Kiteforum.com

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to kiteboarding and would like to get some kites and a board now that I can ride upwind. I found a kiteboarding calculator here - is it accurate? http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.ca/2011/0 ... lator.html

I'm 6', 165-170lbs, and will be kiting in Squamish and Toronto area. Squamish is around 15-25kts, where Toronto is usually under 10kts. My instructor's usually been putting me on a 10m with a 150 bidirectional board in Squamish and it's worked well. Haven't yet kited in Toronto.

I recognize these are two really different situations, so any recommendations for equipment for each area?

that calculator is close enough. how many kites you gonna buy. 170 pounds so I would say 1 kite get something between 10-14m, 12 is a typical size that will give you decent wind range, 2 kites, add a light wind kite between 14-21, 3 kites add a nuking days kite between 5-9m 4+ kites fill in the gaps.

I've found that calculator to be a pretty good guide overall, but I think the calculations for board size are a bit dated. The biggest change in board design the past few seasons has been adding width to get more planing surface, rather than length.

I'm about the same size as you and unless it's an Ocean Rodeo Mako, that 150 you've been learning on strikes me as rather large. While it may be good for learning, as soon as you're riding a bit more confidently upwind, you're going to have trouble holding the board down as you build apparent wind and power in the kite. But then there are guys around here who ride big boards with larger kites in 20 knots. I can't understand why. My 142x42cm Nobile NBL was an excellent platform for progression; I intend to keep it around for other people and when the wind drops a bit.

I relate the story of how I built my quiver in this reddit thread. I feel as though I have a bit of a gap between the 13m and the 9m. When the 13m dies, I'll probably replace it with a grunty 12m--which seems to be the most common size in Toronto, then 13s and 14s, and finally 11s. I don't see too many 10m kites here. They seem to occupy something of a nether region for the average size rider: Too tiny for the average conditions, too big for when things pick up.

If it's under 12 knots, most people here just don't bother. That said, because of PBK Paul, we have a fairly large contingent of people who are in love with their Flysurfers and weird Flyrace boards. I don't know what their lower threshold is, because I'm not usually at the beach when they bust out the 21s. I'm hoping that between my cheap-ass foil and low-rocker/high-volume, quad-fin surfy that I'll be able to get out in 8-10 knots, maybe less. We'll see how that goes this summer.

Hopefully that gives you some insight, maybe I'll see you on the beach!

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I could get a 10 for here in Squamish and keep using it in Ontario as part of a quiver.

How many days in the summer months are kiteable in Toronto? (I'm happy to buy a giant size kite to get the most days, just don't really know what I'll need...) Are there good consistent wind destinations in the vicinity?

summer is garbage time in the great lakes. Some years you go all of June with it never getting up to 10 knots. You get any sesh you can and be glad for it. The time to live for kiting is spring and fall. What Im saying is make sure you save enough money for good gloves, boots, hoodie, maybe a drysuit. There is kiters in the great lakes that only kite when it's warm and on the weekend. They don't kite much.

So true.

I have as much invested in clothes as kites.

A big kite would buy more sessions, but its all light wind

The clothes buy windy days

man, from what you guys are saying , it doesn't look too promising for when I get up there. The only kite I've got is a 9M.

Sucks to hear that 10m isn't used in Ontario--it's the perfect size for kiting in Squamish... so basically it's pointless to have a 10 in my Ontario quiver?

Don't be silly! 10 is my workhorse and as big as I go. Im 180 lbs and get more days than most around here. Things that make the difference:

Flexible time

The clothing to safely ride all four seasons

A good low rocker surfboard for light wind (12-14 knots)

Willingness to pursue it in less than sunny warm conditions

An awesome wife

That being said, most people here have a bigger kite, and most novices ride only tts and need the extra power. If your tt only your going to need a bigger kite to get many days. Your also going to need something smaller than an 8 if you want to get out on the really good days. 1 kite quiver is going to limit you in most parts of the world! It's a small medium and large sport! With the right surfboard you can forgo the large, but it usually takes people a few years to both develop enough skill and get bored with light wind to make a 10m their successful big kite.

Metaphor_ wrote:Sucks to hear that 10m isn't used in Ontario--it's the perfect size for kiting in Squamish... so basically it's pointless to have a 10 in my Ontario quiver?

Well, it's not *pointless*. It's just a size that's often overlooked here because the primary kite size for most people is 12m or so; they usually feel as though a 10m would give them too much overlap and would rather have a 9m or so as their next step down. As Starsky notes, there are questions of experience and style when it comes to quiver building.

JaZone wrote:man, from what you guys are saying , it doesn't look too promising for when I get up there. The only kite I've got is a 9M.

Indeed, 9m days in the summer are more hard to come by than we'd like, but that's not to say they don't happen. It was a summer session after work in 2011 where I was stuck on the beach waiting for the wind to come down a bit that prompted me to get a 9m as my second kite. If you're willing to drive a couple hours, you'll find even more rideable days with it. If you're willing to bring home a wet kite, then there will be even more. Today might be a good example of that..