Hi,
I am looking to extend my lowend windrange and would like some realistic feedback as the marketing mumbo-jumbo is making me dizzy. I have read the threads about the limited efficiency of lightwind kites and I remember the struggle with my first kite, a 13m SS Key, which was as responsive as a supertanker so i guess a lightwind board is the go.

My dry weight is ~90kg and I guess all geared up and wet it's probably beyond 100kg. I ride a 2012 12m Slingshot Rally and a 133 Liquid Force Kaos and my bottom end (just holding ground) is ~16 kn. I recently rode my 150 Slingshot Ignition beginner board after a while and while it has an obviously better lowend (maybe one knot) I totally hated it as it is an awesome board if you are learning to go upwind but I find it hard to carve (stupid thing just wants to go straight).

I keep hearing good stuff about the North Nugget (smallish and nimble) but what would the benefit be in terms of lowend (just holding ground)? I have tried to get info on its buoyancy to deduce the lowend potential to no avail.

Is there anyone with similar specs than mine who can give me a real life estimate?
It would be awesome to (significantly) extend the low end and get into directionals at the same time.
Cheers!

Good point! For now I want to assess the improvement in lowend for mowing the lawn/holding ground to compare to my TTs but I would like to get into waveriding (zero experience currently) as well.

Hey Ed

Have one and can go upwind with ease in less wind than l need to relaunch the kite. I weigh 62kg and on a 15m edge bottom end is around 10kts but that's just holding ground with a fair bit of effort. It gets fun around 12kts and I normally only go upwind on one tack as I gain so much ground that I have to run downwind to stay on the right side of the reef (where the beach stops and the cliffs begin). If your looking for a board that gets up and goes in the lightest of winds ,and is super fun and fast in a lttle more, then get a nugget. As for waves can't surf for ** but from talking to people who can its really only meant for small stuff.

Hey Ed
I had a epoxy production board that i lost in offshore surf and had to use a 6' normal surfboard out of my shed and to my surprise it was as good if not better than the well known brand name board that i lost, i since brought another brand name kitesurfboard and have used it about 6 time and am thinking the surfboard is still as good so if i was you i would grab a normal surfboard for half the price. I am 88kg and my surfboard is 19" by 6"2 by 2 3/4" thick thruster with a swollow tail.I havnt mentioned brand of boards as dont wont to start a war.

I think your experience with bigger kites is probably out dated, test ride one before going down the directional road...
Regardless of the board you choose the results are hugely based on how efficiently you ride it, and learning to gybe and switch feet is a pretty difficult- which is a good thing because it's about all you can practice when you're using a kite at its bottom end.
I'm currently riding a cheap secondhand surfboard on the light days and it cops it, would hate to be doing the same to something 5x the cost

If you surf, get a firewire sweet potato instead of the nugget. If it's just for kiting the nugget is more durable/heavy plus takes straps.

Have used Nugget a lot in the last year. 85 kgs. Also use TT plus 5"10" sb and Sector 52.

To avoid getting involved in kite size discussion - mostly , if the kite flys , the nugget will go upwind. Almost as well as the Sector .It probably needs a couple more knots. It is very good upwind.

If you want a light wind surf board which is loose - choose nugget or a big sb . If you want speed and race - choose a raceboard.

It is good fun in up to 3/4 high waves.Its shortness and light weight make it very controllable as you can muscle it easily although it is harder than sb to slow down at critical times.

Although , Due to the width in the tail it does not take much more wind and wave to get over powered , where you are looking for something smaller .

Given I do most of my riding in light air I therefore use it a lot . From 10 knots to around 17. But you have heavy wind and wonder if you are better with a bigger sb to give a greater wind range .

It will be great to learn directionals on .

When I am kiting in southern SA ( heavy air ) I would not take it as its wind range would be quite small and would choose to take the sb instead .

Having said that , the nugget has saved many , many sessions. I guess I am into that sort of thing

It is quite idiosyncratic to ride and takes a bit to get your head around. For me , it was money well spent. The dings and heal marks tell the story . It puts a smile on my face every time.

If its for light wind only then get a surfboard not a kite directional board.. Save $500. Even look into some of the epoxy surfboards and fishes getting around

Got mine @ RPS The Board Store in Elwood.

eddiemorgs said..

Yep , agreed Eppo .
I guess its the unconventional shape of this board which raises eyebrows. Depends what you are used to and like . If you are from a heavy wind area with good waves then you will struggle with the point of the nugget .

For those who have less than solid conditions and greater time constraints , this board for me has been a godsend . There has been talk of using a big surfboard - but for me they are too unwieldy and I find the race boards too specific .

One of my mates only rides one of the earlier naish directionals and the nugget. He is doing old school double back rolls on it , surfing when we have it . Loves it . There are 5 here now I think - out of around 12 core kiters

Yep it is nice a compact. I can throw down double back and forward rolls on it, transition forward rolls with forward loops and even backroll back loops on it. But that's with straps, I'm not at the level of these strapless dudes...total respect for that hey. Big light wind surfboard not the same. Its the short length over a wide body which is the key. It is what it is, a useful workhorse, and a much more fun board than a race board. But won't get as low as a proper race board.