G'day all
I'm brand new to kitesurfing and brand new to the forum. Have spent hours sifting through all the advise left by members and it is encouraging to see there is so much support for new comers to the game.
I took a couple of lessons in kitesurfing a week ago and it didn't take much to get me hooked. I intend to take a few more lessons but I'm also on the lookout to get a bit of my own gear. I figured I will start with getting a kite or two first and leave the board until I have a chance to trial a few or at least know what I'm after. I'm based in Qld central coast at the moment so will be looking at kiteing in 15/30knts. I weigh 80kgs and was thinking a 10m kite might be a good start. In the lesson I had the instructor put me on a 2011 10m Fone Bandit which I felt a little privileged to be on I must admit. Thought he would at least start me of on something with a bit of age on it. I managed to get up on the board and had a few good runs which gave me that instant addiction. Wind was up around 30knts which a few lads thought was a bit much for a begginer but as the instructor pointed out, better to have wind than the kite dropping out of the sky. Anyway as this is the only kite I have surfed on it's hard to make any kind of comparison. I was looking at a 2010 10m LF Envy but noticed a few negative comments through the forum on there build quality. Also was wondering if a 12m kite would make a good pair with the 10m for a broad wind range. Any advice will be much appreciated.
My old school principle told me once,
Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see.
Not sure how this applies to you. It definitely sounded like wisdom to me years ago.
Appreciate the first few moments in the water. That's the best bit, you learn quick and its a hell of an Adrenalin rush. Soon green arrows will mean a whole lot to you.
Lol...
>Wind was up around 30knts
>2011 10m Fone Bandit
>I weigh 80kgs
>thought was a bit much for a begginer
>instructor pointed out, better to have wind than the kite dropping out of the sky
I call shenanigans...
welcome to a new addiction harty.
i just wanted to point out that if you we getting lessons you paid for by a qualified instructor you most certainly shouldn't have been surprised that u were using the latest gear. within reason the latest equipment is the safest, it'd be like a driving instructor pulling up in an old kingswood with a big benchie in the front with 3 on the tree!
good luck on the equpiment search, sounds like your heading in a good direction. altho a 10 and a 12 may be a little big when the wind starts to push 30knts depending on the board u get.
If the kite depowers as well as the 2010 kite handling gusts up to 30 kts would have been ok. A average wind speed of 30kts would be unlikely most lessons would be canceled and the instructor would be out there playing, strong wind is the only time most instructors get a chance to kite.
For your weight a 10-11m bandit would best suit as a 1 kite quiver that's going on what we found with the B3. If you want 2 kites a 8-9m and a 12-13m will be the best you will get out from 14-32kts depending on board.
Thanks Fellas,
Like I said, all advice is much appreciated, pos or neg it's all good.
I certainly wasn't intending to brag by stating the kite or the wind speed. As this is my only experience to date I thought it was important to note. It is after all pretty daunting trying to work out what gear you are going to purchase with almost no experience. I just want to avoid spending 1000's of $ on kite/kites to end up sitting on the beach either over or under powered.
I didn't estimate the wind speed, we checked the local BOM weather observations once we returned to the kite school. (the following 2 days were 34-40knts and the instructor was intending to hit the water with his mates and his favourite 7m.) This is why I figured a 10m would be suitable for my weight up to 30knts. I am the first to admit, I'm a TOTAL newb and the last thing I want to do is go out reckless and overpowered. With the help from you blokes I'm beginning to lean toward maybe a 9m and a 12m quiver. I also think it will be some time before I'm out in wind up to 30knts without an instructor holding onto my harness.
I also need to say that at no time did I feel the instructor was being reckless. I had 4hrs worth of one on one lessons over 2 days and I felt very comfortable with his instruction and safety stance. The only time he let go of my harness was in the last half hr of the 2nd session when he was happy that I could ride the board and stop.
I would suggest that any normal size guy in Qld would have a primary kite of 11-12m.
This will get you on the water the most number of days. There will be a lot more days of 14-18kts then 25-30kts. If you can afford a second kite then you are set and can use a 7/8/9m kite and hit that upper end.
Smaller guys and the lasses under 70kgs might be looking at a 10m as the primary.
hey mate welcome to the rest of your life
12 and 8 is my two cents for the winds you say
Im 80kg and crap myself on a 9m if it gets close to solid 30kn
Guess i must crap easier than others
must have been all those years as an alter boy
keeponsmilin
it will take over your life, good descision
i(80kgs) can ride on my 9m from 16-25 comfortable on a twin tip anything gusting over 25 not that much fun need to go down a size or two
when i was learning didnt think being thrown around in 25knots was of any real benefit anyway, buy a 9to10.5 for a 1 kite set up, solid couple of months and you will know unuf about what you need to move fwd
good luck, dont read to much its confusing, alot of the kite write ups are written by affiliates of the brand etc, just get out there and get on with it at every opportunity you'll work it out fast
