose" Welch  021 557 0740

Angus makes boards - twintips, directionals, mutants, SUP's and windsurfing boards. They are quality boards. Angus shares the Naish shop in Tableview besides having a workshop in Killarney Gardens. I ride one of his boards and love it. In summer during the windy season his workshop becomes more focussed on repairing boards.

http://www.capedr.co.za/

Long Ocean Boards - Greg Long  021 510 1452

Greg also makes boards - twintips, directionals, racing boards and windsurfing boards. My first twintip board was one of his. I have seen him whipping at speed through the waves at kitebeach on one of his directionals.  

http://www.longocean.co.za/

https://plus.google.com/100873948353009399615/about?gl=za&hl=en

The Board Box

Havent used these guys but they are based in Paarden Island which is close to Milnerton, Blouberg and Tableview.

http://www.theboardbox.co.za/contact-us

Ripped Kite or Punctured Bladder:

Second Wind Sails - Paul Lagesse  082 650 9290

Paul has a workshop in Paarden Island - full of kites and windsurfing sails in the season.

http://www.secondwindsails.co.za/

Fix-a-Kite - Eric Groenewoud.  072 110 2642

Eric used to be based in Tableview but moved to Yzerfontein a couple of years ago. He comes in regularly to pick up kites to repair. Quality repairs and reasonable.

http://www.windfinder.com/directory/detailed/8695.htm

The History of Kiteboarding

This is the best short movie on the history of the development of kiteboarding I have ever seen. It includes a large collection of footage from the early stages of the sport.

Click below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e61HxV2Hquw

Winds stack up

The winds predicted for Cape Town and surrounds are stacking up as an object of art and beauty for kiters. Greens are being replaced by yellows, browns, reds with the a few spots of mauve.  See the charts below. Bear in mind that you can generally add about 5 knots or more to the afternoon wind speeds at some of the spots due to the "venturi effect" created by the mountains and local topography. Note how the winds increase as you progress south from Cape Town to Misty Cliffs and then on to Cape Point.

Chart for Cape Town - 15.11.14

Chart for Misty Cliffs - 15.11.14

Chart for Cape Point - 16.11.14

Storing Kite Gear

Was concerned about my kite gear getting stained with oil on the garage floor and shelves so I erected a rack in my garage. I made it from pvc pipes and threaded rods. It hangs from the beams above my car so is out of the way and everything can get all around ventilation. Added hooks for the kites.

Rack for Boards

Rack for Kites

Loaded up

 

Haakgat Friday 31st October 2014

Swells at 6 feet with 12 foot faces. Wind about 20 knots. A number of waveriders out.
Late afternoon glare on the photos and in production somehow the photos looked better with the colour distorted.

Trippy but the action and wave form is captured

Can measure the wave face here 6 foot plus 6 foot.

On a wall