17m kite Overkill

[PullStrings]

17m and 19m are not overkill sizes
Not accurate about weights of 200 and 250 lbs riders needed
Even with 5 struts a modern LW 19m will fly easily without bar input in 7 kn and be rideable easily to 17 knots
In the hands of someone skilled and correctly tuned the big boys can be looped nicely to do transitions
This kind of raw power is fun on any water vehicle

[Jeremey76]

First ride on my newest addition to my kite collection a Core XR6 17 m2 LW the bar was a Core sensor bar 2S 24 meter lines plus the 3 meter extension that came with the kite.
Wind speed was, on average, between 13 and 16 knots and the board I was riding a 138 cm Lieuwe Shotgun. as for myself, I am 176 tall and weigh 88 kilograms while I was out there, there were 3 other kiters on hydrofoils riding 10 and 12 meter kites so this was good light wind session with my new kite. ah and where did i get the wind data at my kite club we have a ultrasoon meter on top of the club https://www.windmeting.nl

[Slappysan]

Mine is wakeskating with a 17m BRM C2

I owned a 17m C2 for years and I can't imagine how you could keep upwind on it with a wakeskate, it was hard enough with a surfboard. Props if you can make it work though.

These days I ride an OR Flite 17m in 9-20 knots, I weigh 75 kg / 165 lbs. Dunno what would be considered overkill about a 17m TBH.

[SolarSet]

Large LEI kites >15m are often on sale brand new or second hand for a good reason. Often beginner riders wants as much time on water as possibile and they get LW kite just to be able to moan lawn, later they find out little fun in just riding left-right and small wind range in these kites is a pain in ass.
For a heavy rider +220lbs these large kites are good option but anyone else they have too narrow range unless you are happy owning loads of kites.

I have started with switchblade 14m which was my first kite and at 200lbs I loved that kite until I tried something that has better range hung time and boots in 12kts.

Bigger kite with power is great fun and makes you land more tricks than with any smaller kite.

There is another type of kite who gives you massive hang time and way better wind range than large LEI.

[rynhardt]

Mine is wakeskating with a 17m BRM C2

I owned a 17m C2 for years and I can't imagine how you could keep upwind on it with a wakeskate, it was hard enough with a surfboard. Props if you can make it work though.

These days I ride an OR Flite 17m in 9-20 knots, I weigh 75 kg / 165 lbs. Dunno what would be considered overkill about a 17m TBH.

Yeah there's no way I'd keep upwind on it. I'd normally do a downwinder from Sunset to Haakgat and mess around in the swash zone. That way losing the board is not a big deal.
Great thing about the Cloud is being able to completely depower when doing shuvs/kickflips and not getting pulled away from the board.

[Flyingseb]

Large LEI kites >15m are often on sale brand new or second hand for a good reason. Often beginner riders wants as much time on water as possibile and they get LW kite just to be able to moan lawn, later they find out little fun in just riding left-right and small wind range in these kites is a pain in ass.
For a heavy rider +220lbs these large kites are good option but anyone else they have too narrow range unless you are happy owning loads of kites.

I have started with switchblade 14m which was my first kite and at 200lbs I loved that kite until I tried something that has better range hung time and boots in 12kts.

Bigger kite with power is great fun and makes you land more tricks than with any smaller kite.

There is another type of kite who gives you massive hang time and way better wind range than large LEI.

Incidentally, I bought a used 17m North dyno this winter, thinking of weak summer thermal days.
A long time ago, I used to ride with a 22,5m North Rhino, so I know what to expect, and how rewarding it is to ride well powered in a above average day, but sunny and relatively flat. I like it.
That 17m does have a lot of power too, but is so much more manageable, that I can even overpilot it during jump, and has an impressive upper limit. Plenty satisfied.
I can’t understand people complaining on the beach, waiting for the wind to increase, typically above 15 knots, when I’m more than happy with the conditions.
It reminds me of past windsurfing days, when gear had so much developed in high wind direction, that there was no gear anymore for these light days.
A recent 17m is just plain useful, in no way overkill. It is the difference between barely riding and going upwind, or between barely going upwind, and jumping, given the same board of course, and preferably a TT in my case.
Oh, and I’m 160 lbs: no need to be a rugbyman...
People nowadays are just afraid of big numbers, but they shouldn’t

[jmach]

Not overkill if you're over 200lbs and especially true if in the 220lb neighborhood. It's like being on a 14m for
lighter guys. Eleveight RS 17m is an excellent kite with great top end.

[CALencioni]

I thought a 15m Contra kite was pretty big.
A 17m is unimaginable.

I guess if a 17m will fly it would definitely be a session saver?

Thoughts?

I fly a 17M blade fat lady in light winds. "Light", "fast", small leading edge, turns "quick". I've loved this kite as a session saver. I had (2) days in maui where i was the only one on the water kiting, not even the foilers wanted to kite.

I can make a 17/10/7 work for traveling and its saved my ass. (regular quiver is 17/12/10/9/7)

[TheJoe]

I put a lot of time on my 17m turbine and that was at 180lbs. I would use it for light wind wakestyle riding. I have been paying the price from heavy lifting in my younger days coupled with lots of hard landings and crashes both kiting and wakeboarding. I have switched from wake to foil and board offs more now so don't have the desire to fly the turbine anymore. I could never send it to jump with really worked at getting the timing down.

[Do-it]

I’m 145lbs and my OR 17mFlite Has the most time on it. I don’t recommend extensions over 25m for my weight as it increases pull dramatically. I can ride comfortably powered in waves with 9-10 mph. 12mph-13 I can start throwing nice loops. Big kites are not overrated.