Ive got an old North Jame Pro twintip (about 5 years old) which has done me well and shows no sign of giving up. I noticed last weekend that it seems to have a lot less flex than newer boards.

What will the extra flex give me (pop? better carving? better handling in the chop?) and should I consider retiring the trusty Jame Pro in favour of a new, flexier board?

Thx

KS

Interesting - doesn't say how flex affects pop.

Good point about flex in the tips as opposed to flex through the whole board.

i was in same boat few years ago.had old jamie pro..went and bought 06 model..more flex for sure...helps heaps on knees and chop is gone..still can carve/jump well ...just a lot nicer to ride on..still using to this day...

Hi Kitesplosh,

Flex is so complex in a board as the board can flex in so many different ways. The right board for you will be the one that feels best in the conditions you ride in.

The old boards (like yours) are quite stiff and give a hard ride, lots of chattering in the knees and harsh on landings and in nasty chop. They will throw you ok when you stomp the tail but energy is lost as the tail wont flex back and assist you.

The current boards all differ heaps in flex and where and how they flex. A good board should have progressive flex as the board tapers.

Lots of flex smooths out nasty chop by absorbing a lot of the impact and movement of the waves. They feel great for freeriding and carving as the harder you carve the board, the more the board flexes to take the shape of the carve radius. These 'soft' boards are nice to ride so long as you don't want to freestyle. The excessive flex will absorb the energy in the stomp on the tail.

A very stiff board will be uncomfortable to ride but will probably go upwind well and will possibly be fast depending on bottom shape and rails.

The board with 3D flex patterns and contours to allow the tips to flex more and the centre to remain fairly stiff will give you much better loading and reflex (when the board snaps back to it's shape) when you stomp the tail to load and release (I hate the word 'pop'). The centre of the board remains stiff to give good speed and upwind ability.

At the end of the day, grab as many boards as you can to demo and test ride each one in your home conditions, that way you'll know for sure what is your ride.

Hope this helps,

Kitehard said:
A very stiff board will be uncomfortable to ride but will probably go upwind well and will possibly be fast depending on bottom shape and rails.

Im currently riding a 140 LF element, which i think would be considered a fairly stiff board (right??, I got very little knowledge in the board department). I recently tried my mates twintips which varied but were all a little shorter a lot lighter and flexier than mine. I straight away went up wind easier than i do on my board.

I really like my board for some things like powered wake style tricks with the kite staying nice and low. But I'm almost always in the surf (often blown out and choppy). And have been spending too much time and effort getting back up wind instead of having fun then quickly and easily flying back up wind.

I'm 80kg, flying 9 and 13 08 Waroos in Northern NSW/ Southern QLD.

What boards should i be looking at?

SMEDG,
I would suggest something a bit shorter than 140cm I am your weight 80kg and I ride a 128cm ( nobile shinn ) and a 126cm (cardboards). ( probably no need to go that small straight up but about 132 should be good )

If you are spending most of your time in chop and surf overpowered struggling to stay upwing perhaps consider using slightly larger fins as well as the smaller board , they will certainly help you go upwind particularly in choppy overpowered conditions.
Also use the depower stap on your kite if you are overpowered and getting dragged downwind..... depower and it should help you maintain an edge. What you may lose in top speed and power you will more than make up by being able to " point" higher into the wind. ( gain ground upwind).

Also when in the surf trying to gain ground upwind fly your kite higher than you would for your wakestyle tricks this will also help you maintain an edge in the chop without being dragged downwind

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harry potter said...




Also when in the surf trying to gain ground upwind fly your kite higher than you would for your wakestyle tricks this will also help you maintain an edge in the chop without being dragged downwind

that makes no sense at all. the higher the kite is the harder it is to hold a solid edge.

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stamp said...

harry potter said...




Also when in the surf trying to gain ground upwind fly your kite higher than you would for your wakestyle tricks this will also help you maintain an edge in the chop without being dragged downwind

that makes no sense at all. the higher the kite is the harder it is to hold a solid edge.

NOT WHEN YOU ARE RIDING IN OVERPOWERED ( and or choppy ) CONDITIONS

( as he said he mainly is )
Often in these conditions people make the mistake of flying their kites too low and therefore carry to much speed and power and end up being pushed downwind because they cannot hold the edge.

Next time you go out and you are overpowered try it ...... as i said you will lose speed but by using the weight on your front foot and flying the kite higher you will honk upwind. Think about it ...... if it is choppy each time you loose an edge or even half an edge you lose ground downwind because your kite is pulling you that way. If you fly your kite higher the natural pull angle of the kite is changed therfore less power but more lift.

THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO POINT HIGHER

whatever works for you dude. i still reckon you're wrong

agreed with stamp.. kite lower gives u a better angle to edge against because the kite doesnt lift you up and out of the water so you just stepping straight into the water with the kite low... didnt anyone learn from boost 2

Kitesplosh if ive highjacked your thread let me know.

Advice for me so far has ben helpful thanks. I didn't actually mean I was often riding in overpowered conditions. I just meant messy surf, you know on shore blown out surf. I've got trimming the kite pretty sorted but think I would benefit from using some bigger fins and a shorter lighter board.

I liked my mates 132 crazy fly raptor heaps. Anyone know these boards or can suggest something that rides similar?

Help appreciated. Thanks

I sense an upwind duel......... no one points higher than me.... no one

nah seriously stamp ... think about it wind travels horizontally ( generally off the sea ) If your kite is low you are effectively using a larger catchment area right in the power zone you then need to control that power with the edge of your board. If you are in choppy powered conditions it is almost impossible to hold that edge due to the sheer power in the kite thus you end up further down wind, you may still be riding on your edge but you will not be making much ground upwind. To combat being pulled off your edge you need to use the trim strap to depower the kite and fly the kite higher.
By flying your kite higher you negate some of the down wind pull.

Sorry forgot to mention .....an important part is that when you are flying your kite higher you need to let the bar out further as well or you will constantly be fighting to stay on the water.

I 100% guarantee this will work, using this method ( combined with front foot pressure ) I am often able to point 10 to 15 degrees higher than anyone else. NO BULL**** ( using an 8m SB3 and a Nobile Shinn 128cm ) Which means less tacking upwind and more fun.... 2.5 inch fins help as well

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Charl dv said...

agreed with stamp.. kite lower gives u a better angle to edge against because the kite doesnt lift you up and out of the water so you just stepping straight into the water with the kite low... didnt anyone learn from boost 2

I seriously dont understand how you guys (Charldv & Stamp) who are obviously reasonably experienced can say what you are. you either dont ever ride in chop and or in powered conditions.

if you are overpowered will end up stuck down wind
if you are underpowered you will end up stuck down wind.

add 1ft of chop and its even worse.

seriously guys...... I am not saying ride around with your kite above your head but if you want to truck upwind in choppy blown out conditions you need to fly your kite higher not lower. I get what you are saying about being lifted thats why i say you must ease out the bar when you do this.

My favourite kite spot ( wave break ) requires about a 1.5km upwinder to get too along the surf so I have had plenty of experience at getting upwind quickly and I often get there 4-6 tacks earlier than my mates, even though they are now using this method.

guys give it a try I guarantee with some practice and front foot weight placement you will be going upwind much better than before in these conditions. Until then we will agree to disagree

cheers fellas

Flex is a trait that is overhyped to sell bad chinese pop outs, and crappy layups. A little flex is ok, but the level of flex im seeing in most production boards these days is hardly benificial, it might be ok for the freerider or the averaage punter but for something more it sucks.
Dave.

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harry potter said...
I am not saying ride around with your kite above your head but if you want to truck upwind in choppy blown out conditions you need to fly your kite higher not lower.

I think what mr potter is trying to say is if you fly your kite to the edge of the wind window you will have less power therefore less grunt?

Remember though the edge of the wind window is not just above you but also to the sides. And if you have the kite low AND at the edge of the wind window you have more resistance AND less pull.

Kite above you at the edge of the wind window will be less power than the kite in the middle of the window(i.e. across the power) but is definitely less resistance than low AND at the edge of the window.

As for board flex, i prefer the newer style boards with a lot more flex. Underground woodcore are bery bery nice. :)

hmm. I'm probably less knowledgeable but i think i see what the young wizard is getting at. I can imagine sitting the kite a little higher might be a little more efficient given the right conditions.
I've decided to keep my board as i love its pop and just about everything about it in powered conditions. I'm just going to put some bigger fins on it to help fly up wind a bit quicker on those average days. hopefully a quick cheap fix. (saves developing better technique....)

Im 70kgs, ride a 9m tekky bow and an 09 11m waroo 99% of the time in the surf.
I just got a 139 board, i find the bigger board better in the surf than my smaller board.

Your right Harry fly the kite high in all conditions and you will truck upwind more efficiently.