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Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

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FredBGG
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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby FredBGG » Fri Nov 27, 2009 6:51 pm

TonyL wrote:Spectrum-

You mention you have a Speed 19 SA. I am thinking about getting one. Question for you - would you choose the Zeph or the Speed 19 for low wind riding? I am looking for a low wind kite up to about 15 knots. I am 200lbs.

Thanks -

Tony
Tony let me tell you one thing about the Speed 2 19.
It has given me loads of memorable sessions for various reasons, but one more than anything else.

The ultra low end of the kite makes it worth while to stay at the beach and have a soul session... this is in my opinion a good enough reason to have it. But then what often happens is that the wind kicks in just a bit more and I'm doing big floaty jumps, cruising effortlessly upwind and then riding (parked kite style) down the line in the surf. THere have been days where other surfers pump up
waiting for wind and hand around and then pack up and leave. All that time I'm on the water then as often happens there is a one hour or less burst of good 12mph.... to short for people to drive down to the beach, but I'm already on the water. Sometimes it will come up even more... enough for me to quicly go from my big Speed to a smaller foil. With no pumping and deflation I can be in and out changing kite in a couple of minutes. If your smaller kite is a LEI.. no problem... if the wind comes more than 15mph you can still have a blast on the Speed 3 19m if there isn't enough time to switch.

There is something special about a soul session followed by a 1 hour adrenalin rush!

If you are getting a speed and what to do some down the line wave riding (park and surf style) the Speed 3 has a big advantage over the Speed 2. Don't confuse this type of riding with throwing your kite around and and chasing it down the line. No kite can do this in low low wind.

Lets see if I can make another comparisson... wave riding in real low wind with the Speed is in a certain way a mix of SUP (stand Up Paddle Boarding) and regular surfing, but to things change. First no paddling and second you can do it with a smallish board... about half the size and a 1/8 otf the weight of a SUP.

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby TonyL » Fri Nov 27, 2009 7:33 pm

Spectrum and Fred-

Thanks for the feedback. Fred - I live in Tampa and I think you know some of the local guys flying Speeds like Craig. One of my friends is just getting into foils and bought a 15M Speed 3 and I found out today he bought a 19M Speed 3. So - looks like I will get plenty of time on the 19 and 15 to see what the low end is like. I was leaning towards trying to find a used 19M Speed 2 but what you said makes sense. I am definitely looking for the low end and then switching to my LEI Cabrinha's once it hits 15 knots. Thanks again. I will PM you if I have other questions before everyone gets upset about hijacking this thread.

Tony

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marlboroughman
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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby marlboroughman » Sat Nov 28, 2009 3:36 pm

Before you guys dump big money on a Zephyr or even bigger money on a Speed consider a different board. I am keeping up with those big kites on a 13m with a 19.5" wide surf board and I can use it in waves. If I was 90kg+ I would rather buy a course racing directional than one of those monster kites. Myself I like a custom surf boards that can be ordered with three strap configuration like in the old days so I can trim the board better especially riding upwind. Once directional board is moving it creates so much speed you don't need big kites.

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Marty
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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby Marty » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:01 pm

OK...

Then just imagine what you could do with both,,,
Zephyr, and the big board????

I bought a Z, and love it.

Marty 8)


MM, you post the same thing in two posts, so will I.....

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby marlboroughman » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:12 pm

No need. I can go in conditions where if I do not make a smooth jibe the kite will fall from the sky. I just have to keep feeding the kite with speed from the board. Zephyr will just fall harder and Speed will become a ball of spaghetti.

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby Billy B. » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:39 pm

marlboroughman wrote:No need. I can go in conditions where if I do not make a smooth jibe the kite will fall from the sky. I just have to keep feeding the kite with speed from the board. Zephyr will just fall harder and Speed will become a ball of spaghetti.
Heh I wanna post the same thing in different post also.

MM have you flown the Zephyr????

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby marlboroughman » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:57 pm

No... I went head to head though with both Zephyr and Speed and I am still the light wind king. I can loop 13m at will and in transitions and that seams to be doing the trick for me. Feel free to send me one and if I can loop it the same I will be the undisputed open weight light wind world champion. :D

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby naishdude » Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:53 pm

I had the speed² 15 and Pulse² in 10....once I flew Ozone I have sold them both and only fly tubes ...ozones

Why the 15 m speed ² sold? to buy a zephyr...why , well amongst a lot of other reasons, if in Light wind I drop the zeph..I only have to worry about 4 lines, if I cannot start it anymore I still have a floating island....where with the speed..

Getting the speed wet in salt water...or having to drag it back to the beach while not able to start it anymore....it will stay wet unless you rinse it..but for that you need a lot of space and you have to hang it up, with all the little lines tangling around. If you have to rinse it it will take a longer time to dry, if yo do not rinse it be sure it will always have a wet feeling and when you want to fold it on the beach it is like a magnet to sand..it will stick on it...as if there was glue on the kite.

The tubekites you rinse they dry on their tubes and it all is so simple.

Frank

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby islandbound » Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:52 am

Took the 17 Zep for a ride in SPI, had a chance to compare directly with my 16 cb IDS from 2009. The Zep had much lighter bar pressure and faster on the turns. Riding it on the surface was a joy. I couldnt get the jumps with the kite, could have just been my timing or accustom to how cabs jump. Overall very impressed with the ride on the surface, for jumping Ill take my Cab. Overall light wind performance was very close in terms of power and ability with the Zep being hands down winner on the speed of the turns and lightness of bar

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Re: Ozone Zephyr 17m Light Wind Kite

Postby alden » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:40 am

I agree with the mentioned technique of keeping the kite speed and board speed up with smooth down loop turns. This can be seen in the video taken recently with my 14m and a mutant board. All other kiters were packing up and leaving the beach with long faces saying No Wind, but I was eager for a second session. I talked the last guy into an assited launch before he left and he was right, my kite wouldn't leave his hands. But I ran backwards and got the kite up and to my delight there must have been a wind shear layer because the water looked dead but my Nemi was finding some wind aloft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz7uyw5xWxY


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