Hey

Can anyone tell me which TT board would be better for light wind and why ???

155x44cm Or 144x46cm....with the same bottom shapes

just looking at the board displacement / drag point of view ?

Cheers for any help

Totally depends on outline and rocker.

I'm guessing the 144x46 is a dedicated light wind board while the 155x44 is a large beginner's board. If so then the dedicated light winder will probably have a bit more bottom end due to a squarer outline (wider tips) and flatter rocker. At the same time it may be less forgiving if you're riding in bumpy water, and so if the larger beginner board has a bit more curve to it in both rocker and outline it may be more fun in the ocean.

Agree with djdojo but unless you have been bedridden due to a diet of 300 dohnuts a day either of those sizes should make a decent lightwind option.

My light wind option used to be a 151 x 43cm LF drop. I say used to be coz I use it most of the time these days - great for waves.

It's not a pure lightwind board as it has decent amount of rocker and pinched tails, whereas a LW specific board would have straighter outline, wider tips and less rocker.

Still, I am 85kgs and use it with a 12m in winds as low as 12/13kts.

Hey guys this is the board im looking at..... what do yous think ??
I cant demo any. none in WA.

www.crazyflykites.com/

im 80kg & will use a 15m ? Renegade Infinity kite but still eating donuts

That crazyfly looks like an out-and-out light wind focus with that straight an outline. Designed for European lakes where they often have 10-12 knots and very flat water.

If you're in the ocean go for something curvier such as a freeride/beginners board in a large size. These can be had pretty cheaply, especially at this time of year.

In between these options would be boards like the UG Stella and Nobile XTR that are not beginners boards at all but still have some curve and forgiving characteristics.

Yeh that Crazy number looks for lakes only. Too extreme outline (and probably rocker too) for ocean IMO.

BTW - my LF is a 151 Proof (not Drop - but very similar to the ol' drop series).

Good tip on looking at beginner boards. My LF Proof is from that ilk and goes awright for LW, at 80kgs the 151 would be a great economoical option for you (but you can't have I love it ).

There are more specific LW options for ocean/surf tho. Plenty of choices out there for LW boards. LF, Cardboard, Airush etc.

The good thing I like about my proof is, although a compomise on a true LW board it can easily handle when the wind picks up, (can't be said of all LW boards) goes really nicely on waves/chop and is tuff as all fek! Heavy board but hey - you can't have everything.

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SaveTheWhales said...

Hey guys this is the board im looking at..... what do yous think ??
I cant demo any. none in WA.

www.crazyflykites.com/

im 80kg & will use a 15m ? Renegade Infinity kite but still eating donuts

That board looks very similar to the Nobile Flying Carpet www.kitepower.com.au/catalog/product_17871_Nobile_Flying_Carpet_cat_415.html
We have that board in demo and I've ridden it a few times, it has some amazing bottom end, and does get you out there in lighter winds than any other TT I've tried. It has similar bottom end to a race board.
However, when the wind picks up a bit the ride through chop deteriorates and I'm confident to say that it would be horrible in ocean conditions above 10-12 knots.

The shorter sized U/G Stella or Tahee's are much better choices for all rounder light wind boards that can handle a bit of chop. Bottom end for me at 75kg on the Stella 1.44x46 is around 12 knots on the 15M edge and on the 1.52 x 44 Tahee its around 9-10 knots, the Flying Carpet around 8/9 knots. This is on the Ozone 2011 Edge 15M or Zephyr (mostly on the Edge though).

By bottom end I mean confidently staying upwind, even though there will be lulls below the quoted winds above.

Top end on the 2 Underground boards is comfortable up around 17/18 knots + and no worries in winds around 14/15 knots worth of chop.

Ive gone the other way
This year Ive changed my big board to a shorter length but still a wide board.
I am 80kgs and use a 140 x 46 Shinn King George with a Xbow 13m... I can stay up wind in 12/13 knots (average on seabreeze). But the best thing is when it does blow it can handle a bit more wind, and chop. At 15-18 knots I forget this board is designed for lightwind/XL people

Save the whales ,
More than happy for you to try mine

Woodys has the larger 144 Shinn King George on demo as well. I havent had a chance to try it myself yet but a few OS reviews rate it very highly. Comments like "very much like a regular sized TT" are common. In my experience all these big LW boards are limited in performance but thats the trade-off for lightwind. Worth shopping round if the latest models really are performing better than the older table-tops. Reviews would have you believing this claim and Im sure the designers would have been working on it.

We should also have the latest model Nobile "flying carpet" on demo soon too. Again I havent tried it myself yet.

Thanks for the advice guys

Allano - when Im back from work I'll take you up on your offer, and you can try out my new Lightwind kite...

Cheers

At 80 kegs with a 15m - try out something like the LF Proof too I reckon. You get more flexible useage (and probably a fair bit more change inya pocket) than a one trick pony. Let's face it you will only get a few months use a year (max) out of it.

Rounded rails on the Proof go tres sweet in the mocean . Not as good upwind tho but doesn't faze me as I oly do downwinders (which are soooo much more fun than static sessions in light winds).

BTW - I am not associated with LF in any way, they just work for me. I think SS do a larger SX board and Airush a larger Switch board that will fit the above bill also. They should be affordable options.

Good luck.

Last night the Nobile Flying Carpet saves the day for sure, and in the 8-9 to 12-13 knots we had at Kurnell with an incoming tide it really made a big difference, and was very smooth to ride through that level of chop. No bounce, it really had a magic carpet like smoothness to it, but it gave back massive pressure to your calf muscles to use the pull from the 17M Zephyr and force the board to ride as flat as possible as well as point upwind. Rode to sunset, then quickly came in and took some amazing shots of the sunset.

The image below is of a bigger (heavier 100kg) 2868 riding the same board and staying upwind with a 13M Ozone Edge, which I was pretty impressed with the combined performance of the kite and the board. As you can see the wind is very light, the tide started to come in around this time and thats when I went for a ride.


Riding into this in a light NE was pretty awesome for the 19th May!

Hey Guys

I thought about the Long hard plank ride and weighed up the Fun factor...

So went with the 2011 144x46 Underground Stella for the More Funna effect
ocean and flatwater.

The guys at Kitepower gave me a great deal with some other bits too, and its on the westward journey to me for friday when the wind will be 3 knots maybe I shouldve got a Jet surfboard

Cheers

ps even though her name is Ug(ly) Stella she looks hot enough for me

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SaveTheWhales said...

Hey Guys

I thought about the Long hard plank ride and weighed up the Fun factor...

So went with the 2011 144x46 Underground Stella for the More Funna effect
ocean and flatwater.

The guys at Kitepower gave me a great deal with some other bits too, and its on the westward journey to me for friday when the wind will be 3 knots maybe I shouldve got a Jet surfboard

Cheers

Nice Looking Board Can't wait to see how it goes

I will take you up on your offer to try the Renegade Infinity