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Any light wind videos in Waves?

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seking
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Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby seking » Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:03 am

I'm considering buying one of the new generation LW kites but all the videos that I've seen of them are with twin tips. I ride regular unstrapped surfboards, have been kiting 10 years and currently have a 10m as my largest kite. Do any of the new generation kites work well with side-on or side shore wind in waves for down the line kiting? Kite needs to turn well and drift. I'm considering a Fat Lady, Ozone Zephyr, Maui Boardriding, Naish Fly so far but open to anything. Maybe the new strutless Naish kite? Anybody have a video of wave riding in light wind? If so, please post it.
Thanks!

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby Rorke » Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:50 am

Kiters all have a different definitions of "light wind".

Many sailors use the Beaufort Scale.
1-3 knots - Light Air = 1
4-6 knots - Light Breeze = 2
7-10 knots - Gentle = 3
11-16 knots - Moderate = 4
and so on......

Furthermore, wave size and wind direction changes everything.

I one time almost had fun on a 15m Rev in about 14 knots, side on, 2 footers. Then I tried to catch a wave and ruined it. :D

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby Peter_Frank » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:05 am

Are you going to ride waves in light wind (meaning you are average weight 75-80kg), or are you built "strong" (heavier 8) ) and want a bigger kite for riding waves ?

I love to ride waves in lighter wind (when this is the only option), with big kites (12-13m2 @77kg).

Also sideon to max sideshore.

But IMO is it a very different thing than with normal chosen sizes for waveriding, as you actually dont need the kite to drift that well...

If you had offshore winds you might be able to park the kite (I've seen that once) even i light wind - but even here you often see those getting ripped off the wave if it is big (speed DTL will make the kite a nuisance)

But in normal slightly onshore conditions, the trick for riding waves (or should we call it "kiting" in waves) is to ride extremely aggressive with the big kites.
This way the kite is always controllable, will keep its flying speed thus not "fall out of the sky", and you can make turns on the wave much better :thumb:

It requires that your timing is perfect - but can be learned.
As the bottom turn is the tricky part - you need to make a quite narrow bottom turn, and have the kite turn at the exact right moment - but still let the board glide with intense weight on your front foot :wink:
Doing this, you keep tension on the lines, and get your turn done without losing speed - so you can make a "free" cutback when and whereever you want :rollgrin:

So you go a bit more across the wind, by doing a "perfect" and a bit more difficult bottom turn - instead of the drawn out long one downwind that you can do on the waveface with really small kites and the kites just drift.

Even in really small waves, where you get down into the flats in the b-turn, you still use the wavepower a lot.
Many does not understand this, till they've learned.
But the power of the wave is absorbed into planing and speed which will make your b-turn and cutback work "fluid" even with a really big kite in light winds - and it is fun too 8)

Whereas if you did the same on flat water, it would not be even close to that feeling and way less options and power :o

So I find that good drift in a kite is more important in the mid sized ones 7-9m2, but in the big ones it does not matter.

Turnability though is everything and a must for above to work :naughty:

:D Peter

seking
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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby seking » Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:29 pm

Peter, thanks for the detailed reply.
I'm an average size guy and looking to kite waves in light wind. I live in an area where we get side shore to side-on wind. There are a few spots where its side-off, but thats not that common.

To clarify my post, I'm not looking for technique on wave riding but rather to see if anybody has a video of somebody at least making it look fun in DTL wave riding with a big kite.

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby Ecoastprock » Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:53 pm

Watch 1:35 of this video. This is about 16-20mph side-shore which is average wind around here but considered light. 11m kite and 1ft waves not really dtl riding but fun imo.





Since making this video i picked up an 11m drifter and the difference is insane. The drift factor is key in light wind DTL riding (15- <20mph).

The majority of the time when riding a wave I tack up wind, then ride downwind DTL on the wave which slacks the lines and causes the kite to flutter. I usually just set myself up, kite positioned in the direction i will be riding, ride the wave, depower and forget about the kite. When I finish the wave i pull in the bar, the lines tighten and im good to go.

I think in light wind situations its best to ride your normal shortboard or bigger, strapless so that you are not reliant on the power of the kite to surf the wave.

Im not sure if thats the answer you were looking for but my .02.

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby KYLakeKiter » Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:12 pm

Nice video.

I was down in St. Augustine FL a while back talking to the guys at the local shop there. They kite mostly in the surf down there. Their recommendation for a lightwind kite was the Air Rush Lithium One. Based on the type of riding they do down there, I would assume they must have liked the turning speed and drift.

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby windrupted » Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:13 pm

"I'm considering a Fat Lady, Ozone Zephyr, Maui Boardriding, Naish Fly so far but open to anything. Maybe the new strutless Naish kite? Anybody have a video of wave riding in light wind? If so, please post it.
Thanks!"


I see what your saying. Yeah, wheres a good Vimeo of someone ripping the bag out of it on a modern 17m or bigger kite? There sure is a massive argument clinic with loads of hot air going on around here but wheres the ripping of waves with a giant 17m kite? Is it possible? Saw a guy out on a Turbine the other day but he wasn't exactly slaying it. Just tacking.

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby The Captain » Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:16 pm

I doubt you are going to find one.

Think about it...

Waves travel at roughly the same speed everywhere. But, the slower the wind, the less able any kite will be to keep ahead of you in side on/onshore winds. The physics are just not going to let it happen.

Light wind kiting can be fun, but when you have something pushing you into shore faster than the wind, your not kiting anymore.

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:37 pm

windrupted wrote:"I'm considering a Fat Lady, Ozone Zephyr, Maui Boardriding, Naish Fly so far but open to anything. Maybe the new strutless Naish kite? Anybody have a video of wave riding in light wind? If so, please post it.
Thanks!"


I see what your saying. Yeah, wheres a good Vimeo of someone ripping the bag out of it on a modern 17m or bigger kite? There sure is a massive argument clinic with loads of hot air going on around here but wheres the ripping of waves with a giant 17m kite? Is it possible? Saw a guy out on a Turbine the other day but he wasn't exactly slaying it. Just tacking.
Spot on, you and the Captain :thumb:

There is a reason why 9-10m2 is the biggest sizes used in waves for the average weights 8)

It just dont work in lighter wind :o

Fun, yes, but ripping it up in a way just slightly similar, no way...

Of course you can take a 15m2 out in a bit overpowered conditons and rip waves DTL - but that would be a waste of time, as you could take a 10 and go much better.

The only times I've seen anyone on video doing something a bit like kitesurf waveriding with big kites - are when the kite is too big for the wind, and then it is easy, as you dont outrun the kite (no matter what size).

But also totally unnecessary as you could use a smaller kite way better :rollgrin:

So there is a reason why you dont see any correct videos of kitesurfers ripping waves with bigger kites than 10 in side-sideon like most got :naughty:

- Peter

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Re: Any light wind videos in Waves?

Postby ronnie » Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:45 pm

There is no wave riding or linked turns downwind but it is a 17m kite.



I havent seen a lightwind waveriding video yet for kiting, but there are quite a few for windsurfing.


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