Select to expand quote

Hi all,
I have had the nod from the minister of war and finance to buy another piece of kite equipment. Only started kiting last year with the following kit out:
* 11m Cabrinha Switchblade
*Shinn 138x42 Pinbot
*Fusion Seat harness
Im and old fella so Im not keen on going out in stronger winds so dont want to add a smaller kite to the quiver, but would like to get a bit more time on the water than I did last summer, so was thinking either a bigger 16m kite, or a lighter wind board , maybe something like a North Nugget.
Im 94kg and will be mainly using the gear around Adelaide SA.
Any thoughts ?
Happy Days
Dave

Edit

Select to expand quote

DaveDobbin said..

Hi all,
I have had the nod from the minister of war and finance to buy another piece of kite equipment. Only started kiting last year with the following kit out:
* 11m Cabrinha Switchblade
*Shinn 138x42 Pinbot
*Fusion Seat harness
Im and old fella so Im not keen on going out in stronger winds so dont want to add a smaller kite to the quiver, but would like to get a bit more time on the water than I did last summer, so was thinking either a bigger 16m kite, or a lighter wind board , maybe something like a North Nugget.
Im 94kg and will be mainly using the gear around Adelaide SA.
Any thoughts ?
Happy Days
Dave

Edit

If you go the 16m Kite, it needs to be a newer kite, the older ones are too heavy to be beneficial, where as a bigger board will also give you a bigger range on you existing gear, But with a board it comes down to the style of Kite you have.

For your weight, I would recommend a zephyr. It has really huge range from about 12 knots to about 20 knots. Then you can jump onto your 11m.

I would also suggest buying yourself sheet of ply and glassing it, 160x50, add a deckpad and some twin tip fins. That will get you and zephyr down to ten knots.

Hey bigtone for the sheet of plywood twin tip you are suggesting would you need to bend the ply to add rocker? Or does it get enough rocker just by standing on it whilst kiting?

A north nugget or an ozone zephyr or other light wind kite would be a great addition and get you a lot more time on the water. I have a nugget and love it, I like being able to change riding styles and have different types of session and if you've got your twin tip and nugget on the beach you can swap between them if the wind goes up or down

Don't need to do anything fancy to the wood (not me btw)

Nice vid on the plank.


im 94kg and always keen to get out, i have a 17m zephyr and north spike. Certainly get out there on that combo in 10-17 knots and generally just switch down to a smaller board if gusting over that. Up around 20 knots its getting a bit hairy for me on zephyr but i am a beginner and have seen more experienced guys handle around 20 knot comfortably.

Thumbs up to the nugget as well, but sideways pull has you overpowered earlier than a big tt imo.

The plank vid is cool. Thanks for the info. Think I'll check out the zephyr and Nugget . See if I can arrange a demo maybe before I make my mind up. Thanks again.
Dave

depends on what you want, mow the lawn ? then grab a big board, throw down some moves then a bigger kite, i dont have many regrets in life, but i do regret selling my zephyr, throw it dont mow it

Select to expand quote

cauncy said..
depends on what you want, mow the lawn ? then grab a big board, throw down some moves then a bigger kite, i dont have many regrets in life, but i do regret selling my zephyr, throw it dont mow it

I don't get what yr saying there, why is getting a big board or big kite restricting him to "mowing the lawn"

Go to your local surf shop and buy a $49 skimboard. You will get a solid bottom end!

Select to expand quote

Richoa said..

cauncy said..
depends on what you want, mow the lawn ? then grab a big board, throw down some moves then a bigger kite, i dont have many regrets in life, but i do regret selling my zephyr, throw it dont mow it

I don't get what yr saying there, why is getting a big board or big kite restricting him to "mowing the lawn"

Lift
you get that from the kite not a board, I'm talking from experience ,
if a big board or a bigger kite was on the beach it be grabbing the bigger kite every time

Select to expand quote

kemp90 said..
Go to your local surf shop and buy a $49 skimboard. You will get a solid bottom end!

skimboard is also a great option (we will called it a round edged plank). I have a few and they are a lot of fun.
For a bought product, the extra large Victoria Skim boards work a treat.

Select to expand quote

bigtone667 said..
For your weight, I would recommend a zephyr. It has really huge range from about 12 knots to about 20 knots. Then you can jump onto your 11m.

I would also suggest buying yourself sheet of ply and glassing it, 160x50, add a deckpad and some twin tip fins. That will get you and zephyr down to ten knots.

+1 for Zepher, good kite

Ive got a cab stylus 165, you can jump with them it just takes some adjusting, with more surface area for landing.

Ok this is a shameless plug but what the hell!!

I have a 15m slingshot turbine 2015 in good condition going for $750 kite only or can do it with bar for a price, it hasn't had a lot of use and I am not using it at the moment so it needs to go. good wind range good all round performer in the light wind category

I was waiting for the foil frat club to hijack this thread.

Always go the big board. I see guys on big twinnies and wide surfboards and it makes a big diff. Then if the wind picks you just switch boards.

Both - well worth it! You can pick up an older surfboard relatively cheaply and add the Zephyr....just let the Treasurer know that they were bargains

Bigger board for me (and preferably something strapless). If I can't boost high I'd rather mess around looping the kite on the surface during transitions. Somehow it feels less like mowing the lawn if you add in the occasional loop.

Select to expand quote

bjw said..
I was waiting for the foil frat club to hijack this thread.

Always go the big board. I see guys on big twinnies and wide surfboards and it makes a big diff. Then if the wind picks you just switch boards.

Most of us have enough lawn to mow and it gets quite boring and unrewarding, thanks to foil technology there's no need to ride a twin tip or surfboard unless it's 20+ knots cause foiling is way more fun.. It's a think outside the square thing.
Yeow

Select to expand quote

Fly on da wall said..

bjw said..
I was waiting for the foil frat club to hijack this thread.

Always go the big board. I see guys on big twinnies and wide surfboards and it makes a big diff. Then if the wind picks you just switch boards.

Most of us have enough lawn to mow and it gets quite boring and unrewarding, thanks to foil technology there's no need to ride a twin tip or surfboard unless it's 20+ knots cause foiling is way more fun.. It's a think outside the square thing.
Yeow

Yes my strapless board is a secret foil. It has fins.

I can get going in 15kn on a 10m switchy and 5'11" vader, 90kg, light winds great time to practice those gybes, punts and whatever else

Hydrofoil and smaller kite rather than bigger kite or board

Select to expand quote

Youngbreezy said..
Hey bigtone for the sheet of plywood twin tip you are suggesting would you need to bend the ply to add rocker? Or does it get enough rocker just by standing on it whilst kiting?

A north nugget or an ozone zephyr or other light wind kite would be a great addition and get you a lot more time on the water. I have a nugget and love it, I like being able to change riding styles and have different types of session and if you've got your twin tip and nugget on the beach you can swap between them if the wind goes up or down

For the first one I ever made, I threw ply in some plastic containers containing boring old water and used bricks and a 16kg kettle bell to bend the wood. Pulled the ply out used the bricks and kettle bell to maintain the tension while wood dried. After drying (about a month), I shaped a board (paipo) and glasses it. It worked a treat.

The second one I did was a sheet of pine from Bunning's done in the alaia style. Cut a shape, added a nose, cut a channel and glassed the bottom and through resin on top. Also worked well.

The North Nugget gets a big tick as a light wind board.

Select to expand quote

DaveDobbin said..
The plank vid is cool. Thanks for the info. Think I'll check out the zephyr and Nugget . See if I can arrange a demo maybe before I make my mind up. Thanks again.
Dave

Hi Dave

Give Jordan Roberts a call he is the local Adelaide/SA Ozone dealer, he has a Zephyr demo 0433118845 and he probably has some larger TT's to test as well.