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Hi all!

This topic is for the wave riders purists

For me kitesurfing wave riding means surfing waves with a kite - parked above the head, which drifts and follows you while you are turning up and down (obviously strapless). Hence no kite power while on the wave, just surfing like on a regular surfboard. BUT of course power is needed to cruise, to tack back upwind, to get out etc..

At around 13st (88Kg) and 5'9" in height I'm not the lightest surfer, I try to use a 9mt or even a 7mt (when is nuking), but I often end up on a 12mt which I hate on waves.

In this view, the board choice becomes very important. [Btw I've already read the great article on fast boards for kiting on this forum]

Do I need:

>>> A FASTER BOARD

…or

>>> A BIGGER BOARD WITH MORE VOLUME?

THANKS!

Volume can help, but a board that planes easily is what's needed. A flatter board (less rocker) with plenty of surface area will get you going with less power needed from the kite. The North Nugget is an example of a flat, wide board with lots of volume. There's still only so much you can do with lite wind. More wind with smaller kites is always better, but, I believe, there are 12m kites that can get you kiteing in lite wind and still turn fast and can make it fun. But, we all have different ideas about what is fun. Hope that helps.

Hey buddy, yeah got the Nugget.. Great toy for summer breeze and small chop, not really for waves.
I've just got myself a Firewire Quadra 6ft (kite construction) which has got a pretty flat rocker and decent volume... This might do the trick but I still have to try it. I wonder if this could be my allround weapon of choice when travelling..

I've found there are compromises in all of this. Kiteing in lighter wind, surf board vs. Kite surf board, kite size for the conditions. I kite on my surf board, the same board I'd be paddling into waves with if there was no wind. It has way too much rocker to be efficient as a kite board, but it feels good on the wave, and I've learned how to get as much out of it as I can with a kite. I've also decided that even if I can make a certain size kite work, if I don't have the power when I need it, it's not worth it. I either need a bigger kite or I don't go out. Hopefully you've found your magic board, but most importantly, get out and kite as much as possible. Good luck.

eabmoto wrote:I've found there are compromises in all of this. Kiteing in lighter wind, surf board vs. Kite surf board, kite size for the conditions. I kite on my surf board, the same board I'd be paddling into waves with if there was no wind. It has way too much rocker to be efficient as a kite board, but it feels good on the wave, and I've learned how to get as much out of it as I can with a kite. I've also decided that even if I can make a certain size kite work, if I don't have the power when I need it, it's not worth it. I either need a bigger kite or I don't go out. Hopefully you've found your magic board, but most importantly, get out and kite as much as possible. Good luck.

Yes, it's a fine tuning of course, and it's personal. I know there isn't a magic board but I just want to get as close as possible to it

My old board was a 6'2" with plenty of rocker and that is exactly what went wrong with it not much on the wave but tacking upwind and navigating in general.. Too chattery, also due to the feather weight.

Fast board + low volume IMO. Have tried plenty boards and for kiting I
-hate slow boards
-like boards with some volume in perfect waves, which I hardly ever have, and
-hate boards with some volume when it's choppy

So my solution is a slim fast board with low volume (9 liters) but some rails. like this:

viewtopic.php?f=0&t=911


cheers, tungsten

That's an insane low volume board! Although is not what I'm looking for I'd love to try one for fun

Yeah people your size who have access to decent waves infested with low wind swear by a flat rockered classic 5'8 or 5'10 fish. Fast, wide-ish, rather straight rails, low entrance rocker and almost no tail rocker, 30-33 liters is a good mix.

Heavy tail rocker as you find it in some fish boards is an effective drift anchor for a kite board though. Does not work well with a kite.

Something like this is nice:




Something like this is slow and sux with a kite: