Around this time of year the desperation has set in and any hint of onshore wind has me packing the car running to my local beach.
Only to return frustrated, pissed off and worse than not trying to kite.
Today the wind popped was up when it was time to pick up the kids and finish off the last of the jobs. Raced straight to my local beach because I didn't want to waste time (& wind) driving the better spots - wind averaging 12 Knots.
Pumped up the 17mtr Core Xr LW with a infinity 5"7' skim board, this is going to satisfy my fix to get on the water. 10 minutes on the water the average wind is now 9 -10 knots. Even though its only a small surf it's just enough to zap any speed I gain.
Leaving me more pissed off and frustrated than if I had of just stayed home.
Reading these forums everyone is talking about how cool it is ripping around on foils in super light conditions, to me unless you spend the Big $$ and get a proper foil and foil kite it just seems more hassle than it's worth.
PS - in future I must remind myself to make the effort to drive to the lake if I'm tempted to play in light winds.
Spartacus - I hear your pain !!
Ive done the beach run enough times - only to get there and find that I just cant get going on the surfboard and the 13.5 m inflatable (im around 90 kg) - the wind seems to taunt me with 10 to 12 knots !!!!
Recently I got hold of a foil kite in frustration - its a Spleene X19 and ride it with a surfboard - I think my bottom end has dropped to around 8 knots (but that's the lulls not the average) .
I have been on the beach with a mate who has a Switch 18 m Helium - he could get the kite to fly but it couldn't generate the power to get going - +1 to the foil kite !!
Now to the challenges of the Spleene X19 - Bridals !!!!!! the blurb says roll it out and fly but I find I need to spend some time making sure the flying lines aren't tangled
I find I cant launch and land off a static point (post and leash) like I can with my LEI's - and landing the X19 ???? Its a doona that just wants to fly and then get incredibly tangled :-(
Oh I think I bought my X 19 for around $900 - some dude on Ebay is trying to sell one for a lot more than that atm - tell him he's dreaming!!
As a mate of mine said recently - what are you doing trying to kite in 10 knots ?? It will lead to divorce !!! Go fishing!! LOL ( my wife hates both the beach and fishing ?? - anyone help me out there !!)
Edit - depower on the Spleene X 19 is a bit like the old C kites - not much of a range !! I do wonder what the depower of the ozone etc foils are like - anyone got a heads up ??
Foil is the answer - I look forward to 9-12 knots more than 18+knots these days - worth the investment of time and money imo
Alternative idea is to go kite buggying or landboarding. Those too are sweet in lighter winds.
Select to expand quoteLambie said..
Now to the challenges of the Spleene X19 - Bridals !!!!!! the blurb says roll it out and fly but I find I need to spend some time making sure the flying lines aren't tangled
I find I cant launch and land off a static point (post and leash) like I can with my LEI's - and landing the X19 ???? Its a doona that just wants to fly and then get incredibly tangled :-(
Same here with my Chrono. It takes a fair bit longer to rig that kite. But worse than rigging the kite is putting it back into the bag :) This gets tricky when there is wind beyond 10 knots.
My lemon tree just blew over, it's in like a 40kg pot!
Tomorrow morning should be gooooood!
Select to expand quoteSchulerbible said..Lambie said..
Now to the challenges of the Spleene X19 - Bridals !!!!!! the blurb says roll it out and fly but I find I need to spend some time making sure the flying lines aren't tangled
I find I cant launch and land off a static point (post and leash) like I can with my LEI's - and landing the X19 ???? Its a doona that just wants to fly and then get incredibly tangled :-(
Same here with my Chrono. It takes a fair bit longer to rig that kite. But worse than rigging the kite is putting it back into the bag :) This gets tricky when there is wind beyond 10 knots.
Maybe I should upload a vid? I'm about 2 mins to rig and 2min to pack up. no dangles 90% of the time. 12m chrono.
The key to landing is teathering the landing strap to something once landed. Also pull the landing strap at 45 not the zenith.
Spartan (George?), I hear you man. We all do.
i have an old (for some reason the older larger kites have better bottom end?) Naish SLE boxer 15m, and it's my biggest kite yet. I can ride her in no less than 10knots with an old 168cm Cabrinha Force board. But edging upwind is a struggle. I weigh 82k.
I did try a friend's Chrono 12m in around 12knots and I was lit! Imagine if I had the Chrono 15 or 18m. Forget the Spleene. It's design is old and I bet even a Pansh 19m could do better.
BUT, the best thing I've recently discovered is a no rocker board, for light winds. Get or make a good sized board with no rocker what so ever. Flat man! You will be happy trust me.
Lofty is correct. The board makes much more difference than the kite. Dead flat. No rocker at all. A little bit of nose lift in a surfboard is ok. Short and wide for a TT.
As for foil kites, don't buy an old one. They go porous and don't fly particularly well even though they look like they do. They tend to get a bit stall prone and sit back in the window.
Rigging and packing a foil should be way quicker than an inflatable. To an extent it's an acquired skill, like wrapping lines and not getting them tangled. Put in a bit of practice and it should be effortless.
Similarly, light wind riding is much more a function of skill than kite size. Just getting bigger and bigger kites is not going to help. You need to learn how to do it then you can ride with almost any size kite.
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
Alternative idea is to go kite buggying or landboarding. Those too are sweet in lighter winds.
I sooooooo agree. and buggys are surprisingly super fun.
What you also get with any of the current crop of foil race kites is the ability to go upwind really really well. This makes a huge impact when you are trying to get over little one and two footers that usually come with light wind.
I use a 23 inch wide super flat surfboard and a chrono 18 and I get more time on the water than anyone else at my local.
I've been skunked many a time, especially being in QLD. The only reason I get so many kiting hours nowadays is because I work from home and pretty much leave when the wind picks up.
My rule now is if it isn't at 20kts or approaching it, I'm staying home.
Maybe if you kited on a lake or flat water with no currents it'd be worth it, but being in the surf with a side sweep and bashing through waves when you are underpowered is just plain stupid!! 
for 10 knots I am preferring my 14 - 15m over a 17m inflatable now with a vanguard style surfboard, a larger board with good angeled fins makes more difference than a larger kite, in 10 knots I can have a lot of fun in the surf, while others on 17m who are lighter struggle on a twintips or thinner surfboards
Select to expand quotePlummet said..Schulerbible said..Lambie said..
Now to the challenges of the Spleene X19 - Bridals !!!!!! the blurb says roll it out and fly but I find I need to spend some time making sure the flying lines aren't tangled
I find I cant launch and land off a static point (post and leash) like I can with my LEI's - and landing the X19 ???? Its a doona that just wants to fly and then get incredibly tangled :-(
Same here with my Chrono. It takes a fair bit longer to rig that kite. But worse than rigging the kite is putting it back into the bag :) This gets tricky when there is wind beyond 10 knots.
Maybe I should upload a vid? I'm about 2 mins to rig and 2min to pack up. no dangles 90% of the time. 12m chrono.
The key to landing is teathering the landing strap to something once landed. Also pull the landing strap at 45 not the zenith.
Rigging is not the problem can do it in the same time I need for my LEI. However, it takes a fair bit longer to wrap up.
The thing is I don't want to have sand or other stuff between the material. Also usually I don't pack the kite with the bar attached to the speed system, as I don't want to have the wet bar sitting anywhere close to the kite.
Landing a foil kite is indeed tricky, got my several nightmares already (15m chrono). We don't have stuff on the beach which I may use as anchor. Best way is to ask somebody to grab the wing tip.
Select to expand quoteSchulerbible said.....
Rigging is not the problem can do it in the same time I need for my LEI. However, it takes a fair bit longer to wrap up.
The thing is I don't want to have sand or other stuff between the material. Also usually I don't pack the kite with the bar attached to the speed system, as I don't want to have the wet bar sitting anywhere close to the kite.
...
I used to roughly roll the kite around the bar while standing. That stopped the kite getting sandy. Then I would carry it to the grassy pack up area and detach the bar and lines and roll the kite more neatly.
At one beach I was able to ground handle the kite on the bridles and walk it to the pack up area. It was fun to do but a bit sketchy for normal practice.
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..Schulerbible said.....
Rigging is not the problem can do it in the same time I need for my LEI. However, it takes a fair bit longer to wrap up.
The thing is I don't want to have sand or other stuff between the material. Also usually I don't pack the kite with the bar attached to the speed system, as I don't want to have the wet bar sitting anywhere close to the kite.
...
I used to roughly roll the kite around the bar while standing. That stopped the kite getting sandy. Then I would carry it to the grassy pack up area and detach the bar and lines and roll the kite more neatly.
At one beach I was able to ground handle the kite on the bridles and walk it to the pack up area. It was fun to do but a bit sketchy for normal practice.
Exactly, what I am doing to get the kite packed well. This procedure, however, takes a bit longer than just 2 min 
