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Forums > Kitesurfing General

can a board be too small?

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Created by dogfish > 9 months ago, 23 Jan 2010
dogfish
NT, 255 posts
23 Jan 2010 9:12PM
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90kg and buying a new board. mulling over what size.

i like the nippiness of the 132/39.5, but should i go the 135/40.5? tried both, but under 20kn the smaller board might as well be carrying torpedoes.

or should i just lift my game?

RayQ
WA, 638 posts
23 Jan 2010 10:34PM
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Im 97Kg and prefer my 128, its just so much more fun than my 133 in the Perth slosh. But I got to be powerd up

Kitehard
WA, 2782 posts
Site Sponsor
24 Jan 2010 9:57AM
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Hi Dogfish,

The smaller board is always going to be a bit more lively and easier to throw around but there is a trade off as RayQ has mentioned, the smaller boards need more power to pull then along as you are trading square centimetres to spread the load across, therefore requiring more speed and power to support your weight.

If you are prepared to sacrifice some low wind planing for the spunk of the shorter board, then go the smaller board, but if you ride in marginal conditions more often than not, the additional surface area will be more of an advantage to get you planing and keep you planing than added maneuverability.

Cheers,

KH

NJPornstar
WA, 790 posts
24 Jan 2010 2:47PM
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There is no right and no wrong board, depends what conditions you will do the majority of your kiting in.
Between you and me small boards are average, you need to constantly think about what your doing with the kite, water conditions and consider all sorts of other stuff too, too much.
For your man size don't go under 139.521cm long. You'll have more joy than frustration.
I hold a 143x41 down in the windiest conditions we get in Geraldton.
Most production boards are ghey, design your own.
Look at this www.cardboarding.com

bobdaboarder
NSW, 185 posts
24 Jan 2010 6:14PM
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Im 87kg and just went from a 132 to a 138. wish i had done it sooner.

Natural
12 posts
24 Jan 2010 3:57PM
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I am 105kg's and I have a Jamie pro 128 and a Underground FLX 142, seem to ride the 128 all the time.

GalahOnTheBay
NSW, 4188 posts
24 Jan 2010 8:29PM
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As with all gear try before you buy is always a good idea.

dogfish
NT, 255 posts
24 Jan 2010 9:34PM
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thanks, guys, for your very helpful and considered contributions.

went the 135.

the decider, as NJP wisely points out, was that, in a tryout in borderline wind (flukey 15), i was doing nothing else but keeping the 132 on the plane. went the wind fell in a hole, i was off downwind.

for that board, 135 is as big as they come. and none of the other boards bigger than 135 pushed my buttons.

i'm now on the lookout for <15kn gear, so if you got an SS glide or equivalent gathering dust......

cheers



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