``Uncle’’ Ray Hyde could be Australia’s oldest kiteboarder.

The 71-year-old lives by the motto that to be an action man you don’t have to be young just fit.

Uncle Ray is an instructor in Mooloolaba and has taught the sport since 2000.

For 15 years he was a diver with the sharks at Mooloolaba’s Underwater World and before that he was a rescue helicopter diver in Sydney for 12 years.

``I don’t think I am that rare, I’m sure there are more oldies out there and I would love to meet them all.

``Maybe do a down winder?
``We would need regular stops for medication and toilet.’’

Uncle Ray says his most memorable kiting experience was trying it for the first time and also being ``buzzed’’ by dolphins.

“Put it this way, you are talking with someone and you notice over their shoulder the wind is moving trees,’’ he said.

 ``Next thing you are checking the internet for wind reports.

``After a kiting session my blood pressure reading is good and I never suffer from constipation.

``Fellow kiters tell me I am an inspiration but they get pissed at me on downwiders because I take too long to get ready.

“There are knee stretches and brasses and I forget things.

“A lot of them out there are my former students, they know all know me and CPR and most importantly that I don’t have dentures.

``I make a yearly pilgrimage to Cairns to find wind and timed it wrong and got two speeding tickets and two rides this year.

``For me I find the Sunshine Coast is great but I have not tried overseas cause I have to wear special lady like stockings on the plane to avoid deep vain thrombosis.’’

Uncle Ray is a senior Kite Star nominee and goes in the draw to win a Griffin kite at the end of this year.