Dear Tross,

I just saw your post. Yes the kite is great in the air and I agree that it is a biotch to relaunch in the light stuff. Originally, I would just swim it out, old style to get her to fly. I understand that there may be a bridal modification that makes it quite easy. I actually haven't even unpacked my gear since the world championships in May! I'll talk to Cabrinha Todd to get the mod and provide you with the info. Hang in there, I'm sure we can help you out. Thanks for riding Cabrinha.

Kent

@ Kent - Thanks!
 

Dude,
Thanks very much! I would greatly appreciate if you could help connect me. I bridle mod would be awesome, but I'm still a bit weary that I should move to either the 2011 CB or a 2008 Contra 17. If you do get some info, please send me a msg at trossytrossman at hotmail dot com.

thanks
Tross

Catching up on this thread!!!
 

I know this thread is a bit old, but we are still suffering light wind madness.

I got a chance to ride yesterday on a 15M Speed 2 out at Honeymoon in 8knots. There was a ton of surf, very choppy conditions, and a current that was working against you the entire time.

With that said, I rode for about an hour with this kite and a 139X43 twin tip.

As Eric said earlier, being light helps as I weigh 150lbs soaking wet.

I was amazed at the kites ability to create power in such light conditions on a not so big twin tip nonetheless.

Cabrinha has also launched for 2011 a dedicated race board. Can't wait to try one as I could probably ride daily down on IRB if I wanted to. Boards certainly will last alot longer than kites.

Here are some YouTube links that I found.

Enjoy, and I look at kiteboarding in the summer as sailing more or less.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJq6SrDYxDE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4763XQI6uQ

Just wanted to throw it out there but "winning" the light wind challenge is not just about riding, how about the relaunch aspect? In light wind if your kite goes down and you can't touch, how well does the speed and new cabs relaunch?

They don't.....thats why I take a car battery and electric trolling motor with me when riding in the really light stuff.

I second that. If you are riding either style kite in 8 knots and go down in deep water. Good luck on the relaunch. Add some inexperience to the mix, and its a recipe for disaster. Add some waves and current and well you get the idea. No bueno!!!!

Riding ultra light wind is all about keeping the kite in the air. Period. The main reason it makes it so tough to work with beginners in light conditions, IMO.

One final thought......Don't choke up on your knots thinking you will get more power in light wind. In fact, you will likely get the opposite effect of oversheeting the kite and causing the kite to backstall.

The Flysurfers live by this rule and actually get more powerful the less you pull the bar towards you.

Here is another great video explaining the tuning of a bar and the effects of not having a properly tuned bar. The info in the video I think can be applied to any brand kite.



There are so many folks out there that don't understand bar tuning, how its done, and the effects of a properly tuned bar vs. an improperly tuned bar.

I've experienced this first hand a few years ago when I first started riding. kite went down at honeymoon with a strong outgoing tide , couldn't relaunch and was getting dragged out to sea. got my first lesson in self rescue that day, I believe Craig was the only witness.

That was the day that gave me the idea to buy the car battery and trolliing motor.

That's actually the reason I stopped riding foils in light wind in the first place.
A very long swim off the beaches of Sorrysota about 8 years ago (only went 100 yards, but took 1 hour) with a fully soaked 12m JoJo was enough for me.
I sold it within 5 minutes of hitting land to Rob Hassle and never considered placing myself in that position again.
I realize most kites won't re-launch in really light wind. But at least an inflatable can do as it's name implies. :D

I also realize that most ram-airs have sealed cells. So did the Jo-Jo.
It won't matter after ten minutes of soaking, I don't think. :-?

I should have clarified here what light wind means to me.
Less than solid 9 knots :)

I would feel totally safe on any foil relaunching in solid ten or better.
The problem (I found) is that some foils are so darn good in really light wind, that you don't realize just how little wind there is. Then, if your kite goes in the water, you suddenly realize... holy cow.. I was riding in THIS!

Just wanted to clarify. I am talking wind so light that it might drop to 4 (easy to do if only 7 or 8) and you might have to swim in.