Kite: 11m EH wave
Bar: 45 cm BEST swivel with 25m lines
Wind: 20-25 Knots
Location: Lancelin WA
Conditions: Steady wind open ocean reef break shoulder high swell
Board: 130 TT
Rider: 115kgs
Biased: I would like to think not
Summary
First thing that comes to mind is this is a grunty fast turning little kite and that about sums it up. It preforms very well in the waves with power to boot and quick flight and turning. My only criticism is that it is a bit to punchy on the faster transitions and that its not as stable overhead as some other kites on the market as I managed to luff it out twice, once under flying the kite and the 2nd in fluky wind.
On the water
Initially the wind was around the 22 knots and building so I threw the 11m up thinking I might be underdone. Not a chance this little baby has power to boot. On my first transition the speed of the kite caught me out dumping me in the water and under flying the kite. The kite ended up in the drink but relaunched easy. The kites speed across the window reminded me of a 9m, turned well on its tips and like the yarga (EH designed) carries the power thru the turn. I found that I had to sheet out on the faster transitions to lose some of the power generated by the quick kite, however this quickness across the window is an asset in waves. The kited trucked back up wind no problems, the break I was on was about 1 km down wind of the launch sight and even at the end when the wind dropped off I was still coming back up wind working the kite slightly
In the air
With a good swell up and waves peeling I did about two jumps the whole time out so cant comment
On the waves
With a name like EH wave you would think that the waves are where this kite belongs and it does. The waves where a slow peeling reef break that wrapped from x-on to x-off. In the lighter wind the kite would stall back slightly on the bottom turns but this would be with the kite parked out in the x-off section, a quick sheet out on the bar would get it moving again, more my technique that needs work. A bit to punchy across the window on the faster redirects had me sheeting out to stop getting plucked from the wave face again just have to adjust your technique to account for this.
Thanks to
Brownee in Perth for letting me demo the kites.