Deel 2 van de Summer series met Andy yates, deze keer over kiten met heel weinig wind.

The Zephyr surprises me every time I have a session on it. The Sunshine Coast has been fortunate to have steady 8-10 knot winds for the last week. Usually 8-10 knots is synonymous with frustration, groveling, riding downwind and generally not an enjoyable experience for kiters, but the Zephyr changes all that.

Not only has the Zephyr allowed me to be powered in these marginal conditions, it has also opened up my eyes to what is possible in light winds and the advantages of using a bigger kite. I’ve had some amazing sessions over the last week at my local kite spot of Caloundra Rivermouth. 8 knots with a bit of tidal current is all I needed to be doing powered tricks and cranking upwind. For me the best and most exciting part of all is the ability to park the beast at the start of my trick and forget about it, knowing that it’ll be right where I left it when I land. The Zephyr also boosts like a champ and sometimes I find myself doing some old-school floaty boosts. Basically I just had an all-round fun time during the filming of these sessions.

Let’s face it; no one wants to be on the beach kiting in 30+ knots with windburn, sand blowing in your eyes, and your girlfriend sitting in the car looking at her watch in frustration. No. To me the best sessions are those when the wind is light, the Zephyr is cranking upwind, the water is flat, and your girlfriend is sitting on the beach in her bikinis getting an epic tan on – that’s the Zephyr experience! Enjoy :)