pfr said...
54kts waxman i cant stand up in 54 kts. for me i was on the lake in a westerly on my 10m sb and it was 15kts for about 20mins then big squalls came through and i thought yes i will die . made it in and a mate had a wind guage up and told me it got to 38kts. most prob stronger up higher.
Exactly. I felt 45 knots on my 12m bow kite. I had the kite pushed through the stopper (in so called 100% depower mode) and I was being dragged while I was sitting down on the sand trying to hold it. Putting a 9m up in 55 would be the equivalent and that means you would have to ride with so little tension on the back lines, you couldn't even steer.
In 50 knots last weekend, it was difficult just walking with your kite, nevermind launching it. I reckon I could have got up and planing on a 2m trainer. We tried going for a canoe as a joke and I could ride downwind at speed just by holding up one blade of the paddle.
I stand by my comments. Put a wind meter on the beach the next time you go out in 56 and lets see what the real wind is because I think your beacon measurements are not what you are really riding.