DCIB 11/18

[JimSouthwick]

At Sundance the SW wind started building at midnight, but it didn't arrive in Charleston until a little before 12:45. By the time I got to the beach, Jon, who had been watching Sundance, was launching his trusty 13m Instinct. He was soon joined (or possibly preceeded?) by Marty and later by Todd; they all looked amazingly smooth in brutally gusty conditions (peak gust at the windsurfer launch: 39 mph!) I was alternately underpowered and VERY overpowered on a 7.5.

http://homepage.mac.com/jsouthwick/PhotoAlbum91.html

[tjacques]

jim
smooth sometimes and hold on gusty others. Dc has been good to me this first kite year!!!!!
snow?????

[Jon Manwaring]

Yea, it was sort of a good one, Up and down as stated. Marty and I and even Todd, the big boy, could have been on 11M's. Instincts fly well when depowered in overpowered conditions and still can handle the gusts, and yet maintain good steering feel, but smaller is still more fun and controllable, less chance for an inadverdent big one. Modern SLE & Bow kites are far superior to 'C' kites in this aspect. For the majority of our conditions (gusty) a 'C' kite is not as desirable. When buying used, for you newer kiters, bear this in mind.
Jon Mzee