kite and board setup for riding upwind in 7 knots?

[JS]

8 knots in cooler air here can be more powerful than 10 knots of warm Caribbean air.

Well informed post, except for this point.

8 knots of cooler air here can be as powerful as up to about 8.1 to 8.4 knots of warm (and humid, low density) Caribbean air, especially if "cooler" means below freezing.

[William Munney]

If I go from a 16 meter Rebel to a Dyno riding an Airush Sector 60, how much difference will it make?

[plummet]

lots of talk about wind speed but not much regarding water conditions.

currrent against or with the wind. swell period, size, waves, whitewash. onshore, cross shore, offshore conditions.

All make a huge impact at light wind riding.

[UKSurf]

If I go from a 16 meter Rebel to a Dyno riding an Airush Sector 60, how much difference will it make?

I dont think it will make a huge amount of difference to be honest. Rebel is already fairly high aspect and at 16m you are going to have to get something like a 21m Flysurfer to get any noticable improvement. The real issue is the risk of the kite falling from the sky in ultra light winds. If you cant get out on a sector with a 16m rebel it probably isnt worth it.

[SupaEZ]

lots of talk about wind speed but not much regarding water conditions.

currrent against or with the wind. swell period, size, waves, whitewash. onshore, cross shore, offshore conditions.

All make a huge impact at light wind riding.

Let's add fresh lake water versus salty ocean water (drag..more or less from the board in the water)
Let's add water temperature versus wind temperature (power... more or less from their differential )

Conclusion...no two 7kn are identical....too many factors and variables

[av_dumitrascu]

I have enjoyed many times lightwind sessions (6-9 knts) with Spleene X19 or Flysurfer Speed3 21 and Spleene MonsterDoor 166x50...it`s a little bit tricky to master ultra-light-winds, especially to go upwind, but it can be done easily when learned!
Some guys swear by a surfboard, but I am yet to control this kind of set-up (foil kite and surfboard) in ultra-light-winds.

BTW, the local riders on Core XRLW 19 with Core Fusion LW board 152 x 46 cm are loosing upwind some 3-4 knots before my combo, so foils really make the difference in ultra-light-wind!

[plummet]

For those of you using big door sized tt's. who has ditched the fins altogether?

I recon i get a knot or 2 less without fins.

Its a fruity feeling. But once you get a handle of the jandle its super smooth and lush.

[KYLakeKiter]

Sometimes I ride my friend's Spleene Door 159. It is the board that gets me upwind in the lowest winds. If I take the fins off that and get 2 more kts out of it, that would put me at 5 Not counting on that, but I do want to try it just to see what its like.

I usually ride my surfboard in the lightest wind. It gets me on plane just slightly earlier than the Spleene, but gets upwind a little later. I just have a little more fun strapless directional when there isn't really enough wind to do much else. I obviously need to get into hydrofoils. That seems to take over everything once you start

[SupaEZ]

[quote="KYLakeKiter" I obviously need to get into hydrofoils. That seems to take over everything once you start [/quote]



Yesterday at our beach a very talented kitesurfer @68kg was riding his new LIFT foilboard
It was about his 4th day on it...so about 10 hours of practice

Impressive was that in @8kn he was going quite fast upwind on his SP3 12m2 standard cloth
When the wind hit @11kn he rigged very small as a test : Rebel 2010 6m2 and was staying upwind

Jibing from heelside to toeside back and forth with his board staying up down looping at times
Wind from 5 pm to 7pm was very steady seabreeze SSE side side-on
Air temp 84F...water temp 78F...smooth ocean water with 2ft surf on the inside

[Hawaiis]

Yesterday at our beach a very talented kitesurfer @68kg was riding his new LIFT foilboard
It was about his 4th day on it...so about 10 hours of practice

Impressive was that in @8kn he was going quite fast upwind on his SP3 12m2 standard cloth
When the wind hit @11kn he rigged very small as a test : Rebel 2010 6m2 and was staying upwind

Jibing from heelside to toeside back and forth with his board staying up down looping at times
Wind from 5 pm to 7pm was very steady seabreeze SSE side side-on
Air temp 84F...water temp 78F...smooth ocean water with 2ft surf on the inside

You are right.
I weight about the same,

For me the limit is:
Wind speed are based on US marine base Kaneohe
These are based on ideal conditions, on shore wind, choppy water etc. will also affect the low end.
5knot 19m
6knot 17m
7knots 14m
8knots 11m
9knots 8m