6'2" regular surfboard vs a fish for low end

[simonm]

I think the fish vs regular thruster thing is not so much about low wind, but about riding style. Sure, you may get out a couple of knots earlier with a fish, but you will not be able to ride a wave properly down the line. A well designed surfboard that has been built with kiting in mind will get going in 12-15 knots. This is also about the minimum wind needed to ride down the line otherwise you will keep overtaking your kite. A fish with the right kite might get going in 10 knots, but really all you will be doing is going backwards and forwards. So, if you are looking to really surf waves with a kite, then the question becomes do you want a performance board or a fun board?

By the by, on the thruster vs quad thing, it is much more complicated than saying that a thruster turns better and a quad goes upwind better. I have ridden thrusters that had great up wind ability and ridden some quads were useless at going upwind. Board design, fins, fin angles, etc will all dramatically vary each board. Unfortunately to really get an idea what you like you need to try a bunch of each. Personally, I do feel that thrusters do allow a more vertical top to bottom approach to surfing that appeals to me. By the by, I regularly get out with a 6'2" surfboard and a 7.5m Generator kite in 12-15 knots.

[tautologies]

I think the fish vs regular thruster thing is not so much about low wind, but about riding style. Sure, you may get out a couple of knots earlier with a fish, but you will not be able to ride a wave properly down the line. A well designed surfboard that has been built with kiting in mind will get going in 12-15 knots. This is also about the minimum wind needed to ride down the line otherwise you will keep overtaking your kite. A fish with the right kite might get going in 10 knots, but really all you will be doing is going backwards and forwards. So, if you are looking to really surf waves with a kite, then the question becomes do you want a performance board or a fun board?

I really think you can do some good wave riding on a fish. Not as much myself, but having seen guys on fish board ride waves like they stole them...and what is wrong with getting out a little earlier? I do agree that at some point there isn't much use to go out, and I would rather be surfing, but people are different and have different thresholds for what they want to get out in.

I also think that fish can be performing very well in addition to being fun. They are more suited for smaller waves and lower speeds (in general), but watching someone who knows how to ride a fish ride is fun. In addition since they are getting smaller waves it does also mean that you can actually surf them earlier than a regular thruster....IMO.

By the by, on the thruster vs quad thing, it is much more complicated than saying that a thruster turns better and a quad goes upwind better. I have ridden thrusters that had great up wind ability and ridden some quads were useless at going upwind. Board design, fins, fin angles, etc will all dramatically vary each board. Unfortunately to really get an idea what you like you need to try a bunch of each.

Agree 100%.

Personally, I do feel that thrusters do allow a more vertical top to bottom approach to surfing that appeals to me. By the by, I regularly get out with a 6'2" surfboard and a 7.5m Generator kite in 12-15 knots.

I have a 6'1'' I love to ride for any wind / wave, but I doubt I would be able to ride it in that low wind with that small of a kite.

Looking at a bigger board though, so maybe that would help.
It is like a dream being able to go out with such a small kite.

a.

[simonm]

I really think you can do some good wave riding on a fish. Not as much myself, but having seen guys on fish board ride waves like they stole them...and what is wrong with getting out a little earlier? I do agree that at some point there isn't much use to go out, and I would rather be surfing, but people are different and have different thresholds for what they want to get out in.

I didn't mean to imply that you can't do good wave riding with a fish, I was just trying to say that the decision between a fish and regular thruster should really be about style rather thant light wind ability if you want to ride waves down the line. If you want to ride backwards and forwards with a fish in light wind then great, but I don't think it would be fair to the origional poster to imply that a fish will allow him to ride waves down the line in 10 knots as the board might be up to the job, but the wind just isn't.

I have a 6'1'' I love to ride for any wind / wave, but I doubt I would be able to ride it in that low wind with that small of a kite.

It is just about technique and dogged persistence. Whilst getting upwind can be a bit of a slog, there is just reward in the unhooked wave riding department (if you are into that kind of thing).

[tautologies]

I didn't mean to imply that you can't do good wave riding with a fish, I was just trying to say that the decision between a fish and regular thruster should really be about style rather thant light wind ability if you want to ride waves down the line. If you want to ride backwards and forwards with a fish in light wind then great, but I don't think it would be fair to the origional poster to imply that a fish will allow him to ride waves down the line in 10 knots as the board might be up to the job, but the wind just isn't.

ah ok agree...super light wind sucks for riding waves unless you have light side / off shore...in which case you shouldn't be out anyways...

It is just about technique and dogged persistence. Whilst getting upwind can be a bit of a slog, there is just reward in the unhooked wave riding department (if you are into that kind of thing).

I am planning to try it more...I assume it is better to go big board small kite?

A.

[nab1000]

i wouldn't go retro twin fin fish style. I would go with a fat swallow tail thruster. Twin fins are super skatey/squerlly, and are fun as hell just surfing, but laid on a constant edge behind a kite can be pretty uncomfortbale. with the swallow tail thruster will have the extra width, but you wont loose much mobility because of the swallow tail. I'm not sure how big you are but i would say something like 6'1"X19"+ would be an average range

[Dan Glyaire]

I didn't mean to imply that you can't do good wave riding with a fish, I was just trying to say that the decision between a fish and regular thruster should really be about style rather thant light wind ability if you want to ride waves down the line. If you want to ride backwards and forwards with a fish in light wind then great, but I don't think it would be fair to the origional poster to imply that a fish will allow him to ride waves down the line in 10 knots as the board might be up to the job, but the wind just isn't.

I have a 6'1'' I love to ride for any wind / wave, but I doubt I would be able to ride it in that low wind with that small of a kite.

It is just about technique and dogged persistence. Whilst getting upwind can be a bit of a slog, there is just reward in the unhooked wave riding department (if you are into that kind of thing).

simon, yeah, i'm not really looking for a down the line experience with the fish, just looking to make the best of the somewhat crappy conditions i usually have. windriven onshore small crappy waves and lightwind. whatever i can get to maximize time on the water, so then when i do get to places with real waves i'm not a total kook, still a kook but not a total kook.

and by the way, id love to think i could use a 7.5m and my 6'2" in 12-15, but i gotta admit, i am a bit skeptical. for me anyway, i think i can get going in 15 on my 10c, but then it is an 04 c-kite, so mayne the new ones are that much better.? but i would love to try a generator, to see.

anyway, ive pretty much decided to get a largish fish. around 6' and 21", just have to hunt around to see whats available, but i am open for more suggestions, pimpin'

cheers.

[surfingwithkites]

The new ones are that better....Especially the generators. I'm 170lb and use a 6'0' by 18 1/4" thruster and a 7.5m generator in 12 to 15mph. If you can't go on the 7.5 it's pretty much too light to really ride the waves anyway. You just outrun the kite or have no power. A lot of it is in the specific board and specific kite and how often you kite light winds. It's light and flukey here a lot. It's funny that we used to need 12m and 14m and 16m kites and now a 7.5 m is my biggest kite. Haven't flown a twelve in years. Can't imagine it. Blame the whole small kite thing here on Tophat and Felix.

[kitejunkie]

These guys have some nice boards at a some of the best prices i have seen:

http://www.9fishsurf.com/