Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

How strong is too strong?

Forum for kitesurfers
User avatar
Starsky
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 4373
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 12:12 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Ontario
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Starsky » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:34 pm

personally:

12-14 is light
15-24 is golden
25-34 is awesome
35-40 is adrenaline saturation
41+ is for other people

User avatar
panchito
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2703
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:58 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Tarifa / Got 2 Ovandos and a Ripper
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby panchito » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:57 pm

I've been out with 50 or so knots with an 2007 5m Ozone light modifieda few times just to get some adrenaline shoot which I must say , it was gorgeous .

The wind is not the problem as long as you have the proper kite size and .... Some "cojones " to handle the gusts .

The biggest issue I found was that you can't do much in such winds .... When jumping and the gust is gone you fall like a hot potato and it can really hurt .

Other than that , not many but for sure quite a few locals kite here in Tarifa with 40 or so knots when our "Levante " blows nuclear .

Regards

User avatar
edt
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 7309
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:27 am
Kiting since: 2010
Local Beach: Michigan
Gear: ride hard, no regrets
Has thanked: 529 times
Been thanked: 658 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby edt » Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:07 pm

Peter_Frank wrote:
Every other unit, mph (or even the horrible beaufort scale) are not really used or known anywhere, except the local country
beaufort scale really needs to be used more. You know how kiters are Peter, they tend not to give actual wind speed, instead they will say "I was out on my 7m, lit" and you have no idea what speed the wind is. If they are 135 dripping wet on a surfboard, it could be 15 knots, or if they are a larger lad, 250 pounds on that 7m on a 125 means it is blowing 40 knots.

Beaufort scale is rather more exact than kite sizes. BF7 for instance is a lot more exact than "7 meter conditions".

Also let people use their local conditions. You can get out your google and do

"35 mph in m/s" and a split second later google says 35 MPH = 15.6464 Meters/sec

There's way less chance of error if you let people give out units in the form they are most familiar with.

Nothing is as frustrating as hearing the conditions are "7 meter" and you get there, and realize it's 19 meter conditions for you, wasn't worth the drive.

User avatar
Bille
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 4022
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:37 pm
Local Beach: Lake Mohave
Gear: Ozone Edge
Brand Affiliation: Barz Optics
Jaybar Dynabar V7
Has thanked: 252 times
Been thanked: 188 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Bille » Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:23 pm

Peter_Frank wrote:Bille, you of all should know not to use units that is only used very locally.... (at least not without WRITING the unit) :naughty:

Wind is measured "globally" and international with two units only:

For sailing and historically, knots is used, and well known everywhere in the world without question.

...

:D Peter
You have EVERY Right to be Angry Peter ; Damn Americans !!

And here's the Funny part : " i do all my length units-measuring & Math in Metric"
because it's a base 10 system so converting stuff to % is easy.

From now on, i'll use Knots ; ------------------------promise .

Bille

fdvj
Frequent Poster
Posts: 428
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:57 pm
Local Beach: lancing
Style: freeride
Gear: naish nobile
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby fdvj » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:52 pm

If everyone use the beaufort scale and understood how to read the conditions by observation then we would have less trouble with kooks putting up inappropriate kite sizes.Wind in most countries is not the average or consistent, so being able to make a personal call on the strength based on personal observation is what it encourages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale
It may stop people claiming the rode a 11m in 40knots as well.
for me force 3-4 17m
force 4-5 13m
force 5-6 11m
force 6-7 9m
force 7-8 7m
force 8 6m
force 9 back in the van.

Tone
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2291
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:34 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Tone » Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:41 pm

I launched a 7m Ozone c4 in 40-45 knots a month ago. I was scared shitless on launch but once I got on the water it was the single most amazing kiting experience I have had to date (10 years)

took a lot of thinking to weigh up if it was worth it, SO glad I went for it.

once a year is enough for me though.

Tony

User avatar
Peter_Frank
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 12710
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 993 times
Been thanked: 1178 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:52 pm

fdvj wrote:If everyone use the beaufort scale and understood how to read the conditions by observation then we would have less trouble with kooks putting up inappropriate kite sizes.Wind in most countries is not the average or consistent, so being able to make a personal call on the strength based on personal observation is what it encourages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale
It may stop people claiming the rode a 11m in 40knots as well.
for me force 3-4 17m
force 4-5 13m
force 5-6 11m
force 6-7 9m
force 7-8 7m
force 8 6m
force 9 back in the van.
I dont agree.

I think the beaufort scale is totally outdated and a leftover from past times before the internet, before the weather stations, before the affordable wind meters etc etc.

But today, every kitesurfer uses weather station observations and even the forecasts are in knots or m/s now.

Furthermore - when you are out at a spot, you LEARN to feel what size to use.

But you can not see this on the conditions that the beaufort scale advises, as it does not consider differences in actual water and wind direction.

Lets take an example, force 5 (around 9m/s) is a 9m2 kite in waves, maybe an 8m2.

This is described as:
Moderate waves of some length. Many whitecaps. Small amounts of spray.
and
Branches of a moderate size move. Small trees in leaf begin to sway.

Whereas force 6 (around 12-13m/s) is a 6m2 kite, maybe a 7.

Described as:
Long waves begin to form. White foam crests are very frequent. Some airborne spray is present.
and
Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic bins tip over.

----------------------

C'mon, they cant be serious about this ?
So whether the wind is onshore or sideshore does not matter at all ?
Whether the water is open sea or shallow water does not matter either ?


Maybe I should pack an umbrella and some empty plastic bins the next time I am going out, so I know what force the wind is, and whether to use a 9 or 6m2 :naughty:

Most of us are brought up with wind measurements today, and even the kite manufacturers show the wind ranges in a knots or m/s scale, always.

It is also stupid IMO, that a force 6 which goes from 10.8m/s to 13.8m/s actually has a difference in kitesize from 8 or 7m2 down to a 5m2 kite (at least in our temperatures in waves).
So stating the windforce in beaufort, does not say ANYTHING about what kitesize to use :o

I know it is just my opinion, but I think it is the most stupid scale for anything but Mr. and Mrs. Jones who says "uuuuh its storming outside today"....

And you can never ever remember what the force 1-9 corresponds to in wind speed anyway, so it becomes some "translated" thing in between that you can never remember nor make sense out of it...


On the other hand, I agree fully that common sense and experience is what is most important regarding choosing the right kitesize - no doubt at all.
Where weather stations (and even worse, hand held meters) are often only a rough approximation and can be quite useless too sometimes.

But I can not see any reason why to choose the beaufort scale as THE wind speed scale whatsoever :wink:

Just my opinion as said...

:D Peter

Tone
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2291
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:34 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Tone » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:14 pm

for sure, when I was windsurfing and a lot younger, the B scale was all I listened to.

Now, I dont have a wind meter... I look, feel and judge if I will go out.

I don't mind walking away.

simple as that.

That 40+ day was the most wind I have been out in but it was the day I did my biggest tricks. I had to have a proper think about things and judge if I was safe in it. It took time and I really had a blast.

I've never been known for much at my local spot other than big jumps, not its kiteloops in mental winds.

Hit the water so hard with my balls I was sick but f*** me, that was a mega loop!!

Good times.

Tony

TheJoe
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1735
Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:13 pm
Local Beach: Texas city levee, Galveston, El Jardine and Crystal beach.
Style: Freeride, Foil, Surf, a lil freestyle
Gear: North Reach 7,9,12
Brunotti TT
Moses 633/483
Dwarfcraft Micro
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 117 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby TheJoe » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:46 pm

Wind is not the only factor we have to deal with. I can easily hold 40kts on my 7m either on a twin or strapless surfboard. This is only if the water conditions are right. Going into my 4th season I have learned that my water conditions are more important than my wind.

Tone
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2291
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:34 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: How strong is too strong?

Postby Tone » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:57 pm

TheJoe wrote:Wind is not the only factor we have to deal with. I can easily hold 40kts on my 7m either on a twin or strapless surfboard. This is only if the water conditions are right. Going into my 4th season I have learned that my water conditions are more important than my wind.
VERY true, I missed that.

when I was out on the 7m it was in butter flat water downwind of a sandbar.

Makes a huge difference.


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: arjas, bshmng, DanielorDani, i_love_storm, jannik, jyka, marinjo77, mati, mede, Nak, SolarSet, The line smith, Yahoo [Bot] and 132 guests