Hunt for "My" ultimate kite surfboard

[knotwindy]

Yea, mostly lately I’ve been messing around with different fins to see what changes. Bigger, smaller, flexier, stiffer, more rake, more upright, smaller center fin, etc all in the same board. It’s surprising to me how much it can change the feel. Even though I knew it would since the fins are so much of the surface area in the water when the board is planning, it is still surprising me just how much a small change can make. I’m really enjoying the messiness of it all. And I’m pretty sure it is improving my wave riding as a bonus. Also, it’s way cheaper to by/borrow fins than boards.

[Onda]

In my region "quality" waves are very rare (100 % windswell, very few spots behind jettys with half-clean waves, decent waves only with 25+ kts wind over XX hour period).
Since I developed my wave-foiling skills to a certain level I find myself foiling in small waves rather than touching my surfboard. Recently I foiled 95 % and I´m afraid I´ve almost forgotten how to ride my surfboard properly
Hence, pimp your foiling skills and you´ll discover a whole new world of wave-wonders Even the most rediculous swell is turned into pure adventure! The glide efficiency of a wave foil on a wave is so unbelievable, totally addictive. Any surfboard feels super draggy afterwards and you feel brutally overpowered all the time on your surfboard. On a foil everything is soooo smooth and easy and fluent and natural...
Another great feature of foiling in waves (at crowded surf spots) is that you don´t need breaking waves, you can ride the swell even far away from the beach / impact zone with total freedom as your playground becomes infinite

[jumptheshark]

Now now, I'm all for the foil, but lest not get off topic.

Nothing beats a surfboard in real waves. Of course this is only opinion, but:



In less than decent waves, you have a point about the foil, but kiting in real surf is 100% the domain of the surfboard.

Its a very noble quest to find what works best for you. In the end, you will end up with something that reflects your style and your conditions.

The board Patrick is killing it on in the vid would only make it off the beach about 20 days a year up here, and even then, you might have more fun on something with a touch less rocker. Something shorter, wider and flatter might get you out twice as much.

Horses for courses, but in pitching waves..... surfboard please.

Finding the one that works for you is half the fun.

The two I kept that now gather dust waiting for the next road trip south are both pretty classic shapes.

A small wave quad fish that is super fun in mush and a simple thruster squash tail for more powerful waves. I could give the specs, but they are useless. The same board can be so perfect or so wrong depending on size. Surfboards are like shoes, you pretty much gotta try em on. The only thing I know for sure? The decent ones are not made of thermoform plastic!

Those two pretty much cover it for me, but they are as different from one another as night and day, and when either one is really working, the other is not much fun. I find it hard to recommend a specific board as tastes and fit are so varied. First find your type, then dial in the size.

[Beanie008]

Sorry, I thought this whole riding thing was supposed to be fun.

And yes, sometimes I will try different boards and adjust to them and it changes my riding and what I am capable of which I can them bring back as an additional skill to my older board and have some new tricks so it’s not all bad. I still just really like a board I don’t have to think about. It’s just there and I can focus on the waves and not changing techniques.

Cause it’s all about the feel of the wave and the lines we can draw. To me. YMMV

Who said anything about not having fun?? Look, some people choose to enjoy the subtle nuances of variation and what it gives you, others like to play safe and stick with one board...fins are another matter...however, once you understand those nuances, unless you're hard up, you will want more than board, simple fact...I've been in this game a long time but then I'm probably talking to the wrong crowd...anyway stoked for you whatever you ride. Technology is what advances the field, the designs just recycle around every few years, evetually everyone wins. Laters

[Onda]

Absolutely, nothing beats a surfboard in proper surf!
BTW, my current favourites are a 5.1 Vader HE for small stuff and jumping, and a 5.8 ProWam (2019) for decent waves.

[Matteo V]

And what do mean by focusing on "you" more? Is that some saying in Utah?

It means that a couple of cargo containers full of gear would be nice to have. But would it help you increase your kiting skill and enjoyment???

My enjoyment and skill really took off once I stopped focusing on the gear so much. I found that, unlike with windsurfing/prone surfing/and even SUP, the power system of kiteboarding allows you to do so much with only one or two boards.

Let us know when you really settle in on gear, and focus on "how" you are riding, instead of "what" you are riding.

[madworld]

I like Polyurethane surfboards 5' 8" x 18.5 x 2 1/8 thruster. They are softer riding than the kite company production boards.

[JTKiter]

Matteo V:

"My enjoyment and skill really took off once I stopped focusing on the gear so much. I found that, unlike with windsurfing/prone surfing/and even SUP, the power system of kiteboarding allows you to do so much with only one or two boards."

Well said.

[daspi]

Yesterday we had waist to shoulder high waves and just enough on 10m kite. Took the Skillit 5' 10" out and it felt so good. Thought I will grab the Mitu later, but never did. It stays so planted and does exactly what I want. The better I get the more I realize this might be the ultimate board for me. I can't believe the beaten up old board I got while learning the ropes is in the end the holy grail for me. Can't be, must be something else out there... LOL. I might have to build a copy of it before it gives up on me. I thought that at 163lbs and 5' 11" I would need something shorter. Turns out that in real waves you do want something this long. After all it only has 20.5l volume.

I have yet to try a Duotone Wam.

[Matteo V]

Yesterday we had waist to shoulder high waves and just enough on 10m kite. Took the Skillit 5' 10" out and it felt so good........
......... Can't be, must be something else out there... LOL. I might have to build a copy of it before it gives up on me. I thought that at 163lbs and 5' 11" I would need something shorter. Turns out that in real waves you do want something this long. After all it only has 20.5l volume.

First, you can go shorter when kitesurfing if you are strapped because:

1. The increased force you can apply to the board

2. The increased speed with which you can apply that force

3. And additional force vectors that can be applied to the board via the straps



Second, definetly copy the board and try to shave off about 8liters of volume. That "guess" on my part, was a game changer for my kitesurfing experience coming from "wanna be/look alike" prone surfboards that were marketed as kitesurfboards.



And third, if you are strapped on your builds, don't shy away from 2 extra layers of 6 oz E or S-glass. I wasted a lot of time and material making shorter boards as light as possible. Turns out shorter boards are inherently stiff anyway, that additional stiffness doesn't really matter, and the extra weight is actually an advantage in chop.



That said, this type of board isn't for the faint of heart, nor will it limit you to just "simulating" prone surfing. If you want the most out of this board, you need to push it a bit further than the narrow view of "bottom turn, smack the lip, repeat endlessly" that tends to be the typical mindset of the average kitesurfer.