Okay, so this may be a stupid question, actually I'm pretty sure it's a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyways.

I'm a beginner, I have a 10m kite and weigh 45kg (bought the gear of the guy who taught me), I keep checking the weather reports to see when a good time for me to head out is, and I see wind speed between 13-17 knots, which wud be perfect for me as a beginner, but than its has gusts anywhere between 20-28knots, which I feel is out of my ability. So do I go with the wind speed and ignore the gusts or....??

Cheers,

Yes at 45kg you will be hammered in 28knot gusts on a 10. Essentially you need to rig a kite you can hold down in the biggest gust of be day.
For your weight that's probably a 6m

As above^^^^ my son is 38kg not far from you and he is smoken on a 6 meter half depowered in 18 kn i pull him up when it hits 18and above and send him out on the 4meter .

That is a problem easily sorted,

tell your mum about the danger of being overpowered,show her a couple of youtube vids of people getting wasted into buildings then give her 24 hours to work on dad.

Et voila, a new (or second hand) 6 meter kite which is much better suited to your weight in any case.

You can thank me later.

Agree with all of the above....I am 48kg and don't have a kite bigger than an 8m. I use a 4m above 25knots, 5m above 20knots, 6m 15-20knots and 8m for anything less. I think I have used the 8m only two or three times...
Maybe go for a 6m for that wind range and if you get a big gust you will be able to hold it comfortably - I would not want to use a 10m for conditions like that.
Get something with a good low end as you will be using the kite in the bottom of it's wind range - I have Evo's 2010/2011/2013 and they all fly well in the wind ranges I gave for the size. Good luck!

Cjai - back to your original question, the way the 'Bureau' (BOM) report wind speed is 'average' and 'gust'. I look at both critically before heading out.

Best wind for kiting is no more than 3 knots between average and gust - sweet!! But then the rest of us live in the real world and 5 knots between ave and gust is pretty normal for a sea breeze.

When you head out you will be kiting as some point in the 'gust' wind speed so you really need to choose a kite at that (gust) wind strenght that aint going to kill ya!!

We get some fronts through here in Vic that have the average at eg: 20 knots with gusts to 33 knots - thats a 3 kite range (in the one session!) for me so I just find something else to do that day. ( if I did go out I would need to choose a kite to survive the gusts and then would be underpowered for most of the time - s Hit session!)

So never go kiteing with only the average wind speed driving your kite size choice and ignore the gusts !!

Have fun !!

Underoath said...
I can barely get riding on 15knots


Lucky I live in WA.

You should try windsurfing. On Formula race gear it is very very fast from 8kn upwards.
I figured you are curious due to your post in the WS forum