181 posts
Ahoy, winter here and snow not far from me, no wetsuit yet, so i am waiting for a little warmer days, they will come very soon. Nervous most of the days when wind picks up and i cant do nothing!
Got 2010 12m and 2009 8m switchblades.
70kg, 175 cm, beginner; board (fanatic skyrider 141) 141x39 with little rocker not fully flat (i know a little small, i am on a budget).
Freeride and jumping my main goals.
I managed solid kite control, better in the field than on the sea (around 15 knots), got few times up on board (water ofc) and stayed couple of seconds, then lightnings and storms started. Temperature dropped. Never came to "upwind" stage. Some guy wants to trade 10 m for my 8 meter (same model same year same brand).
So i ask u.
Since i am beginner and all flyable conditions still feel strong for me (beginner) and i still have no knowledge of what size for what conditions, is it smart to give up 8 and take 10?
I am not experienced and i saw on this forum a lot "your weight your kite your board your wind your style" statistics.
Summer winds are beautiful, warm cross shore from noon till sunset almost every day, not gusty(!) so i assume enjoyable, 13-21 knots. Sailors love this time of year.
Winter winds are cold (somewhere offshore somewhere onshore, lots of islands) ultra gusty, 15-30, 20-35, 20-45 knots.
There are also cross-shore; cross-onshore warm moderate gusty winds (blows during whole year), 10-19, 15-25, 19-32 knots.
Seems to me i better stay with 8 for this wind conditions? I ask cause of pure lack of experience, i am sick of theory and statistics :D Just want to get on water as much as i can.
Greetings from Croatia!
71 posts
I think not. Just go fly kite/body drag anytime when you can and there is some wind. Soon as you get to know better with your kite 1m2 difference want make so much difference from ideal matched kite for some conditions. Think i know what you are thinking on cause i'm in kind same situation in same country. :) Just find some wetsuit to hit those bit less gusty winds 15-25 with 8m. I'm 65kg, noob, almost upwind with 9m2. Cheers
WA
858 posts
It seems you have a wide variety of conditions. Accordingly you will benefit from a wide variety of kites. Ideally you would be better of having an 8-10-12. This is what I have and it covers me in any usable conditions.... from 16 to 28 knts. As a beginner any less or more than that range is either to hard or to dangerous. If you cant buy a 10 I would say you'd be better with a 12/8 combo.
QLD
593 posts
What you have is fine. Your 12 will go a little over 20 kts and your 8 should get you going at around 18. A bigger board would, increase your low end on your 12 for more days and maybe bring your 8 down to 17kts. So concentrate on a bigger board for now.
181 posts
Thx alot, ill stay on 12/8 then. Hope i can enjoy upwind during the summer. Cheers and happy wind days!
4862 posts
12/8 combo gives you a wide range.
But it gives you an underpowered/overpowered situation around 20-25 knots. Which happens to be the sweetest winds to kite in.
So..... save up and buy a 10m at some stage in the future.
Then you will have 12/10/8 quiver and the world will become your oyster.
181 posts
Yeah i thought about it.
During summer, wind is constant and fairly sweet for my 12 meter, 12-13 to 20-21 knots. I wanted to get 12/9 but i have a friend who is about 15 kg heavier than me and he says he has sometimes problems on his 9 meter (rebel i think) with gusts in the same wind. In his area, same wind is stronger but only for a knot or 2 (don't know about gusts)
Since i am a lot lighter than him, i went 1 step down. This maybe sound stupid but i got it all fairly cheap till i learn to the stage i wont trash the kites, then i plan to invest in a "perfect" quiver.
Switchblades are choice of pure online reviews and couple of recommendations from people who demo-ed it in foreign countries since i didn't see 1 Cabrinha in my area (all are rrd's and north's). Not many kiters :\
