Yeah def bigger board for 115 kgs I would think. I'm around 20 below you and would be using a shinn Monk 142.45 with a 11m at that wind speed. Look more at the width of the board than the length, you get a lot more surface area per cm of width than you do length which helps immensly with take off and lulls. The length is more a consideration for the width of your stance.

yep I'll def try a bigger board as other kiters are going ok in the winds ive described
any one know of a good stick for my height /weight?and shops that stock em in vic

i think ill keep the 140 for higher wind days and for the future when i lay off the pies and shed some kg's
did I mention that I had a blast this morning ?
I am totally hooked and definitely made some progress in the morning session

Thanks gc Dave ill give it a crack , I'm pretty sure I already have and ended up down wind as a result , it does make a lot of sense though so ill def concentrate on it next time , cheers

yep

Awesome , thanks air , I was keeping the kite low based on something I read ( most likely intended for powered up kiting) I will definitely start watching the stances and kite positioning of the guys that make it look easy , looking forward to having a crack at it . Thanks all for your advice , hopefully all your advice helps me to get to the next level cheers

Dl33ta said..

Yeah def bigger board for 115 kgs I would think. I'm around 20 below you and would be using a shinn Monk 142.45 with a 11m at that wind speed. Look more at the width of the board than the length, you get a lot more surface area per cm of width than you do length which helps immensly with take off and lulls. The length is more a consideration for the width of your stance.

biggest monk is a 136x44

Gday guys , I tried keeping the kite higher today , it does help, also tried laying right back which also helps , had an absolute cracking couple of runs until the wind dropped off too much , even did some jumps and landed them ,they feel sweet , I have ordered a cabrinah stylus 145 x 45 apparently it doesn't feel as big as it is but will get me planing easier and will help on the lighter days , last years model so a few Hundy$ off rrp which is handy can't wait to give it a crack , thanks again for the help

Kite is a 2013 switchblade , I have considered a 17 meter cabrinah contra when they hit the shelves , but thought I'd start with the bigger board first , any thoughts ?

I don't really look as heavy as I am , you should see the looks I get taking the 14 out in over 20 knots , not to mention an 11 in 30 knots , it would be priceless to see the looks if i take out a 17 meter kite ! I have learnt to ask bigger guys for a launch as they don't get as blown around by the big kites

Hi Iggy,

I am 115kgs and I fly a 12m 2012 Cab Switchblade with a 140x43 Twintip.

I can kite no problems in anything 18 knots and up on the 12m kite so I don't think that the kite or the board is the problem.

I too had a lot of problems keeping upwind when I first started until I went out on a day that was around 25 knots. I also had the moment where I was going up wind and thinking "how could I not do this before?".

I also own a 17m ozone zephyr for the light wind days but I haven't had to use a different board yet. Keep that in mind when you are looking at buying equipment. I suggest trying before you buy if you can, to see if it makes a difference.

The switchblades are quite a grunty kite especially the newer ones. My old man uses a 2008 Switchy and he tried mine recently and stated that "it scared the ** out of him". Having said that he is 55+ yrs old and not exactly the thrill seeking type :) I also have another fellow kiter who moved to a north kite and stated that the North felt a "little less full-on".

There are a variety of different things that I have learnt over the last couple of years that have helped in those 15-20 knot ranges on a 12m kite.. and yes that is a fat bastard like me on a 12m not a 14m.

1. Where you are kiting - depending on what your location is 15 knots can mean two completely different things. In SA I could probably kite my 12m and keep up wind but if i took my kite up to Darwin I would probably have trouble flying it. Different climates, time of the year etc all affect the quality of the wind.

2. Edging way too hard. It is human nature to want to fall backwards into the water and not face first. The problem with this is that you will bend your knees a lot and force the board into the water to go upwind. In light-wind conditions you need to force yourself to not do that. This is why you are having no trouble in stronger winds as it is making up for technique issues. What you need to do is straighten your legs and push your crotch forward. This will provide a better stance. Then in order to edge more you need to LEAN BACK like you are going to fall into the water but keep the kite high enough that it helps hold you up. A good sign that you are doing this well is the amount of wake you are producing behind you. Think catamaran wake as opposed to fishing trawler wake.

3. A 17m kite gives you time. What I found most about my 17m is it was more forgiving. I have taken the 17m out in 20+ knots and actually found it more relaxing than on my 12m. The reason is that it drives like a bus instead of a corvette. If you make a bar movement the 17m says "I hear what you're saying and i'll get there just give me a sec" well as the 12m says "yep lets go!". This becomes more obvious the smaller the kite gets with a 6 metre kite whipping around like a kitten on speed. This is where I think your 14m will give you a little bit more time and forgiveness.

4. If its under 18 knots you need to move. You generally can't park a 14m or lower in those wind conditions. What i mean by this is that you need to sine the kite even if is a little bit to maintain your speed. This is often very hard to do when you are learning as you are trying to concentrate on your board, your kite, your lines and that stupid boat that has decided to go straight towards you. Kite flying technique will save you so much time with your progression. If you get a chance borrow someones 8m and body drag with it. You will learn very quickly that yes an 8m kite will pull you through the water quite quickly if flown properly.

I am literally having dejavu reading all of your comments as I have taken my 17m in over 20 knots when others were on 8m kites. They were first scared for my life as I too don't look as heavy as I am. I believe that getting a 17m kite and trying to kite in 12-15 knots on a 140cm twin tip actually taught me a heck of a lot about efficient kitesurfing.

There are two ways to approach the fact that we are heavier and at a mechanical disadvantage. One way is to buy bigger and bigger gear to ensure quick satisfaction. The other is to slog it out and learn how to make the most of the equipment you have. I personally recommend the last option as I think it will make you a better kiter.

If you want to learn more about light wind kiting i recommend the progression DVD's. I think the intermediate one has a section on light wind kiting.

Kamikuza said..

Welcome to the Clydesdale Class :)

Classic, still better than the gelding class I imagine

Yep that's the board I've now got my eye on , spoke to shq peninsula again and we decided that would be the weopon of choice . Just have to wait till the end of the month , cheers again for everyone sharing their experience and knowledge , i seem to have received more yes's than no's to the question , the no camp have provided some excellent tips on riding which I will and have already tried will success , ill let you know how it goes , cheers again

I ended up getting a new cabrinah stylus 165 x 45 it definitely makes a huge difference , in light wind , you do still have to ride with the correct stance for light wind , but once you do you can tell how forgiving it is , and it was definitely worth getting it . Had a great ride last weekend in light wind , the whole idea of the bigger board was to get out there as often as I can , cheers

but the north spike gets me going in about 12 ish knots with a 14 just perfectly, MASSIVE board but really good fun in that wind