Cheap, durable raceboard.

[TooMuchEpoxy]

I'll shoot dave an e-mail. Start thinking on the switch nitro 14. I'm currently riding 2010 naish charger 11 and 9 so the 14 is a good gap filling kite for me anyways...

For the board I want something that is reasonably similar to the high end race boards being used, that way if someone in my fleet wants to jump out and ride some big events on a higher end board they can do that without relearning to ride.

Does the sector 60 really ride more like a modern race board than the 2010 north race LTD?

I'd love to get a $2000 setup, board, kite, bar lines, harness. I could poach dinghy sailing racers faster than you could imagine. I'd have a 15 boat fleet in a year. Switch kites setup at 14 would definitely be the kite, what we need is a real production raceboard at a under 1000 price point.

I guess what they've accomplished in San Fran is getting kiting into the local sailing scene, allowed them to quickly build a powerful fleet. None of out kite shops here have any sailors or people pursuing that community, and it's the sailing community, not the kiting community, that will be easier to get into racing.

Thanks for the input guys...

[davesails7]

You are in Charleston, SC? Keep us posted on the one design fleet you are trying to get going. I am up in Virginia Beach and have been thinking about picking up a race board too. I'd definitely make a trip down to Charleston for a race ever once in a while. Maybe I could recruit a few other people to come down too.

I'm still hesitant about the Nitro 16. I haven't really seen any objective reviews comparing it to other kites. If it's even 80% as good as the other kites at less than half the price, then it seems like a no brainer. Haven't seen a comparison to the speed 3, zephyr, crossbow LW, turbine, dyno, taboo 17...

[naishdude]

You are in Charleston, SC? Keep us posted on the one design fleet you are trying to get going. I am up in Virginia Beach and have been thinking about picking up a race board too. I'd definitely make a trip down to Charleston for a race ever once in a while. Maybe I could recruit a few other people to come down too.

I'm still hesitant about the Nitro 16. I haven't really seen any objective reviews comparing it to other kites. If it's even 80% as good as the other kites at less than half the price, then it seems like a no brainer. Haven't seen a comparison to the speed 3, zephyr, crossbow LW, turbine, dyno, taboo 17...

DaveSails,

Let me give you this information, I have 78kg.
I have an Airush Sector 60 V2...
I HAD an Ozone Zephyr (17M)
Let me compare, The speedIII 21 meters go out in pretty lightwinds ( 6knots) with a monsterdoor,
@7 to 8 knots I was going out on my Airush sector 60 V2 and Zephyr

Difference, I was going better upwind at higher speed, but when I dropped the kite, I had a big risk I could not start it anymore, where the flysurfer would still be able.

The Taboo is faster as the Zephyr, it flies pretty good do not know the high wind range is whith that kite but we are talking about lightwindkites, I had a good feeling on the Taboo.

My decission to sell the Ozone Zephyr was, I do not need a big kite like that on my Airush board for cruising in lightwind, do not forget, that at 7 to 8 knots the wind can drop in an instant, I I can tell you that all the swimming I have done, started to take its toll in getting dissapointed.

It is different when you are on a race track where a boat brings you back.

Again the Switchkites Nitro works perfectly, I can fly the kite at the moment it keeps hanging in the sky, no whitecaps on the water, and guarantee you that is at 9 nots, so what more do I need,( can go at less knots but always risky)

If racing , you will be looking at the Nitro 16m Race, having a 12m or 10 M Nitro as your second kite for higher winds,

For me , just for light cruising with the raceboard the 14 Switchkites Nitro is bullseye .

Hope this helps a bit

Cheers
Frank L.

[Peter_Frank]

Hmmm, I thought that TooMuchEpoxy posted a thread about raceboards and not kites ?

As IMO (and I think he knows that), it is not about the kite - but all about the rider and the board(fins)

As long as the kites are a similar type with good power and not too low AR - they will all work fine and pretty "alike" I think.
Even those a bit different, will usually perform close to the same, as rider and board means soooo much more than the kite in my experience.

Or are you also talking about you want your buddies to change to similar kites in the full series too ?
(I dont think so though - does not make any sense....)

Back to topic, if I understood you correctly:

The problem with the less expensive "racelike" boards, like the North LTD 2010 or similar, is that they are all made for "the intermediate" rider, meaning either the board is tuned down by having more curve etc (like the Sectors), and the fins are definitely tuned down a lot to allow for "an easy ride"

So if you have to change fins, the cost-effective board will be a lot more expensive suddenly.
But quite important if you want to "learn" to race and how it feels - as it is by far the most important difference in my eyes.

We have had the exact same thoughts as you, here locally, if one could find a standard board and make racing easy to participate in, gearwise - it would be so much fun for so many riders, instead of only the top riders (with money or sponsorship).

This way there could be weekly, or twice a week, afternoons/evenings after work, where everyone could meet for some fun and practice racing on a up/down course set at the club.

This is not possible now, when no standard "reasonable" gear is present.

So it has not happened yet here - as it seems too difficult with to many changes still going on amongst the boards (and expensive fins)

I hope you will succed in making a small fleet to race with and against

Awesome feel to practice going both up and downwind and to push your vmg's to the max

Not racing myself now, just enjoying the freeride options, and of course competing for fun against "whatever" is around, dinghys and keelboats and other both windsurf and kitesurf racers (Also having a long history of dinghy racing behind me)

Peter

[naishdude]

Does the sector 60 really ride more like a modern race board than the 2010 north race LTD?

I'd love to get a $2000 setup, board, kite, bar lines, harness. I could poach dinghy sailing racers faster than you could imagine. I'd have a 15 boat fleet in a year. Switch kites setup at 14 would definitely be the kite, what we need is a real production raceboard at a under 1000 price point.


Thanks for the input guys...

TME...
Let me try to help you out on that one.
I have no experience on the 2010 North board.

But if you want to move people into the racing, I think that one of the best startups would be not the more technical and difficult boards to start with, you do not get people into sailing in the difficult raceboats in my opinion, they will have to climb up.

The Airush Sector would be a perfect board for the beginners, and the ones that really want to step out of these one class series, they will not choose for the common "cheaper" raceboards, as they will be going for the real stuff, at a different price level.

This said, does not mean that the Airush Sector is not competitive, you might be surprised.
I do hope you can get on some boards, but keeping everything on a reasonable pricelevel, with up to date equipment, I think your choise would be limited, and then you have to pick the best.

Switchkites can be your way to go in Kites, Airush Sector could be a perfect board as a one class design!!

This wil bring new kiters at toplevel and feed the >Formula 1 in kiting the masterclass racboarding, but a lot of people will stay in your one-class design, as it is affordable, good spirit, not the wealthiest with the best gear will win..I am sure you have the same experiences in sailing

Good luck and keep us posted
Frank L.
Ps I have no strings attached to Airush, and yes I am a SWITCHKITES teamrider

[tautologies]

But if you want to move people into the racing, I think that one of the best startups would be not the more technical and difficult boards to start with, you do not get people into sailing in the difficult raceboats in my opinion, they will have to climb up.

Well, it is much much easier to ride a wider board flat. It takes less stress on your ankles too, because gravity helps you. Actually for racing I think the bigger boards are the way to go.

This said, does not mean that the Airush Sector is not competitive, you might be surprised.

Are you suggesting that the Airush Sectors is a competitive raceboard if there is a general race? Have you ridden a different raceboard?

[naishdude]

But if you want to move people into the racing, I think that one of the best startups would be not the more technical and difficult boards to start with, you do not get people into sailing in the difficult raceboats in my opinion, they will have to climb up.

Well, it is much much easier to ride a wider board flat. It takes less stress on your ankles too, because gravity helps you. Actually for racing I think the bigger boards are the way to go.

This said, does not mean that the Airush Sector is not competitive, you might be surprised.

Are you suggesting that the Airush Sectors is a competitive raceboard if there is a general race? Have you ridden a different raceboard?

I am sure if you give the sector to somebody with no experience with raceboards, to take part in a race, he might be finishing on the sector, give him the high end raceboards he might not finish..
TME is trying to get people into racing in as far as I understood a kind of one design class racing..
You do not put people in a Formula one race car before they had their experiences in less high tech cars, that is my point of view
Cheers
Frank .L

[jaysen5]

Airush is making a new One Design class board based on the sector, for exactly this purpose.

I am sure if you were buying a fleet worth Or even just a few they would be well under a grand each. No doubt airush will be keen to get a foot in the door with this corner of the kiting market and will do you a deal.

found this e-mail from the brand manager posted on the net

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/manilakit ... essage/135

[jaysen5]

more info on the one design here

http://www.assault.co.nz/681_Assault_Ki ... entre.html

[davesails7]

Seems like the only thing that makes it more of a one design is that they are going to build the same board for two years in a row... And it says one design on it. Not really any more one design than a naish or cabrinha race board would be if you chose that one.

Maybe just a rule for using production boards and fins would be enough.