Hi all, I'm looking for some advice on expanding my gear collection to be able to take advantage of my local spot even on the least windy days.
I've had about 20 days of kiting since starting, so I'm still not super experienced. Have kited in Maui, Oahu, Mexico, and northern California (SF Bay). My local beach is Alameda, CA, which typically ranges 10-20 kts but often drops down below 10 kts.
I weigh 75 kg (165 lbs) and my current quiver is as follows:
Naish Pivot 14m: min ~9 kts, ideal 12 kts, max 18 kts
Cabrinha Switchblade 10m: min 11 kts, ideal 16 kts, max 28 kts
Cabrinha Switchblade 7m: min 16 kts, ideal 25 kts, max 40 kts
I have only one board, a Nobile T5 Twin Tip, 137 cm.
I have found that my quiver covers the full wind range quite well, but often we'll have days here at my local beach that drop down into the single digits, and even though I'm able to keep my 14m in the air and flying, it's difficult to get up and ride without sinking. If I can get up and ride in those conditions, I often have trouble staying upwind.
My initial thought was to go for a 17m Cabrinha Contra to really push the bottom end of the wind range with it, but I realized that maybe my problem isn't kite size so much as board size. Like I said, it rarely gets to the point where I can't keep the 14m in the air - it's mostly a problem of not sinking into the water.
That said, I'm considering getting a used Liquid Force Libre. They come in two sizes, 150cm and 160cm. Their website recommends the 150cm for people >60kg and the 160cm for people >65kg. That seems like a typo to me... but in any case, at 75kg, the 160cm seems like it might be the best solution to the problem.
The board is cheap and might get me into the low end of the wind range with less investment than buying a 17m kite. But... am I missing something? Thoughts?