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artificialname wrote: ↑

Thu May 12, 2022 2:08 am

I'm 210 pounds and in light wind I'm flying an Ozone Edge 17m. On my twin tip I can't get out much lower than 12 knots. I have a surfboard but I am not very confident kiting on it. I'd like to purchase some equipment to help me get out in around 10 knots. What do you think I should purchase?

An 18m foil kite? (Pansh A15)
A large "door" twin tip?
Just keep practicing with the surfboard?

Something else?

I'm 220lb - I get ride (just) and keep myself upwind with Spleene Monster Door and my Ozone Zephyr 17m with long lines (at least 27m) - for that exact reason I got into foiling, now I can go in 10knots on my foil and a 12m kite and have no problems riding.

Don't be fooled by the size of the monster door, it is a very playful board that gives a lot of joy including boosting in light wind days with about 14knots.

The issue at 10knots is to keep the kite in the air... light kites will have an advantage for sure. I foil with an airush ultra 12m at 10knots and it stays in the air even if the wind drops a few knots. The Zephyr is 5 struts but stays in the air even in 6/7 knots which is unreal! Not sure about the Edge as I have never used one.

Cheers
G.

sflinux wrote: ↑

Thu May 12, 2022 3:22 am

Is it the lack of straps that you are not comfortable on the surfboard? Just give it some time, it just takes practice. Try to keep your front foot on the center line of the board. How wide is your surfboard?

Great advice, thanks. I can confidently stand up and plane on the surf board in either direction. It is strapless. I just can’t go upwind on it. I suspect I need more weight further forward but just can’t make it work. It’s a 5”8 slingshot célero. Any advice?

Slingshot Celero in 5"8 is NOT A LIGHT WIND BOARD....

I had it. (The older Greenish one....)
My 155x46 Twin tip was MUCH MUCH BETTER in light Wind



I am 70 kg!!!!!!

I weigh 85 kilos and I have been kiting for 22 years. I think Sendit is right when he says that you need to add the disclaimer "for me."

The first thing I would try is a larger board. I personally like the CrazyFly Slicer as it is much lighter than most big boards and it is not bad to ride even powered up. I had my best jump (17m) on a slicer and 15m foil in gusty wind conditions.

Next, comes the kite. The Edge is not considered a light wind kite by many because it does not fly as well in super light wind, a Zephyr is going to fly in a knot or so less. However, you are no fly weight, so moving to a Zephyr or a 15m foil will not give you ANY advantage. If you need more power, the 21m Soul is the only kite outside of race kites that is going to give you a extra couple of knots and yet retain the same top-end range as the Edge.

A lot of people say that big kites are slow and boring. I guess that depends on your riding style and wind conditions. I ride on inland lakes, so the wind is more variable. So, it is not uncommon to have wind that is 10 to 12 knots with gusts to 18 to 20. That is a lot of fun on a big kite. What is boring is 10 to 12 knot wind with no gusts. Yes, it is steady, but there is not much more you can do. So if you ride where the wind is more variable, you are going to enjoy the bigger kites more as you can boost in the gusts.

A big slow kite is awesome for learning tricks.

The foil route may be your best bet if the wind is light and steady, but if you want to go that route, I would buy a surfboard first and get comfortable riding it first as it will prepare you for riding the foil.

I hope that helps.

12 knots is pretty good if you are 100kg and riding a twintip.

On a surfboard, you need to learn a different style of riding in order to use it efficiently. The goal is to keep the board relatively flat, and drive it off the fins, rather than the rails. Once you figure it out, it feels like shifting into high gear.

If you still can't get low enough on a short wide low-rocker surfboard, then the next option is to try hydrofoiling.

....But then, again, you have to totally re-learn how to make the thing work.

...Or just move somewhere with more wind...