i have a raymarine wind meter (yacht racing type) sitting around doing nothing, so might have to add to the seabreeze knowledgebase with some more hard data
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.
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
I have tried the Silver Arrow 2 19m. I was able to hold my ground at 6-7kn on a door style twinne (164 x 45). I know it was 6-7 because that is where my standard speed 2 15m won't stay in the sky.... and it wouldn't. I prefer the 15 to the 19 because it turns soooo fast ;)
Seriously... it turns a fair bit faster than the 19 but for me to have any fun it needs 11kn. i.e staying upwind and small jumps. All of this is on flat water. The surf is a different beast. It all comes down to dollars.... you can get a psycho 4 15 or 19 in the silver arrow fabric. They turn nicely and will be fine in 12-14kn but the price.....ouch the price.
I agree with steve that the difference between foild and LEI will narrow. The only standout will be the silver arrow. In this case is just comes down to weight. The kite will fly up to the top of the window in nearly nothing because it weighs nearly nothing.
BTW relaunch is pretty easy for any foil (except maybe PL) in > 10kn.
As ai said... depends on money and how often you get light winds.
mike
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.
Here's my two bobs worth,
I spend a lot of time kiting in less than 10 knots (like yesterday- have a look at the graphs, i think there was actually about 6-7 knots on the beach-right Mick?) with my 10m switchblade. The key is using the right board -skimboard- and the right part of the water -only the first 3m or so out where the water pushing back straight into the wind. Forget about getting 'out back' when there is little wind plus there is lots of fun to be had on the shore break.
Yesterday there was a fellow with 16m Naish that could not get moving as he had a twin tip with fins and was trying to start in a foot of water- i agree with the earlier posters it can't be done in such light wind regardless on the size of kite. He said he is going to look for a skimboard.
The main reason that kiting in such little wind can be done is you can get apparent wind happening when you run cross/upwind and skim on the wet sand. The sand is holding you up so the wind doens't have to. Sometimes -like yesterday- when its extremely light you get going fine on the wet sand and as soon as you get a bit deeper out you sink. This is when you have to loop the kite and pull yourself back to the wet sand again.
Also the skimboard having no fins has very little drag even in the deeper water. My surfboard has much more drag because of the fins so need more wind for it or take the fins off.
Best conditions for kite skimboarding is when there is a steep bank into the water and big waves so there is more water in the shore break. Ideally you want 15-20 knots but can easily go once the kite can be held happily in the edge of the window-6-7 knots.
The photos that Vasco took and stitched together here had very little wind but it was a great session as there was lots of water shooting back out to sea.
I used to hate onshore wind when i rode twin tips all the time, now i much prefer this direction it if the wind is less than 12 knots. Hope this can be helpful to you all.
Rich
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
my 2cents....
Turning speed !!!! Need to find the perfect balance between kite size and turning speed. Big KItes are slow and take a long time to turn back into the powerzone...small kites are fast and are easier to be kept in the powerzone with more power strokes.
I found ,with my old SB3 8m i could get going in about 15knots on a 126cm board on my 12m about the same.
So back where you started I guess
I bought a Hobbie peddle and paddle kayak great for many mussels but not the same as 20kn wind
I use a 16m Waroo with line extensions. Turns really well for a big kite. Gets going on almost nothing, plus there is a light wind bridle mod for it. Change it back for 14knots plus. 06 model is cheap as!
Ocean Rodeo One. Really flat bow kites, get going on not much. However, have weight issues (battle tanks) and turn like an old bus.
Got to agree on the Glide for a light wind board. Sensational. No rocker though so you will bite it in chop.
As for bottom end power, and if you are looking to do a light down wind session the Bandits seem the goods.
Summary: Use longer lines (30m), Get a big bar (faster turning) ,Get a fat board with little rocker.
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
I were on the 13 rev and glide (really weight 85kgs)
Wind was 10knts with 13-14knt gusts. In this we were all frantically signing our kites and I were about on par with the flysurfer.
When waxy got sick of walking he packed up and the wind gained a few knots. Buell and I could park our kites and cruise along nicely. But still, throwing kiteloops only just got me off the water to do a backroll.
Wind then dropped to about 7-10knts and I gave up.
I then had a shot of the flysurfer in this pi$$weak wind with no success.
In conclusion, even a flysurfer needs 10knts behind it. I cant back this up, but I'd expect youd be able to just park and cruise the flysurfer in 10knts on the glide, whereas I'd be signing flat out on the rev.
Earlier in the thread North Rebel 16m's were mentioned on a couple of occasions. Anymore opinions on them
