pickup a good deal on a 2012 8m c4 then u have an easy transition between kites , spares, only need 1 bar

20 to 30 knots is not especially high winds. So if it was me I'd stick with the c4 8m or the catalyst, as they both have that ozone feel you are used to. would be perfect in those winds. Also cauncy or right in saying that board selection is also very important. Like cauncy I use a shin monk in anything above 20 knots as it can hold down a bigger edge than you can hope to put on it. But there are other boards out there as well.

So for me it's not just a matter of kite selection. Sector for light winds, cb wave for medium winds, if waves and high winds I change down kites, if no waves and banging in, I sometimes stick to the 10m kite and crank out the shin.

But for starters maybe a 8m. Then again you only weigh 74 kg and couple less than me. my high wind kite is a 6m and the boards bridge the gap. You might want to consider a 6 even. That way you will still be comfortable in 30. At your weight even on an 8m 30 knots will be a handful, hence my point about board selection.

But if you use only one board you'd better go an 8 cause that 21 to 24 zone you might be scratching ya head on putting the 10 or 6 up.

So one board 8m, another high wind board, 6m.

cauncy said...
so dont think by just downsizing it will make a great highwind kite, its the same the other way around with lightwind kites

good point , makes me rethink a little aswell

I am 85kg and ride 2011 torches. On my twin tip my 9m has a sweet spot around 22 knots and my 7m at around 30knots. Minus about 5 knots if doing a downwinder on a surfboard.

As others have said these kites are very quick and take more skill and timing to get the most out of them. Kinda like comparing a 2 stoke dirt bike to a 4 stroke.

If you can still estimate your hours on the water you're probs better off with a bridled kite other wise they won't be much fun for a while and there will be a steep learning curve. Plus if your legs are already getting sore, this might get worse as you need to edge hard rather than sheeting out the bar to quickly slow down.

8m Catalyst, no question.

As sk1nner said, 7 or 8m C4s will probably be too lively for you at this stage, and tricks gone wrong turn into spankings a lot faster in 30 knots than 20. The Cat will offer more depower and forgiving handling in the gnarlier and bumpier stuff. Same bar (and therefore safety system) as your 10mC4, still very nimble, enjoy!

Sweet thanks guys for all the input. Exactly what I needed

Pretty clear that Catalyst has the votes and I'll find out what it's like. Now just need to the wind!

P.S. What sort of bottom end could I expect from a 8m catalyst, bearing in mind the 2010 C4 10m can get me going upwind around 15 knot mark? 20 knot as a minimum?

The new Catalyst has been redesigned so apart from the "ozone website sell" does anyone have some first hand experience of what has changed reference performance?

ps where are you in nz?

sweet. give yourself a few sessions to get used to the cat. yourl love it in super gusty wind. me. i'm in the naki.

Let us know how you find the cat in those conditions rodno.

Quick review since I got to try the kite today

2011 8m Catalyst 2nd hand in well used condition. 20m lines. 74kg rider, relatively new.
First session - 2.5 hours, 25 knots average gusting to 30 but well powered.
I got used to it pretty much immediately and I found it to be very responsive and easy to fly. Felt more responsive than my 2010 10m C4 with 25m lines.
Had no problem handling 30 knot gusts, just went up wind at a steep angle. Responded very well to depowering, didn't feel too sluggish even when nearly fully depowered. Loved it. Towards the end it gusted to around 35 knots and I wasn't too petrified, although walking back in proved to be a bit of a challenge especially because my legs were giving way.

Second session - 40 min, 13(?)-35 knots, horribly gusty. In the lulls I had trouble planing/holding ground and was no fun so I came in. To be fair, very few, if any, kite can really handle that kind of crap wind.

In short, I like it! Together with the C4 my sweet spot is now 15-30 knots!

Nice one Rodno, all set to progress. Enjoy!!