Power Kite Forum

The right board makes all the difference.....

borntofli - 5-7-2010 at 09:39 AM

Wind started out at 18mph and fell to 15.....10 pulse and my new spleene rip plus 137 x 44 board.....Usual onshore wind and surfable wave conditions..
This board is basically flat and square... Could get and get going, but kept stuffing the nose in the waves.. back foot pressure to get over the waves and lose my speed and die....


Thinking I'm going backwards in my learning curve, I went and grabbed my other board..

Slingshot sx 143 x 40 w/ more rocker and narrower tips...
Up and away I go, over the waves... A little hop here and there but no nose stuffs..... Went from being depressed and frustrated to happy and wanting more....

I should have had the 12 pulse out, as I was a bit underpowered....

There's always this afternoon....................

I'll save the spleene for flatwater, which i've never been on and not looking like I ever will.....

Kamikuza - 5-7-2010 at 03:43 PM

True dat :)
Don't get lazy and rely on the board to do the work though, sometimes you gotta work the board too. My Door is less floaty than the Square One when I'm underpowered, but much faster and goes upwind better ...

PHREERIDER - 5-7-2010 at 05:05 PM

YOUR TASTE AND SKILL WILL CHANGE, MOST BOARDS HAVE SWEET SPOTS , DIFFERENT POWER, SPEED AND FLOW , KEEP AT IT GO BACK TO WHEN CONDITIONS LOOKS TO FIT

bmor - 8-7-2010 at 10:35 AM

I use a LF Proof 151 for onshore waves in Lake Ontario and find it to be a comfortable ride. It has continous rocker, narrower tips and is fairly stiff. The drawback is that it's heavy but I don't jump alot yet so not an issue. I weigh 220lbs and use it with 9-16m kites. Never felt overpowered on it and I find it's smooth through the waves. I was thinking of replacing it as it's considered a "beginners" board but then realized how well it works for cruising around in various wave and swell conditions. And funny thing, I was thinking of getting a Slingshot SX in the 140 range as a smaller board to have.

tridude - 8-7-2010 at 11:19 AM

Slingy makes a sweet board as do Ocean Rodeo..........the 140x40 Mako would work well in the conditions you described..........................:thumbup::lol::duh:

borntofli - 8-7-2010 at 04:18 PM

I've read some reviews on them, and people either love em or hate em.... It sounds like a good board for the rough disorganized surf we have here....