Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Forum for kitesurfers
GrodanBoll
Medium Poster
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:39 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby GrodanBoll » Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:55 am

As the subject says I´m wondering which kite size I should aim for if I go to Cape Town in january-february. I don't like travel with to much weight, so I´m thinking that 1 kite is enough.

I have 8,9,10 and 10,5m to choose from. All hybrid bow kites. My weight is 87kg, probably at least 90 with the wetsuit and harness attached.

I heard that the wind is strong, so I´m thinking that 10,5 perhaps is to much? Should I go for the 9m kite or what to do you recommend?

piccio
Frequent Poster
Posts: 430
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:11 pm
Local Beach: rome
Favorite Beaches: sardinia cape town
Style: wave
Gear: religion 5 6 8
firewire 5 11 maquina 5.9
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby piccio » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:41 am

last two season (one month in feb.) took with me 5 6 mt. (78 kg).
had a 7 from a local shop to try but was too big .
I had experience last two season only ,I found that wind overthere is strong or nothing so is uneuseful travel with big sizes,plus prices are cheaper than europe and custom gives back 16% on leaving .
I think 8 is enough, even big

briansuntrax
Medium Poster
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:13 pm
Local Beach: Dolphin Beach, Tableview.
Golfinho hotel, Cumbuco.
Favorite Beaches: Dolphin Beach.
Cumbuco, upwind of Golfinho hotel.
Taiba to Paracaru downwinder.
Rede beach at low tide.
NOT Cauipe
Style: Freeride
Gear: Naish Dash and Pivots - Monarch TT.
Brand Affiliation: Owner Suntrax - Importer Naish Kitesuf South Africa.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby briansuntrax » Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:07 pm

For sure if you are limited to your existing kites bring the 8.0. If you ride a directional you may find the 8.0 too big on quite a few occasions - but then you can go out earlier in the day as the wind generally peaks from around 3pm.

User avatar
PAFF
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1871
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 2:17 pm
Style: Frestyle and waves. Always unhookt
Brand Affiliation: Slingshot-Naish-Cabrinha-North-Best-Surftech.
Location: Waves or flat
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby PAFF » Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:27 pm

If on a waveboard, go 8m2, on a TT go 9m2.

Either way, your are goner be powred, waveguys needs a 5, and TT guys a 7...

GrodanBoll
Medium Poster
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:39 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby GrodanBoll » Tue Dec 02, 2014 12:22 am

Sounds crazy... I rarely ever kited in winds where I had use for something smaller than a 8m kite. And in those winds I´m to scared to do anything but perhaps jump like a mofo. If the wind is so strong that a 7m kite is enough, then it really must be f***king windy!

How is Langebaan? I heard it´s less windy there. Where do you recommend to go kitesurfing in South Africa btw?

heinzbush
Medium Poster
Posts: 191
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 3:59 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby heinzbush » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:05 am

Langebaan has mainly two spots:

Main Beach: ok - flat, Chopper water, current, crowded, nice infrastructure with showers and restaurants...

Shark Bay: beautiful endless lagoon, crowded in entrance, not easily accessible, no infrastructure.

shark bay has less wind than main beach, I go there when it's really strong at main beach...

briansuntrax
Medium Poster
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:13 pm
Local Beach: Dolphin Beach, Tableview.
Golfinho hotel, Cumbuco.
Favorite Beaches: Dolphin Beach.
Cumbuco, upwind of Golfinho hotel.
Taiba to Paracaru downwinder.
Rede beach at low tide.
NOT Cauipe
Style: Freeride
Gear: Naish Dash and Pivots - Monarch TT.
Brand Affiliation: Owner Suntrax - Importer Naish Kitesuf South Africa.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby briansuntrax » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:30 am

Am a local in the kite industry and the following web page is probably the best and most concise neutral overview of kite surfing in Cape Town and surrounds. It answers most of the common questions.
http://www.progression.me/blog/tips-for ... -cape-town

Hugh2
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1665
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:38 am
Kiting since: 2005
Weight: 180lb/82kg
Local Beach: Clinton Lake in East-Central Illinois
Favorite Beaches: Cape Hatteras and Cape Town (also sailing around the world, this season crossed the South Pacific)
Style: freeride
Gear: Cabrinha Nomad 5.5, Naish Pivot 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11, Duotone Dice 12
Long Ocean 136, Eleveight Master C+ 136, Naish Global 6'0", RB Sixty 3 Matador 5' 8", Slingshot Hoverglide H5 foil and Alien Air 4' 6" and Converter boards
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 98 times
Been thanked: 284 times

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby Hugh2 » Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:28 am

I have old 9 and 12 m kites I leave in Cape Town for the few light days, and take newer 6 m and 7.5 m kites with me. There are days I wish I had a 5 m, but I'm usually exhausted by the time it blows that hard, usually after 5 PM. If you are going alone and want to do long downwinders, get a MyCiti bus card and you can ride it back, all the way from Haakgat. I've kited for 10 years and weigh 90kg, ride TT and surfboard, but a little older than most.

User avatar
robclaisse
Frequent Poster
Posts: 306
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2002 1:00 am
Local Beach: Currently living in Blouberg, Cape Town, ZA
Favorite Beaches: Shoreham-by-sea, UK
Waddell Creek - Santa Cruz, USA
Tableview, Cape Town, SA
Style: Waves / Foiling
Gear: F-one Breeze 15m, Bandits 11,8,6
Pocket 13cm with a Mirage 800, 85cm mast
Mitu 5'8"
Trax Carbon 137
Brand Affiliation: Progression Sports (Formally Fat Sand)
Location: Shoreham-by-Sea, UK. Owner of Progression Sports
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 97 times
Contact:

Re: Best kite size in Cape Town january-february?

Postby robclaisse » Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:50 pm

So I've been here for the past 4 days and its looking like we're gonna have an awesome season.

I'm 99kg (220lbs) and I do ride a surfboard so my kites are a little smaller but so far its been 6m weather everyday with one day on my 5m. I did use my 8m for an hour but then it picked up and 6m was perfect :-)

What you need to understand is the wind picks up through the day so you can get away with larger kites (that will be 8 or 9m in Cape Town) but you need to be on it and get out as soon as the wind starts to pick up - that might be 9am some days but other days it will be 5pm. You may get an hour when you can use bigger kites or it may fill in slowly and you'll have several hours. It really depends on the weather. Some days will be 5 knots all day and then at 6pm, within 30 minutes its blow 30 knots. Its a crazy place but you are guarantee a lot of great kiting.

Overall, smaller kites are a better idea as you can generally just wait until later in the day and get a session it when its pickup, with bigger kites you just need to be ready to get out as soon as it fills in. Ideally bring as many kites as you can :-D

Brian from Suntrax posted a link above to a blog post I wrote a couple of years ago and I've been updating each year. (Thanks Brian!) I've been coming to Cape Town, on and off for 12 years, I love this place and it is one of the best places in the world for kiting, you just need to get your head around how the wind works and then you can get so much out of kiting here.

Here's to a windy and wavey Cape Town summer!!


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: 20kts, alekbelia, Bartolo, Breze, BrianMaiden, chidism, decay, diogoveb, Exage, Exal, gl, i_love_storm, IDAVIS, Kitemenn, nothing2seehere, Pera, Smeagle, tobesen, Trent hink, Ventum and 174 guests