Your winds are usually quite decent so you could get away with a 10. If you end up with the 134 board you mentioned and a 10 kite, you will struggle a bit in winds less than 15 but will be fine for 15-25. Like learning on a bigger board, a bigger more stable kite can help you progress early, but then you may want to get a smaller kite fairly early on. Bare in mind that different kites have different characteristics. For instance, my 10m F-One Bandit gets me out in winds that most locals here need a 12m switchblade for, and my 12m Bandit performs well in light winds that others are using 14m kites in.

does he have much in the way of secondhand gear though?

In my area, we have mostly 10 knot winds, I weight 90 kg. Since I'm beginning and recently completed my courses, I was intending to buy a Griffin Argo 11.5m with a low wind board size 146X45cm and buy a smaller size board (136x40) for when it's a lot windier. Is this a good starting package set-up?

crossy4321 said...

hey guys have done a few lessons now looking at buy own gear what kite do you think would be better for me im around 6ft bout 88kg...live in altona do you recomnd i gte a 10m or 12m? thanks

There are a few shops to go and talk gear to down your way, as well as the one mentioned.
The Zu over in St Kilda
Kitepower in Geelong and
SHQ, Kite Republic or RPS

You should get a 12M kite for Melbourne, and get a board somewhere in the 134-138 range.
The bigger stores down St Kilda way have heaps of used gear, I've recently been to The Zu and SHQ (have family in Melb and grew up there) and I know they literally have heaps of high quality late model gear at very good prices.