Hi englishmanbo,

At your weight, a 145cm twin tip isn't exactly a light wind size. If you want to enjoy 12-18 knots without changing your kite then you simply need a big light wind twin tip i.e. 155+cm x 48cm+ wide. The bigger the better really.

Surfboards won't make much difference in light winds in comparison to your 145cm twin tip unless they are very wide and specifically designed as a light wind surfboard.

A hydrofoil will make a massive difference if you're willing to jump into the learning process, it will give you the most enjoyment in low winds and can be cheaper than buying a 17m kite. You just have to dedicate a couple of days / weeks for learning. Lessons will make this process far easier and less painful.

Foil kites are great performers in low winds but they are also quite technical to use and very expensive. You need excellent foil kite specific flying skills to get more benefits from owning a foil kite vs an inflatable kite. You should also know that foil kites are more fragile. I have seen lots of beginners/intermediate kiters getting some foil kites when their skill level wasn't nearly justifying the need for such a kite. Unless you're interested in racing, high speed and having the best upwind angle at your local kite beach, you can skip the foil kite for now.

The answer to your question isn't straight forward. The easiest solution would be to get a bigger twin tip and a 17m kite as well. The problem is you can easily get bored with that setup where as hydrofoil offer more thrill in low winds.

Hope this helps

Christian - KiteBud

Thanks for the response. Foil kite off the list, surf board not much benefit over a large twin tip. So choosing between a foil board or a big lw kite with bigger twin tip. With a bigger kite I would be on the water today. With a foil I may not get going until next summer. This may be worth the wait but will I need a lightwind kite anyway. I know foiling uses a smaller kite once up but the kite still jaw to be efficient enough to fly in lighter winds. My Core xr 12 is struggling to keep in the air below 14 knots. Maybe apparent wind can compensate for this?

I will assume the 12m will stay in the air longer if I am moving.

Re-reading the answer from Christian it actually answers my questions, thanks.

A push bike for 6 months then a 12 mtr

englishmanbo said..
Hi,
I live in Perth, am 110kg with a 12 LEI and a 145cm twintip for lightwind. 2 seasons, normally ride Woodman point, Rockingham, or the river. The wind is a bit soft lately and I am thinking about something that will get me out in 12-18knots. Maybe a 17m Zepher (or similar), or a large foil kite 15m Soul, a surfboard, or learning to foil. Advice appreciated.

I am close to 97Kgs, and I use a 14m for light wind, plus I have a home-made board that is 154x55, and its amazing the difference it makes.

If I am on a kite that has almost enough power, I can change the board out to the bigger one, and get going easily. The extra surface area makes a big difference. Its quicker and easier to swap out the boards than the kites.

cauncy said..
A push bike for 6 months then a 12 mtr

According to my Woo, I get 1m of jump height for 2m/s of wind regardless of gear. Anything less than 20 knots is just boring, and 12m kite in 20 knots is fine.

I'd been keen to see you kiting a push bike though. Sounds like something Nick Jacobson would do...

snalberski I appreciate your comment. However I purchased a hydrofoil last weekend. Hope I can figure it out.

englishmanbo said..
snalberski I appreciate your comment. However I purchased a hydrofoil last weekend. Hope I can figure it out.

Foilboarding is a great device to access marginal conditions, besides being a whole bunch of fun and adding dimensionally to your kiteboarding experience.
Be aware however that owning a foilboard will not keep a kite in the air. Said in another way... If the kite you use whilst learning and beyond can be relaunched in the wind strength your using it your good to go. If not you need more wind, or a kite that will stay in the air in the conditions you are presented with. This basic guideline will minimise self rescues, long swims, lost gear and prematurely ended sessions.
Sometimes foilboarders who get out in marginal conditions will be seen using ultra light kites like single strutters and foil kites. The reason is these kites perform better than standard LEI kites in marginal conditions. Just about any kite will work for foilboarding provided it will fly easily in the conditions at hand and more importantly the pilot can fly it in the conditions at hand. Learning to foilboard can be less of a chore if you learn in conditions that don't require your focus to be over absorbed by keeping the kite flying. This leaves more of the focus available to be given to the board skills. My sweet spot for learning and foilboarding in general was and is 17 knots give or take a couple of knots.