I was just wondering what would happen if I went out to ride at 10-16 knots? I use a 10m Slingshot RPM and have a 135cm board.

Not much

I think it might be in the no breeze no fun category with 10m kite and 135cm board.

Usually a very long walk of shame. It would be alright if you were on a downwinder, but it's really difficult to stay upwind in light winds and sometimes you need to put the kite into a deathloop just to keep momentum. And if you crash, light wind relaunches can take forever.

Try a paddle board

but stand on the fin

Select to expand quote

NoBreezeNoFun said..
I was just wondering what would happen if I went out to ride at 10-16 knots? I use a 10m Slingshot RPM and have a 135cm board.

The difference between 10 and 16 knots is pretty big! Also you forgot one of the most important factor in light winds on twin tips which is Body Weight!

Here is a pic in 10-12 knots with 50 KG rider, using a 12m kite and a light wind (big) board.

No chance I could go out in these conditions using the same equipment with my weight (85kg).

However, with a hydrofoil those winds and lower are no worries, even without a massive kite



So many factors will affect your light wind performance/enjoyment, but by far the 4 most important are 1) your skill level 2) your body weight 3) the type of board you use and lastly the size of kite you use...

If you're not that heavy, you could very well be riding in 15-16 knots with the equipment you described, provided you have the skills. However, in less than 15 knots, it would be very hard using your current equipment, unless of course you weight 50 kg or less.

Christian

Many times the wind drops during a sesh in spring and autumn, because you can't hold edge what i do is walk up the beach multiple times and do a semi down winder.

10knts is pretty much the minimum before my 10m kite wants to just fall out of the sky and not relaunch.

You need a bigger kite or a foil.
I wouldn't even consider a TT in those conditions. You need a board with lots of volume and little rocker.
IMO TT are only fun in lots of wind.

Most kiters pay a lot of attention to the gusts, but in light wind you need to pay more attention to the lulls.

I have a 14m I use in lightwind on a 135 twin tip, I weigh 100kg and can get going in 14knots of wind but if the wind is dropping below 8-10knots my kite falls out the sky, there's an absolute minimum you need to keep it in the sky, every kite is different, spend a bit more time on the beach before you go in water testing yours out.

If you are on the beach and a lull comes on you can run backwards to get some wind under it but in the ocean you are in for some pain, almost impossible to water launch your kite in very light winds. Need to make sure that when you dip the kite in your first power stroke you don't run too fast down wind, this will have the same effect as a lull and the kite will stall, then fall. I find you are better off pulling harder, even putting your kite in a loop, right on the edge of the wind window, this will give you instant momentum in the right direction, building on the apparent wind speed and negate the down wind stall.

This guy has some good tips for light wind kiting:

Think I might go and get my 7'6" soft top surfboard and go for a kite after watching that video. Would that be SOTKing?

Select to expand quote

Kajo said..
You need a bigger kite or a foil.
I wouldn't even consider a TT in those conditions. You need a board with lots of volume and little rocker.
IMO TT are only fun in lots of wind.

Or a big TT with no rocker ...... say 150x50 or larger.

Like Kempo said... not much... but a frustrated session that you'd wish you never went out on.

This is why I've gone to a directional board. I can kite in almost anything above 8knots now, and I weigh 83 pies.

Select to expand quote

NorthernKitesAUS said..
Like Kempo said... not much... but a frustrated session that you'd wish you never went out on.

This is why I've gone to a directional board. I can kite in almost anything above 8knots now, and I weigh 83 pies.

Directional boards are as diverse as TT ??? there is a board type that makes light wind kiting possible - planing area which is proportional to the weight of the rider (yup the heavier you are the more you need) and the rocker of the board - flatter is better in a light breeze but that board will be a pig once the wind gets up - so to simply say a dierctional board is the answer is quite simplistic!!

Select to expand quote

Lambie said..

NorthernKitesAUS said..
Like Kempo said... not much... but a frustrated session that you'd wish you never went out on.

This is why I've gone to a directional board. I can kite in almost anything above 8knots now, and I weigh 83 pies.

Directional boards are as diverse as TT ??? there is a board type that makes light wind kiting possible - planing area which is proportional to the weight of the rider (yup the heavier you are the more you need) and the rocker of the board - flatter is better in a light breeze but that board will be a pig once the wind gets up - so to simply say a dierctional board is the answer is quite simplistic!!

I should have said "surfboard".

ive only had 1 full season under my belt from last summer but I really got the bug and one day went out in light wind conditions just because it was my only free day and I HAD to go out and kitesurf. Anyway while trying to water start the wind completely stopped for a few seconds and my kite was suddenly directly over my head and falling out of the sky. The kite fell through my lines and became all tangled, then the wind picked up again and the kite just went nuts looping and smashing everywhere, dragging me with it. Needed the help of others to catch the leading edge and safely put it back on shore.

So yeah i dont go out in light questionable winds any more. Not worth the hassle or risk.

10mtr RPM and 130 twin tip used to be my wife's light wind kit, in 16 knots she would be overpowered. Her biggest kite last year was an 8mtr dice and she will go out in 12 plus knots on a downwinder. So like someone else said it depends how much you weigh and also the difference between 10 and 16 knots is a fair bit.
Have fun George

Select to expand quote

gdmclean said..
So yeah i dont go out in light questionable winds any more. Not worth the hassle or risk.

Hmm, I know what you mean, but then again don't let the kite go to zenith and behind you. Pull on the depower strap and force the kite to fall back into the wind-window. Sometimes running backwards to re-tension the lines may save you from the Hindenburg effect. I always try and keep my kite at around 10 or 2 oclock. Another trick to avoid the kite going behind you is to pull on your steering lines - very quickly. Your kite will fall back into the wind window allowing you to control it again.

Select to expand quote

NorthernKitesAUS said..
Another trick to avoid the kite going behind you is to pull on your steering lines - very quickly. Your kite will fall back into the wind window allowing you to control it again.

Ignore my own piece of **** advice. It's dangerous and is mostly for foil kites, not LEI kites. Sorry.