Hey all, wondering if anyone can recommend a kite for the bay, I'm 85 kg, 180 cm tall, new to kiting and recently completed training overseas. Thoughts on sizes for bay conditions? Cheers

Thanks salty! Twin tip. Is that a five line? Find that on a crash they are game over when fifth is over the kite

I have a 9 & 12 m Rebel. Slightly heavier than you.
4 years on 5 line - 1 incident after a crash.
This covers me up to 35knts, which is normally enough around Melbourne.

Your the same weight as me and I spend 90% of my time on either a 12m or 11m.

If your just starting out go for the usual bunch of kites, switchblade, rebel, catalyst, rpm, kahoona, bandit etc etc hard to find a bad kite nowadays

Don't buy a rebel mate there should be plenty hanging off chimneys, trees and backyards around Brighton area

Thanks for all the replies.

Appreciated guys.

What size would you go to cover 20+ knots?

Cheers all.

K Dog said..
Thanks for all the replies.

Appreciated guys.

What size would you go to cover 20+ knots?

Cheers all.

The response you'll probably get is a 9m ish. I have personally chosen 10m as this covers me down to 18knots, thus if step out of the limo at St. K and it's 20knots, it can drop a little and I'm still sweet. If I have a 9m, I'm going no where.

SaltySinus said..

K Dog said..
Thanks for all the replies.

Appreciated guys.

What size would you go to cover 20+ knots?

Cheers all.

The response you'll probably get is a 9m ish. I have personally chosen 10m as this covers me down to 18knots, thus if step out of the limo at St. K and it's 20knots, it can drop a little and I'm still sweet. If I have a 9m, I'm going no where.

I was originally thinking 12,9 and 6........

Windsurfers usually step down their sails in this way.... figured it would be similar..... I have heard smaller kites are much more responsive and quick.... kind of like windsurfing sail sizes.... more twirky.........

K Dog said..

SaltySinus said..

K Dog said..
Thanks for all the replies.

Appreciated guys.

What size would you go to cover 20+ knots?

Cheers all.

The response you'll probably get is a 9m ish. I have personally chosen 10m as this covers me down to 18knots, thus if step out of the limo at St. K and it's 20knots, it can drop a little and I'm still sweet. If I have a 9m, I'm going no where.

I was originally thinking 12,9 and 6........

Windsurfers usually step down their sails in this way.... figured it would be similar..... I have heard smaller kites are much more responsive and quick.... kind of like windsurfing sail sizes.... more twirky.........

If you were asking my opinion (and I know you're not), I'd guide you to a 7 over a 6. But that's just my preference.

Good luck with it. I'd suggest you start with a 12m, be prepared to buy a 9 or a 10m and see how often you can't get out for not having something smaller. As a general rule: Summer has less powerful seabreezes 18-22knots, Winter is volatile going from 15knots to 35knots in a blink of an eye.

Kiting is lots of fun! All the best with the learning progression.

I started with an 11m as a first kite then 8m for higher wind days and now a 14m for lower ones.


My 11m gets 65% of the use with 8m 25% and the 14m 10%.


I'm around 75kg, as you get better and more confident you will tend to lean toward being more over powered than under powered but starting out my preference was always to be underpowered.

Hope that helps :)

As for brands everyone has an opinion.. I'd try for something newer than 2012 to get you started.

HighzaKite said..

RosieKB said..
Kiting is lots of fun! All the best with the learning progression.

I started with an 11m as a first kite then 8m for higher wind days and now a 14m for lower ones.


My 11m gets 65% of the use with 8m 25% and the 14m 10%.


I'm around 75kg, as you get better and more confident you will tend to lean toward being more over powered than under powered but starting out my preference was always to be underpowered.

Hope that helps :)

As for brands everyone has an opinion.. I'd try for something newer than 2012 to get you started.

I would have thought as you progress you would go to using less kite? For instance all newbies start on 12's (being their only kite) which they invariably fly at 12 o'clock in 30knots. When I was out at Rosie that last 40-degree day there were plenty of 12's out while I was fully lit on a 7m!!

Requires more skill to fly a smaller kite in lighter winds and smaller kite is more fun. Being overpowered on a big kite is not fun.

I'd say a 12m kite in 30knots while learning is perhaps - dangerous?

Each to his own I guess but I'd rather be towards the over rather than underpowered end of the spectrum now..

While learning I always tried to be on the smallest kite out.. worst that can happen on a small kite is I go down wind and have to walk back..


A guy asked me to launch him the other day on a 12m with most out on 8's (no idea how to de-power his own kite) I suggested he might like to wait till the wind drops and I landed his kite for him...! Talk about an accident waiting to happen!