Was stuck on the beach yesterday in dying conditions as I couldn't stay upwind at all with my lightwind longboard and 12m Torch (which works in at least 16-18mph). I got to demo the new Airush Sector and man is that thing just magical. It literally felt like the wind had picked up at least another 5mph as I was immediately cruising upwind and moving fast. The apparent wind you make with the board is amazing. I really have never been much into light wind, but I was actually having a really good time.

The wind came down even more and I was ready to go home, but then was coaxed into trying out a 15m Ozone Catalyst with the Sector and was once again having a blast. The kite behaved very nice and even in this very marginal wind; the kite never thought about back stalling or going too far to the edge of the wind window (the two reasons I haven't bothered with a lightwind kite for the last few years).

Thanks to Adventure Kiteboarding for providing the demo and saving my session (twice). If you haven't tried a Sector or one of the newer lightwind specific kites recently, things have really come a long way and I encourage you to try either or both and see what you're missing.

Not everyone find pleasure riding in light winds. For some, cruising around on a board bigger than a food tray not being able to jump is simply no fun. It is a matter of personal preference. I'd even say that light wind kiting is underrated and belittled by many. Now, having said that ...

Personally, I have my twin-tip days behind me. Now I ride directional boards (surf, race, hydrofoil) 95% of the time and really enjoy those light wind days with on-shore winds where I can ride along the shore for hours where the worse that can happen is a long walk back. I find the stance required on these board to be much more comfortable in long distance rides than the twin-tip stance. I just don't care to have a full-size race board under my feet and a big kite over my head when I can go upwind and cruise with good speed in sub-10 knot winds.

Norm

@mowaves... not your first time on a Sector-type board, I take it - or are they just really easy to ride?
I tried a Naish raceboard with very minimal success

Kami, you've gotta give it a little time.

The sectors have smaller fins, and is thinner kind of like the smaller Naish board. The bigger ones is needs a few small sessions to get them going. Once people figure out what it means to ride the fins, it is usually not a problem anymore. It seems to me that just telling people isn't enough since they will say yes sure...and then probably in their head say WTF are you telling me how to ride for I know how to kite

Either way, the bigger board will give a tad more low end go upwind and drive the kites much better...and overall be more performance oriented. To me that is a better option, but it does seem like the smaller of the Naish and the sector type boards are easier going.

and yeah on a raceboard you'll b e flying when people on longboards are sitting in the water hoping and probably not winning the fight to keep the kite in the air.

yeah, these type boards do take some getting used to and a slight adjustment to riding style compared to your typical board to take full advantage of their capabilities. I haven't spent extensive time on any of them but just like with anything new when kiting (riding, staying upwind, jumping, riding strapless, etc.) there's a learning curve that takes time/effort/failures but that's what keeps kiting fun and interesting for me.

15 catalyst doesn't exist so you were probably on a 15m Edge or a 14m Catalyst. Both fantastic light wind kites.

How hard and recommendable is to use that kind of boards in a wave spot?

For riding in a wave spot - or for riding waves ?

Waveriding is slightly possible with the most freeride like ones like the Sector - but it is not "good" in any sense - although possible

But riding in a wavespot with a raceboard works fine - they are actually REALLY good at this, even if huge chop waves, as they are directionals MADE for being able to sail in all conditions

Peter

Thanks Peter, indeed I was asking about how hard it would be to use only for riding in a wave spot. I was concerned about how hard would it be to handle because of its size and probably weight at the shore before I could even start riding. But what you say makes perfectly sense to me. Would love to try one out, especially in light wind days to make the most of them.

I saw a video a while back of a race in very rough conditions. Was that the 2011 world championship in Germany?

If you do want a raceboard-like board that you can ride waves with, there seem to be few options, but I haven't tried any of these. Listed from more raceboard to more surfboard from what I can tell:

Airush Sector
North FreeRace
Cabrinha Transport
Slingshot Kneeswacker