Hey there.

I am a pretty big guy - around 115kg. I have just picked up a Cabrinha Switchblade 2010 14m.

I am currently riding a North Jaime Pro (/images/misc/forum-image-missing.gif), but I am finding that in anything but excellent conditions I am struggling to stay upwind.

I have ridden a few different larger boards in hire situations and at demo days, and have found them easier to stay upwind on.

So I am looking to move my Jaime Pro and find something that will get me busting out more kiting and less gybing.

I know the common answer is "Demo lots" but I am struggling to find enough time to kite at the moment, let alone drive to the kite beach - drive the extra distance to pick up a demo board, drive back to the kite beach, go for a kite, and then get back to the kite shop before it shuts.

So looking for input from people on boards so I can narrow down the models I want to demo.

CL

Hey Clayton
I'm 95kg and ride a 12M switchblade and have just bought the Naish Momentum
134 x 42, short enough to hold it down when its 20/25 knots (top of kites wind range for my weight) but wide enough to get going when the winds 16/18 knots. It also rips upwind, compared to my mate on last years Cabrinha Caliber, same start point on the beach, 20 meters upwind difference on one (out and back) leg.
Otherwise try a directional, Norths race ltd 2010, or the Airush Monaro. Both are like barges, but are fast, will give you the boyancy when the winds light and rip upwind.
Used the North in 13/14 knots with my 12 yesterday!
Cheers Todd

So the board I am rocking is a 131 x 39.5

I guess the relevant question is, if someone came on here and posted that they were a 115k guy just getting starting in kiting, and what was the board that was best going to help them progress to intermediate level - would you recommend them a 131 x 39.5?

If not, what would you recommend for them?

C

Spacemonkey! said...

I think the board is fine, sure there may be better boards but I don't think your really going to outgrow that one anytime soon, better off focusing on technique.

spacemonkey, the dude weighs 115kg and is a beginner. how is a 39.5 cm wide board gonna get him upwind in light stuff (nsw light stuff too, not wa)?

clayton, 131x39.5 is way too small for a 115kg beginner in light wind. it will be fine as a strong wind board as you improve and if you can afford to keep it do. in the meantime something bigger will help heaps in light wind and as you start learning more tricks/jumps as you'll be less likely to sink or nose-dive when landing at lower speeds.

i'm 78kg, intermediate, and have tested a bunch of boards recently and in the flatter style that i like, 132x40 is the ideal size for me for most conditions. project that to your size and i reckon you'd be looking at something at least 45cm wide and probably 138-145 long.

avoid high-rocker wakestyle boards if you want good light wind and upwind ability.

and of course, technique, technique, technique. but a bigger board will sure help you have the time on the water that fosters good technique.

enjoy

Hey Clayton - I'm 6'2" and 100kg wringing wet. Mate - I scored a Slingshot Glide 149x44 for 250 bucks when I was really struggling to go upwind. It transformed my kiting and I even started doing a few jumps on it. I can't recommend them highly enough. My brother in law bought one too and he hasn't looked back either. Another great option is the Cabrinha Plasma. A mate has one and it just makes it too easy to fly upwind in lighter conditions. Good luck and hang on to the smaller one for when it's blowing rocks off the breakwaters!

People used to ride 118s and 110s as their all round boards when my Son learnt in 03/04. Listen to the monkey he has some good advice.

Give me a break, come on you know it, I know it.

+6cm board is going to make marginal difference if his light wind skills are lacking.

Spot the retailer

I don't want this to turn into a **** fight, but IMO you can ride just about anything if you have the right technique. I can get up wind in chop on a 10m c-kite on a 8$ no rocker what so ever skim board from the reject shop in about 12 knots.

P.S This is not to say the board you have is ideal for light wind riding, just saying that you should at least consider persevering and then you will probably realise that the board it self doesn't make that much difference. Demo a bigger board in light and high winds if you like it more then I think it definitely makes sense to upgrade. But as far as getting a larger board just because your struggling in light winds because your a beginner keep at it I reckon...

I don't think anyone who weighs 80-90kg really understands how much difference a 30-40kg increase in weight is.

I don't think I have come across anyone doing comparisons on kite size for weight, but I would guess that you would need to add at least 4 metres to the kite size to be able to be driving the same power.

I would say that there is also a big difference in board size required - people seem to think that if they could easily rock upwind with a 12m and a 131 x 39.5, then if I have a "beasty" 14m, I should be kicking it.

It just isn't the case - I need that much more speed to be planing, I need to turn downwind that much earlier to stay planing. I just lose more ground than someone who is lighter when the conditions are marginal.

I have no problems getting upwind on my Jaimie when I am fully lit - take last Tuesday over at Botany:



I got to the beach around 3.30, and was on the water by 4.

For the first hour, I was working in and out and staying upwind fine - starting to work on carving onto the toeside for my gybes (badly) - playing with doing a couple of downloops on my gybes (very badly) and generally just having a good time.

I could feel what was working well for me to keep me upwind, and playing around with things to improve that - I got a really good hour in.

The second hour, the wind started to drop off. I ended up doing about 6 solid runs in and out, and walking the beach between each couple of runs.

I probably spent an equal amount of time walking and kiting, and I was so busy trying to stay upwind that I didn't try anything new - I didn't really have much fun either - constantly just working hard to try to stay upwind, and then failing.

It takes a horribly long time to learn any technique when 40-60% of you kiting time is spent working on your walking technique rather than your kiting technique.

I know that if I had been rocking a larger board, I would have still been upwind.

There seem to be a lot of people who will tell people that want larger boards that they should just get better technique and HTFU and learn to kite. But when someone comes on here and says they are thinking of buying a 2005 C kite to learn on, everyone will tell them that they should spend the money, as it will make the learning process so much easier.

With the amount of kiteable days in Sydney, and the prevailing conditions (often marginal) I figure that I am better having a board the size of a door in the boot right next to my Jaime - that way I can actually kite and work on my technique rather than walk the beach.

The other consideration is that big-arse beginner style boards seem to hold their value very well - like learner capacity motorcyles - there are always new people coming into the sport, and they are always going to need big boards to learn on - I figure I can buy a big board, use it for a couple of seasons and then move it for probably 60% of purchase price.

Of course the other consideration is that I should probably lose a few pounds - I am down from 150kg about 8 years ago, and it has been sports that have helped me achieve that - I am hoping a summer of kiting will help me knock another 20 off and have me ripping my Jaime - but if I spend my whole time walking I probably won't bother.

To all the people that dont understand how hard it is for a larger rider to kite in lighter conditions, its not just about the power of the kite and the board and technique bigger ridders actually have to depower there large kites because they have more trouble with them backstallking and racing to the front of the window supper fast and the only way to prevent this is to ride a big board to get on the plane quicker and start generating some aparent wind. If you cant get on to a plane this is not going to happen.