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Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

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DankandBeans
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Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby DankandBeans » Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:25 am

I'm 75kg (165lbs) and have a 7m and 9m Naish park 2014 and ride on a 132/41 tt. I can usually get out in about 15 knots on the 9 with that board but was looking to take advantage of winds in the 10-15knots range. Would I be better off getting a bigger kite (11/12m) or getting a bigger board such as a surfboard?

I tend to split my riding 50/50 between small wave riding and flat water riding.

I'm sure either option would work but I am curious as to what other people's experience may be with each choice. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby Jzh_perth » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:14 am

My experience has been that a surfboard will work to a point, but they are not particularly efficient due to the rocker and thus don't really work in low wind conditions - like less than 10-12 knots. For that, a door or similar that is flat with no rocker works better. There is also the question of budget - a surfboard will set you back a few hundred dollars, but a kite is going to cost you a lot more. If money was not an issue is say you need both to maximise low wind - big kite and Door, but a surfboard will certainly give you a little more low end with you current quiver. For reference I am 85kg and currently ride a Flysurfer Speed 3 21 when it's light with either a 138TT or surfboard, doesn't make a huge difference, and have just bought a Shinn Shinnster (in lieu of a Door). Where I kite there usually always swell, so I wanted a surfable board more so than a big TT.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby coleman » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:16 am

In 10 kts you will need a bigger board and a bigger kite. In light wind you really need the pair to have fun. I used to ride my 9m wainman and an airush sector in 13-14kts but that was really milking the kite to make it work. Not nearly as fun as using a 12m kite with that board.

If I had to choose I would start with the board And go from there. Can't say enough about the north nugget. But the new slingshot lineup looks killer too.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby Bushflyr » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:16 am

Well, you should definitely get different kites. The Park has crap for low end grunt. I'm a big proponent of getting a planier (not floatier) board rather than upsizing my kite. In your case I'd get either a Firewire Vanguard or a skim board depending on what kind of riding you prefer.

I went with the 5'4" VG to get better strapless and extend the bottom range from my 5'10" Global and couldn't be happier. The VG MPH allows me to ride a full size smaller kite than a "normal" surfboard. I'm 80kg FWIW. For me, if I have to break out a 12m it's not worth pumping up.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby Séb » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:31 am

Your kite is too small and as said above not known for good low end so forget it for LW. A good LW surf board will be much better then any door type. An Axon WTF, a Nugget or even probably a board like a Vanguard mentioned above. In LW there is not much fun to have with a TT so I prefer to enjoy riding with my LW surfboard and do long distance, practice and improve my strapless technique. You could also consider a board like an RRD K-Free for more speed and better low end. A Shinnster is an other alternative that is very fun to ride but not as performant as the other in very LW.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby jumarcil » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:45 am

coleman wrote:In 10 kts you will need a bigger board and a bigger kite. In light wind you really need the pair to have fun. I used to ride my 9m wainman and an airush sector in 13-14kts but that was really milking the kite to make it work. Not nearly as fun as using a 12m kite with that board.

If I had to choose I would start with the board And go from there. Can't say enough about the north nugget. But the new slingshot lineup looks killer too.
I weigh the same as you and my lw kite is a 15m. Paired with my shinn kg 150 x 50 i can get out in really lw. Regular surf arent too good but an axon wtf or north nugget could be a better choice than a big tt, more fun.you will have to upgrade both your kite and your board. The first thing i would go for though is the board. I ride more and more directionnal board and it is really more fun in light stuff. My next purchase will probably be an axon wtf or something like that.

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby robertovillate » Thu Aug 14, 2014 4:23 am

Lots of good feedback. I think the answer also depends on what kind of riding you want to do under 15 kts....trying to do freestyle, wave riding, or "free race" riding, or something else...all somewhat different.

I am about the same weight as you and have pretty good light wind technique. I can sort of stay upwind with my 5/8 fish + 15m kite in 12 kts....with a light wind board (e.g. my Spleene 29 Session) I can get upwind fairly well at 12 kts. (There is usually a little bit of unfavourable current to factor in).

Interestingly...today I rode a Flysurfer Razor for the first time. Wow! that thing rips upwind like crazy. Other guys were out with 16m and 17m (latest greatest Cabrinha kites) and barely staying upwnd on their "fatty" twin tips. I ripped upwind so fast on the Razor on an 11m kite (depowered!!) I was amazed... http://flysurfer.com/produkte/boards/razor/

Now, in all fairness this Razor is a completely different experience to any twin tip or surfboard that I ride, It definitely took some getting used to and I still need to work on my transitions, etc...I ride upwind about a mile in 4 or 5 tacks...and when I decided I better go back downwind it was a bit of a challenge...so I need to work on that as well. Some people might not enjoy this sort of ride at all...I do because it is a new challenge, plus I was ripping in light wind with a small kite. I probably could have been on my 8m.

Sorry for the sidetrack, but the point I am trying to make is that...speaking for myself anyway...I probably would not want to ride this Flysurfer Razor all the time and I enjoy riding different boards , but mostly my strapless Lost Fish or 5/10 Firewire Taj, and when there are waves with light wind I usually try to make the fish work with a 15m kite (Core 15m XR2LW which turns pretty fast and can be really fun in waves in spite of what people may think). So you have to decide what style you want..if it's freestyle you probably want to look at a wider board with less rocker and some flex, 135-140 long x 43-45 wide

As said before by others you need a lot of power with a small TT in light wind, and when it dips a little below12 kts it sort of sucks...whereas a good light wind board (whether a TT or directional) will keep on flying for you...which allows you to get the best performance out of the kite as well. If you can't get a little apparent wind going you're already behind the curve. If you have a board that will get up and "go" quickly you can build/maintain that apparent wind...which is rather critical in light wind.

sorry for the ramble

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby IanNJ » Thu Aug 14, 2014 12:55 pm

Get a 15.5m Liquid Force Solo and a CrazyFly Skim. At your weight you will be riding in 10-12mph no problem.
Check out our reviews... you will not be disappointed.


www.AtlanticKiteboarding.com

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Phil
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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby Phil » Thu Aug 14, 2014 1:57 pm

As mentionned above, a Shinn Shinnster / BRM Paipo is a possible solution :thumb:

Phil
Have Fun & Ride Safe

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Re: Light wind: Bigger kite or surfboard?

Postby t3rse » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:42 pm

Séb wrote:A Shinnster is an other alternative that is very fun to ride but not as performant as the other in very LW.
This word is not a word. I hear it all the time in tech but it really bugs me.


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