Look! No shoes!

[Yann]

Finally a comfortable temperature in the water! First session in 6 months without shoes. Yay!

Thanks to my girlfriend Åsa for taking the pictures!

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[Yann]

And two fs 180s...

[cynbad]

SICK skim pictures!!!! Your girlfriend deserves a HUGE 'ata girl'!!! NICE.....also looks like you are a Ozone man? SWEET. Which model and size?

[Dready]

great picts yann...

your girld rocks with the camera and for sure you rocking on RC board.

well done man.

[Lonny]

YAY! Glad its warmed up for you. Hope to see you removing more and more rubber as the Summer rolls in. Looks like you are enjoying your new board!

[Yann]

Thanks!

Yes Cynbad, I'm an Ozone man and have been since they released their first LEI 2006. Last year I rode 13m,9m,7m,5m Instinct Sport II but they changed it a lot to this year and made it more of a wakestyle kite. Slow turning and not so much depower throw on the bar. Very C-like feel. I tried the 11m Sport+ but didn't think it suited my riding styles (wave and skim) so I went for the Light XC 12m, 8m, 6m and I'm very happy with them. I little heavier bar pressure than I was used to forced me to adapt my riding style and ride more switch stance. Now i'm pretty confident at switching stance and tacking and actually enjoying it! This mornning I even rode a few waves backside switch for the first time. I never thought that would happen! I used to ride 50-50 toe/heel up to this year.

What model, year and sizes do you ride and what do you think of them?

Here is a pic from this morning.

[Yann]

And thanks for the compliments on the photos! Makes my girl very happy and pushes her to shoot more.

The new board is a dream to ride but then again, I can only compare it to the Nobile Skim. The Nobile is a great board too with better light wind performance but not really that good to ride without fins. To wide in the tail to edge efficiently.

[Slyde]

Dude those are some sweet airs. More power to you. That beach looks outstanding - some small kickers rolling in with smooth butter between and a long wavelength. If it didnt look so cold I'd call it paradise!
Winter is just taking a hold here in the southern hemisphere but I bet we're still warmer than you (for now).
Skim on
Slyde

[sundogchicky]

rad... pictures can be deceiving sometimes, those are not, they just scream style!!!! way to go

[chanson]

NIce Y!

how did you get the pic on the last one...? Is cam mounted to your lines..?

[cynbad]

Thanks!

Yes Cynbad, I'm an Ozone man and have been since they released their first LEI 2006. Last year I rode 13m,9m,7m,5m Instinct Sport II but they changed it a lot to this year and made it more of a wakestyle kite. Slow turning and not so much depower throw on the bar. Very C-like feel. I tried the 11m Sport+ but didn't think it suited my riding styles (wave and skim) so I went for the Light XC 12m, 8m, 6m and I'm very happy with them. I little heavier bar pressure than I was used to forced me to adapt my riding style and ride more switch stance. Now i'm pretty confident at switching stance and tacking and actually enjoying it! This mornning I even rode a few waves backside switch for the first time. I never thought that would happen! I used to ride 50-50 toe/heel up to this year.

What model, year and sizes do you ride and what do you think of them?

Here is a pic from this morning.

Hey Yann,
My man and I are Ozone reps for La Ventana Mexico, and like you, have been riding them since their first kite in 2006. At first I didn't like them because I came from a 'c' background of Naish Ravens and X series. I have always ridden the Instinct Edge series because before this year I was a big air, 'old school' junky. Now that I am addicted to the skim and wave riding, I'm not sure if the Edge is the best choice? I have one Sport model, the 2008 5m, and I LOVE this kite! However, with the new 4 line design this year, I have the feeling that the kites do have more bar pressure and are slower, So i am thinking I am going to stick with the 2009 Edges. I dont know anything about the Lights because no one rides them in my kite areas. I flew a 2007 Light once and it was a total POS....like a big flapping ladybug! Have you ever ridden the Edge? How Is the Light 12m compared to the Sport 11m 2009?

[gman]

Nice Airs!! That line mounted shot is sick

[Yann]

Chanson, I replyed in the KITE CAM-thread regarding the my mount of the cam.

Cynbad, my brother rides Edges this year and last years Sport II 5m. Hew tried the Light 12m and didn't like it. Apparently he had some issues with the LE folding in heavy kiteloops with a lot of resistance from the board (he is an old school twintipper). That is not an issue for me since I only ride strapless skim and surfboard so when i kiteloop i always go downwind. On the other hand he says that his edges are not good for skimming in light wind since they sit to far out at the edge of the window (is that why they are called Edge?) I can't personally say how that affects skimming before I had a go with it myself. In general I like my kites to sit as far back in the window as possible. I trim the steering lines to the max and like how I'm able to fully stall the kite and make it go backwards or stall it single sided and make it spin around its axis. I also like how I'm able to steer the kite aggressively through the window or with down-/kiteloops without being yanked of the board or losing control. Very forgiving kite!

I had a first run on the Light XC 6m with 15m lines this morning in 32-38 knots wind. I wasn't too impressed with that kite. Not enough lift and grunt in it. My brother was out on last years Sport II 5m and he was more powered than I was. On the other hand it felt like it can take A LOT of more wind than 38knots. I was about to order the 4m light but no need to now. I'm gonna try and shorten the steering line pigtails a little and also give it a go with 20m or 25m lines before I can be certain of what i think of it though.

The small sizes 7m and 5m of the 2007 lights were a dream to ride. Sure they did rattle and flutter quite a bit but I loved how they behaved in strong wind and gusty conditions.

Anyway, I think you should give the Lights a go. It's not a kite for everyone but they are very good for both skimming and wave strapless.