Hi there!

I have been reading as many posts as possible about the right board size but instead of helping me, it has confused me even more :)

I'm based in Melbourne and so far I have only been out 5 or 6 times after finishing my lessons (St Kilda and Rosebud). I first got myself a 2014 Best Kahoona 9.5m but after getting frustrated on a few light wind days, I decided to buy a second kite and I found a bargain a couple of days ago for a 2012 Cabrinha Vector 12m. All good in that end!

Now I'm after a board but I'm not sure about the right size. I have got a nearly brand new 2013 Cabrinha Tronic 144cm (I'm selling it btw) but I feel it's far too big for me. I'm 62kg so I was thinking of a 130cm one? As mentioned above, I will be kitting most of the time around St Kilda so choppy water and I plan more freestyle.

What do you guys reckon? I have been looking at a North Jaime as I might get a good deal.

Thanks!

cauncy said..
,Ffor your weight the board size is definatly too big, worth saving though for lighter wind days, outline concave also have a big part to play in performance, as for chop I prefer a bigger concave and a board that deals with spray, the north boards ride nice but find spray and skipping a problem, the xenons, laluz and infras, crazyfly raptor, and the shinn boards are worth a demo, ive been on the shinn monks since 1st release, they've been voted independent board of the year 3 years running, I wouldn't swap mine for any board, thought id lost mine on some dry reef a month or so back, I had the same gut feeling when my kid went missing, check out shinnworld or pop mark an email for advice, around 132/ 134 with an aggressive outline would be my call

Thanks cauncy! I will have a look at the Monk :)

stabber said..
just get the biggest brightest one u can find on ebay.... make sure its at least 10 yeras old, as size and experience does matter!

I was tempted to do it...

I have been reading a bit more and talking to the guys at Kitepower and I'm finally going for a 128x39cm Shinn Monk.

suface2air said...
mate I am same weight actually a little litter 60 kgs and my go to board is 134 I would not go smaller than that . deffantly will need the bigger for the light wind days . personally don't go for the hype of groves and concaves , just get a board with a flat bottom no concave and little rocker . all of the groves ext just means drag and with a flat board you will be up and riding before anyone else and you wont get so stuffed as no drag on ya . just my opion take all leave it

A flat board in chop and wash is about as bad as it gets , requires a lot of backfoot pressure, I'm with you on channels unless you ride with very small or no fins

VicMoo said...

stabber said..
just get the biggest brightest one u can find on ebay.... make sure its at least 10 yeras old, as size and experience does matter!

I was tempted to do it...

I have been reading a bit more and talking to the guys at Kitepower and I'm finally going for a 128x39cm Shinn Monk.

Your going from one extreme to the other.. Too big to too small.

128cm for a learner is stupid. If a shop sell you that with your limited skills then that is poor form as you will be struggling. You should be on either a 135/37 as a general rule for a beginner but if you only want to buy one board, persevere and keep it for a while maybe a 132/33 straight off and keep in mind it may be a bit harder to ride when your just starting out.

I'm 70kg and I ride a 132cm. I'm happy with this size after trying many types of boards. I have been kiting for 7 seasons now.

The Jaimie is a great board and one that you could ride for a few years easily.i have tried it and nearly bought one more than a few times. It does it all, no spray in eyes and is comfy

Lol , lots of good tips BUT no one has even asked HOW TALL YOU ARE ????
For your first alround board it should come to the middle of your chest and be slightly wider than your hips when stood on its tail infront of you.
Medium rocker , flex and sidecut.
Like any sport it depends on how into it you get , the more obsessed you get the more gear your going to want to cover different areas of the sport.
But a board that fits what i have described above will be the best one board quiver to cover the most condition so represent the best value for a beginner.
Never ask anyone with a vested interest about what you should buy , some of the gear that ive seen students turn up with at the beach that "the guy in the shop said would be perfect for me" that just leaves you shaking your head ... i used to see the same thing all the time when I was teaching snowboarding aswell .
Oh and btw most guys who have a "Awesome" board have never ridden enough boards to know better. The truth is there is a huge difference in how board can effect your riding in different conditions , boards are often overlooked but a different board can , on alot of days make more difference to your session than you would imagine .
Oh as a side note never buy a "beginner board" they are for Kite schools .You will out grow it in a couple of months and it will hold your progression back

The 128x39 is his size for the Monk, remember width matters more than length

Width and outline are as important as length, if not more so. If someone talks about an ideal board length without mentioning the width you are best off ignoring them. Shinns tend to ride a bit shorter than other boards as they are generally wider at a given length.