I use a Mark Richards 6'4" super twin for light wind stuff sometimes, gets a bit slappy when the winds up. If your 6'6 has enough rocker so it doesnt take off on you should be good, otherwise could be a bit of fun in the gusts Foamy might take some finesse!

I'd use the 6'6, remember to keep most of your weight on your front foot & once your up & riding - to go upwind, don't try to edge like you would on a TT...instead use the fins. So with trying to keep a fairly upright stance (depending on wind strength), push your back foot downwind slightly. This will with practice point the nose of your board upwind, works the same heel-side or toe-side & when you get it right you will feel yourself tracking upwind.

Have fun & let us know how you go.

EDIT: forgot to add, be careful of breaking fins in the shallow water at the lake.

Cheers
I practiced a few standing starts in the shallows today and got 80% of them. Hadnt done them before so it was good to get a few dialed in. Feel like a kook when i go to do a down winder and sit down in the sand in the shoey to start off haha.

Is there any real trick to deep water starts strapless??

belldiver said..

Cheers
I practiced a few standing starts in the shallows today and got 80% of them. Hadnt done them before so it was good to get a few dialed in. Feel like a kook when i go to do a down winder and sit down in the sand in the shoey to start off haha.

Is there any real trick to deep water starts strapless??

My experience is.....

Get your feet on top of the board, squeeze your arse up close and dive the kite.
I find it sometimes helps to wriggle the kite backwards and forwards to create downwind pressure against the board.

And most of the time my back foot is way way infront of the back foot strap.position!

with boards i think it is pretty simple???
its a performance v strength thing.
some folk want a board that could go back on the shelf and sell as new 12 months old, i would rather have a board with deck compressions that offers more performance. so for me a standard surfboard can't be beat.

the drifter is somewhere in between. the new ones feel really heavy, too heavy they scared me off.

each to their own i guess. just make sure you demo the 'kite surfboards'.
i.e. any laminate/epoxy as i find they are HORRIBLE!!!

from a water start i have my heels on the board first, then press down so my toes are in line with the stringer while at the same time diving the kite. i wiggle my feet to a normal stance as I get going. it'll become second nature after some practice. its amazing how quick you can grab your board and get going with a wave bearing down on you !

which board is an interesting one - ive got a heap of them and found the more stable it was the easier it is to practice a gybe on. for me 6' ,18.5 and 2.5 was easier than 5'8, 19.5 and 2 3/8. it probably has more volume...

riding super light normal surfboards is what i prefer. all those boards i couldn't bring myself to trade in (for $100) over the years are now getting plenty of use again. same as surfing - the lighter the better!

funny you said you have a board which is a favourite you don't want to wreck - i have two like that and since i barely ever surf these days since I started kiting, ive just started riding them with the kite and they go unreal. a merrick semi-pro and a merrick fred rubble.

+1 what topple said - i recently ripped two fins (plugs and all!) out of a particularly nice JS custom on a sandbank.