I have decided to buy a foil kite when I travel to the states in July. I live in Mexico and we have light winds (5-12knts)most of the year and good winds for a few months (12-20knts). I weigh 65 kilos and kite on the ocean 100% of the time. I have used c-kites and my last kite was a 12m best waroo which was my favourite kite. I have read on some forums that the 10m flysurfers and peter lynns are excellent. Others say go for a 15m. To be honest if I could get going on a smaller kite I would be happier. I really want a kite which flys in light winds (doesnt drop out of the sky like the LEI kites) and has enough pull to get me going on a surfboard.

I can tell you that Peter Lynn Arcs are not Light wind kites. For closed cell foil that is not an Arc, there is Flysurfer. Later this summer, maybe by July, there will be the HQ Neo, their new closed cell water-relaunchable foil.

You are looking at 2 complete different wind ranges at once.
5 - 12 kts you will need at least a 15m SA

12-20 10m Pulse 2 or P3

A LOT of low wind riding depends on the board. Are you already riding a surf board ?

The new Synergy's from Peter Lynn are a breakthrough in light wind performance. Each model seems to be leaps and bounds better than the last ones which is a great thing from the Peter Lynn group. You may want to get a spin on one of those before making up your mind.

I have a surfboard already that I used last season. I thought I would need a 15m plus but someone told me I could get going on a 10m because of my weight. This got me excited because I thought it would be good in the higher winds also. I may get a used 10m to see if I like it and then go for a bigger if it is as good as ive been told.

I'm likely to get blasted for saying this, but here goes anyways:

Forget about flying a Peter Lynn in less than 15 mph winds. As fond as I am of the Arc (and I'm holding on to my Venom 19 forever even though it doesn't get used any more) they just don't have the bottom end performance you'll want if you're coming from a Waroo 12.

I also don't think a 10m Flysurfer will give you any more bottom end than you would get from your Waroo 12m. Now I'm assuming that your Waroo is at least a 2007, as I believe the 2007 and 2008's had some serious improvements over the 2006. In the last 12 months I've kited a lot of places and tried a lot of kites (Flysurfer Speed II, North Rebel, North Rhino, Best Waroo, Best Bularoo, Cab. ShockWave, etc.), and the best bang for the buck IMHO hands down is the Bularoo. My wife (who weighs about 110 lbs / 50 kg) took out my Bularoo 16 a couple weeks ago in on-shore winds and blasted around totally lit in 12 mph winds. The other weekend, she was nicely powered with her Bularoo 13 in 12-15 mph in flat water. (And I should add that she's still pretty much a noob, her girlfriend who weighs 20 lbs more was blasting around and pulling small jumps with her 14 Rebel in 12-15).

Flying a water kite in light wind takes a lot of kite-flying and board skills. There is definitely a lower limit to what is doable and it will be different for each person and each location. FWIW, I've never seen anyone go out successfully in less than 12 mph (and I've been kiting for 8 years), and yes I've read all the "claims" to the contrary but I've yet to see anyone actually do it.

Thanks....I had a 2006 waroo and the thing that did my head in the most was when it would drop out of the sky. If I get to the beach and its 15 knts I would be flying around happy and then the wind would drop a bit and so would my kite. I have always admired the foils sitting so comfortably at the zenith while I was untangling my lines. I do not want to go out if the wind is low I just want the kite to stay in the sky. I have a longboard and sail which is much more fun in the waves in light wind than the kite. I thought that the foils started flying around 6mph and pulling around 9-10mph but this must be chinese whispers. Id still like to try one for myself but I may be better off with a new 12m bow.

I've never flown an 06 Waroo but I have a quiver of 07 Bularoos and Waroos (see my sig). Every single one of them has awesome stability, both in gusty winds and in super light stuff. Very similar to the kind of stability I got used to flying Peter Lynn Arcs, but much better bottom end and turning speed. PL Arcs will fly in a gnat's fart, but the problem is that they don't have any pull until the wind reaches about 15 mph. They also turn very slowly as the wind decreases.

I've only flown two Flysurfers, a Titan 15.5 and a Speed II 19. Both times I was really disappointed in their stability in gusty winds. Others will have a different opinion, and some folks swear by the light wind abilities of the Speed II. My experience is that I'm getting just as much bottom end from the Waroo 20m I paid $500 for and it turns about 5x faster.

Open cell foils are a different story. In 10 mph of wind, my 1 meter, crappy design "trainer" foil has enough pull to drag me around on my land board. Granted, I have to sine the sh*t out of it, but it still flies fast and generates a surprising amount of pull for so tiny a kite and in so little wind.

Keep in mind, kitesurfing in light winds is a -lot- tougher than in decent wind. It takes a ton of effort and skill to keep things going no matter what kite you're using. Even the best kite in the hands of an inexperienced kiter will fail. It often comes down to what works best for you and the conditions you ride in.

One last bit: I used to kite with Felix Pivec back in Hawaii. Every time I saw him he was flying the same 7m Airush C-kite on a pulley bar and surfboard. No matter what the conditions were, 30+ or barely 15mph, big waves or ankle snappers, he used the same kite and ripped it as good as anyone I know. Just goes to show you that kiting skills are really the main ingredient...

Paraglider....? :evil: Yes the only way you're getting out in sub 12 on the water is with an open cell foil, if you want to risk the sea anchor of death thing, go for it, but its a really bad idea if you ask me. You could probably kitesurf with a 12m Ace in 8mph wind, but its risking it man, big time. Go buy an RC plane and fly that around on the days its not windy enough to kiteboard. Or better yet get a paraglider! Or I suppose you could take up buggying.....pick your poison my friend pick your poison.