jeromeL wrote:The meters were showing average gusts of 30 knots with a few at 40. Most people had 6 or 7m. I had my 9m on the second knot front line to depower a little more. It was definitly a handful even depowered, usually this is a flat water spot but with that wind there were 2 feet waves, water and sand was spraying non stop.
Look up meters in Jones beach, NY last Saturday.
I have been told that the bandit has pretty big range And i confirm that's the case, I have used the 12 depowered up to 28 knots gusts before I got my 9.
I wish I had smaller kite but it is bar to justify investment in new York, I have heard that there aren't many days where you need 7m.
That was the strongest session I have done so far and the 3rd one on my 9m.
I have a 9m switchblade 2014 and can confirm that for cabrinha too. 25-30 knots is all ok + gusting into the mid 30s. If I am on land i do sometimes have to push the bar against the spring during a gust.
I might add though and say that it's not a relaxing setup. You have to work hard on edging the board and the kite starts to become somewhat uncalculable in the air. Definetly more fun going down to a 7m.
I have 12 and a 9 and originally planned to buy a 6 or 7 but I think the real answer with modern bowkites is to just have a 2 kite quiver of 7/11 or 8/12...
edit: was out today on the 9m when everyone else was 5m -7m (one guy was on a 9m actually, not sure what brand). No problemo. Rear lines on last knot, trimstrap on full trim, power would build up pulling the bar about 1/4 of the way towards me.
Wouldn't like to selfland in that wind though.