I'm LIT...on a 12?
 

So today I went to clearwater beach to soak up some of the wind and get some more time under the 'ol kite. I figure....18k-20k on my 12m Spectrum is right in it's range. So I launch the kite and get the feel of the wind while I head out to the water to practice. I have the kite completely depowered on the strap with the bar depowered as well (Slinghot Profire). The kite didn't work me or anything but it had way too much power. I didn't get lofted but the gusts were too much to control. I would get stable..then a gust would come, and I would slide about a foot in the sand. After body dragging for a bit I brought it in and put the kite down. Another kiter, an Aussy by the name of Tom, came into shore and set his kite down and gave me some pointers. I noticed on his 16m Xbow, his depower strap was about twice as long as mine. He was able to park it at zenith and talk to me w/o problems. Is it possible that I just maxed out my kite's wind capability? What gives? I would think my kite would have felt much lighter than his in this type of wind. Any pointers/advise gentlemen?? thanks -sean

just because the bar is depowered doesnt mean the kite is....
make sure all your lines are the same length

when depowered your back lines should be pretty slack

Yeah the lines are equal. I just bought the bar/lines from WSW the other week and we checked them at the shop. I had the depower strap pulled all the way so the lines were slack as well, that's why I'm so confused. I would have thought with the kite depowered as much as it was it wouldn't have had the pull it did...AND I was just sitting the kite low at the edge of the window. Man, talk about frustrating.

I was out there from about 3:00-5:00. I just checked the wind on iKite and noticed it was about 22k gusting to around 27k or so at that time. I think that explains it, i just didn't have enough strap left to depower the kite as much as was needed. I even re-did the line setting on the kite to further depower it and it only helped a little. I didn't think the wind was gonna blow that much. Oh well, live and learn. My kite and I are okay to fly another day...when it's not blowing so much.

Well, you cant compare the spectrum to the crossbow, both completely different kites. The crossbow has a much larger wind range.

What you were experiencing sounds about right for a C kite. Gusts of 27 would definately pull you around while trying to stand on the beach. I ride my 13m up to about 30, and I am 190lbs. At 30 I am getting pretty uncomfortable and want to go to my 9m.

Yeah Tom, i was def. a little uncomfortable...and I'm 180lbs. At the end of the day I think what I learned was my kite's wind range. I now know what it barely flies in and what it almost makes me fly in. I only have a 12m though...so I'm gonna work on my quiver a bit if I want to get out on the water as much as possible. I was thinking about grabbing a 16m Monkey Griffin when I can...not anytime soon though.

It's good that you know now what it feels like at the top end of that kite!

BTW, I have a 2006 15M Yarga (great kite) which is practically brand new if you are interested. $200 for it. It's been ridden about 8 times, blue and grey, no repairs, no holes, no leaks, still crisp. Just got a 16m waroo.

Great price bro! Can you tell me a bit more about it. Come with a bar/lines, pigtails...how's it in light wind?? Would it suffice as a light wind kite, because that's gonna be the next type of kite i purchase.

The 15 will start working at around 13-15, but if you want a real lightwind kite, then you might want my 21M nemesis. That is a BIG kite and I am guessing the extreme low end is around 8-10mph in flat water.

I'm selling that one for $150, kite only (no bar). It's in excellent condition also.

I was planning on selling it on ebay for around $200 but I will sell it for $150 to a local rider.

BTW, a good quiver starting with your 12 (of c kites) would be 8, 12, 16, 21.