QLD
4 posts
Hi, I'm a noobie to the sport and am in the process of setting up my quiver. Weigh 67kg, have an 8 & 11 metre Cab Switchblade and a 140 x 40 TT and a 149 x 46 Slingshot Glide for lighter wind. I'm thinking of grabbing a 2013 Lithium 14 metre as a light wind kite and was wondering if anyone can give me some advice around whether it would do the job in 8-10 kits on the Glide for my weight?
Don't want to get into new gear yet coz I'd probably flog it half to death while I get my skills going. thanks guys.
WA
1615 posts
Hey Gassap,
8 to 10 knots is marginal stuff for a newbie no matter what gear you have.
In those winds the vast majority of kiters wouldn't even think about kiting. You already have a great quiver that with good skills would cover you from about 12 knots to max 30 knots (eventually you'll need a smaller board). Your boards are big AND you have the huge advantage of being fairly lightweight which is ideal for low wind kiting.
I reckon you should focus on making the most of your current setup and build up your light wind skills with what you already have. At your weight with an 11m kite and your light wind twin tip you should get going easily in sub 15 knots. Once you build up some skills you should be able to ride with that same gear down to about 12 knots, but it may take some time.
Most kiters would tell you are probably wasting your time below 12 knots on a twin tip. Below 12 knots, you would need a very large kite and honestly a 14m would probably not do the job, might as well go for a 17m....and even then. The only guys who enjoy sub 12 knots conditions have very large kites, or hydrofoil boards, or at least race boards or light wind surfboards, airush sectors, etc.
Keep in mind that in below 12 knots wind you're going to struggle to relaunch your kite, especially as a beginner. And more importantly if your kite gets wet and sandy in below 12 knots, it's gonna fly like a pig (too heavy).
On the upside if you spend a lot of time trying to kite in marginal winds you will eventually develop some amazing kite flying / kite relaunching / board riding skills, but it comes with a price: frustrations, lots of effort and lots of swimming.
Christian
QLD
4 posts
thanks Christian, appreciate the sound advice. Yeah you're right, so far lots of frustration, effort and swimming but slowly getting it so I'll keep persevering with what I've got. Maybe save my pennies and look at a single or no strut kite when I've built my skills up.
NSW
1559 posts
As your addiction grows, you will get the bigger kite and nice fat flat surfboard, skimboard, foil or something like a sector 60 and you will get out in 8 knots.
Light wind kiting is heaps of fun.
QLD
6493 posts
OT but isn't lithium what they give the mentally ill to get them under control? Naming of kites needs a little more work... The worst I've seen was the Takoon Log.
VIC
942 posts
sub 10 knots i go to foil kites.
QLD
4 posts
Yeah, you're probably right there. I've got a place in the Philippines, 100 yards from a perfect kiteboarding beach, side shore winds all year round, wide beach and flat water. Only trouble is light winds a fair chunk of the time hence the need to learn light wind kiting.
