Q&A WITH BRAND MANAGER PETE CABRINHA

QUALCHE DOMANDA AL BOSS PETE CABRINHA

Cabrinha Brand Manager and legend Pete Cabrinha found some time last week to answer a few questions from our Instagram followers. Enjoy some insights from Pete below and follow us on Instagram @cabrinhakites to stay tuned for more! When and where was the first time you ever went kiteboarding? The first time I saw kiteboarding was in La Torche, France in 1986. The first time I stepped on a kiteboard was at Hookipa, Maui in 1996.

What is the best spot to kite waves and best time of the year in Hawaii? All of the islands in Hawaii have great kitesurf spots year round. You can always find some type of wave to ride. But the best surf for kitesurfing is between the months of October and April. Maui generally has the best chances of wind and waves with the most consistent months being October, November, February and March. When will we see a Cabrinha foil surfboard? Foil surfboards are in production now. Look for them in your shops soon. Everyone here is addicted to foil surfing.

What’s the ideal board for strapless freestyle? Better a lighter or heavier board? I’m not a freestyle specialist but I can definitely say that a lighter board helps will ALL of my freestyle tricks. It just stays stuck to your feet better and is much more responsive. How old are you? Uh…. Fifty (cough) seven. 57.

Why did you stop making the Radar? We replaced the Radar with the Moto. The Radar was a good kite but the Moto is a GREAT kite. It has a much wider range of use and more performance throughout its range. What’s your favorite kite other than the Drifter? Since the Drifter covers surf and freestyle needs, my other go-to kite is the Switchblade. I use the SB when I want to go big. There’s something satisfying about the simplicity of sending it.

Strapless or Strapped? I ride strapless about 85% of the time. I do like using straps here in the winter when the surf gets bigger. The straps handle the speed and chop really well for me. Especially when surfing backside. Where to strapless kitesurf in Hawaii? One of the best things about kitesurfing in Maui is that most of the waves are just a bit offshore. Usually 100-400 meters offshore. Therefore, you can launch and ride in virtually flat water on your way to the surf. For strapless riding you have unlimited choices.

What’s your favorite kite wave spot? So far my favorite wave to kitesurf is Cloudbreak in Fiji. Would you ever consider kitesurfing a Jaws swell? I kitesurfed Jaws in 2004. This was before the bow kite, so controlling the de-power of the kite was difficult. To be honest, I prefer surfing over kitesurfing at Jaws. Surfing a wave that size is much more free and intimate than kiting.

What inspires you? I’m a pretty visual person. I get most of my inspiration from the things I see. Sometimes I seek them out… and some I let come to me. I use music to intensify any moment of inspiration. Maui in itself is an incredibly inspiring place. There is so much happening here in the realm of innovation, art, culture, surfing, music etc etc. 

How can I get sponsored? Do you rip? Let us see it. Show us what you got. We always have our eyes open. What’s the next big innovation in your pipeline?  We are working on a few gems that we will release this year. Sorry to be so vague but surprise is a good thing… right?   DON’T MISS OUT ON MORE Q&A’S BY FOLLOWING US ON INSTAGRAM @cabrinhakites