Hey Everyone,

looking at buying an 07 Waroo for those super light-wind days when my 16m C won't quite do it. I weigh about 90-95 kgs and am wondering if anyone has had a chance to fly these and can offer a few opinions (I have flow bows before so I don't need someone going into the basic differences between Cs and Bows).

Thanks for your help guys,

D

Hi Mate,

I have a 20 Waroo 07 and find I get more bottom end out of my Waroo pro 17. The Waroo pro 17's are one of the better big kites I have flown, mainly cause the LE diameter is so small in relation to the Waroo or any other big kite around. PM me if you are interested in a 2nd hand 17 PRO.

Joe

why would you bother to try and kite in this very low wind. this is when you are supposed to be surfing. not kiting in glassy water

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surfingboyo said...

why would you bother to try and kite in this very low wind. this is when you are supposed to be surfing. not kiting in glassy water

Never really been much of a surfer mate, tried it in highschool, but never really got stuck into it. lol.

D

you'd be better off buying a light wind board, something short and wide would be more fun. What board are you on now?

Mate get a slingshot glide. I just got one and I'm stoked with it!
I've got a 13 rev and weigh bout 90kgs. I could barely keep the kite in the air at about 5knts and it actually got me up and planeing in this dismal wind. I had no hope of going up wind but acually got 3 passes in before running out of water. Amazing!

I were looking at a skim board but am stoked that I got the Glide.

8-10knts you stay upwind with no dramas while everyone is on the beach.

They laugh at you while you pump up the kite but they soon stop once your on the water.

Im not sure what everyone else thinks, but I have found along with some of my key riders in mackay that it is easier to progress into freestyle / wakestyle moves using a larger kite. We have sold plenty to happy customers.

Reasons:

- Kite is less reactive, making it easier to place the kite at 45 and be assured it wont drift much.

- There is a definate lull period at the apex of a move, making it ideal for first attempts at handle pass moves (back mobes, slims) etc. Basically once you load and pop, your body catches upto the kite and the bar becomes slack for a second or 2. This is alot harder to find in smaller kites in stronger conditions, unless you ride the new BEST 2008 YARGA, released next month...


The main drama with big kites, is relaunching is generally a little harder, kitelooping is almost out of the question, takes longer to pump up, kites become more expensive the bigger they are (unless you get closeout sales).

For the heavy people I think they are great. Just whatch what bigkites you choose, there are some real pigs out there that I have flown, and then there is the good ones like the waroo pro 17. Great kite and has all the performance needed.

I am happy to help with any questions. Ive been kiteboarding on big kites for over 8 years and see the light

Joe

Have you tried a Flysurfer 15m Speed2 or 17m Psycho3?

They have the grunt of a 20+m inflatable, only 5min setup, no leaks, not difficult to water relaunch >5knots and you can kite loop them too!

Flying any kite over 12m(for lightweights) or 14m(for heavy-Os) is a complete waste of time. The added weight/slowness/yawn - boredom turns the sport into synchronised sailing.

Buy a faster smaller/lighter kite and a bigger board/surfboard/skimboard/spleene door etc etc....

That post was a complete waste of time... I used to love riding big kites, in fact i've had more fun riding a 20m spectrum 2 than i have riding my current kites and that thing was a dog to fly!

I've flown a 20m waroo a few times, was about a year or more ago when they first came out but i was impressed :)
Very cruisy kites if you just wanna stand around and watch the water go by....
Laughably Low jumps with massive amounts of hangtime....
And if Wakes your style (as long as you can build the speed) you can load up and throw almost anything with pleeeeenty of time to get around and land..


Just remember its slow, weighs a ton, and will be a pain to relaunch.... But light wind cruising can be the best fun you'll ever have if your in the right frame of mind...

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meerkat said...

Flying any kite over 12m(for lightweights) or 14m(for heavy-Os) is a complete waste of time. The added weight/slowness/yawn - boredom turns the sport into synchronised sailing.

Buy a faster smaller/lighter kite and a bigger board/surfboard/skimboard/spleene door etc etc....

............. and only go kiting on the three windy weekend days each year.

not everyone lives in a strong wind area. when you love kiting enough you have to find a way to do it, whenever you can.

Sorry i can't comment on 20m waroos.

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colinwill78 said...
[br............. and only go kiting on the three windy weekend days each year.

not everyone lives in a strong wind area. when you love kiting enough you have to find a way to do it, whenever you can.

My current setup(well until recently):

>10knt - 10m and a nobile skimboard
10-18knt - 8m and a nobile skimboard
10-20knt - 10m and a 6.2 surfboard
15-22knt - 10m and 128cm twintip
18-35kn - 8m with either the 6.2 surfboard or 128 twin tip

My point is, it's better to spend the money on a few boards and use a smaller kite than to buy one biiiiiiiig kite for occasional kiting.

i heard best is soon bringing out a 50 metre waroo! mabey that could be your answer? apparently it turns quick enough to kite loop as well

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My current setup(well until recently):

>10knt - 10m and a nobile skimboard
10-18knt - 8m and a nobile skimboard
10-20knt - 10m and a 6.2 surfboard
15-22knt - 10m and 128cm twintip
18-35kn - 8m with either the 6.2 surfboard or 128 twin tip

My point is, it's better to spend the money on a few boards and use a smaller kite than to buy one biiiiiiiig kite for occasional kiting.

I have a 128 FLX, 142 FLX, Underground 5'5" surfboard-style directional, Cabrhina 158 Prodigy AND a Naish 5' Mutant. So I'm pretty sure I have the board sizes covered already mate ;)

Just looking for even MORE range, and I don't mind cuising on light wind days (at least I'm on the water). :)

D

larger the kite the bigger the drag effect ...its a diminishing return...of wind power versus kite weight versus fun of swimming in or doing walks of shame back upwind...

I tried a 16 meter bow for a year as a lightwind kite...(i am only 73 kilo) sold it to a 100 kg dude... to much drag..to much effort pumping it up...wouldn't stay up in the air when wind was 12 knots...it basically sucked .

if I ever wanted to get into light wind I'd go a foil...no pumping up...less weight meaning less drag...flysurfer speed spose to be super flat ...better upwind.

I'm very scepticle of anyone claiming u can put up a 20 meter inflatable sub 12 knots.

the guy that bought my 16 now rides my 14 meter rebel..( I ride a 12 as my lightwind) he rides it holding ground in waves from 15 knots on a twin tip

20m kite?
Go a nifty new board. Cheaper and will last longer.

board makes all the difference, especially for light guys. im 70kg and using my 134x41 555 there is hardly any difference between my 12m and a 21m flysurfer in about 9-11kts on flat water. both kites im having reasonable fun and just holding ground. the foil is more grunty and but not that much better to warrant its price

if I switch to my old 124x38 555 I end up downwind big time on both kites

07 Waroo Pro for sale. Kite only. Used very little - less than 10 times. AUD800 plus freight.

Gorgeous lime green and black.

Call Graham on 0411 051 845 or reply to this post

21m Flysurfer???? I don't think so ... I have only seen 17m and a few 19m ... but most are more than happy with the low end grunt of the 15m Speed2

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walshd said...

Mate get a slingshot glide. I just got one and I'm stoked with it!
I've got a 13 rev and weigh bout 90kgs. I could barely keep the kite in the air at about 5knts and it actually got me up and planeing in this dismal wind. I had no hope of going up wind but acually got 3 passes in before running out of water. Amazing!

I were looking at a skim board but am stoked that I got the Glide.

8-10knts you stay upwind with no dramas while everyone is on the beach.

They laugh at you while you pump up the kite but they soon stop once your on the water.

Hi, I totally agree with the Slingshot glide comment. I recently bought one and cant say I was planing in 5 knots, but making big inroads upwind at 8-10 knots with my 14M contra. I would say that with a board this big its very easy to get overpowered in a gust and loose you edge. Thats the time to grab something smaller!

All in all light wind kiting is great for me, deserted waters, calm vibe, flat water. All good if you have limited kite options.
Jim

might have been a 19m. im pretty sure it was a 21m though. not saying its a bad kite just no use for light weight guys

Hey D,

I can 't comment on the 20m Waroo as such, however I have just recently purchased a 2007 Waroo Pro 17m to complement the 13m Waroo Pro I have. I would like to say that I am 90-95 kg's like you but the truth always comes out so... I am carrying the 108kg at the moment (I say that like it's going to change....) any way moving on, the 17m I bought was because it was just getting me down not being out on the water. I have used it a few times lately in around 7-10 kts. It is pretty good to get up and going however there is something to be said for a complementary light wind board as well. When I have had the 17 out in around 13kt it is sweet, all those things that ARSA said are neat. Heaps of grunt and no stress about the kite changing direction in a hurry but still quite maneuverable if that makes sense???

Everyone has a different style and you will know what makes you happy, I prefer being lit up on a windy day with my 13 but light wind days just let you appreciate different styles of riding. Get into it any way you can...

Flysurfer made a 21m Titan .... but no recent models have been 21m.

Flysurfer's Speed and newer Speed 2 are that company's light wind machines, the latter having more depower and other advantages.

When I got annoyed at making trips to the water (40 mins) to find that there was less wind than forecast and hence no kiting for me, I bit the bullet and got a Speed 17 (2nd hand) and light wind board (Cardboard, 138 x 46). The board is probably more important than the kite...but I love that zeppelin of a kite.

Ask anyone at Wello if they enjoy pumping up and watching me kite, including pleasant floaty jumps and staying upwind, while they hope for enough wind to go out. Now, I know it's not for everyone, but light wind kiting can be just fantastic - my reasoning is essentially the same as Rhys' and Joe's (ARSA) above.

The 20m waroo and 17m Waroo pro both seem pretty good....but all that pumping and then such a heavy thing to keep in the air! Doesn't really compare to the Speed/Speed 2. (Ref Joe's comments, the big Speed doesn't have the disadvantage of being harder to relaunch or taking longer to pump up than corresponding smaller kites.)

Good luck.

In 5 knots I were signing the kite like a shark was up my arse, but got up and cruising. I wouldnt have even put the kite in the air but only just got the new toy and wanted to test her out.

8-10 knots you dont even have to try to go upwind.

The other night I were in 10-20knts with the Glide and had my 13 Rev completely depowered, but had a ball. Its like walking on water.

The board is a little bit slippery on the water but thats why its soooo much fun. I were doing 360s, 180s, 270s, 90s. Plus it has footstraps so you can jump and do backrolls on it.

For shytes and giggles I went for a cruise sitting down on the board. I wish someone took a picture cos I reckon I just found a new sport: Sitdown kiting!!