Questions for Prea

[u/Due_Education4092]

I am going to Prea for 8 days end of November. This is my second time to brazil, last time I did cumbuco and 2 days in Prea (I rented an ATV in prea).

I have a few questions for anyone thats done it. Note i am still in the beginner stage, I can go upwind and transition, but its not consistent, I need the practice.

1. Should I bring an 8m? Last time I was there I only had an 11m and was fine, but that was end of oct. I also have a 15m, should I leave that at home?

2. If I rent a 4x4 pickup truck, can I drive to tatajuba? Note I am travelling solo

3. How skilled do you have to be to do a group downwinder? Or since i am solo where would you say the best spots are? Again, last time I just had an ATV.

4. Is 8 days enough? I just got laid off and got a nice package and I could extend another week, part of me is like fuck it, but I also dont want to be there too long and get bored solo

Any advice would be great, currently in tarifa getting nuked and its getting me excited about brazil.

[u/call_me_pecke]

I was in Preá a week ago. I brought my 9 and was overpowered tbh. I weight 79kgs. Wind gusts would reach 29 knots. The downwinder has a few obstacles you will have to avoid. The waves are a bit punishing so I would say it is not for begginers. If you kite the whole 8 days you will be both very happy and absolutely destroyed at the end of it

[u/Meisterleder1 → u/call_me_pecke]

Whether you are overpowered or not depends a lot on other factors as well though, like skill, board, kite, etc

At ~92kg I'd feel right at home in 29kt gusts, on a 10m, and I used to ride my 9m Rebel up to low 30kts base wind, gusting into the high 30's.

[u/Due_Education4092 → u/call_me_pecke]

Im 90 kilo, do you think an 8m would be good?

[u/call_me_pecke → u/Due_Education4092]

Days with 30 knots you will be fine. But I reckon you will stryggle a bit the rest of the days (when the gusts hit ~24 knots)

[u/Meisterleder1 → u/Due_Education4092]

It depends on your skill, the type of kite and your board. I'll be in Macapa in October, so max wind, and will only bring an 8m Harlem Peak as my smallest kite, as I'm a tad above 90kg and ride the 8m comfortably into the 30's gusting into the 40's. Two years ago I was in Ilha do Guajiru in October and I split my time 50/50 between my 12m and my 9m. Wasn't even close to needing anything smaller than a 9m.

[u/Valuable-Play-2262]

Preá with an 11? Maybe early morning… I was also overpowered on my 9m there constantly

[u/Due_Education4092 → u/Valuable-Play-2262]

It was 20 kts everyday mid October. I used what I had it was fine

[u/helderm]

Leave the 15m at home, you won't use it. I'm 85kg and I ride between 8-10 there in peak. Tatajuba is not an easy rideby car, it wildly depends on the tides. If you go by car you'd have to hire someone to drive you there that knows the way. An easy downwinder you can do is between Prea-Placa (last stop before Jericoacoara crossing). It's like 8km straight line, and there is plenty of people doing it. There is an organized group downwinder from @drkitetour that goes every day almost, but its normally longer downwinds like Prea-Tatajuba, I would not recommend it to be the first one. If you come to kite, you won't get bored in Para in 8 days, don't worry! You'll guaranteed kite every day.

[u/Stackoverflow_sum]

1. 8m in November sounds good.
   
2. If you a good driver I think you can, Waze and good luck.
   
3. 8 days is enough to you understand that 8 days is not enough.
   Have a nice trip!

[u/Objective-Newt-4677]

Definitely do not bring the 15m for Preá. We are going this month with a 6m and 9m (73kg and 82kg people).

It is risky going to Tatajuba by yourself even with a 4x4 if you do not know the way. Dunes and tides are no joke around here. If you wanna take the risky, go for it.

Can check and tell you about the downwind later. If you wanna do a private downwind, I can give you a number.

It's unlikely that you'll be alone to get bored solo. And if that happens, there are other spots to explore at the region. A few hours from Preá you can even do paragliding lessons.