I've been having a few lessons and am keen to start practising on my own, I'm just a bit unsure on the conditions that I should be going out in.
Under the instructors advice I went out and got a 9m kite because it would suite the west oz sea breeze most of the time (18 - 25 kn). I'm 70kg and riding a 146cm board.
Main questions is, what's the min or max wind strength I should be looking for before heading out? or even better, is there a general rule of thumb?
I know it's probably something you develop with a bit of practice but I thought I'd ask just to be sure.
Cheers
the trees sometimes scream and break when its very windy, the trees tend to dance and sway when its windy, they don't move so much when its not.
somewhere inbetween usually works best.
well, some would say the leaste posible wind you can but if your kites not going to get you moving untill 18+ knts then i guess you have to wait untill it gets to 18+ kts
basicly dont head out in a storm or in a busy place, have some people around but give yourself some spacelike go furtherest down wind. i weigh the same and at 18 you should be able to use your nine to practice. and as you get more confident start using it in stronger winds but heading out in 25kts+ for your fist time isn't what you should do.
hope you understand all that.
popeye
Sounds to me like your instructor knew what he/she was talking about. Start at 18, work up to 25. Struth, start at 10, just fly it. 18 is probably where you'll start hitting the sweet spot. Hold off the higher end of the wind range until you're comfortable with the lower.
Oh, and listen to people who live in the area and are around your weight, their advice is worth more than anyone's who doesn't and/or isn't.
Enjoy. 
edit: What sofled said ^^^
I agree with checking out what the locals are doing. If its windy, and noone is out, there is probably a reason.
Just use common sense, and do go out when its too windy. Or even when its too light. All my self rescues have been when it wasnt windy enough for me to relaunch a wet kite
. Trust me they arent fun, and neither are the tangles resulting from it.
But yeh, get out there as much as you can, and gradually build up the wind strength.
Everyone has a different bottom range, and it often has more to do with the rider than the equipment (as Pat said).
I'm 72kg in Perth (similar to yourself), and ride a 133x40 board. My 10m goes as low as 14kts, my 7m can get going in about 18kts. just. Upper ranges are about 25 on the 10 and high 20's on the 7m. But its not much fun at either of the extremes.
My personal opinion is that with your board you will get going in 14/15, sweet spot around 18, max around 23 (for now).
You will learn very quickly (especially as a beginner) what your wind range is. And the very light winds are not necesarrily better to learn in, as the kite will turn much slower and will backstall easier and its harder to stay upwind (or even up) on the board. Light wind days are still good for practicing flying on the beach though.
Not sure where you live, but i found safety bay to be there best place to learn. Nice open but protected bay, prevailing wind is almost side shore and not many people to bump into.
Other general stuff which my instructor didn't really go into was just basic stuff which I pretty much had to learn the hard way from.... like
Don't go out by yourself until you are experienced enough;
Don't go out when it's offshore until your experienced enough;
Stay away from the general public when you are learning;
Check the forecast so that you know that wind isn't going to swing offshore;
Get to know the local conditions at your spot ie some areas will be flukey in certain wind directions;
When your learning make sure you stay in an area that if (or when) you stuff up you know where you are going to end up on a beach (usually downwind) and not on rocks or against a cliff (somone will take photos and post them here and then you'll get lynched by an angry mob), or crossing a shipping channel etc.
When I started (and I'm sure this goes for alot of posters on SB) I was so keen to get out that I went out in some ridiculous conditions and was luckily to be either tapped on the shoulder by someone or when things stuffed up I didn't get too hurt....I've been lucky, but there have been a lot of people that have not been so lucky.
Thanks for the advice guys.
I've been hanging out for daylight savings and this ****ty weather to go away so I can actually go out... but my car just did it's clutch so it's back to waiting again
I'm NOR in Perth, I've only been to Pinnaroo but once I get a bit more experienced I'll probably head to Brighton/scarbs so I can get some kite time in after work.
I am still learning but the best advice I can give you is not to go out when it is not windy enough. The biggest mistake I made was being super keen and going out whenever there was a hint of a breeze and struggling to keep the kite up or relaunch it. (before i knew about the seabreeze graphs) When there is enough wind say 17-18 knots you will find it a lot easier to pull yourself out of the water and bodydrag upwind when you lose your board...
Just wait for the green arrows.
Don't try to move your kite around quickly like a trainer kite just take it slow otherwise you will just end up two beaches downwind.
good luck and be ready for everything else in your life to become less important than going kiting...
