X2 Wind range

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It could be due to a number of factors I guess... I'm only speculating here by the way....

<ol>
<li>Wind is usually more gusty inland and hence not as consistant power...

<li>Most likely one though is that fresh water is less dense than salt water and hence you need more power to get planing.
</ol>

Must admit I've never kited in a lake or river due to gusty winds etc...

A also find an interesting thing when kiting... in a cold dry wind (like we get in Auckland in a Southerly during the winter) the power is much more than if we get hot muggy stuff from the NE in the summer despite the same wind speed...

It's called air density and it has the same effect as kite size

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<span style = "color:'ff0000'">Oh and coming back to X2's... how many people use the slower setting when the wind picks up. I've found the least responsive setting (back lines attached to inner attachment points) on my 12m X2 to be similar in response to 11.5 ARX... ok maybe slightly faster but not much.

And since I definately didn't find my ARX too responsive in 20 knots I don't see the need in getting a smaller bar for the 12m X2.... I guess for the 8m X2 it wouldn't be a bad move.... </span>

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HEY aklbob are you taking more time off work... now that your injured again... heck I would...

Lance needs to get himself an X2 and then he'll be able to do more in the air....

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[aklbob]

already taken time off, about a week, but I am ok now, but no kitesurfing for another month..

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Hey guys, a good challenge for the 12m X2 today. 20 kts today.... using 141cm lunchtray able to hold 20 knots by keeping kite low.

This kite performs really well sheeted out and still responds well to control inputs.... far easier than ARX.... no jellyfishing at all!!!

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[aklbob]

How about another 5 knots ?

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Nah by the time the thunderstorms came the wind was dying down... You still need good edging technique and a small board with thin rails... the main feature of this kite is that you still have great control of kite when sheeted out and that it is rock solid.. making it easier to handle in these winds...

I didn't actually take the wind speed but it wasn't much less than that day we went to pine harbour and it was 25 knots...

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[aklbob]

So it was almost windy enough to levitate? Sweet!!!
Yeah I don't think my 147cm WT handles as much power as your lunchtray.. but it works from 12 knots with the 12m

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When it "turboed" (wind kicks in to a higher level every 10 or so minutes, last's for another 5 and then drops to it's origional 15 knots)

You had to keep the kite low or you couldn't edge and had trouble stopping. In the windy part I was allways in the water not on the beach.

But yeah I was nearly levitating at times.... Tim that lunchtray of mine handles heaps of wind... will be even better in flat water.

I'll give you a go next time your at the beach and it's cranking.

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In regards to replacing the 11.5 ARX with an X2...... DO IT!! I did the same thing about a month or so ago.

The X2 in the fast setting is fast enough to get moving in 9-10 knots for someone of my weight who rides directionials. The kite can be sined real fast which makes you work up that all important apparant wind. This kite is designed to go fast... it's not a low end kite.

For wakeboarding you need the kite to be used in the upper part of the wind range... for the 12m X2 this is well over 15 knots... closer to 20.

The kite is stable and won't jellyfish and I've held it in 25 knots in flat water. I couldn't hold the 11.5 ARX in 25 knots.

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