Well, I am inspired by what you all have been saying about the Ozone Zephyr kite (www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Review/2013-ozone-zephyr-17m/?page=1) and what personal kites you have and winds that you find are the best ranges for your kites. So I started this thread...

I hope it will grow to showcase the kites you all have, the best/worst and of course what winds according to your weight and height (does that matter?) determine that really nice "sweet spot". The spot where you and your kite are one with God and the God of Winds. Where you both fly together in a dance of love and ecstasy into the sunset!

Just list your set of quivers, the wind range you feel is sweetest, and in the order of favourite (or most used) to least favourite.

Here goes ...

Rider profile: 78kg, 5'10", free style rider, loves flat water, hates lumpy slop.
RRD Type 9 2008 12mt: 10 to 22knots
Cabrinha Swithblade II 2007 14mt: 12 to 16knots
Flysurfer Psycho III 2008 8mt: 22 to 30knots
Montana HQ V 2008 12.5mt: 10 to 16knots
Fluid ATV 2012 8mt: 18 to 27knots

I hate lumpy slops also!

85kg tona pop 138 with Ronix ones.

C4 12 & 9m 18- 25kts unhooked up to 30 for boosting.
Fuel 7m 25- 30 unhooked and beyond for boosting/loops handfull at 40kts.
Liquid force bar 45cm for all with 25m lines and 20m slingshot 45cm bar yet to try.

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NickT said..

85kg tona pop 138 with Ronix ones.

C4 12 & 9m 18- 25kts unhooked up to 30 for boosting.
Fuel 7m 25- 30 unhooked and beyond for boosting/loops handfull at 40kts.
Liquid force bar 45cm for all with 25m lines and 20m slingshot 45cm bar yet to try.

You use both C4's for that wind range? I would have though the 12m up to 20knots would suffice. Are you into big jumps?

Thought this might make a few laugh....

Kites:
Z = 2013 Ozone Zephyr
D12 = 2014 12m Dice
D9 = 2014 9m Dice

Boards:
CF = 2014 Crazy Fly Cruiser 144 by 45
LZ = 2014 Xenon Laluz 135 by 41
GL = 2013 58 Naish Global

Also use a CF Skim for fits and giggles in light wind. I truly suck at it.

11-14 Z CF Flat
14-18 Z LZ Flat
12-15 Z GL Waves

14-16 D12 CF Flat
16-19 D12 LZ Flat
15-18 D12 GL Waves

17-21 D9 CF Flat
21-26 D9 LZ Flat
19-24 D9 GL Waves

26-30 D9 LZ BOOST and Loop/Flat or Waves

30 plus Not interested

Wind with board and kite type may vary depending on riding style wanted at time and also if wind is consistent or gusty.

Ranges change somewhat in winter.

Future Variations and combinations will change due to the addition of a 2011 16m Dyno and a 128/129 * 38/39 TT board of some kind?looking into it?.

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eppo said..

Thought this might make a few laugh....

Kites:
Z = 2013 Ozone Zephyr
D12 = 2014 12m Dice
D9 = 2014 9m Dice

Boards:
CF = 2014 Crazy Fly Cruiser 144 by 45
LZ = 2014 Xenon Laluz 135 by 41
GL = 2013 58 Naish Global

Also use a CF Skim for fits and giggles in light wind. I truly suck at it.

11-14 Z CF Flat
14-18 Z LZ Flat
12-15 Z GL Waves

14-16 D12 CF Flat
16-19 D12 LZ Flat
15-18 D12 GL Waves

17-21 D9 CF Flat
21-26 D9 LZ Flat
19-24 D9 GL Waves

26-30 D9 LZ BOOST and Loop/Flat or Waves

30 plus Not interested

Wind with board and kite type may vary depending on riding style wanted at time and also if wind is consistent or gusty.

Ranges change somewhat in winter.

Future Variations and combinations will change due to the addition of a 2011 16m Dyno and a 128/129 * 38/39 TT board of some kind?looking into it?.

Hmmmmm, roflmao

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eppo said..


30 plus Not interested

WTF?!

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Plummet said..

eppo said..


30 plus Not interested

WTF?!

He's being cute.... They don't get over 30 knots down in mandurah

Hehe...

Here's mine. Speeeet spots. Not workable range.

15 speed. 15-18 knots
13 edge. 17-22
10 c4 22-26
8 cat. 26-32
6 reo. 30-37

Me 93kegs

Board combination of 2012 Underground Crypt 135 x 42, 2013 North Spike 141 x 44.5, 2012 Naish Custom 6'1" Quad Directional Strapless

2014 Ozone 17m Zephyr: 12 - 20kts

2014 Cabrinha 11m Drifter: 15 - 30kts

2014 Cabrinha 9m Drifter: 20 - 30+kts

2014 Cabrinha 7m Vector: 30+kts yet to try it?

Want to upgrade my directional to North Pro Series 6' 2" Thruster but, yes! I am broke now

Like that quiver lost in space with ya board combos. And the vector for more stability in the higher winds. Nice.

Ps today was the LZ with the Z day...lol..perfect.

Once the dyno arrives and I get a smaller board (looking at the epic spartan as a option) it would have been a SP with a D day...hahahahah


PPs it the boards that enable you to narrow down the sweet spot given a certain style, based on the water and wind conditions.

Jack of all trades, master of none....

Cheers for saying Epp's

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LostinSpace said..

Me 93kegs

Board combination of 2012 Underground Crypt 135 x 42, 2013 North Spike 141 x 44.5, 2012 Naish Custom 6'1" Quad Directional Strapless

2014 Ozone 17m Zephyr: 12 - 20kts

2014 Cabrinha 11m Drifter: 15 - 30kts

2014 Cabrinha 9m Drifter: 20 - 30+kts

2014 Cabrinha 7m Vector: 30+kts yet to try it?

Want to upgrade my directional to North Pro Series 6' 2" Thruster but, yes! I am broke now

Too me those are wind ranges not sweet spot! my definition of a sweet spot. You powered and jumping well and not trimmed.

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eppo said..

PPs it the boards that enable you to narrow down the sweet spot given a certain style, based on the water and wind conditions.

I have a slightly different opinion of the kite sweet spot.

I say the sweet spot never changes regardless of the board that you use. Using different boards allows you to have more fun with the kite flying them outside there sweet spots!..

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Plummet said..

eppo said..

PPs it the boards that enable you to narrow down the sweet spot given a certain style, based on the water and wind conditions.

I have a slightly different opinion of the kite sweet spot.

I say the sweet spot never changes regardless of the board that you use. Using different boards allows you to have more fun with the kite flying them outside there sweet spots!..

Plums, yeah but sweet is when you don't care what lollie you eat as long as you're in heaven. Each to their own.

I think eppo has excellent gear to always have the right tools for the job on the day, so yeah man - he gets to be the Candy Man thus far!

Agree with you Plummet

My codes K.I.S.S.

92kg 136x42 TT "last of the light cardboards!"

13' 10m Edge Sweet Spot 22-28 kts Fun ride range 18-32kts
13' 13m Edge Sweet Spot 16-19 kts Fun ride range 15-22kts

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Kurt Savage said..
92kg 136x42 TT "last of the light cardboards!"

I own this too. Mine is mainly white though. Do we have rare boards? Cool.

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Plummet said..

LostinSpace said..

Me 93kegs

Board combination of 2012 Underground Crypt 135 x 42, 2013 North Spike 141 x 44.5, 2012 Naish Custom 6'1" Quad Directional Strapless

2014 Ozone 17m Zephyr: 12 - 20kts

2014 Cabrinha 11m Drifter: 15 - 30kts

2014 Cabrinha 9m Drifter: 20 - 30+kts

2014 Cabrinha 7m Vector: 30+kts yet to try it?

Want to upgrade my directional to North Pro Series 6' 2" Thruster but, yes! I am broke now

Too me those are wind ranges not sweet spot! my definition of a sweet spot. You powered and jumping well and not trimmed.

To me they are my sweet spots. Just depends what board/kite combo I'm running according to wind strengths &/or flat water/surf conditions at the time. Well apart from 2014 Zephyr as a recent procurement and more analysis may be required. Which I will be aiming for on the Zephyr over the next week or so here on the Goldy I have not had the Vector 7 out in over 30kts yet but I am predicting it's going to be sweeeeeet at 30+ but have ridden it at around 20 to 28kts gusty conditions and it hammers through the gusts like as if they are butter.

Damn no wonder you are broke...so you haven't had the zephyr or vector long...ouch..lol

Plummett you may have a point brother.

Let me say then that board selection allows you to narrow the sweet spot within the sweet spot, given certain water conditions and type of riding you want to do.


And Kurt my table is a bit of tongue and cheek. On any day I take two kites down given the winds range and either the two TTs or if waves just the SB now. So it's a simple choice really depending on the wind conditions and what mood I'm in.

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Kazan said..

Plummet said..

eppo said..

PPs it the boards that enable you to narrow down the sweet spot given a certain style, based on the water and wind conditions.

I have a slightly different opinion of the kite sweet spot.

I say the sweet spot never changes regardless of the board that you use. Using different boards allows you to have more fun with the kite flying them outside there sweet spots!..

Plums, yeah but sweet is when you don't care what lollie you eat as long as you're in heaven. Each to their own.

I think eppo has excellent gear to always have the right tools for the job on the day, so yeah man - he gets to be the Candy Man thus far!

Well yes each to there own.

But I still say the sweet spot doesn't change. My idea of the sweet spot is this. What wind speed do ideally want to fly this kite in?

As an example i'm on my 145x45 coffin lid finless its 13-16 knots on my 13 edge. I'm riding head high waves on finless! its supercool and fun and i don't really want more power than what i have now with this board set up. Is the kite in the sweet spot? No. I really want to fly the kite 17-22 knots and boost and glide....... I'm riding the big board as an alternative to flying the kite in its zone.

I guess you can argue different sweet spots for different styles. Obviously dedicated wave riding sweet spot is different to boosting.

So the sweet spot does change on any given kite depending on the style you want to ride then....and the board is the leverage for this?

Good idea for a post!

LW board: Crazy Fly allrounder 145 x 44
Normal board: Underground FLX 138 x something

Will do this with overlaps...
2013 13m Edge: 15-25 knots (sweet spot around 22 knots)
2013 9m Edge: 22-31 knots (sweet spot around 27 knots)

100kg, mainly flat water riding.

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Plummet said..

But I still say the sweet spot doesn't change. My idea of the sweet spot is this. What wind speed do ideally want to fly this kite in?

I was referring originally to that "spot" (or more like comfort factor) where you, board, kite, wind and water are all in synch - at least for a mere moment. What do I mean by that? I mean when you are relaxed and free from any unknown factors - like sudden gusts, beginners in the way, lumpy unpredictable waves and babes on the beach to distract you (). Where you are at that Zeeee spot. Where you are free to do that one trick, jump or style you want without any possible hassle of distraction. To achieve the kite nirvana so to speak. What board, kite combo (at least because going into all the other factors per post will take too long) would you use to achieve (or try to) this?

For me, it's always been the RRD Type 9 2008 12mt on my 136x42 cardboard board in almost precisely 16 to 18 knots (even though I gave a bigger range above, that would be more ideal).

That is the sweetest condition and equipment (I have) to say yep - this is going to be a great day!

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eppo said..



Once the dyno arrives and I get a smaller board (looking at the epic spartan as a option) it would have been a SP with a D day...hahahahah

Maybe then you will be able to land that tail grab board off

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Kazan said..

Plummet said..

But I still say the sweet spot doesn't change. My idea of the sweet spot is this. What wind speed do ideally want to fly this kite in?

I was referring originally to that "spot" (or more like comfort factor) where you, board, kite, wind and water are all in synch - at least for a mere moment. What do I mean by that? I mean when you are relaxed and free from any unknown factors - like sudden gusts, beginners in the way, lumpy unpredictable waves and babes on the beach to distract you (). Where you are at that Zeeee spot. Where you are free to do that one trick, jump or style you want without any possible hassle of distraction. To achieve the kite nirvana so to speak. What board, kite combo (at least because going into all the other factors per post will take too long) would you use to achieve (or try to) this?

For me, it's always been the RRD Type 9 2008 12mt on my 136x42 cardboard board in almost precisely 16 to 18 knots (even though I gave a bigger range above, that would be more ideal).

That is the sweetest condition and equipment (I have) to say yep - this is going to be a great day!

Ok, based on what you are saying here Kazan, I will narrow and define further my sweet spot on ultimate choice and experience so far with the quiver I have, although that may change in due course with further analysis of new acquired equipment and the level of hotness distraction of beach babe/s

Me 93kegs,

2014 Cabrinha 11m Drifter 20 to 24kts on 2013 North Spike TT 141 x 44.5 in smooth to semi smooth flatwater

2014 Cabrinha 9m Drifter 20 to 24kts on 2012 Naish Custom SB 6'1" quad fin strapless in 3' to 4' smooth to semi smooth slight cross offshore surf

Well that's all from me for now, looks like there is some "Sweet Spot" winds starting to shape up here on the Goldy! and I'm out of here

Good idea, but totally pointless thread

Wednesday - sweet spot was over 30 knots
Thursday - sweet spot was just over 20 knots... same kite and board.

Luckily, my mood adjusted to the conditions so both days were a blast!

I'm 65kg and pretty much only use a 135x41 2013 Xenon Laluz with LF boots

17 2010 zephyr 11-18 knots

12 2013 Catalyst 15-25knots

8 2011 C4 20-30knots

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Spark said..

eppo said..



Once the dyno arrives and I get a smaller board (looking at the epic spartan as a option) it would have been a SP with a D day...hahahahah

Maybe then you will be able to land that tail grab board off

Hey landed two yesterday ya prick. Let's see you unhook and S bend it now at a bare minimum, your unhooked rally's are getting tiresome to watch...

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Kamikuza said..

Good idea, but totally pointless thread

Ultimately your correct! who cares as long as your grinning.....