Big TT or Surfboard for lightwind?

[Beardytello]

Hello!

I'm progressing slowly, I think probably a few sessions away from riding upwind in the right conditions.

My thoughts are turning towards a surfboard, since I started I've wanted to learn to ride strapless on a surfboard (I don't really know why, I just think it looks fun) I used to wakeskate and I loved the feeling of not being attached.

Anyway, after a recent lesson on a massive TT (Splene Monster Door) I was wondering if something like this might be a better investment for light wind days while I'm still learning? Basically I want to get out on as many days as I can, surf board is my preference but if a big TT is going to help me improve more I'd go for that.

What say you?

[herbert]

You answered the question for yourself when you wrote:

" since I started I've wanted to learn to ride strapless on a surfboard (I don't really know why, I just think it looks fun) I used to wakeskate and I loved the feeling of not being attached." Thus, you should get a surfboard.

There are light wind capable twin tips and light wind capable surfboards. You don't need to choose so much based on what is a "better investment...while still learning". You will learn to ride the surfboard in no time at all. I learned to kite with a surfboard and it was over a year before I even tried a twin tip.

[joriws]

It depends on your kiting area conditions. I'd go for door TT on my location as we do not have waves/swell on my area. Still allowing me to do airborne tricks with Sonic-kite on low wind.

For your area (which specifics I do not know) you could try skimboard to strapless practice - same time using it for skimming if no wind. Or surfboard if you feel most motivated towards it and you have swell/waves.

[Jzh_perth]

This is a good and very common question and one that comes up almost weekly on our local forums seabreeze.com.au.

Here in Perth we have a lot of ocean and not so much flatwater , and out season runs from October to March. Outside of that we have light coastal winds to contend with, and invariably people run out of patience and get desperate to kite. Foiling has massively changed how we ride in sub 15 knot conditions, but prior to that taking off it came down to either TT or big fish style SB.

Neither are hard to ride - that's the first bit.

Upwind performance massively favours a big TT. Basically surfboards generally are not designed for efficiency and early planing. For that you want as much surface area as possible, not rocker and pointy ends and soft rails. a 170 x 50 "door" is hard to beat. A shinnster or Alaia also works well.

But if you are in an area with breaking waves, a Door is a PITA. They are just a bit limiting in terms of what you can do with it.

Whatever you'll buy you'll have fun but nothing will offer the performance a Hydrofoil will give you. Your money and time is better spent there if you aspire to kiteing in 10 knots or less.

Knowing what I know now, Id recommend building an alaia for a cheap and easy "TT / SB " hybrid and learn to ride strapless at the same time. Even a flat piece of ply from the hardware shop would work. Just wax it and ride it. Fins optional - take them them off your TT for a trial. Have fun and don't spend too much time /money on the project. I'd save my money for when I wanted to try a foil.

Oh. Use line extensions. We ride usually 36-40m lines in Hydrofoil, 30m will still work fine on TT.

[slowboat]

Get a Shinnster. It will help you get out in light winds while working on riding a directional strapless. As your kite handling skill improve, you can use it as your foil board.

[socommk23]

Asks big Tt or surfboard?

Answer hydrofoil

#facepalm

I'd say get both. If you can. Open up as many opportunities as possible. Large tt for flat and or shallow water. I have a 160 tt for my local spot where at low tides there is flat shallows that with a foil kites great fun. Just bought a surfboard as the tt isn't as good when the swell builds.
Surf board for deeper water with swell. Should have fun on both.

[Kamikuza]

Asks big Tt or surfboard?

Answer hydrofoil

#facepalm

I'd say get both. If you can. Open up as many opportunities as possible. Large tt for flat and or shallow water. I have a 160 tt for my local spot where at low tides there is flat shallows that with a foil kites great fun. Just bought a surfboard as the tt isn't as good when the swell builds.
Surf board for deeper water with swell. Should have fun on both.

Bit early for the OP, but otherwise spot on if you're looking for upwind performance. There's a guy here who from the looks of him hasn't been kiting long, but he's picked up the foil in the three months we've been back.

Unless the SB is wide, flat and finned, they're useless as a light wind option. And if they are wide, flat and finned, then they're bloody hard work to ride. And they suck in chop.

Mind you--what shape are wake surfer things?

[Jzh_perth]

Asks big Tt or surfboard?

Answer hydrofoil

#facepalm

Well I did say alaia actually.... if he's on a budget.

Otherwise Shinnster if happy to spend $

[tmcfarla]

I'd recommend a surfboard for anything but really glassy flat water that is too shallow for fins. The main reason is that it is different enough to be fun- 15 knots with a big twin tip is just a reminder of how much happier you would be if it was windy, whereas 15 knots with a surfboard is a totally new experience and learning curve. The Shinnster is not a bad suggestion, especially if you spend a lot of time in flat water, but I don't like it much in waves and is more difficult than a surfboard to ride, but can be really rewarding. It definitely rips upwind and will ride in only a little more wind than my hydrofoil. If I could only have one board though, it would definitely be a surfboard, I don't think anything is as versatile for absolutely any conditions you can throw at it.

[FLandOBX]

Learning to ride strapless on a surfboard is fun and easy, and it will be especially easy for you with your wakeskate background. It's a great light wind option, and it will improve your board (and kite) skills.

However, if you want to continue working on twintip tricks in light wind (with a big kite), I suggest steering away from the door style boards. They are too big and cumbersome to be of any value if you want to progress. There are some good light wind boards that are shorter, wide, more maneuverable, and a lot more challenging and fun than a door. Examples are the Epic Oxygen (135 x 47) and RRD's BS45 (145 x 45). Make sure your light wind twin tip has a lot of width, but isn't longer than 150 cm. There is no reason that you have to mow the lawn with a door in light wind.