Hey sneaky, good to hear that you may want to see the kite in action as I know the claims are hard to beleive . Iam into speed kiting and by doing alot of research on the net a few years ago I came to the conclusion that the genetrix hydra was the kite to have for that style just by the fact that many of the top ten guys in the world at speed had moved to them, so I imported a quiver for me and a few local big air and speed freaks and by shock was stunned at the flying speed and depower. I joined up to gpskitesurfing.com and started posting some times down in so far winds under 30 knots due to the tide at the speed spot I go to, my best being a 2 sec speed of 43 knots and at this speed I had total control which I thought would be impossible a few years ago. Alot of the new kites are great and all have good and bad points no matter what, the hydra has bad points aswell which is that it doesnt turn as quick as some kites and unhooking isnt as good as c style kites, but if you love boosting and speed and windrange this is one of the best kites for that job.
I will be hopefully going down to sandy point later this year when a major front and gale warning is on so maybe sneaky you might want to check it out then.
hey tightlines, i havent yet kitesurfed at wyhalla, mainly parham and outer harbour
....... .... Lets not be misleading here, you can be close to hold down a 12 meter in 30 kts in almost every brand these days in the rights conditions, with the right skills, ie low pressure system, flat water, 35 I would say yes as well, but I would definately not call it "kitesurfing" when all you do is pull down on the bar to jump. And your in a position where you cannot unhook or wave ride... which you can't do in that sort of wind on a 12 unless your riding a slow moving monster of death wave.
and I've been kiting upwind in 4-6 kts on my 08 vegas 12, with 6 kts of current .... lol.
If your going upwind in 8 kts without any current assisting you, with a 12 your saying you "ride" in 35 kts of wind, you are something special.
Sounds mighty similar to claims of the mysterious Best SHmellfish..
dachopper,
On that session at Outer harbor in my last post I wouldv'e loved to have used the 9m, but hadn't got it yet, so it turned into a 'test the top end/ big boosting' session on the 12.
A well known, experienced kiter was watching and commented later that he was amazed I was using a 12, and that he is 100kg and didn't go out because it was too windy.
Obviously a 9m for my 65kg wouldv'e been more comfortable for wave riding etc. (Incidently the 9m has a 40knt top end and the 14m 28knts)
The thing about the 12 is it feels safe in high winds compared to any other kite Iv'e used, including 8m sonic, which gets pretty hairey over 30knts.
I can pump the 12 up on any kiting day a no matter what the wind does, within reason, and I will have a good sesh.
Just sounded a little mis-leading when a guy is asking for advice on what to upgrade, someones definition of what the top wind speed a kite is capable of. I still find it hard to believe, The problems with big kites in high winds is this, just like the problems boats have with big sails in high wind .. and that is it doesn't matter how much you sheet off, there is soooooo much drag caused by the windspeed blowing over the large 12 surface. No kites have a reducing surface, so then the problem is the only thing that is fighting against this drag, is the tension on the lines , and the rigidity of the canopy and struts to hold that force....
So as the windspeed increases you need to pump your bladders up harder for them to support the canopy without letting the canopy distort.
For a 12 to go out in a true 30 kt ( strong ! ) winds , it would have to be pumped up rock hard, there would be lots of tension in the lines, it would be hard to go upwind because of all the extra drag on the kite ( hard compared to 15 kts ), and if you unhooked to use the kite or did sharp turns through the window.... well, i wouldn't be excited about doing it! That's why I wouldn't go out in it.... would you bother doing it again today if you still didn't have your nine?
dachopper,
Two things getfunky asked opinions on were safer kit and less hassles with pulleys.
The Hydra's are very safe in regards getting caught out strong winds/ squalls etc because of the incredible depower, and they achive this with no pulleys anyware.
There is no other kite in the world like them. They have a unique rear bridle system that no one else uses. They cannot be compared to any other kite.
We were just trying to illustrate this fact.
Regarding my 9m, I have only used my 9m 3 times in a year and wasn't fully powered, but haven't been out on a day as strong as that Outer harbor sesh.
Anyway speaking of Outer harbor I'm leaving right now cause the seabreeze is kicking in. Seeya
PS. the drag on the kite in 30knts is reduced by a super thin LE and the canopy is designed to 'flutter' at low angles of attack.
mmm, I guess I am interested that there is a 12 that supposedly kites upwind in 8 - 10 and is fine in 30 - 35 kts according to the manufacturer.... what happens when you pull that bar all the way in when it's 35 kts? and would you classify this as safe?
hi,
i can confirm that my 12 hydra really has a big windrange.
i use it with 10knts to +25 so far. i just need to go on a really windy day
to confirm the 30knts but i guess it is possible.
this is my one kite quiver now.
i was kiting with that kite when others were on 7m....
marc-a
geraldton-wa
hello,
thanks guys for your posts.
i am very pleased with it so far. even the quality is very high.
also good that it comes with a launching and landing bag.
the bar is top notch too with 20 meters and 5 extra.
the only thing i changed is the quick release, to a push away one.
try it to believe it.
i am convienced now.
marc-a.
Sigh.. almost worth waiting for an off-season bargain as i will get 3-4 sessions on a kite then fek all for 6 mths (during which time I will see the same kites for waaayyy less $$$).
the prices will be way less after the end of summer, and if you get two the 09's are all good.
try
dos, rev2, furia, vapour3, LF, Helix, Flow/dna, Ozone Sport, rebel, SB IDS, ...........
so many good kites
Ooops..
I just realised I forgot to add that I didn't have the oportunity to play with the (apparently) infinate set-up options to tune the turning/bar feeling.
I did use the middle settings (as far as I was told) so based MHO's on that.
Gawd.. wifey rang to say that the car had broken down last night (listen carefully and you can hear at least one shiny new kite flying over the horizon). Am bracing for another financial kick in the nurries today.
Timing...
Is...
Everything.
Speshly when you have sweet talked the squeeze into realising buying kites for the first time in nearly 4 yrs is a great thing.
