goog64 said...

Here's a selection from the replies to my original question. Anyone notice a problem....
1. I think you can forget about 12-14 knots in the surf if you weigh 90kg
2. Can kite easy in 10 to 12 knts and 2to 3 foot surf with 10mtr rebel and 6'4 nsp fish lots of fun
3. use a kite no bigger than a 10m
4. Size does matter, end of story....the bigger kite will always be more powerful

Goog64

Opinions are like a***holes, we all have one. We are all full of it, like Schmik said.

On point 1
Well I've seen guys going it and enjoying themselves. Rich Stenning former double Aust Nat champ (80-85kgs') is often at Wanda in waves on a skimboard or Underground Freewave with no fins, in marginal conditions of 12-14 knots. Richies biggest kite is an 11M Cabrinha CB IDS. I see others there too on kites up to 14M in size, but I rarely see any kites in the surf bigger than that, that are seriously trying to ride waves. Anything over 14M just moves too slowly and will end up either not fun or in the water and getting pounded by waves and also not fun.


On point 2
No way, not riding upwind, downwinder maybe. I'm sure the rider does kite in waves with that board, but not in 10 knots, not upwind and not in fast breaking waves. The real wind will be more like 12-14 knots, he just does not realise it.
10 knots means that the wind is peaking at 10 knots and there will be lulls below, I cannot get going in flat water, upwind, on an Ozone Light XC 14M on an huge 1.44x46 TT in less that 12 knots. On a bigger inflatable on the same board I can go as low as 8-10 knots, I've used many different brands of big inflatables and foils.

On point 3
Use a faster flying and quicker turning modern kite, like the 13M Rev2 and Rev1, Ozone Light XC 12M or 14M, Best Waroo 09 13M, 08 is ok too, SS RPM 14M or 12M, etc, etc.

On point 4
True, but only up to a point as I've said above, bigger than 14M and I've never seen or flown a kite that moves quick enough to be regarded as a serious wave kite, although a bigger kite can still get you out in the ocean in light winds, you just might not be able to get in amongst the waves with it.
The bigger the kite, the better the board and kite skills need to be to ride in waves, or better put, the more experienced a rider is with that sort of gear in those lighter conditions the better they will do.

90kg does not mean you cannot surf in 12-14 knots, but that wind is really the lower end of the spectrum and you will have a lot more fun in just couple of knots more, like 14-16 knots (still on a 11-14M kite/and larger board combo).

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Anyone who says that the max power you can get is with a Bandit 14 or Cab 16m needs to try an ultra flat. It ****s all over any of these for low end because the projected area of the kite is far bigger.

A ultra flat 15m has the same power as a 19/20m bow kite. If you don't believe me, try one and prove me wrong, I have nothing to gain, I ride a Rev.

There are a couple of companies that make them, Fluid is one, Wind-x are another, but I think the Fluid is the only one available locally.

Its the only kite that has low end close to a foil.

Upwind in 4knots?



Only set you back about 5 Grand.

Martiin said...

Upwind in 4knots?



Only set you back about 5 Grand.

No, more like double that IMO, the meter was way too close the ground to get an accurate reading of the wind the kite was "seeing".
There are signs of whitecaps, means its more like 7-8 knots, still impressive, and great skill needed to keep the SA kite out of the water and ride the foil board, kite will not relaunch in such light winds.

@Saffer
Yeah, overall the quality was poor would be keen to see the later versions, it seemed like it had potential. Not sure that its aimed at super light wind kiting though, thats just a side benefit of extreme projected area bow designs.
Turning speed of these super high ar/pa kites needs to be sorted, then inflatos will give the big foils a serious run for their money.
The 17M Contra2 came close to the performance of the SA 19M that was here in Sydney last year, he had the legs on me by about 2-3 knots at most, but the inflato had a much better overall wind range and better turning, the SA is also quite slow turning.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Slow turning, slow turning, scmhow turning.

We're talking about light winds here people. Adjust your ride style to suit the conditions, kiting is about running with nature, not conquering it.

I love psyching up for a light wind session on a SS TD16m (slow turning and I love it) by cruising down to the beach real slow like with some beach boys on the system and then hitting the waves on a skim board and carving it real slow and lazy like.

"drive slow homey, put dem hazard lights on when you see dem hos"

Peace

Just wanted to add something to my previous post.
1. KITEHARD is totally correct if you are talking about direct on shore you can forget it you need wind.
I assumed you mean cross onshore the the apparent wind gennerated by the wave makes a big difference.
2.The surfboard you pick must be wide Big fish or hybrid quad.
3.The boards the botany bay boys are talking about(SS glide etc) may work in the flat water of the bay,but as soon as you cross waves you need fins..
Hope this helps.

Z try to get the Ozone Light 14m from Steve for a test ride and compare with the Bandit 14m...

I flown both (and sell both) and in my opinion the Ozone is a much nicer kite to fly in light wind.. But I like to have someone else opinion.
Bye Jankie

Why go out just go surfing instead?!?

harry potter said...


I found ,with my old SB3 8m i could get going in about 15knots on a 126cm board on my 12m about the same.

Hi HP,
Just to clarify: you mean your 8m and 12m kites got you going about the same in 15 knots?

Had a light wind session this week only three made it out in the 10kts i had a 15m rev and a nobile skim weighing 90 kgs had a bit of a walk after each run. The other lad had a 13m rev and a glide weighing around 70kgs he was cruising and holding ground. The 3rd kiter had a psyco 3 15m and a 137 555 nobile board and he would weigh around the 90kg mark and he was ridding powered and going upwind. I took the glide for a spin and it was better than the skim i actualy held ground. but the flysurfer was definatly the go in the light stuff a couple more kts and you would be able to throw some tricks. a bit pricey though could fit a 40 inch flatscreen to my van and just chill out at the beach and watch kite vids for the same price.

I'm the one with the Psycho, its PS4 in 15m, I weigh 80kgs. In the gusts (10-12knts ?) I managed a couple of small jumps (real small !!) but in the lulls it was a case of just cruise along and get some ground upwind

Cheers

richierich said...

The key is using the right board -skimboard- and the right part of the water

Word.

Great photo sequence. I remember watching you at Wanda a couple of years ago on the Zappa when I lived in Sydneytown.
You were my inspiration to buy a skimboard dude. I love it to death. It's hard to find a better spot than Wanda but, cause the sand is so steep and it's often a very onshore wind.

Peace