what size and type of kite are you on now .Definetely get a light wind board for a start and see how that goes .Get something like what Cardboards have on offer glide 139 x 46.

each to their own and depending on local conditions. but you could get a strapped or normall cheap surfboard .. keep your kite quiver as is and do a downwinder wave sesh when its lite. will add a new dimension and challenge to your kitesurfing when its crap wind for anything else

yer kitehard is right the protoy exile is 1 nice board i got going in like 13knots on a 10 metre kite and that oard quite impressive!!!!

im 78kg and can rid an 11 waroo in 11 knots on a big twin tip, only problem is why would you want to go out in that light, as soon as you try anything even a surface pass your getting the sinking feeling.
my 13m and 130 bindings board can get going in a consistent 12 knots on the ocean
my advice would be to stay clear of a biger kite until you have a bigger board to play with first.

@ Jacques... I totally agree :) best example yesterday :)
Jumps with the Door/FS SA19 in 10-13 Knots @ Montery/Botany (11.11.):
www.flickr.com/photos/11773832@N02/1964586264/
www.flickr.com/photos/11773832@N02/1963757489/

Jumps with a UG 132/FS SA19 in 15-17 Knots@ Montery/Botany (11.11.):
www.flickr.com/photos/11773832@N02/1964584810/

But if you want to start into lightwind kiting with a limited budget go first for the big board, either a Surfboard or a really big twintip. The reference is the so called Spleene Monster door... it is 5 cm (164x50 cm) wider than the standard door.

Thats the board you are looking for:
www.bigboysports.de/Kitesurfing/spleenboards.htm

Both boards (Surf or door) will get you going with a 14 sqm bow from 10-11 knots in flat water conditions. 1-2 knots more for waves.

Cheers

Granini

A simple question with a very complex answer!

Depends what you want to do in the light wind, a bigger kite will get you going, BUT it will be slow going and once you drop the kite sessions is mostly over(or at least frustrated to fark.) and the jumps/tricks achieved will be mediocre at best.

Things to consider:

* a bigger kite is slow, heavy and expensive and doesn't nessarily make you jump any higher(the bigger kite has more weight, creates less apparent wind and for every metre it increases it has to work harder against itself), as opposed to a smaller lighter kite with proper edging and excellent pop.

* a bigger board is cumbersome, usually wider and can feel like you are riding a sponge and doing a sh!t at the same time

* a smaller faster kite can be worked(with practise) and "similar" results achieved if your technique is spot on

* a skimboard(nobile or similar) will get you going in sub 10knots on your existing kite, works in 2inches of water(if fins removed) and feels like skateboarding

A couple of the guys i kite with use skimboards(or large twintips) as the seabreeze is building, then swap over to a normal sized twintip(surfboard for surf) and keep kiting.

If you are after a board to do a complete lightwind session then consider a bigger kite, but if you only want a board to use while the wind is increasing in strength then just get a bigger board and swap over when the wind arrives.

And, you could probably buy 3 boards for the price of one kite. My setup for reference.

kites:
10m era
8.5m sonic

boards(and max ranges):
128cm underground(17-35knots with the sonic, 12-28knots with the era)
nobile skimboard(6-14 knots with the era, 11-16 withthe sonic)
6.2 surfboard(14-30knots with the sonic, 11-25knots with the era)

@Meerkat: Your statements are correct for Tube kites. The really big Tubes >20 sqm are extremly heave, slow and no fun to fly. And because of their weight, thats true that it is almost impossible to relaunch them.

But those statements do not apply for lightwind foils like a FS SA19 or even the S2 standard version. You can relaunch this kite even below 8 knots. It starts flying in 4 knots and is extremly stable in the air.

It is correct that you probably can not go for the really high jumps >5 m. But even in wind speeds to 15 knots you can go reasonably high, my own experience are 2,5 - 3 m but I am not too experienced. I guess an experienced kiter can easily reach 5 m in 15-17 knots with this kite. But on the other hand you have an extrem long hang time.

And according to speed. Thats right that a big kite is slower than a small one (thats physiks). But a FS SA19 (equivalent is a 26 sqm C shape) is as fast as an everage 16 Bow but with much more lowend.

And as Jacques mentioned, when a Tube kiter gets just enough wind to hold the line with a big board, the Foil kiter will start jumping and get going with a small board.

Have a look at the fotos I have posted before and look closer to the water, so that you get an impression how much wind there was. The third photo with the UG was taken at 5.22 pm close to Sydney Airport (15 Knots at this time).

Cheers

Granini

I'll stay out of the foil vs tube debate but I can say for sure that the cheapest way to get light wind performance is a long, wide, flat board. I use the UG flx 148 x 46. I like it!
Great in flat(ish) water.

Ok.... .i'll wade in.

"I think you may find that thanks to recent advancements and abilities of most kiters foils are only "slightly" better in light winds."

There have been advancements in foils too. I know it is a lot of money to pay but a SA19 will get you upwind in 8knots, jumping high in 11kn and you can hold it down to 20kn.

Just depends on finances and the desire to kite in light winds. It is possible but is it worth it (to you).

mike

schmik said...

a SA19 will get you upwind in 8knots

i go upwind on a 10m inflato circa 10knots, the same kite will do middle of the range winds on a surfboard and high winds on a twin tip? I can smash the kite into the surf(when trying new tricks or losing it) the kite rolls in the waves and usually it re-launches and am still kiting. Is there a foil at the same price range and toughness that will do the same thing?

The foils used when kitesurfing,"for what you pay" IMO are not worth the money. For the same amount you can buy an inflato and a couple of boards. There is no discussion because its plain to see that unless you are planing on using your kite mostly in really light winds and for SNOW kiting then i see no point, IMMHO.

But, and i wait for the backlash, people like em and use them and have a great time on them and i am not knocking them, kudos for using whatever floats you boat.

Just for the love of god stop telling everyone they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.. zzzzzzzzzzzz

And to the poor fella who dared post a query, just get a bigger board.

@Meerkat Hey, never said it was the best thing since sliced bread. Just pointing out that there is more to them than light wind performance. And FYI, I use them on land, sea and snow. IMO that makes them worth it. I also question the statement on 'toughness' and the AVERAGE riders ability to go upwind with (foil OR inflato) a 8.5m kite in sub 10kn.

Just for the love of god stop telling everyone that your inflato is the greatest thing since sliced bread.. zzzzzzzzzzzz

Anytime someone says a foil is good then this crops up.... it's just a different kind of kite. Get over it.

As already stated, the best (and cheapest) option is a big, wide, flat board.

mike

And my last point is before you can give any recommendation or advice or even an opinion about a kite you should have tried it. I believe you have never tried a big FS speed 2 >=15.

So your statements about the performance of those kites is entirely unfounded.

Your are invited to have a test run on a SA19 or S2 15. After that we can discuss again.

But anyway Hang loose and have lots of fun on the water (in light and High winds ;) )

Cheers

Granini