13M or 15M?

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

For typical wind at Sauvie Island, for someone who weighs 165 lbs, would you recommend a 13M or 15M Rev?

I've already got a 9M and 11M, but I don't think either of those will see much use on the island. Or am I wrong?

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

i'm pretty sure some people that weigh more than 165 use an 11m Rev at sauvies? i would say at 165 you shouldn't need anything bigger than the 13m Rev. i weigh in at 160 and hte 13m rev is my biggest kite and will work in 10-20 mph winds riding my lunacy so no need for a glide or other light wind board! the 13 rev kicks ass. easy to kite loop, pulls like a truck, flys fast and easy to turn (light bar pressure).

if you have a lightwind board, i think the 11m will be plenty. i can get out on my 9 Rev and surfboard in 10-20mph winds as well. i have found with both fuels and Rev's that the 13m is a much fun kite to fly and jump with, just all around way more fun to ride compared to their equivalent 15m. i owned an 06 15m fuel and that was the last kite over 13m i will ever buy, learned my lesson (bigger is not always better).

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Very useful info. Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

hamlindp · Tue Jun 03, 08 6:50 am

Hmmmm. New equipment, eh?

I guess there is a silver lining when bad things happen to good people.

Hope your insurance crap is going smoothly.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 03, 08 8:09 am

Dunes, I wouldn't waste your money on a 15. Make a plywood glide if your desperate to get out in really light wind. Perhaps its just me but bigger kites seem to have less and less range as they go up in size. I would rather sine the shit out of my 11REv and wait for gusts than cruise on my 14m T2. Bigger kites are also more difficult to boost big on.

my 2 cents.

hamlindp · Tue Jun 03, 08 8:17 am

True, Dunes.

I'm 200 lbs, dry and you could take a call on your cell, eat a power bar, and down a brewski by the time my 20M Cab would come around. Very grunty but not too much enjoyment.

Same is true with foils. A 19M FS S2 has great hangtime but is slow. A 15M, same kite, is faster and has the same hangtime as the 19M, but boosts you higher, due to it's quicker turning.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

I weight 155, and I use a 16m at SI. It boils down to one thing:
Bigger Kite = More Power = More Fun!

Sure you can use a smaller kite and surfboard, but you still don't have the pull required for powerful jumps, if any at all. I say leave your skim and surfboards behind and get a big kite. I use my 16m for anything between 10 kots and just under whitecapping.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

We'll have a boosting contest next time, Florian. You take the 16m thing, and I'll have Jeff go out on his 11m REV. Wink

I'd either stick with the 11, or get a 13... unless you're looking to ride really light wind. Tucker's about the same weight and doesn't need anything bigger than an 11. I'm ~20lbs less and the 11 works fine for me too.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

and what is the biggest boost you ever got on the 16m rhino? how many times a year do you use it? figure the cost of the kite divided by the number of sessions you got on it, and you can figure out how much each session on that monster 16m costs you? Laughing

you can't boost big on big kites, that is a fact, with slow winds and huge slow flying kites, you just dont boost that big period; especially when you compare it to how big you boost on a small kite in high winds.

there is a reason a lot of us choose to ride the beach and drink beer in marginal/lighter winds. you just dont know any better spike. i too, like you have wasted insane amounts of money on big kites (think 20.5 machine in 06 for 1300 dollars!) just so i could kite in "all" winds and now regret spending that much money on a kite i've used less than 5 times and still sitting on the floor in the garage; i'd be lucky to get 150 bux for it.

furthermore, with a smaller kite like the 11m/13m Rev, as monkeyboy stated, you can just swing the hell outta your kite all over the place, move it around a lot and generate tons of power. wait for a gust to come thru and then boost during the gust and you'll be flying higher than if you had been riding the 16m+ kites because the smaller kites move faster and create more lift, just MO and yes i am a small kite high wind snob nowadays. Wink

as a comparison, i figure i can boost about 7-10 feet on my 20.5 machine in about 20 mph winds (which is about the highest high end for a 20.5 machine). on a 13m Rev and a 20mph gust, i could easy clear 10 feet up in the air.

i want in on the lightwind boosting contest too! can we add a seperate category and see who can get out on the smallest kite in the lightest wind? i think i could own it on my strapless SST and 9m Rev Cool

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

It's not because it's not SS, 'cause I know you'd probably fly a T2/3 14 over it. It's just what you said about a bigger kite. I guarantee ya, with the wind we had last time at Sauvies, we could outboost that 16m... and we were all on 11s.

EDIT: Word, Adam!

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

I like to have more pull in the same wind, without having to manuever the f*ck out of it, and I bought it used and have had quite a few sessions on it. I don't regret buying it. Sure a REV 15 would have been nicer, but would also cost a fortune. Given a choice I would gladly ride my 7 in 35mph winds over the 16m in 17mph winds, but if I drive for two hours to get to the water and the wind is too light to get strong pull out of that 11m, I'm glad I have a backup.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 03, 08 11:28 am

Spike, I don't think you know what the hell your talking about on this one.

More power doesn't equal more enjoyment. More speed = more enjoyment; and it also = bigger jumps. A faster kite will out jump a bigger, slower kite almost any day of the week.

It's not about pull or surface lift coefficients, its about changing directions quickly and being able to hold down the kite until the very last second.

Those of us that have been doing this for more than a year have figured out what magicmaker is saying, big kites are novel but in the end, are kind of a waste of money. Don't spend a grand, or even $500 on a kite to accomplish the same thing that you can do with $50 in marine grade plywood.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

more pull = more enjoyment

hmmm, so many ways to take this one...

hook up to the back of one of those 9 second civics, go!

Very Happy

At a certain point too much pull is not a good thing, you want just the right amount of pull, then you get lots of enjoyment. Wink

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

their is a rumor that all though more pull is fun it may cause blindness and one oversized forearm.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

When I wrote that I thought, I bet somebody will interpret this differently...
Thanks for not dissapointing me guys!

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 03, 08 12:25 pm

I am all about more pull, but at some point you have to be concerned about friction..

As with anything, there is a point of diminishing returns. I'm sure there is a graph somewhere on the internet.