FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Forum > Let's Ride!
Connect with Facebook

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-24-2007, 12:12 PM
mtainfla's Avatar
mtainfla mtainfla is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lutz, FL (2 generation)
Posts: 15
Question What is the average wind speed for the St. Pete area?

What is the average wind speed for the St. Pete area? I am looking at kites and intrested in the Best Waroo 07 and wanted to know what size people were using? Does anyone know of a site that you can find average wind speed? I looked a NOAA but info was very limited... Once again not planning to get any gear until I take some lessons, but I am tring to do some research on prices! TKS and have a great day!
__________________
Mr@u$tin
www.myspace.com/austinville
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-24-2007, 12:51 PM
bryanleighty's Avatar
bryanleighty bryanleighty is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 1,359
Default

your instructor will be able to help with this info.. everyone rides different kites .. all depends on their weight and skill level.

I will say that your first kite will probably be your medium winds kite. you need to learn in medium winds.. too light and you will not be able to progress, too heavy and you could get seriously injured.

not to assume anything here, but you are asking questions that lead me to think you might try this on your own.. i cannot stress enough that you must take lessons (note the plural of that word)..

you will progress so much faster and will be shown proper technique .. its as important to your safety as it is to mine and everyone else that might have their kite up around you or the unexpecting bystander on the beach watching us ride.
__________________
Your mother flies a C-kite.

Area Launches: http://tinyurl.com/284jfa
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-24-2007, 01:18 PM
mtainfla's Avatar
mtainfla mtainfla is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lutz, FL (2 generation)
Posts: 15
Exclamation I was born at night, but was not last night!

I am asking these question to assist me with personal knowledge of gear, prices etc. I would not go buy a car without knowing how to drive! So I would not get any gear without learning how to fly, re-launch, drag myself to shore with my kite if I lost my board etc. also let’s not forget rules the rule of navigation. I would not want to endanger myself or any other ride out on the water...

I understand that an instructor will help me find gear, but that is only one opinion and his or her preference. From what I understand manufacture like best recommend different kite for different winds speeds. So I am just trying to find the average winds speed for the Tampa Bay Area.

I am just asking these questions so when I go to my wife and tell her that I am going to drop a few grand down on another hobby /lifestyle! She knows that I have done my homework you can say…. Once again TKS for the reply and appreciate the info.

Does anyone know of any web site that you can find average annual winds speed that might go back at least 5+ years for the Tampa Bay / St. Pete area?
__________________
Mr@u$tin
www.myspace.com/austinville
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-24-2007, 01:51 PM
bryanleighty's Avatar
bryanleighty bryanleighty is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 1,359
Default

hey..i understand your point.. and if you stick with the sport, you will understand mine..

not sure on the av. wind speed..

overall average wind days would have to account for all the days there was no wind.. or days when it was like a tropical storm.. you want average of all "ridable" days which is prob something that is not out there..

i do know that it seems to average in the mid teens on riding days... i toggle between my 12 and 16 waroo.. i weigh about 200lbs .. i ride my 9 about 5 to 10 times per year max... the others about 60 to 70 times..probably mostly on the 16 as lightwind riding is a skill you must have to get the full benefit of our area. I'd say about 40 / 60 split between 12 and 16 m kites...

a kite that suits your weight that fits in the mid teens mph will be a great first kite. I learned on a 15m yarga. 15 to 18 mph..good stable C kite... perfect size for beginners. right now i would purchase an 11 or 13m waroo as a beginner kite for someone my size.
__________________
Your mother flies a C-kite.

Area Launches: http://tinyurl.com/284jfa
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-24-2007, 01:55 PM
mtainfla's Avatar
mtainfla mtainfla is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lutz, FL (2 generation)
Posts: 15
Smile Tks- Alot for the info.. Good looking out!!

Tks- Alot for the info.. Good looking out!!
__________________
Mr@u$tin
www.myspace.com/austinville
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-24-2007, 03:20 PM
Skyway Scott
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

IMO, there is no such thing as an average wind speed in St. Pete.
This place is all over the charts, even in one day... with today and yesterday and tomorrow being classic examples. Cold front days tend to do the same, going from 20 to 35 often all in the same day. Or starting NE real strong in the morning and tapering down to the low teens by 10am.

Yesterday was 12 to 15 in the morning, then 15 to 20 for a few hours and then 25 to 30 plus as the sun set. Many riders that arrived at EB early yesterday and stayed all day, like me, were all over the place with kite sizes due to the wind changing so much. Yesterday was typical St. Pete in my mind. Our conditions heavily affected my choice of kite brands this season because I just got sick of all the re-rigging I have done in the past.

St. Pete might have a statistical average over the past 5 years but nothing close to a true mode (most often occurring) wind speed.
You're most likely going to need a 16, 12, and 9 ultimately to cover all the bases.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-24-2007, 09:09 PM
invisible
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Average is 15mph imo.

But, the boys are right, it's all over the place. You will need 3 kites and 2 boards. Get out your wallet kite boarding is easy to do but expensive.

Plan on spending $3000 over the next year or two.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-27-2007, 07:55 PM
Greg Greg is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 30
Default

The following page lists the average wind speed, by month and the year total, for all major cities:

http://www.met.utah.edu/jhorel/html/...e/windavg.html
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-27-2007, 08:46 PM
Skyway Scott
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

That's probably correct if you take every second of time (literally) and average up the speeds. The numbers are so low because of all the "gaps" in wind at most places. Meaning most of the time in most places the wind is light.

For instance, if it blew 25 knots every single day for five straight hours from 3pm til 8pm... (that'd be awesome and I would only need/have a 10m kite). I would think of a place like that as windy and would love to live there.

But, if the wind was only 5 knots the other 19 hours of the day, the average wind speed would only be around 9 knots on paper.

You see what I mean? It's hard to tell from those averages what place is "best" or "windiest". Still interesting stuff though and fun to look at. Thanks for finding it.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-28-2007, 03:13 PM
Greg Greg is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 30
Default

I see what you mean, I was mainly offering it for comparison between cities because it is extremely accurate in terms of comparision because they are all experiencing the same general atmospheric conditions.

What we need is an average wind speed for daytime hours, preferrably noon to dusk
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:45 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.