BALTIC COAST MASSACRE - I need a new kite!!!

[urbanr]

Big hello to everyone...

I hope one of you will find the time to help me out with a problem that has been eating me for the last week.

After countless of hours spent on researching my first kite I decided on a ram-air Flysurfer.de. The boys down at FS suggested that at my body weight (83kg) and average wind conditions in my area, I should be ok with the SPEEDAIR 12...

I must admit that even as a beginner I found the kite extremely responsive, easy to handle, etc...

However....

Over the long weekend I was up on the Baltic coast where winds tend to be pretty strong (easily in the 20-25knt range.) I decided, after waiting for winds to die down to give my monster a try...

Needless to say, after some shifty wind gusts - and unfortunate tangle in the wrong trapeze line (read - not the chickenloop), I was dragged 50m across the beach, over a fence where I finally managed to coordinate my body hitting the ground with me unhooking and making use of the excellent Flysurfer safety release system.

As I am now in awe of the power of this badboy 12m kite, I am looking to enlarge my quiver as to be able to go out in the stronger wind ranges. I truly believe that Flysurfer.de carries an excellent range of products especially after having read the countless reviews on the new Warrior line.

And now finally my question:

From your experience(s), seeing as I already have the SpeedAir 12, should my next kite be a Warrior 7 or 9?

------OR---------

Should I break under peer-pressure and go for an LEI type Airush or Mach1 so as to join the masses in what seems to be a more proven type of kite?

HELP

[Guest]

Dear HELP,
sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way just how effcient the Flysurfers are.
Frankly, you should take a lesson or your going to hurt yourself, someone else or, at the very least, ruin that beach for the other kitesurfers.
That said, I think the place for super efficent kites, like flysurfer mastairs is in light wind. Inflatables, especially lower AR kites like the Wipika Hydro or the F-one Magic are just so forgiving and well behaved you can deal with the obvoiusly shifty conditions where you are and make perfect higher wind kites. And they relaunch easily.
Good luck and......save yourself the doctor bills and take a lesson ; )
Lane

[murdoc]

hey there!

i think you should contact flysufer directly for an answer.
i've seen some warriors now and they behave great.

for the question if 7 or 9 - the guys at flysurfer should know the right answer.

[urbanr]

Lane, thanks for your response.

Lessons indeed... yet I can safely admit to having several day lessons and workshops already behind me.

The big flysurfers are as they're promoted...light wind weapons - and due to my day to day locations was the reason I chose the 12m.

Our windsurfing/kiting mecca happens to lie on the Baltic, where conditions are truly something else... flat water, no chop at 20-25 knts due to the 400-600m sand bar, Hence my plea for help in looking for a smaller kite.

Cheers

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: urbanr on 2002-05-06 19:51 ]</font>

[Toby]

at what windspeeds exactly are you looking at?

And where is your kitebeach?

Toby

[urbanr]

Hey Toby.

Having succesfuly clocked several runs on borrowed, smaller inflatables, I'm looking for a kite too use in the 15+ knts range and hoping to use my SpeedAir 12.0 in higher wind ranges when I become more experienced.

The spot on the Baltic is the Hel Penisula. It's located in Poland above Gdansk. As I mentioned before, it has ideal conditions. Problems may arise with southerly winds as they bounce off the tree lined penisula and tunnel through the little fishing villages.

So again, I'm looking for a kite for winds over 15 knots.. would even consider buying two kites (Warrior 7 & 9) but I'm not sure about their overlap.

Again... those ever-present inflatables come to mind as an alternative.

Thanks in advance...

urbanr




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: urbanr on 2002-05-07 09:09 ]</font>

[Guest]

I have the 9.3 warrior and have been using a borrowed 12m speedair also and there is an acceptable amount of overlap. I have not used the 7m warrior but the 9.3 will take you from low teens to mid twenties no problem.

If I were you I would go for the 9.3 warrior.

Dont mix foils and inflatos in your quiver unless you are some kind of masochist or a total kite jedi master, the technique is different enough to make changing from one tothe other a pain for most of us mere mortals.

Sean

[Toby]

with a little experience you can mix kites.
They have different launch, relaunch and landing techniques, but they are not so hard to learn. A few hours and you can handle both.
Depending on what you want, you should decide if foil or tube. The tube gives you more lift for jumping. Therefothe foils are faster and lighter which is ideal for lighter winds and bigger sizes.
In your case you could go for a 12 sqm surface area tube kite.
If you wabt to stay with the Warrior get the 9.3. One day I was out with an ARX 7.5 and a guy used the Warrior 9.3 (at its high end)so it should be the better combinbation with your 12.0 Speedair.

Cheers
Toby

[mike]

Hi

I think I have replied to your personal email, but for the sake of forum discussion let me repeat some of my thoughts :

Despite what some people say/will say, whether you want to go for a FlySurfer kite or a LEI it's down to personal preference. Some argue that learning on RamAirs may be a bit more difficult, others hate the LEI's because of all the pumping, durability issues.. blah-blah..

Choose whatever you think is right for YOU. Both Flysurfers and Mach1's work pretty well.

You already have a FlySurfer, if you are happy with it then go for another one. I also suggest to borrow a friend's LEI and give it a try (few times if possible). See which riding style you like best and go that way.

In my initial reply, I thought you were interested in winds of 20-25 knots and with your weight (83kg) I suggested that if you go for a :

- FlySurfer, then you have a choice between a Warrior 7 (fast, responcive kite, high jumps) or a Maniac 9.3 (more user friendly, easier to relaunch, stable kite).

- Mach1, then I recommend the 9.1


But if you interested in winds of 15knots + (upto say low/mid 20's), then you should move a size up in all kites ie, a Warrior 9.3 or a Mach1 12.1

Keep in mind that the Mach1's are high AR kites and hence faster and not exactly "beginner" kites, but if you're planning to take lessons and you're upto the challenge they are well worth the investment.


Hope above will help.


Let me know if you need anything as I'm the Cyprus dealer for both Flysurfer.de and F.One, and we offer free shipping to Europe this time of the year.

Best Regards,
Mike

[urbanr]

Ok guys... I'm almost there in terms of making a choice...

This reply was orginally privately sent to Mike, and I will post it here, again, for the sake of the forum.



I hope I can ask you a few more questions as you have experience with both the Flysurfers, and the Mach1 kites (an LEI I would consider buying).

I have had a chance to borrow LEIs, a Cabrina 9.2 (4 line) and a 2 line Wipika 11m... I think one has to adapt to practically every type of kite when switching. My main concern, through lack of experience, is the age old question: which is better? To narrow it down let's say between the Machs and Flysurfers.

As you carry both, maybe you can tell me what you prefer and why. And if you do have a mixed quiver (which many say no to do) which kite do you use under what conditions.

I have to say that with my limited experience with different kites I really enjoy the Flysurfer concept more... but I'm afraid that I may be missing out on the newer LEIs as the ones I've tried were older and maybe not so technologically refined.

One more thing, when it comes to big air (and I know I'm being a little eager here...) is it true that the foil won't lift as well as inflatables or have those German wizards over at FS added some magic fairy dust to the new Warrior line to boost performance?

Thanks again

urbanr

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: urbanr on 2002-05-07 14:26 ]</font>