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a good kite for light wind?

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kazama-fury
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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby kazama-fury » Mon May 27, 2013 9:32 pm

edit

My sincere appologies for the people I've offended
Last edited by kazama-fury on Tue May 28, 2013 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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DrLightWind
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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby DrLightWind » Tue May 28, 2013 3:38 pm

Agreed, but it doesn't mean people shouldn't tell the real facts,
especially when people are stoked around here and overriding reality :wink:

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby BigPaul » Tue May 28, 2013 4:16 pm

Not cool

Not in anyway

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby TommyDuotone » Tue May 28, 2013 4:27 pm

@Kazama
Agree with Paul.

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby RDM » Tue May 28, 2013 4:49 pm

Not impressed Mr Fury... :nono:

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby shlomis » Tue May 28, 2013 4:57 pm

Hay
Thanks for all helpers...I certainly extended my knowledge...
I forgot to mention that
I have a new f one six edition 10m... With the new(shorter, f-One) bar,and the kite fills great, ... I think i have a problem with my boards(f-One style 148 × 35 year 2003 , and f-One deamon 125 year 2006-7,but Thats for another topic...)Maybe because i am a new surfer....
After I saw a few guys at the beach surfing at 11 knots with the same f-One but bigger (size 14.0m), and a different boards (surf board, big twin tip) I consider buying same 14m size...With my low weight (72kg) I think i can manage it in 10 knots.... Any opinion?

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby BWD » Tue May 28, 2013 5:32 pm

For what it's worth, I too have flown both a batwing 15.5 and a cloud 17, as well as a zephyr.
I prefer the cloud over the batwing, for low end, better turning/handling and great relaunch.
As opposed to poor light wind relaunch on the bat (mainly due to the lack of LE sweep in my opinion). The bat did go upwind and jump well, and had good range 12 to 20 knots or so.
The bat's other low point was mush turning.
I am sure it suits some well, and the upwind and jumping were nice, it's an efficient wing.
But with it's smaller size and different priorities, not an ultra-light wind kite.

The cloud bar pressure does not bother me, maybe that make me hardcore. Ha ha!
I thought a hardcore rider, could hold the pressure....

Cloud bar pressure may be more than some bows, it's fairly comparable to an RPM, and some other things....
Cloud upwind is fine, maybe not ultimate, but good for sure.
For an 80kg rider with a surfboard or large twin tip, the Cloud range is 7 to 17 knots.
Or maybe 20 if you are athletic and can pull in the bar.
If you're light or wimpy call it 7 to 15 knots.

Last week I enjoyed (!) session in the rain, in 6 to 14 knots, with the 17m cloud on a curvy thruster surfboard.
The 17 will relaunch and fly with good stability even in light rain, in about 6 knots.
By 8 knots heading upwind, by 10 knots making good speed.
No doubt with a raceboard, fish, etc. it could go upwind in less.
I have also had the 17 out in small waves in 15-17 knots, and while it did flap a little turning on the wave, there wasn't much vibration, and drift and handling remained great.
Honestly, all kites flap in waves, unless you ride in a straight line.
The only time I had much bar vibration was in sustained 18-20+,
when I got too tired to sheet in and fly the kite properly.
So I switched down to a 9.
So, if you don't know how to fly a kite, or pick one for the conditions, don't fly a cloud.
Or I should say, don't fly a 17m cloud when a 10m would be enough! And maybe take a lesson?

The cloud is a good light wind option.
Especially if your are riding when the wind risks dropping below 10 knots. It sticks to the sky.
If you are riding in building wind that starts at 8 or 10 and may hit over 20, I'd choose something else, maybe the zephyr, or a race kite of some kind.
That way you could get going early and have a little reserve in 18-20 knots (but only a little).
Or just wait a few minutes and rig a 12.

No one kite is best or worst for everything.
Just thought my experience might shed a little light, as opposed to slinging mud.
Choose your kite for what you want to do.
Ride in 18-20?
For me that means a 9-12m kite...
Anyway, here are pictures of cloud flying, you can see a wrinkle in the canopy from flapping as I get onto a wave and the kite drifts. Sorry not a better picture but you get the idea. This was fun and the flapping was not a problem, believe me!
Attachments
flapflapflap.jpg

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Hawaiis
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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby Hawaiis » Tue May 28, 2013 6:20 pm

+1 for BigPaul

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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby tautologies » Tue May 28, 2013 8:05 pm

Bwd..nice writeup. :thumb:
BWD wrote:For what it's worth, I too have flown both a batwing 15.5 and a cloud 17, as well as a zephyr.
I prefer the cloud over the batwing, for low end, better turning/handling and great relaunch.
As opposed to poor light wind relaunch on the bat (mainly due to the lack of LE sweep in my opinion). The bat did go upwind and jump well, and had good range 12 to 20 knots or so.
The bat's other low point was mush turning.
I am sure it suits some well, and the upwind and jumping were nice, it's an efficient wing.
But with it's smaller size and different priorities, not an ultra-light wind kite.

The cloud bar pressure does not bother me, maybe that make me hardcore. Ha ha!
I thought a hardcore rider, could hold the pressure....

Cloud bar pressure may be more than some bows, it's fairly comparable to an RPM, and some other things....
Cloud upwind is fine, maybe not ultimate, but good for sure.
For an 80kg rider with a surfboard or large twin tip, the Cloud range is 7 to 17 knots.
Or maybe 20 if you are athletic and can pull in the bar.
If you're light or wimpy call it 7 to 15 knots.

Last week I enjoyed (!) session in the rain, in 6 to 14 knots, with the 17m cloud on a curvy thruster surfboard.
The 17 will relaunch and fly with good stability even in light rain, in about 6 knots.
By 8 knots heading upwind, by 10 knots making good speed.
No doubt with a raceboard, fish, etc. it could go upwind in less.
I have also had the 17 out in small waves in 15-17 knots, and while it did flap a little turning on the wave, there wasn't much vibration, and drift and handling remained great.
Honestly, all kites flap in waves, unless you ride in a straight line.
The only time I had much bar vibration was in sustained 18-20+,
when I got too tired to sheet in and fly the kite properly.
So I switched down to a 9.
So, if you don't know how to fly a kite, or pick one for the conditions, don't fly a cloud.
Or I should say, don't fly a 17m cloud when a 10m would be enough! And maybe take a lesson?

The cloud is a good light wind option.
Especially if your are riding when the wind risks dropping below 10 knots. It sticks to the sky.
If you are riding in building wind that starts at 8 or 10 and may hit over 20, I'd choose something else, maybe the zephyr, or a race kite of some kind.
That way you could get going early and have a little reserve in 18-20 knots (but only a little).
Or just wait a few minutes and rig a 12.

No one kite is best or worst for everything.
Just thought my experience might shed a little light, as opposed to slinging mud.
Choose your kite for what you want to do.
Ride in 18-20?
For me that means a 9-12m kite...
Anyway, here are pictures of cloud flying, you can see a wrinkle in the canopy from flapping as I get onto a wave and the kite drifts. Sorry not a better picture but you get the idea. This was fun and the flapping was not a problem, believe me!

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Aummm
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Re: a good kite for light wind?

Postby Aummm » Tue May 28, 2013 8:43 pm

:stop: :soap: :duh:


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