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Originally Posted by toykites
I'm not sure what it is this season, but it seems like the windiest I've ever seen it in St. Augustine. We usually have pretty consistent winds, but lately we have been flying 5 and 7 meter kites on a regular basis! Today was a repeat of last weeks onshore 25-38 mph winds, and what a difference a few days makes. If you saw the article I wrote in Lessons from a Hard Slide earlier in the week, you will know that flying too big a kite and difficult conditions with big surf caused my kite to fall out of the sky. A wave hit it and one of the leading edge seams failed, causing me to have to roll up my kite and paddle against the current on my kite back to shore. Today I learned from that experience and had an epic session in the same conditions. The difference was that I bought a 38 cm Cabrinha Powerlock bar and set it up with 20 meter lines, and I was flying a 2005 Slingshot Fuel 7. What a combination! Except for the accidental kite loop while attempting a switch double back (pulled with the wrong hand, OOPS!), the session was carnage free. I did get smacked by a wave but I turned the kite across the power and it was so windy that the kite just sat there waiting for me to get my board and go again. There were probably 10 of us on every size from 5 to 9, and it was one of the most epic sessions of the year. Tomorrow promises to be windier down south, but I would be happy to fly my 11 in the surf! If this system follows suit with the last one tomorrow will be nuking in S. Florida, so break out you helmets and small kites and make sure your small bar is tuned perfectly. You will be much happier with everything dialed in for the conditions. Enjoy!
Eddie Toy
Extreme Kites
http://www.oceanextremesports.com |
Thanks for the story Eddie and the cautions. It sounds like a nice day out. You guys are leading the state in higher winds. I am sure you know that with the aches and pains you guys must be accumulating!
Last Wednesday I spun out off of a wave, came up and noticed by lines were crossed. No big deal just spin the powerlock bar to uncross them. I wasn't planning on being picked up about 6 ft. off the water and slammed in 25 ft. away into the water and about 15 ft. off the beach. If the wind had been onshore that is where I would have slammed in. I think the combination of being near overpowered on an 11 m and the waves took a normal process and made if a lot more.
Being near overpowered in high wind is a bad idea. Best to rig the smallest size you can get away with and on the proper bar length for the kite as Eddie said.
p.s. - Hey Eddie, do you have any action photos up that way? It would be great to see some of what you are describing.