NSW
148 posts
is there an average approximate of how fast we travel compared to wind speed?
Obviously, it depends on kite size, board, body weight, blah, blah, blah. but in general terms is there a percentage range?
if i'm out in 20knts I wont be going 20knts and i wont be going 5 knts. so is there a like 50-75% range- so 10-15knts?
and if its 30kts, is it 15-23knts-ish? or would that increased wind make it more like 60-80%
maybe there are too many variables to approximate it
it comes up talking to non-kiters, talking about the fun of the speed
WA
3510 posts
You can go faster than wind speed.
On a good race board or foil you can easily go way faster, I'm guessing somewhere close to 200%.
WA
91 posts
Google apparent wind.
In most instances, you travel faster than the wind speed
NSW
148 posts
fook! twice as fast as the wind!! and ice boats can go five times as fast....?!!!
thanks for the link tightlines, seems to get into the physics of it all. be good to get my head around it. may well help with crankin the speed that little bit more when the wind bottoms out
QLD
1855 posts
I have done over 40knts on my temavento slalom board in about 20knts, so thats double the windspeed but like tightlines said that on Raceboards and foils you can triple windspeed in lighter winds.
VIC
237 posts
I still remember 30 years ago in kiddie sailing school being told you can go twice the speed of the wind ( in theory).
That amazed me hence why I never forgot it.
QLD
52 posts
I was also curious about this, so I rode in a straight line from a point on the shore to a marker that was out in the water. I timed how long it took me on my watch and measured a straight line between the two points on Google earth. speed = distance over time. turns out I was doing about 20 knots in about 18 knots of wind.
WA
8407 posts
luderitz speed challenge, have a look and with some simple mathematics youll have your answer, if your struggling email eppo and he will do the maths for you
