Remember back in the early 00's when everyone had a 15-19m kite in their quiver? Those kites then were pretty basic but I also feel like people got after the conditions a ton more back then because of it.
If you're not foiling or want to ride a twin-tip some of the new big kite offerings from various brands are actually pretty good. I tried out the 17m Pivot recently and was pretty impressed by just how light of a wind I could ride in, it was about as light as I usually have fun kitefoiling in.
I think heavy weight riders would also really like this kite because it holds it's shape well and goes upwind when you're more powered, it's not so much of a flappy bag as many other big kites are.
Cheers.
28 Sq metre kite anyone? Sounded like a good idea at the time. The reality: Bigger=heavier, more drag, less maneuverable and impossible to relaunch. In retrospect, and with experience, anything bigger than a 17m makes for a great sun shade, but not particularly useful for much else. But it was a fun experiment.
Even the old 17m Ozone Zephyr was a good fun kite for lighter wind TT, before i got into foiling.
Back in the day I had a 21m Best BFK for a while. Laid out it was half a football field long and had something like 53 struts with individual nozzles, each as thick as my thigh. By the time the thing was pumped I was buggered and ready to begin the deflate process and head home. It did glide like nothing else though, nothing like stretching your legs down to meet the water and then it never comes so after a while you feel foolish and retract the landing gear, only to repeat the process 3 or 4 times before actually touching down.
With a foil I go as big as 13M. With a SUP or longboard I go as big as 17M.
With a twintip, 21M was my favorite for light winds. Had some of my longest jumps on that kite.
Fly safe:
I helped out a friend and he had since years a kite in thr cupboard and gave it to me. I just put it up for sale for 100 AS, it us a 20,5 luquid force with the bar all brand new never opened. Should be ok for some light wind action
Love the reminiscing about the old days with crazy big kites. The first kite I bought was a Cab 15.5m (21m) Black tip, it was a total piece of cr@p and almost killed me countless times as a 50KG boy in the ages of no safety releases.
Might be interesting to you guys, this was back in 2004 at Yorkies FNQ, no idea who he is and the only time I've seen it done.
I am loving the new Zephyr UX 17 m
getting out on marginal winds at my local waves Vic Gunnamatta beach with clean and glassy waves
Its more responsive /drifts and turn so much quicker than older models and I use my normal bar but with line extensions and it's a great combo with my new concept brd 2 kg Vac carbon board 5'3 " with deep channels / planning hull and Quobba's fins
Select to expand quotefiriebob said..
Might be interesting to you guys, this was back in 2004 at Yorkies FNQ, no idea who he is and the only time I've seen it done.
Pretty fun experience. Surprisingly this used to happen quite a lot at the old comps (Coconet, Cairns Kite Week, etc) when people were all stoked to just be hanging out on the beach together and talking smack. I remember people even doing 3 up a few times, it really handles badly though haha. The main issue is the smaller kite turns quicker than the bigger kite and they end up getting out of sync at some point, the shorter the lines between help but it also then blocks the wind getting to the one above.
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..firiebob said..
Might be interesting to you guys, this was back in 2004 at Yorkies FNQ, no idea who he is and the only time I've seen it done.
Pretty fun experience. Surprisingly this used to happen quite a lot at the old comps (Coconet, Cairns Kite Week, etc) when people were all stoked to just be hanging out on the beach together and talking smack. I remember people even doing 3 up a few times, it really handles badly though haha. The main issue is the smaller kite turns quicker than the bigger kite and they end up getting out of sync at some point, the shorter the lines between help but it also then blocks the wind getting to the one above.
I believe that is Mike Grahame (aka Reggae), think you'll find he's in wake bindings/boots too! I used to do it a lot as my party trick back in the day. Actually tried 4 when the Aero 2 was out, but it was chaos and didn't work, three is nuts and near un controllable, they pulse back and forth out of sync with each other, often with one stalling and falling causing the end. Two is fun enough. The dumb shyt we used to do! I also owned a 25m V4 (and a 20m), that was a beast!! Under-powered to Over-powered in mere knots.
Ride safe,
JB
Select to expand quotesmook said..
I am loving the new Zephyr UX 17 m
getting out on marginal winds at my local waves Vic Gunnamatta beach with clean and glassy waves
Its more responsive /drifts and turn so much quicker than older models and I use my normal bar but with line extensions and it's a great combo with my new concept brd 2 kg Vac carbon board 5'3 " with deep channels / planning hull and Quobba's fins
I've found something even better Jeff, the 16m Alpha V3, has just as much bottom end, way better drift and lighter bar pressure and better rate of turn. I can easily ride waves down the line at 10-12 knots on a 5'5" 24ltr surfboard.
i hate(d) my 15.5m switch helium because when the winds are light there a luls where the kite would love to hindenburg unless you were lucky enough to be gliding and diving the kite through the luls and hope the lul goes away. Also turns like a traktor.
Surfboard with a 10m kite felt much better.
