Is it worth tying a kite in 10 knots? Yeah, I'd say so. Do more if you can though.
My buddy uses his foil board with his 19 meter kite in about 10 knots, but nothing less.
10 knots on a kite is doable with specialist gear like a kite foil board, big twintip or a big kite (15-19mtr). 12 knots and most people on a twin tip and 12 mtr will stay upwind depending on their weight but it is just fairly boring back and forth stuff. My biggest sail is a 5.2, I use a kite if winds are lighter than when it is usable.
Here's a serious question, what do you windsurfers think when kiters are out riding in conditions that sailboards don't work in? Don't you feel a bit of envy?
I know I envy some windsurfers when they're ripping the face of bigger surf, and when they're out blasting in absurdly strong winds.
Kites have generally had an edge in lighter conditions and now with foil boards we're going faster with smaller kites in less wind. It's a bit of a pain when you drop your kite but overall it's magic fun. In those conditions windsurfers either don't come to the beach at all, or slog along on super light wind tankers and usually end up sitting and drifting.
I hear ya, my buddy is moving along pretty well in 10 knots of wind with his 19 meter kite and foilboard and I'm not even planing yet. I guess if I had much more liters under me, that might be a different story. But at 12-13 knots, everything starts to change. I come up right behind my buddy when he doesn't even see me and smoke by him. He is lost in my wake at that point.
To me, windsurfing is so much more rewarding than kiting, and safer. Less chance getting stranded if the wind dies down. My buddy is always getting picked up by a boat, Or having to hitchhike or walk back to our launch spot. I can just pump and fan the sail in 3-5 knots of wind and get back if the wind dies. Plus we don't get thrown around in the sky and dropped on a HWY or slammed into a mountain in crazy winds. My buddy almost slammed into a house trying to launch his kite. He actually got his kite once wrapped around a light pole. Yes I was laughing inside.
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..
Here's a serious question, what do you windsurfers think when kiters are out riding in conditions that sailboards don't work in? Don't you feel a bit of envy?
I know I envy some windsurfers when they're ripping the face of bigger surf, and when they're out blasting in absurdly strong winds.
Kites have generally had an edge in lighter conditions and now with foil boards we're going faster with smaller kites in less wind. It's a bit of a pain when you drop your kite but overall it's magic fun. In those conditions windsurfers either don't come to the beach at all, or slog along on super light wind tankers and usually end up sitting and drifting.
I've never seen a kite riding earlier than me when my 68 kg are out on a formula board with 11.9m...And I don't have the stress of dropping the kite in the water or not floating on my board if the wind dies completely.I do envy the America's cup boat like the maxi trimaran that was in Barcelona though.
Select to expand quotejusavina said..Gorgo said..
Here's a serious question, what do you windsurfers think when kiters are out riding in conditions that sailboards don't work in? Don't you feel a bit of envy?
I know I envy some windsurfers when they're ripping the face of bigger surf, and when they're out blasting in absurdly strong winds.
Kites have generally had an edge in lighter conditions and now with foil boards we're going faster with smaller kites in less wind. It's a bit of a pain when you drop your kite but overall it's magic fun. In those conditions windsurfers either don't come to the beach at all, or slog along on super light wind tankers and usually end up sitting and drifting.
I've never seen a kite riding earlier than me when my 68 kg are out on a formula board with 11.9m...And I don't have the stress of dropping the kite in the water or not floating on my board if the wind dies completely.I do envy the America's cup boat like the maxi trimaran that was in Barcelona though.
Same, never see kites out in lighter winds than my formula gets going in and I am over 90kgs, the light wind advantage of kites is a myth, I do however have respect for the kite foiling guys, they are super fast in the light stuff and they venture further offshore than 100 metres.
