more power= move the kite and powerstroke and keep it going

10 knots!! No kite will go up wind on a twin tip in that. I have a 14 m and won't bother riding until 15 knots. Yes people say they kite in sub 15 knot winds but i call bs and don't go upwind unless they are on a big floating board.

I've never gone upwind. You get a really good workout packing up 5 suburbs away from where you started and lugging all your gear back up the beach.

Jonopark said...

I have a 14 m and won't bother riding until 15 knots. Yes people say they kite in sub 15 knot winds but i call bs and don't go upwind unless they are on a big floating board.

Haaa you old fart - looks like you need some up to date Twin tip lessons in sub 15 knots. At the 10-15 range Im jumping, looping carving & speeding and goin upwind on my Epic Infinity Lightwind kite !!!!

Just pm me and ill let you prove it to yourself !

It always reminds me of what a great investment I made - when Im the only one out having fun on a TWIN TIP.

Ive even had kiters refuse to launch me because of how light it is and fark its great when there jaw drops

Evolve Brother .... Evolve

Old fart! I'm only 27, and 80kgs Looping in sub 15 knots you reckon. I'm sure you have well Nd truly landed before completing loop. And unhooking in sub 15 knots on my 14 is a waste of time. If its not over 15 , kiting is a waste of time. Unless your mowing the lawn or trawling for fish. And to the original question. If your underpowered it is hard to hold ground even with great technique. More wind equals more force you can pull against the kite which equals upwind ability. So while technique is a factor, win is a bigger one.

Hahaha excuse my ignorance. (I'm drunk)
But I assume your light wind kite is 16 or 17m??
Looping a "big" kite before you land in sub 15 knots??
Has the kite even started its upwards decent when you have landed?? (if not its not looping the kite). I can "loop" a 8 m in 15 knots standing on the beach. Wait I can loop an 8 in 15 knots!!! Sick!!!
And if so enter a megaloop comp! You must be jacking!!! (off??)
Yes big kites are fun for unhooking (stability and line slack) but in 10 to 15 knots on a twin tip?
I kite alot and am yet to see someone really boost let alone keep upwind in 10 11 12 or 13 knots. At 14 knots on a 17m I think! You could possibly start to have pop to unhook. But any lower I'm a little pessimistic.
I once kites any wind (hence I bought a 14m) but these days wait for at least 15 plus to even bother considering going out. If its not green (arrows) I'm not keen.

Yeah Jono - I guess your right- Ive been lying through my teeth, none of this has ever occurred, myself and all the other kitesurfers at different beaches have been imagining it. Ive wondered why ive seen guys stairing at me on my 15m doing tricks on a twin tip while their on 17m kites.... while imagining im actually doing this stuff.

Oh yeah and the guys who ive let demo it after trickin, jumpin & looping on it, only to find they did not have the skills required to fly it in light winds on a twin tip .. Oh thats right - you dont have that skill on a real light wind kite because you just winge about stuff you cant do

But yes you are correct ive imagined it all havent I

The World is still Flat - and its stupid to think that man could ever fly

P.s It must be a misprint at the Epic kites website, that the windrange for my Renegade Infinity Lightwind kite is 8 - 14 knots on a twin tip... Fark the world has gone raving mad with lunatics fun kiteing in low winds and not telling anyone else [}:)]

wait I think I see a 'Flysurfer' coming towards me... nope he just did an S bend and headed back

wisbeychris said...

Struggling to stay upwind its a constent fight, do i need a bigger board?
I'm 6ft and 90kgs using a naish torch 16m and naish thorn 136x42 board and trying in 10 to 18 knots. i get up get speed and start edging and then slow very quickly. Current seams to affect me quite alot and if theres abit of chop i'll sink!

Do i need a bigger board and would a surfboard help? if so what size?

Thanks

Your board is the weak link in your kit, thats why you are struggling its just not big enough under your weight. You need to go up in size quite a bit to get sub 15knot performance.
Something like the Cab chopstick 1.54x45 http://www.kitepower.com.au/cabrinha-chopstick.html
or the Nobile Flying Carpet
www.kitepower.com.au/nobile-flying-carpet-2012.html

Either of those boards will greatly improve you low wind fun, the Nobile is the biggest and will give the best low wind performance of any TT on the market. If you really want to see super light wind performance check out one of the latest Cab or North race boards!

Of course the other part of the equation to get good performance in light wind would then be to upgrade the kite too. Your Torch is not a specific light wind kite, there are much more efficient kites around, especially Ozone Edge 17, and Ozone Zephyr 17.

Then technique comes into play too, especially when kiting around 10 knots or below, experience and practice combined with gear like that mentioned above will get the reward of sub 15 knot fun and being on the water getting some exercise and cruising around while everyone else watches (or goes off to do something else).

wldistel said...

Hay Kitepower.

Iv a 146 Underground Stellar that i love in light winds. How would it rate against the noble?

PS I'm up on a 12mtr carbrina in 13's but I can't loop it but I'm not very good. I love the light winds there's no one out there and it's a lot more challenging.

Yes its mowing the lawn but its soooo relaxing, almost Zen like.

I'm older "39" and kitting is a de stress for me so any wind is a good wind!

Hi wldistel

I prefer the big Stella over the Nobile and for my weight at 75kgs of throbbing steel it will get me going from sub 10 to the high teens, and is a more comfortable ride in chop for me. The Nobile suits a bigger and taller person IMO.
Light wind is great, like you say it might be a lot of mowing, but I don't mind mowing takes my mind off the world of commerce and relaxes me.