Postby chicken strap » Tue May 15, 2012 6:33 pm
Ok, here is the deal. 3 kites is definitely unsafe. Let me rationalize why:
As a racer, it is a requirement to have your biggest size (>16). Otherwise if the race committee decides to run races in sub 10 mph conditions, you simply can't participate. This can happen anywhere, I have used my 18 at Crissy many times. Using one choice on the big kite which you likely won't even use leaves you with only two more choices. In my case that leaves me with a tricky decision between my 13/11/9/7. All of these sizes have moments where they are absolutely the best choice.
For me, the 9 is nearly a requirement. This gives me the biggest range from 20-30 mph for someone my size. Now I am left to decide between the 13/11/7. The choice between 13/11 is a reasonable strategical choice, I am alright with that. So I will choose one of those sizes based on what I think about the venue.
Here is the problem. Everywhere can blow in the 30s, I know Sylt definitely did. Crissy does all the time, so does Hawaii, Australia, Florida. Heck San Diego can . . . If I don't have a 7 meter kite and they send us to race then I am going to go because I am competitive, but now safety is a big time issue. I know this happened to the production class last year in Sylt. I have heard there were guys on 10 meters in mid 30 conditions. Racing is dangerous enough without having to do that.
Here is my solution: make it a four kite rule, but require one of the kites is a (<8) size. That way every competitor has a small kite if it is needed. Then the three other sizes can be chosen from remaining sizes.
This would also encourage companies to build sizes with bigger gaps how about a 17-13-10-7?
The only other option is to put a wind maximum on our racing, just like yachties have. I.E >25 knots no racing. That would be terrible, the whole reason kiting is better is because we can race in 35 knots!!!
If there is not some sort of rule, then guys could be showing up with 10 kites, which would be ridiculous. I get that it needs to exist, but there needs to be a compromise that will allow us to safely race in extreme conditions.