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Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

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Robsw6
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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby Robsw6 » Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:50 pm

I had a session this year in well over head faces, in sideshore possibly 7-10 knots, using a 19m Raven & a 6'6 fish - was able to top & bottom turn (just about), the only other people on the waves were on SUPs.

As my kiting is better than my surfing and the waves were between 1/2-1 mile out, if the wind was lighter, I would have used my 25m Naish V4

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby TommyDuotone » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:53 pm

Here's a re-post shot kiting in waves in light wind. Wind avg was 15 mph from NW(a few degrees less of side-on) with a descent swell. Notice how nice the surface conditions can be when it's this light. :D
Rider: Joe Petitfils
Photo taken by Juan Carlos Manosalvas
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Last edited by TommyDuotone on Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby windmaker » Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:55 pm

As I said before, there is a difference between riding "in waves" and "wave riding".

In light wind and onshore/side-on wind the wave will carry you faster than your kite whatever it's size. The only way to avoid this is to keep your board pointing upwind creating apparent wind and keeping your lines tight.

The fact that some persons are riding big kites in waves with light and onshore wind is a testimony that they are using the kite more than the wave which is ok and described as riding "in waves". "Wave riding" requires you to be less kite dependant.

How long does it take to make a turn with a 19m kite anyway?

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby lbatbeach » Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:55 pm

As I said before, there is a difference between riding "in waves" and "wave riding".
:thumb:

For me, "wave riding" is all about drift when powered up, and resistance and motion when its light. Big kites do none of those well. Ideally 7-9m is best. At 165lbs, 10m is the biggest I will go.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby TommyDuotone » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:00 pm

@ Windmaker
Have never flown a 19m, but I have a 17m that turns as fast as an average 12 or 13m. And, this kite has a front line adjustment on the leading egde that enables it to sit more forward in the window. Also, due to the thin leading edge/struts it's fairly light and does not fall easily. These attributes make it great for upwind wave riding where it almost feels like real surfing, but not quite(especially in the bottom turns). However, you can still let go and feel the power of the wave and pull off some similar moves as you do in surfing. And, with the kites power, you can make some difficult sections that you coundn't freesurfing. So, a slightly blown out day can be fun :D (and that's most mid-days for us)
I'm totally in agreement that it's more ideal in side-off 6m-9m conditions. However, you take what you can get. Lastly, I'll try to get Juan-Carlos to take some vid of our next swell so we can show you that it's a little more than just "Cruising" :D
Last edited by TommyDuotone on Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:07 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby Windrider » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:06 pm

iblocalsurfer wrote:@windrider:
I beg to differ. We do it in San Diego all the time. When I get home tomorrow, I'll post a pic of wave riding(with a big kite) in double over head and under 15 knots. And this wave will have teeth. :D
Yo! Bro! I haven't even commented on this thread yet! I think you meant "@windmaker"...

But, since you drafted me into this conversation, my biggest kite for use with a directional is a 10m. 8m are the best ... when the wind is 16+ knots. My 10m will take me down to about 13 knots for riding waves. I use a 6' Cabrinha Tow Surf (thruster) and weigh in a 175 lbs.
:thumb:
Last edited by Windrider on Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby TommyDuotone » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:10 pm

Woops. :oops:
Sorry windrider. I wish I can ride a kite that small. I weigh 195 lbs and can't use my 12m until it's over 15mph. I've always been jealous of lighter riders when it comes to surfing. :D

BTW: Joe(in the pic) is a light rider too and uses a 12m as his biggest kite. He's using a 12m Rebel in the pic.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby fuel » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:12 pm

iblocalsurfer wrote:Here's a re-post shot of wave riding in light wind. Wind avg was 15 mph from NW(a few degrees less of side-on) with a descent swell. Notice how nice the surface conditions can be when it's this light. :D
Rider: Joe Petitfils
Photo taken by Juan Carlos Manosalvas
Sorry to say, but judging from that picture I would say that is not kite 'wave riding', but rather 'kiting in waves'. It can still be loads of fun but all you can expect on a big kite in light wind -- unless the wind it cross/cross-offshore in which case you aren't that reliant on the kite's turning speed.

If the wind was 20+ knots then you would be riding forehand down the line; top and bottom turns with the kite (almost) keeping up with you turn for turn. For me the biggest kite for to allow that is a 7m, but maybe you could get away with something no bigger than a 9m. Anything over just doesn't have the speed.

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby TommyDuotone » Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:05 am

I edited my post with the pic since it bothered a few that I was calling it wave riding

And, I was incorrect in saying it was wave riding because technically it's not. The only thing that is truly wave riding would be using the power of the wave and not the kite, like in surfing :D

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Re: Surfboard riders...Whats your biggest Kite?

Postby Robsw6 » Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:14 am

windmaker wrote:How long does it take to make a turn with a 19m kite anyway?
It turns quite well, but not fast enough to use how most riders use smaller kites in waves, it works best depowering and parking it and then staying on the wave to maintain board speed.


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