small kite owns over big kite in light wind and keeping the kite in the air... the weight plays a big factor once you start getting below 8 knots.

I think this is one of the major reasons why the suggestion is to use a smaller bow kite with a larger board. Small kites have less weight and fly faster therefore are better for light wind.

Thats not really Lightwind. In this wind you can probaly go with a big or a small bow. I do not think that it will make a big difference.

What you really mean is, which kite is the best to go surfing in lightwind conditions. And when it comes to this question than the clear answer is going for a big kite >= 16 sqm. Depends as well if you want to go in the surf or flat water. In the surf any big kite will not help too much because they are too slow. On flat water it is a complete different story. Bigger kite means more power means better lowend ability.

Cheers

Granini

I really tried to avoid this discussion; you might be right, that the SB3 14 has a reasonable good light wind performance for a bow but there is a still a big gap to a SA19 that is around 2-3 knots in lowind conditions to get on the board and probably something around 3-4 knots difference to keep it in the air means:

- SA19 can handle lulls with 4 knots, I guess a SB14 needs at least 7-8 knots to stay stable in the air (Difference 3-4 knots). Was flying the kite on tuesday before lunchtime in S/SE around 3-5 knots with lulls to zero where it fell down.

- I can holding line with the SA 19 starting from 8 knots without tide support.

A more experienced or light rider (60 kg) probably can hold line below 8 Knots.

I challange that the SB3 14 (even if seems to be a wonderful kite) will bring a 95 kg guy with intermediate skill level on the board with 8 knots. I believe you need at least 10 knots to get going.

Would really like to try it and compare the bottom end. Same board, same rider and a six pack to shorten the waiting time; starting early (11 am) on a day with an expected seabreeze, so that we have really light wind conditions not more than 4 knots to compare the lull performance. Testing the bottom end of both kites with increasing windspeed due to the seabreeze.

Will be there tomorrow

Cheers

Granini

Saffer how about you give up the Kitepower beatching, its getting really amusing!
The only person looking like a brand pimp is you, we are just left wondering which one it is, maybe we should hold a guessing comp??

W sell and fly Flysurfers, and remember we have been selling foils for over 15 years, there are very few people with more epxerience over a broad range of foils.

I have been flying the SB3 14M at the same time Granini and some other guys have been using PS2's, there is very little difference in light wind performance.

No-one I know has put an SB3 16M or Contra3 17M up against the 19M PS2, but I reckon there will be a bees d1ck in it.

I have flown all the other brands, in larger sizes, they are not mentioned just for the sake of it, but to asnwer Maverick2's question.

Light wind kiteboarding performance - a lot depends on the skill and experience of the kiter.

There is no denying for absolute bottom end performance going upwind and nothing else the PS2 19M is the bees knees.

The SB3 and other similar bow style kites like the T2 will launch in incredibly light winds, even off the water.

Getting a PS2 off the water sub 8 knots is not exactly easy, and under 5 knots its near impossible, and you cannot float on them!

Lighten up, stick to the topic, get over your obsession with me. Everyone knows I sell kites, look at my user name FFS. LOL's
I don't BS about them I just tell people about my real experiences with them, when a question is asked - thats what this forum is for eh??.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Kitepower Australia said...

Saffer how about you give up the Kitepower beatching, its getting really amusing!
The only person looking like a brand pimp is you, we are just left wondering which one it is, maybe we should hold a guessing comp??

W sell and fly Flysurfers, and remember we have been selling foils for over 15 years, there are very few people with more epxerience over a broad range of foils.

I have been flying the SB3 14M at the same time Granini and some other guys have been using PS2's, there is very little difference in light wind performance.

No-one I know has put an SB3 16M or Contra3 17M up against the 19M PS2, but I reckon there will be a bees d1ck in it.

I have flown all the other brands, in larger sizes, they are not mentioned just for the sake of it, but to asnwer Maverick2's question.

Light wind kiteboarding performance - a lot depends on the skill and experience of the kiter.

There is no denying for absolute bottom end performance going upwind and nothing else the PS2 19M is the bees knees.

The SB3 and other similar bow style kites like the T2 will launch in incredibly light winds, even off the water.

Getting a PS2 off the water sub 8 knots is not exactly easy, and under 5 knots its near impossible, and you cannot float on them!

Lighten up, stick to the topic, get over your obsession with me. Everyone knows I sell kites, look at my user name FFS. LOL's
I don't BS about them I just tell people about my real experiences with them, when a question is asked - thats what this forum is for eh??.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

I'll give up kitepower biatching the moment you stop pimping cabrinhas like they're the second messiah. Every time a new kite comes out that you sell, you test it and say its good, but not quite as good as that latest cabrinha you have. Just because you sell more than one brand, doesn't preclude the favoritism that you clearly show to Cabrinha and thats all I was trying to point out. Clearly there is no other explanation when you put a SA2 19m in the same league as 16 SB3 for light wind.

You contradict yourself in your own post, in one place saying there is no difference and in another place saying the Flysurfer is much better for low wind and getting a SB3 off the water in under 5 knots isn't going to happen either.

Not sure if anyones mentioned it, but the size of the kite needed in light wind is dependent on what you want to do.

Personally I'd rather play on a surfboard with a 12m in light wind than fly a truk of a 16m, although others enjoy flyng 16m on twintips and attempting tricks.

For reference big kites arent needed in light wind, 7.5m c-kite, and a 129 board in 15knots.



Thanks
Matt

PS In regards to the kite staying in the air at the edge of the window, this is depedent on the kites stability, you can usually tell how stable a kite is by how much it will drift when you run downind.

Saffer said...

I'll give up kitepower biatching the moment you stop pimping cabrinhas like they're the second messiah. Every time a new kite comes out that you sell, you test it and say its good, but not quite as good as that latest cabrinha you have. Just because you sell more than one brand, doesn't preclude the favoritism that you clearly show to Cabrinha and thats all I was trying to point out. Clearly there is no other explanation when you put a SA2 19m in the same league as 16 SB3 for light wind.

You contradict yourself in your own post, in one place saying there is no difference and in another place saying the Flysurfer is much better for low wind and getting a SB3 off the water in under 5 knots isn't going to happen either.

Who elected you the forum policeman??
Your comments are really a bit dumb and pointless mate, as was said previously everyone knows "Kitepower Australia" sells kites, derrr. However flying and understanding them is my favourite other thing to do as well as sharing that knowledge.

There is absolutely no contradiction, however it seems that you could find one in anything written by me.

There are several contenders for good light wind performance, but it was clearly stated that the 19M Sp2 is the absolute bottom end winner, however at that wind level its a bit like watching paint dry, the 19M FS PS2 is much better in 10 knots, but I prefer the crispness and extra turning speed of the 07/08 bows and sle's, and particularly the SB3 14/16 and Contra3 17M as well as the Instinct Sport 15M and 13M. Not much point in all that upwind low down grunt if you can't turn the kite, IMO. These observations come from actual side by side comparison.

Where was it said getting an SB3 off the water in 5 knots was going to be easy??? But given a puff over that and it will launch a lot easier than any soggy foil. Its not the only bow/sle that can do that either.

Just to show how flawed your argument about favouratism is, did you consider that we directly import and distribute a couple of other brands, including Ozone?

For what Maverick2 asked he recieved the information from my experience that matched his questions.

All you have done is attack me and make assumptions, and did you notice there is an ass at the beggining of assumption.?

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

Steve has been good of late your being a bit harsh saffer.

vishy said...

Not sure if anyones mentioned it, but the size of the kite needed in light wind is dependent on what you want to do.

Personally I'd rather play on a surfboard with a 12m in light wind than fly a truk of a 16m, although others enjoy flyng 16m on twintips and attempting tricks.

For reference big kites arent needed in light wind, 7.5m c-kite, and a 129 board in 15knots.

Thanks
Matt

PS In regards to the kite staying in the air at the edge of the window, this is depedent on the kites stability, you can usually tell how stable a kite is by how much it will drift when you run downind.

Ehm...... 14 Knots Average....... Thats by far not lightwind for me. Lightwind is something in the one digit area. Its a nice video and yes it is impressiv that he can go with 7.5. I have to admit... very efficient kite! However..... in 14 knots average the same guy with a big kite either Tube or Foil would be able to pull some decent jumps. Furthermore he hardly can hold line with the 7.5. As you can see, he has to move the kite a lot, I do not think that this is a relaxed and nice kite session. But everybody has different preferences.

Cheers
Granini (who will now go for a lightwind session)

14 knots is fishing weather