GK Sonic Quiver??

[Shirtswapper]

I've just bought an 11m Sonic and am very pleased with this kite. It will replace my 10, 12 & 14m C-kites. My dilema is that I still have to fly my 18m C-kite in light wind and this isn't as enjoyable as it once was. My question is will the Sonic 14m be large enough to replace those larger light wind kites? I think GK have let us kiters down by not including a larger kite, say a 17m Sonic into their range. I weigh about 88kg and I doubt if the 14m will get me going well in 10knts. I think Cabrinha have done a better job with their quiver range 9/12/16. If GK kites released a 17m Sonic I am sure they would sell a shitload of them to us heavier kiters. I urge every kiter who feels the same to E-mail GK kites and beg them to make a 17m Sonic as these kites rule and I don't want to use my stinking 18m kite anymore.

Not kidding E-mail NOW!

NOW!

[Wolfgang]

Hmm, you have to take into account that...

1) a Sonic 14 will be somewhat like a traditional 17... and... at the same time...

2) a Sonic 14 will move much faster than a traditional 17.

Thus you can expect that the Sonic 14 will easily match a traditional 17 or 18 in low wind...

[P-funk]

It's probably a bit early to determine what the wind range of the 14 Sonic will be, if the reports I've heard of the 11 are anything to go by, it should be a good light wind kite, I know there is one of the first 14's arriving in the UK, possibly next week, I'm sure the UK guys will keep you informed with any views they have after testing it!

May be worth checking here ....

http://www.kiteboarder.co.uk


Tony

[purdyd]

all good points but my experience has been with kites with good range and speed, 3 meter difference is not enough

small fast kites can have more power if you work them than the difference in size would suggest.

perhaps the windwing 16.5 rapture 2 will be the next size up in the quiver of bow kites?

David

[ed257]

I agree that it seems the Sonic 14 will have a lot of overlap with the 11, and it is hard to believe that it will work in 10 knots unless you are on an aircraft carrier and are a lightweight. I have a feeling it would work down to arround 13 knots for me (85 kg - 185 lbs) with a large board.

I also agree that a GK Sonic 16 or 17 should do the job. If they don't come out with one the WW Rapture II 16.5 should do because it has a higher projected area.

I have seen the Crossbow 16 work great in light winds. It was blowing 10 and in the lulls the big C kites were hindenburging. The Crossbow 16 stayed up and the rider (who was much bigger than me) had no trouble staying up wind and doing some tricks.

E

[Wolfgang]

I agree that it seems the Sonic 14 will have a lot of overlap with the 11, and it is hard to believe that it will work in 10 knots unless you are on an aircraft carrier and are a lightweight. I have a feeling it would work down to arround 13 knots for me (85 kg - 185 lbs) with a large board.

I also agree that a GK Sonic 16 or 17 should do the job. If they don't come out with one the WW Rapture II 16.5 should do because it has a higher projected area.

I have seen the Crossbow 16 work great in light winds. It was blowing 10 and in the lulls the big C kites were hindenburging. The Crossbow 16 stayed up and the rider (who was much bigger than me) had no trouble staying up wind and doing some tricks.

E

Hmm... +3 sqm is about +30% projected area in this case... Sonic 11 vs. 14... should be good for some 3 knots more lightwind performance... and then we are at 10 knots... sounds OK to me...

[bragnouff]

I agree that it seems the Sonic 14 will have a lot of overlap with the 11, and it is hard to believe that it will work in 10 knots unless you are on an aircraft carrier and are a lightweight. I have a feeling it would work down to arround 13 knots for me (85 kg - 185 lbs) with a large board.

13kts with a good large board is already well covered with the 11 Sonic @85kg, it's already lots of fun, upwind, jumping and looping (mellow spanking though!).
So I expect the 14 to bring this down to 9-10kts, which will be reasonably low enough to not justify an even bigger one.
See, the Nova 12 is said to pull like a classic 14, the 11 Sonic pulling more than a Nova 12, how much do you think the 14 Sonic will pull? Do the maths.

For me a Sonic 17 would be as useless as a 21+ kite. You must be really heavy or unlucky to definitely need one of these monsters in your quiver. Just take a bigger board, and enjoy a more reactive kite!

Anyway, the 14 will be available for testing soon, and we'll hear about its low end.

[purdyd]

Hmm... +3 sqm is about +30% projected area in this case... Sonic 11 vs. 14... should be good for some 3 knots more lightwind performance... and then we are at 10 knots... sounds OK to me... [/quote]

the problem with that thinking is wind force is a function of the square of the wind velocity, so to get the same force in half as much wind, you need four times as much area.

that also works for apparent wind, so the difference between a 14 and 11 can be very small indeed.

that is why there is such a diminishing return with large kites. I notice a lot of local guys are putting their 16m2 kites away and using larger directionals. for these same reasons

14?, it might be a better kite for the larger rider? or it could be one hell of a lightwind kite if it can be as fast as the 11 or maybe the you own the 14 and the 8 but think it will be hard to justify having the 14 and 11.

David

[pierre.d]

Be carefull, it is not proved at all that todays bow perform well in big size.
In light wind a fast turning kite is key.
The rule of one more kite size for 9 and 11 size does not apply necessarily for bigger sizes.

[Wolfgang]

the problem with that thinking is wind force is a function of the square of the wind velocity, so to get the same force in half as much wind, you need four times as much area.

that also works for apparent wind, so the difference between a 14 and 11 can be very small indeed.

that is why there is such a diminishing return with large kites. I notice a lot of local guys are putting their 16m2 kites away and using larger directionals. for these same reasons

14?, it might be a better kite for the larger rider? or it could be one hell of a lightwind kite if it can be as fast as the 11 or maybe the you own the 14 and the 8 but think it will be hard to justify having the 14 and 11.

David

Hmm...

I will try the 11 Sonic soon and see myself which wind range I can cover with my 75kg and a 1-kite-3-boards quiver...