Hi, I fly a 15m PL Bomba at the beach, lots of days are just under it's range (12-18 knots). What would be a good used kite to suplement my balloon?

Hi Greg,

I used my 16.5m Wipi Matrix a lot in those winds.

However nothing beats a good light wind board in those conditions. Either a wide twin tip (148x43) or a good flat rockered directional in the 150cm+ range. Either of these would be cheaper than a larger kite and certainly give you better bottom end even with your current kite.

Cheers,

Dave Kay

Whilst i'm currently using a 19m Venom for ranges from 13-22 knots (80kg rider and a 124 board) if you want low low end (10knots) up to about 18knots i'd recommend either the Best BFK 18m or if you can afford it and want to spend half the day pumping it up the Slingshot Machine.

A good low wind board would drop your bottom end to 10 knots or so Ian.

I get going/upwind/jumping from 10 knots on the 19V with a 160x47 directional. That set up is very good for light onshore waves too.

Cheers,

DK

same 10-12 knots crap here recently 11-12knots and well upwind on a surfboard- most big kites have been slow, boring, have a small range, generate less power from kite speed, wobble in the air and are heavy to carry around but i am sure someone will think they are fast, fun, huge range, generate loads of power , super fast, and rock steady eddie. But you know when you have no alternative some bigger kites are great cos not riding sucks.

my 10-12 knot machine (20m AERO) blew it's ass about 2 months ago. The 20m AERO relished those conditions but needed a big board too.... you would need a HUGE kite to get you powered on a small board in 10 knots. By huge i mean freakin massive!!

So yeah use a bigger board.

Hey Dave

Your new website looks great. Lotsa new boards and pics(one on main page is kool)

and Greg do you still have your big red kitesports board cos that would be the best board to use without going for a surfboard.

Martin :mrgreen:

Thanks Martin - and good spotting!

It wasn't meant to go public until tomorrow...

Cheers,

Dave Kay

Ruakaka kitesports ah?
kinda heard part of that name before. When is the shop going to open? and whats the learning areas up there like?

Martin

Hi Martin,

School has openned, shop and online shop shortly.

Kitesports is what we do - kiteboarding, kitemountainboarding, kitebuggying, kitesnowboarding, kitesailing, kitetraction, stunt kites, single line kites, manufacture, repair, lessons etc etc etc

Ruakaka is awesome for all forms of kite traction, we were out buggying at Ruakaka beach yesterday, the river mouth is looking on for tomorrow for a kitesurf, today would have been perfect for the kitecat...

Cheers,

Dave Kay

You should definitely try one of the magic plywood boards that feel at home at Brighton beach (maybe because they are at home). Even if they look like the ugliest board you've ever seen, it's worth trying.

I don't want to interfere in the national business of the board makers, but with a finless plywood board you'll definitely take the most of these days when it is light and dead onshore with shallows everywhere to slow you down and catch a fin. With such a board it is really fun to ride all the way to the tidal watermark, this helps you a lot to go upwind as well. Just take care of the dogs, or they'll take care of you.

I'm not trying to evangelize anyone here, but that's pretty awesome fun riding this way, small kite, big fast strapped board, and my 85kgs...

Thanks all for your input. And yes Martin, I do still have that big red 160 cm plywood sled, and after Alex's post I might give it a go w/o fins!

Hi guys, The SS Machine 17.5 eats light wind. Yesterday Julian was out in 8-11 knots, on a 132 FLX, kite parked, cranking upwind, jumping low level 3s etc, didn't matter the 17.5 made up the lost ground very quick. When it backed off he had to start working the kite, then it faded more, but Julian just jumped on a 142 & ripped upwind, everyone around was impressed. Light on the bar too, fast flying kite, Slingshot have done their homework, the Octane is another sweet ride, major design changes.
Air-time, I have a s/hand 19 Venom coming through, would suit you & your quiver, one careful lady owner, (Matu in Nelson) check it out later next week
Cheers, Tim 8)

Thanks Tim, Will Do!

P.S. I rocked on a 132 Dagger with my 15 m Bomba from about 2 till 5 PM, but wasn't able to go upwind much. Wind dropped off after I left though according to Wind Wise!

Ha Ha yeah we got the same 10knotish winds up here too.. sucks big time.
here what your saying tim and alex... yesterday at Orewa that old bugger who thinks hes still young was ripping around on a SS machine and the fat, no rocker, barly any fins SS board... the glide I think.
Everyone was either on the beach praying for more wind or groveling on the water whilest the above combo was cruising around caning up wind doing handlepass thingys off the small waves and the odd arial kiteloop. Kite looks very stable and just seems to be able to park it and ride fast... very little or no working it but it does seem to loop quick if required

Hey Earl, does this mean you're going to ride Slingshot ?

Come to the dark side aunty....
Trouble is, you'll never want to go back to flying Naish.
Guess that wouldn't be the greatest marketing plan.

How come you weren't out on your 20m octopussy & that weird new, fat, wide Naish TT ?

Making impressions here, but I'm finding it hard to get my hands on the kite to demo properly myself as the people that borrow it won't give it back in a hurry, I've had new kites here for a week & still not . The Octane is a kite that will impress also, the fast kite speed gets a rider up & planing early, huge top end due to clever batton placement in the sail, & very few struts, or half struts at that, amazingly stable too, the 16m Octane would have a very similar bottom end to the 17.5 Machine, a lighter rider who likes a fast lifty kite couldn't go wrong. SS R&D is super sound! They deliver what they say they're going to! & then some...
Tim 8)