has anyone had any joy with a light wind kite or light wind board for kiting in surf
?

Daz

For me.....

Light Wind/Small Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and CrazyFly Door (with or without fins)
Light Wind/Small-Medium Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and North Nugget.

Yep forget the kite and just paddle.
When not enough for a 12m.
Light wind kiting is limiting for wave riding bigger than a 12m.
Unless surf is small then its blasting about with a big kite boosting.
But wait Daz, living in the land of wind no one owns anything above a 10m...

I kite in light wind on waves. Depending of the waves and wind directions can make fun. . I think 10 knots and below it becomes to much work.

Whats your wieght and board size mate?
Im going fine in 11kt with a 5'2" vanguard and an 11M bandit but im only 68kg. The key is board size and fast kite.

Ive been having a lot of fun with my north nugget (2014 5'5") and 15m Slingshot Turbine in the 12 to 15 knot westerlies we seem to get in perth a fair bit during winter. But i wouldn't really consider that real wave kiting more just buzzing around the waves getting the odd hack or trick in, still heaps of fun.

For real down the line wave riding the speed of the kite is crucial. Ben Wilson has a good vid on getting a big kite to drift down the line (but thats in perfect cross off indo conditions)

Select to expand quote

Adam'KiteRepair said...
The key is board size and fast kite.

And sweep,or lack of

Kited Byron all winter on my ocean Rodeo 14.5 flite and a 36 ltr 5'8" x 20" thruster.
Nuggets are good.
Some of the Firewire boards are awesome for LW also.
Waves are cleaner in LW and in winter there is lots of them.
Go for it.

Thx ,people. Adam I am 85 kgs and my board is 5'8" kipuna No volume to it but not much rocker either. The board is about as good as most for upwind

Daz

Just get yourself a NINE FOOT malibu, swap out the big centre fin with something about 6" long,(big ones have too much drag) and with a 12-17m kite you'll be cruising upwind in 8 knots. LOADS of fun.(No straps--just make sure you wax up with Tropical wax (for extra warm water) or you'll be pushing the wax off).

North Nugget & good light wind technique.

Select to expand quote

bigtone667 said..
For me.....

Light Wind/Small Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and CrazyFly Door (with or without fins)
Light Wind/Small-Medium Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and North Nugget.

Just wondering what you think of the cloud, as I saw them out at kite Beach in Maui a couple of years ago? I really thought that strutless kites might really take off!

Select to expand quote

coastflyer said..

bigtone667 said..
For me.....

Light Wind/Small Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and CrazyFly Door (with or without fins)
Light Wind/Small-Medium Surf: A 17m BRM Cloud and North Nugget.

Just wondering what you think of the cloud, as I saw them out at kite Beach in Maui a couple of years ago? I really thought that strutless kites might really take off!

I am pretty happy with my 3.5, 5.5, 8.5, 9, 12, 13.5 and 17 ....... I have only used my other kites three times in past year (sold off most of them now).

I am using them for surf, freeride, foiling..... They are different. But I love that difference.

I bought the 3.5 to use with the foil, but so far I have only used it with the CrazyFly door in 30 knot plus winds, been awesome fun.

The 17 gets used in 7/8 knots with the foil board (10knots on the CrazyFly door)......

I am usually first out and usually the last in at my local area.

I took Jankie's advice (Bali) and got a Cabrinha Contra 15. I haven't got it sorted yet, mainly because I was too cheap to buy the bar as well. But I think I have it sorted now, as of this arvo. Someone said to get a Wayne Lynch 6'2" Tufflight. You know, one of those high tech pop out type boards. Anyway I got a Wayne Lynch 6'7" because one came up cheap, and I am super impressed. It turns a bit slow of course for the slop we get in Perth, and you've really got to push the tail for a hard turn, but in light winds I won't care. And on big waves it'd be really nice, but you don't get lots of them in Perth. I've really only used it properly in about 18knots or so, so when I've got the kite and the board tried out in light winds, I'll post an update.

Incidentally, I say Skye from Bali using a Contra 13 recently in winds that were so light that I was out there surfing. He was absolutely caning the waves, quite pissed me off really. He's obviously pretty talented as far as light wind and waves go, but it's obvious that the contras will do a pretty respectable job in surf with light winds. I wish I could say that he's only a little guy (my usual excuse), but he's as heavy as I am. and maybe 10cms taller. Prick. People like him are easy to hate.

I ride my Cab Contra 15 Meter and Tronic 145 board. I sometimes use my Stylus 165. I weigh 91kg. In winds 10 -12 knots. I also use 18 meter Cab Crossbow and Stylus 165, then it's mainly jumping and cruising in waves 8 - 10k not winds. I have FUN. Less than tha I Surf.

14M enduro, normal surfboard gets me going in 12 - 15 knots.

Select to expand quote

DazzaRap said...
has anyone had any joy with a light wind kite or light wind board for kiting in surf
?

Daz

Yes to all of the above. For me I wouldn't bother trying to kite in under 12 knots with a TT or surfboard on anything smaller than a 15m kite. And if you pair it with a LW TT (flydoor 170x 50 for example) it'll give you a couple of extra knots low end.

But since I discovered hydrofoils, that's really opened up the lower end of the spectrum where 6-8 knot kiting is totally achievable and heaps of fun. But this requires a bit of investment in specialist equipment like 18m foil kites . Plus a foil board obviously.

HydroFoiling in surf is a bit tricky, but I use foil kites in surf all the time with TT or surfboard. No problems at all !

Select to expand quote

DazzaRap said...
has anyone had any joy with a light wind kite or light wind board for kiting in surf
?

Daz

How light? That's the main question really. As usual your body weight and skills are you two best assets in sub 15 knots. The lighter and the more skilled you are the more you can enjoy low winds.

At 85kg I remember enjoying a wicked 14-16 knots session on a 12m kite and 5'10 surfboard at Coronation in 2-3m waves. All windsurfers were just watching...

As far as I'm concerned any wind that is constantly below 15 knots is not much fun and hard work in the waves on a surfboard regardless of the kite.

Christian

finally had a light wind session (Perth is not known for light winds). in 10-12kn wind, and I'm 83kg. Used a cabrinha contra 15m and a 6'7" Wayne Lynch Tufflite. It was awesome. Zoomed up wind, and looking for some depower. the big contra is pretty slow in the turns, of course, and you've gotta plan ahead. the 6'7" Wayne Lynch takes some turning too, but I have been riding it for a couple of months now and it has become my usual board of choice. I have to be aggressive to turn it, but it turns very quickly and tightly when I do push it around. It's certainly not a board that you just think about turning and it happens. All in all, the Wayne Lynch gets a huge tick, and when the wind is light, so does the contra.

Thanks for the previous advice in this forum, and from Jankie. It certainly headed me in the right direction.