Advice on board size please

[jscarlson]

I am a beginner kiter who needs to buy a board of her own. I'm 5' 5" and weigh 125. I have a 9m Crossbow. I'll be riding in Alameda for awhile (obviously) but am hoping to branch out around the bay area as I progress. I've heard everything from 128-150. Any suggestions on what size to buy?

[windhorny]

2 boards are really ideal, but if you want only one for now, get something you can grow into. A 130 board would be about right for you. I dont really know whats out there since i ride my own boards but i would say this...bigger fins help when you are learning. They make the board less "slippery" feeling and will allow you to focus more on riding straight and using the kite as to feeling like you are on ice. As you progress you can go to a smaller size. Some boards even allow you to add the extra 2 fins on the heel side. I dont really think those are neccessary but more fins helps keep the board straight. On the other hand, my girlfriend rode my big board with small fins and she adapted to it in a few days. Liquid force makes a pink board!

[moose]

The bigger the board the better when beginning. I learned on the old Slingshot LFBs which were about 5'8" Directionals. I usually recommend no smaller than a 138, esp if youre gonna be at Alameda. If you plan on going out 1 or 2 times a week i recommend a 137 Slingshot SX or 138 Cabrinha Icon, if youre gonna be out less than that, check out a 148 Cabrinha Prodigy which should availible in a couple days. I have also heard good things about the Underground 142 as a beginner boardfor someone your size, but have not personally rode it. It comes down to how often you plan to ride and therefore progress; whether you got on a board and how comfortable you are on it; if you plan to keep this board in your quiver; and of course how much you're willing to spend!
Hope this helps!

[Rascal]

I started kitting at the beginning of this season so went through this identical experiment myself.

One issue you cannot, and should not, underestimate is the benefits of having an appropriately sized board. Itís way more important than the correct kite size.

Until you can go upwind your kiting sessions will be short and frustrating, and you will not progress quickly. The big inflexion point occurs when you can stay upwind, your time on the water will increase dramatically, and you will advance rapidly.

As far as I am concerned, you should have as big a board as you can handle until you can stay upwind. Once you are consistently staying up wind, you can then downsize your board appropriately. If you progress fast and have good conditions, it will take you between 5 and 10 sessions before you are staying up wind, so if you can borrow a big board for that period, that would be ideal.

Of course, there is an optimal balance, if the board is too small, itís hard to get up on and to stay up wind. If the board is too big for you, you will not be able to put enough back foot pressure on the board to push the nose in the correct direction, and get the correct posture to edge. It will also mean that it is harder to ride in chop because the nose is too low.

You want as much surface area in contact with the water as possible. So board sizes can be deceiving.

The width of the board matters way more than the length. A shorter wider board is better than a longer thinner one.

The other thing to consider is the rocker, you want a flatter board, not one with a dramatic rocker, so consider that too.

Best of luck,
Rascal