first time with cloud 17, not ideal condition, side off very gusty like 7-17
i can compare with my old 16 dyno 2011
cloud turn tight and much faster, no need to build speed for power, pull the bar and go even in the lulls
it has more power, high end think is better for dyno
i use 52cm bar 24 m but i think is better longer bar like 56cm
upwind is unbelievable, much better!
p.s.I am 85 kg use directional 155-50 strapless

First session on the Cloud 10m yesterday at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I rigged with an Ocean Rodeo bar, had to swap the pigtails around which meant that the front lines were _very_ long at first. I put an extra knot at the end of the back lines and moved the front lines up to the second knot, but I think the trim was still off. I ended up pulling in about 8" on the depower/trim line once I was in the water.

Hard to compare to my other 10m, since the Cloud is such a different kite. Took some getting used to the sheeting action, and I think I still don't have the trim quite right. In general it made lots of power, in fact, I was over-powered in stronger gusts and had a difficult time sheeting out enough.

Any tips / further thoughts on the trim / sheeting would be much appreciated.

Did you really get the lines even?
All equal length laid out straight with bar pulled in?
I would say, if the canopy did not flutter when you fully sheeted out, you weren't really sheeted out!
But also, it was pretty windy: from recorded winds yesterday there were gusts to around 20kt on the bay, 30 offshore.
That would be a lot, especially if you were on a surfboard, or weigh less than 180lbs or so.

Rowboat

I use my CLOUDS with my OR bars as well. First thing, remove the rearline pigtail from the OR lines and stash them away. Then on the front attachment point on the kite bridle(sliders) just tie a knot in the pigtail and attach your front lines there. Then double check your lines like BWD mentioned. Your kite should fly fine in this configuration.

I'm loving the 17M Cloud, besides what everyone else has added, I love the stability of it, even if the wind backs down to 6 mph I don't have to worry about it dropping like with my other kite, less is definitely more.

Now, I'm trying to decide what size to get next, the 13 or 10. I live in San Diego, I weigh 182 bl., I only ride my 6' surfboard and most of the time on the surf, most of the time I will be kiting in an winds of 10-15 mph in which I would use the 17 if it is a steady 16-22 mph, then I use my current 12M kite. So which of the two should I get for those 16-22 mph days, any suggestion?

Hi turf and surf, I'm really interested in the 17 cloud as well, for lightwind waveriding, basically the same conditions like yours.
Can you really surf with the 17? Is it fast, really faster than a "normal kite"?
Thank for your input.

Hi Pacuca

You definitely can surf with the 17, it turns just as fast as my 14 if not a little faster and what I really liked about it was that as I went down the line I could just park the kite and it drifted downwind with no problems.

That sounds interesting. I'll see if I can demo one once I get back in the water.

My 17 Cloud is on the way (already arrived in Germany). Can´t wait to try it, but this week it will be work then a week of snowboarding with the kids and after that I hope there will be some nice and soft breezes. I am also waiting to try my new North Nugget. Should be a killer lightwind combo.

Hi, thank you for the input. One last question, does it go upwind well? It is really important for waveriding.
Thanks in advance,