Give it a go and see.

Nothing better than light wind practice to know the limits of the kite.

Just make sure you have plenty of room and no one about if it stalls and falls out of the sky. Not much chance of hurting yourself in 10kts, but others may not appreciate a kite landing on them.

2 conflicting answers. I'm flying a 12m Havoc if that helps. My understanding is the bottom of the wind range is around 14 knots for someone my weight. So whats the bottom end or this kite so that it wont fly at all?

Not necessarily conflicting, although I would disagree with Koma a litte in that any experience is a learning experience. The frustrating sessions are the ones you learn most from. Your post specifically asked if 10kts could help develop your kite skills and I say yes, although perhaps not in the way you will in 15kts+. You should be able to keep your kite up at that strength, but it won't be easy, especially in lulls.

He is right that as an experienced kiter, it would be a fruitless and frustrating experience, and also agree it will not help you progress your skills on the water with the board. It may however help you learn how a kite behaves in marginal wind, and techniques used to relaunch in light wind. At the very least it willl teach you how bloody hard light wind kiting is.

Any practice setting your kite up and attaching lines, and making sure you are aware of your surrounding is always good. Only do it if you are keen to get out and play with your gear, just don't expect too much, and don't do it where the kite could get damaged, or there are lots of people around - it will spend some time on the ground.

CheeseBurger said...

2 conflicting answers. I'm flying a 12m Havoc if that helps. My understanding is the bottom of the wind range is around 14 knots for someone my weight. So whats the bottom end or this kite so that it wont fly at all?

This is not a conflicting answer. It's straight from an ex school manager/instructor. I'm taking it you got your kite from Padi as it's a LF? ... If you didn't get it from Padi and you're asking the question about 10 knots then really it's a rhetorical question and already know the answer.

If it's crap wind then your gonna get a crap session or a ripped/damaged kite when luffs and falls from the sky on top of your head. 10 knots is rubbish as you will find out when your all sad after setting up and trying to launch your kite.. Failure is imminent.. Sorry.

Be smart and wait till 15 knots min.. Then you will be ok.

red thumb all u like.. But this is fact.

Thanks for the advice. It looks like it might pick up tomorrow so Im going to put time in with the girlfriend today. Thanks guys.

Bigwavedave said...

RPM is dead right.

Having taught kiting for 6 years I always remind my students that kiting is a wind sport- not a breeze sport.

Watching noobs setting up in 10 knots gets so frustrating. People are swimming, surfers are in the break and noobs make fools of themselves time after time.

Please.... don't go out until it hits 15. The beach will be empty and the kiting will be good.

Guys like Moti are always busy because you get excited about 10 knots and bust your kite.

Find some other sport until it hits 15.

As above

He is talking about practising flying his kite on the beach not attempting to kite on the water, you guys would do well to read the original question before posting !

and you would do well to read the replies.

Under 15 knots in SE QLd means crowded beaches and crowded water., especially close to Brisbane. Recipe for disaster is a noobie flying a kite on a crowded beach when the kite keeps dropping out of the sky because of light winds.

All sensible advice is leave the kite at home in 10 knots.

Hi Adam
Pete here your instructor.
You have great kite skills to fly your kite in 10-12 knots
flying your kite in light winds is a good skill to learn and develops and understanding of your kites flying characteristics.
I say go for it.

Ps. dont crash it

CheeseBurger said...

So I did learn something

Sounds like it was worth the effort then

I think Paradox got it right in the very first sentence.

Give it a go and see.

I got practice setting up my kite and packing it up and have learnt a few things aswell to do with that such as making sure your kite is dry and keep the sand off it.

As long as it is done safely away from people etc. I definately think every person should try it at least once.

Ozoned said...

When I was learning the only time I spent flying the kite on the beach was when I was taught to dive the kite and drag my feels along the sand right at the edge of the water.

But I never spent any time at all "flying" the kite on the beach as it could potentially be dangerous. I would launch and get straight on the water no stuffing around. I went downwind of everyone else, stayed out of trouble, and figured out how to fly the kite on the water.

Just wanted to put it out there that probably not the best idea to "fly" the kite on the beach in any type of wind plus when learning you're gonna drop it and you don't want to wreck your kite before you can even ride.

Why would anyone fly their kite on the beach? Of course I was in the water a fair way out. Thats just common sense.

I've had 2 lessons and just got my first kite and board. I went out today at Brighton with the kite by itself. There wasn't much wind (I'm guessing 10-12 knots), but I still had a great time and learnt heaps doing body dragging and relaunching the kite.