v-tek
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-19-2011
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Windspeed
How do most people gauge their wind that they are flying in?
I just switched from a Rush 300 to a 3m Flow so I thought I was getting adjusted to flying. Most of the time it seemed as if I was overestimating the
wind, going out and trying to fly when there wasn't enough. I guess I got use to it.
This weekend I had the opposite. I was trying to find the power window when suddenly I pulled up, (my first Superman,) fell on my shoulder and tore my
AC joint. (No, I'm not looking to sell my kite...) 
Do most people check conditions before going out, or take a wind reading when they get there? And how do you watch out for that AC joint busting
gust...?
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bigkahuna
Posts: 713
Registered: 11-21-2006
Location: OBX of North Carolina
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I've been using one of these for 6+ years: http://www.hallwindmeter.com/ takes all the guess work out of it.
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Bladerunner
Posts: 9679
Registered: 10-17-2006
Location: Vancouver
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Rough luck.
I don't use a wind meter even though I have one. I judge by feel. The way the trees, flags are acting and the water. The trees and flag tell me how
gusty it is. The water tells me the speed. No whitecaps - Big kite, Whitecaps starting - medium kite + I can jump ( 10 knots ) , Big whitecaps, BIG
FUN !!!
I size for the gusts and usaully only move up if I doubt the wind will pick up. Depending on your location you may see a gust coming ( water , dust
... ) but usually you just feel it coming on and react.
Kites: 2.5m Profoil , Quadrifoil XL kitesurfer, NPW 5 Danger.
Flexifoil: 1.7m Sting, 4.9m Blade 3, 9m Blade 2.
Flysurfer : 19m Speed 2 SA, 7m Pulse
Peter Lynn :18m Phantom, 15m Synergy, 10m Synergy, 1200 Farc, 460 Sarc, 130 Tarc, 5m Peel, 4.2m , 6.4, 8.5 C-Quads, 3.5 LS2 single skin.
Rides: Flexi / P.L. Frankin'Buggy , Shaped + straight skiis, sand skis, Coyote blades. Core 95 ATB. RKB R2 ATB .
Ken (K2)
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ripsessionkites
Posts: 4043
Registered: 10-17-2006
Location: California, Las Vegas
Member Is Offline
Mood: retired until racing starts
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You just know when you know.
Hence the reason why you must learn your kites and find the windrange that is most comfortable for you. Charts are just guides based on someone who is
150lbs unless otherwise stated.
For example:
Dino and I might be riding the same kite in the same wind but he might be traveling in a straight line while I drift. Pick your size carefully.
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Drewculous
Posts: 3248
Registered: 4-14-2009
Location: Scottsbluff, Ne
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Mood: Official Tough Mudder 
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I check the internet, but only for an approximation... I carry all my kites with me, so unless the wind stops, or tops 50, im ok 
I still go by my old quote lol:
I gave up on windspeeds, its either crappy, gravy, epic, or stupid... In that order.
Gravy can be substituted with shibby, and know that there is a very thin line between epic and stupid
That is the Drewculous Anemometer!
PL: Twister II 5.6m, Phantom 15m / 12m, 10m Synergy, JIBE Viper 5.3m, Charger 19m
HQ: Montana 4 12.5m, Apex 3 5m
Flexi: Blade ViP, Rage 1.8m \"lil Pepi!\"
FlexiFoot Bug / FlexDeck / MBS Core 95 / Custom Carbon Fiber MTH \"Monster Door\"
Corsair Crash Test Dummy (QC Suervisor )
My most perfect days have been on Jekyll |
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rocfighter
Posts: 3950
Registered: 10-13-2009
Location: Haddam Neck, CT.
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Mood: Elimenate warning signs, Promote natural selection
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I carry all mine too. And I always seem to start to small. But I'm "older" than most here so I need to be more causious!!
NAPKA # US65
HQ ApexII 7.5
Skydog/ SDT2.8, SDT4.0, SDT5.5, SDF3.0
Pansh Ace 5.0 X2
North Husky 6.0
PL Guerilla 13, 18
PL C-Quad 2.3, 3.2, 4.2
Home made Rat Buggy
Libre V Max on barrow Plus wider taller sand tires & bigfoot front end
Blades Of Death, \"thanks Fran\"
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Cheddarhead
Posts: 1402
Registered: 12-4-2009
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Been using the elements around me since day one to judge the wind. Found the internet to be off the mark sometimes, so I use it just for a general
reference. Best bet is to carry various sizes of kite not to get skunked.
SS Turbine 17m
SS Rally 14m
SS Rally 12m
SS RPM 10m
SS Rally 8m
SS Rally 6m
FS Speed 3 15m dlx
FS Peak 2 6m
Ozone Frenzy 9m
Ozone Access XT 6m
PL Farc 1200
What I ride:
Home brew buggy
Volkl race tiger DH 210
Dynastar DH 218
Blizzard Cochise 185
Steepwater 179 twin tip
Aboards Reverse 161
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Seanny
Posts: 1103
Registered: 10-24-2010
Location: Liberty Hill, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tied between the roots of Earth and the sky...
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I don't need one. Here, if the wind is blowing, the wind is gusting. It's never consistent. No need to take measurements when it's 10 mph gusting to
30 every day of the week.
Sean Tully
i like kites.
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Txshooter38
Posts: 391
Registered: 2-2-2010
Location: South Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Coast or Bust!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Seanny
I don't need one. Here, if the wind is blowing, the wind is gusting. It's never consistent. No need to take measurements when it's 10 mph gusting to
30 every day of the week. |
Diddo....that is of course unless it is 3mph gusting to 30....
Joking aside I use a wind meter still and size for the gusts....which can be very frustrating in the lulls.
Curtis
Currently flying:
Beamer IV 2m, 3m, 4m
Ozone Flow 5M
PL Vibe 1.3
Synergy 12m
Flysurfer 19m DLX
HQ Apex III 7.5
PL Twister 7.7m--Just plain sick...
Driving:
Peter Lynn Buggy
GI Landboard
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Cerebite
Posts: 328
Registered: 5-6-2011
Location: China Lake Yacht Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: Is he using the same wind we are?
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short answer -it is always a guess , which is why everyone has a quiver LOL.
For long range [3 -5 days] planning I use two websites [usairnet -a ultra-light, paraglider site & windfinder -a general
aviation site]. Airnet gives "average" wind and direction in 3 hour increments and windfinder gives a "steady" reading and a "gust" reading in 1 hr
increments. As with any weather guess they should be taken with a grain of salt -a few days ago they had the wind direction 180 degrees apart at the
same time. 
I like to watch flags [buildings don't flap and we do not have enough trees  ] but they are susceptible to ground turbulence.
With our swirly -gusty winds I started putting up a windsock at my flying site so I would have an immediate & reliable indicator of my wind.
NASA wings -1 to 12m [mostly KM4]
Foils -2 -12m [mostly PL & Pansh]
VTT Stinger on Midi's
Another day in Paradise...
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Kamikuza
Posts: 6415
Registered: 1-9-2005
Location: Shiga, JAPAN
Member Is Offline
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We got a live webcam at the beach, with a flag, trees and the lake in shot - you can see whitecaps etc. If I'm land kiting on the F.B's, I just take
everything I got
Yeah... I got a kite. Or two...
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canuck
Posts: 514
Registered: 10-5-2006
Location: Calgary, AB
Member Is Offline
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I use a website to see if there is any wind out there, a wind meter and trees/flags/etc when I get to the spot, but gusty inland winds are just
that.... a challenge.
The best gauge is what happens when you fly. Setup and launch at the edge of the window, if you do not feel overpowered bring your kite to the zenith,
wait for a gust and walk backwards. If you now feel overpowered safely land the kite and pack up/downsize . If you are underpowered you might not
have as much fun but at least you won't become rocketman.
FB: Pro Foil 5.5m, PL Reactor II 3.5m, Radsail 3m
Depower: GIN Shaman 12m & 6m, Shaman2 9m (incoming), PL Venom II 13m, Venom I 10m
HQ Powerkites seat harness
Salomon snowblade 90, straight & shaped skis
PL Comp ST buggy, MBS Comp 16 Pro, Coyote All Terrain Rollerblades
BodyGlove wakeskis
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dylanj423
Posts: 1483
Registered: 1-24-2008
Member Is Online
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i have a free anemometer that needs a battery and paid postage...
free to anyone(hint-vtek) that will pass it on free to another new kite flier that is... please keep it on pkf and direct others to do the same...
WHAT I FLY:
Flysurfer Soul v2 12m, Soul 15m, Soul v2 21m
Flexi Rage 1.8m, Jojo RM 3m, Flexi Blurr 3.5, Flexi Blade 4.0m, Flexi Blade 4.9m, Flexi Blurr 5, Jojo RM 6m
WHAT I RIDE:
Kite Skates, Libre Full Race, GI Conflict 106, OR Mako 140, Spleene Door 159
What I Am In The Market For: Peter Lynn Vapors, Weatherproof Kite Buggy Bag for Libre, PL or Flexi Small Buggy to Tow With, Flexi Pro Link Handles,
Flexi Lines, Flexi Kite Killers
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shaggs2riches
Posts: 1774
Registered: 10-4-2009
Location: Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
Member Is Offline
Mood: low winds here I come
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I carry a windmeter with me when I kite. I try to get a visual of higher up things like flags n such if I can. Down below it may read 8mph, 80feet up
it could read 15mph or higher depending on your location. I have about 5 websites in bookmarks that I frequently check and compare forecasts. However,
the conditions can change in a hurry so you gotta be prepared. With time you'll adjust to your conditions and won't have to question it as much.
That's really all there seems to it. If your not sure take a reading, if your overpowered/underpowered change your kite accordingly. Best thing is to
start small and get bigger if you're needing more.
what I fly/ride:
19m Flysurfer Speed 2 SA
12m Flysurfer Speed2
6m Ozone access xt
1.5m Ozone imp trainer
144cm Airush Switch
152cm lib tech skate banana
MBS Pro 90
Jereme Leafe Pro 95
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flexiblade
Posts: 823
Registered: 4-17-2008
Location: Auburn CA
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I would take dylanj423 up on that anemometer, or if you have an iphone they have a really good $.99 app. The reason I suggest this is that I went
through something similar to what happened to you. My first kite was a little ram air stunt kite - fun to fly but it needed pretty strong winds to
get off the ground - switched to a 4m blade after about 4 months but the wind gauge in my head was all wrong for what I was trying to fly. Got yarded
pretty quick. A basic standard measurement reference is great. It only took me about 3 outings with a windmeter to get a good feel for what the wind
actually was compared to what it "feels' like. I still catch myself getting the wind wrong by guessing, then checking my phone to realize I was
actually off about 8 mph. Nothing wrong about pulling the trigger on free stuff.
we all believe is called the expansion
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Bladerunner
Posts: 9679
Registered: 10-17-2006
Location: Vancouver
Member Is Offline
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Please take away from this that a wind meter is just another indicator. Wind up higher is likey to be different . It is a good tool to give you
reference but learning to judge the wind is much more valuable.
I say , take the offer and pass it on.
I see a new fad . Pass the Wind Meter ?
Kites: 2.5m Profoil , Quadrifoil XL kitesurfer, NPW 5 Danger.
Flexifoil: 1.7m Sting, 4.9m Blade 3, 9m Blade 2.
Flysurfer : 19m Speed 2 SA, 7m Pulse
Peter Lynn :18m Phantom, 15m Synergy, 10m Synergy, 1200 Farc, 460 Sarc, 130 Tarc, 5m Peel, 4.2m , 6.4, 8.5 C-Quads, 3.5 LS2 single skin.
Rides: Flexi / P.L. Frankin'Buggy , Shaped + straight skiis, sand skis, Coyote blades. Core 95 ATB. RKB R2 ATB .
Ken (K2)
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PHREERIDER
Posts: 5781
Registered: 2-13-2008
Location: SC
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
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you have to spend some time in the environment and get a feel for whats what. a meter is great starting point to help you understand and relate what
SEE, FEEL and HEAR!
a good exercise is facing into the wind (determining direction is first!)
turn your head left and right , at the loudest point you nose is pointing at wind origin.
usable wind sounds starts around 5-6-7mph.
leaves flip and branchs wave at 10-12
tree tops (as a whole) start moving 15+
sand/ dust start blasting around 20-25
dead flag <5 ,, limping ,luffing flag 6-10... out and steady 12+ . ...stiff and beating 20+
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bigkahuna
Posts: 713
Registered: 11-21-2006
Location: OBX of North Carolina
Member Is Offline
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I'm always the only guy at the beach with a windmeter and find it funny that all the guys who claim to be "experts" at reading the wind always come up
to me and ask, "what's it blowin'?".
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PHREERIDER
Posts: 5781
Registered: 2-13-2008
Location: SC
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilled....but ready to SAIL!
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consistency, if you learn what makes this happen, what ruins it and local seasonal wind tendencies you are gonna have better enjoyment.
just showing up and "where's the wind"? and you will probably drop the sport.
tune in to the local wind action so you know. just another important part of the sport
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ragden
Posts: 1851
Registered: 8-9-2008
Location: Northern Virginia
Member Is Offline
Mood: ready to ride...
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Torn AC joint? Man that does not sound like fun.
Big difference in the way kites pull. Hard to find that out without getting yarded at least once.
I check lots of websites to get an idea of what is going on, then show up with all my kites for the given location, ie: I dont bring my outlaws to the
water with me... 
Hope you heal up soon, and get back out there.. Lots of fun to be had...
Flysurfer Speed 3 15m DELUXE
Flysurfer Speed 3 12m
Flysurfer Psycho4 8m
Peter Lynn Buggy
Twisted Velocity (164)
Spleene (Monster) Door 164x50 (for sale?)
FlyDoor XL (2013)
2011 Spleene RS 132
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arkay
Posts: 1793
Registered: 10-23-2008
Location: Oregon
Member Is Offline
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I used to use a wind meter, still do sometimes, more just to see how close I am
If you are unsure, start with a smaller kite and move up if needed. Typically a bad idea to start big 
US503 - Manzanita, Oregon
Fixed Bridal: Flexifoil Sting 1.2, 1.7; Rage Acid 2.5m, 3.5m, 4.7m, 6m | Peter Lynn Vapor 11.2m, 16.1m | NPW 7m
Depower : Peter Lynn Venom 2 13m, 16m, 19m | Peter Lynn Phantom 15m | Flysurfer 2.5 SA 19m
LEI : Flexifoil Atom 7m, 9m, 12m; Mutiny 8m
Land rides : Libre Hardcore; Libre v-max; Peter Lynn XR+W | Rollerblade Coyotes! | Ground Industries AK Pro
Water rides : Slingshot Misfit 134; Ocean Rodeo Mako 150; North WAM! 5\'10
4 Sale/Trade: HQ M1 5m, Flysurfer Pulse 10, PL Venom 2 16m, PL Venom 19m
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v-tek
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-19-2011
Member Is Offline
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Thanks for all the advice, I hope to put it to use when I can kite again in 3-4 weeks.
I looked at the conditions that day and they were 10 knot winds with gusts to 30 knots. I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on my environment next
time so I don't fly outside my range.
Say, I was working harder with my Flow than with my Rush. I noticed that with the Rush I could let it go to the top of the window and it would hang
out there easily.
With the Flow, it tries to over fly me and crumple. I think I was concentrating too much on trying to keep it in the window and didn't watch as my
conditions changed.
Is that what I was experiencing, that a trainer will stay on top of you while a 4 line will want to over fly the window...?
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ragden
Posts: 1851
Registered: 8-9-2008
Location: Northern Virginia
Member Is Offline
Mood: ready to ride...
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| Quote: | Originally posted by v-tek
...
Is that what I was experiencing, that a trainer will stay on top of you while a 4 line will want to over fly the window...? |
Really depends on the kite. You might not have enough tension on your brake lines? Its also fairly typical of gusty conditions. Not always a good idea
to keep your kite sitting at zenith in gusty conditions...
Flysurfer Speed 3 15m DELUXE
Flysurfer Speed 3 12m
Flysurfer Psycho4 8m
Peter Lynn Buggy
Twisted Velocity (164)
Spleene (Monster) Door 164x50 (for sale?)
FlyDoor XL (2013)
2011 Spleene RS 132
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Bladerunner
Posts: 9679
Registered: 10-17-2006
Location: Vancouver
Member Is Offline
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Yes you should notice a difference between the 2 kites. When you get in motion you will find that translates to the Flow being better at upwind.
To avoid overfly either redirect ( wiggle ) the kite or slow it with brakes before it happens.
The other thing was the changing wind speed . The kite rushing farther forward in the window is an indicator that a gust is hitting.
Great questions !
Kites: 2.5m Profoil , Quadrifoil XL kitesurfer, NPW 5 Danger.
Flexifoil: 1.7m Sting, 4.9m Blade 3, 9m Blade 2.
Flysurfer : 19m Speed 2 SA, 7m Pulse
Peter Lynn :18m Phantom, 15m Synergy, 10m Synergy, 1200 Farc, 460 Sarc, 130 Tarc, 5m Peel, 4.2m , 6.4, 8.5 C-Quads, 3.5 LS2 single skin.
Rides: Flexi / P.L. Frankin'Buggy , Shaped + straight skiis, sand skis, Coyote blades. Core 95 ATB. RKB R2 ATB .
Ken (K2)
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rossb63
Posts: 73
Registered: 4-28-2011
Member Is Offline
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just look at the trees if there moving around i know ive got more than enough wind to play with my rainbow
RO55B \"Life\'s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting \"Holy #@%$#!, what a ride!\"
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