Ive used a sonic for the last 4-5 months, and Ive just had my first weekend on C kites, ( caution spitfire3's). At first going back to c's felt scary, with the sonics de power being so instant, it felt real wierd. However 4 sessions under my belt, Im starting to enjoy it again. The kite certanly feels realy solid and super smooth, Turns respond really quickly, as I found out looping it, ( when the wind had dropped off to a friendly 13-14 knots)! Wave riding was also good, with a constant flow of power, I could really load up and throw out some sweet cut backs.

All in all, I still think I prefer Bows, but C kites deffo still have theyre good points. I deffinetly missed the instant de power, especially in speed runs!!

Ive got a caution answer coming this week, which is a hybrid of a C and a Bow, very similar to the ION, should be interesting. Im glad Ive got another Sonic on order either way!!!!

Any body else got back onto C's>

not deserted them Shem; each to their own ,i think the bows are a great asset to learning safely but still prefer the grunt of the C's. there again i prefer driving diesels also for the same reason ,loads of grunt!
strange how none of the pros ride them though and also how they appear to be getting closer in design to the C style.
now thers a bit of fishing for you, any bites?

I think that with 2 new style bows on the market, the pros might start using them. Basically all the grunt if not more than a c kite, faster turning, and more safety and de power than c's. Its gota be good. Add it all togeather with a 12-25 sweet wind range for a 12!! What a combo, time will tell.

some pros this year will start riding them.
i won't go back to c's. Stoked on mine, the 8m was heaps of fun sat arvo.

Personally from what i've seen guys pulling off on bows in SA, i wouldn't be surprised if master Bluebeard were riding the waroo in a years time!

Ill be sticking with my C kites i think untill the flood of bow kites has stopped and theyve all had a decent run out.
Plus i cant afford one

Well after my first trip out with my sonic 11 on Saturday (thanks Shem) I have to say I love the way it just soaks up the gusts. My 13m Fuel use to just snap at you in the same conditions. It don't always sit at the edge of the window when dropped waiting for instruction though, which I had seen the last time I used Shem's. Wind on both opccasions was on the light side though.

More time on the water will tell the real truth though. I plan to start using the sonic for m/boarding and bugying this week so we will see what happens there.

HAD A go on a fusion this weekend (thanks Col) and it rocked, miles better than my old c's boosted well loads of grunt and power but in the end i wanted my sonic back, coz you can get that by riding it on the stopper but then go easy if you want by popping it out and using the depower... you can do anything you can on a C with a bow but you can't do anything you can do on a bow on a C...

Hey everyone,

Been using the 9m Crossbow now for 3 months and i am a bow convert for sure. I initially tried a few different bows and came to the personal conclusion that the bigger sized bows were a no go, i'm only light and prefer a faster kite. i've been out with people on their 16m classics on my medium jamie and been up and riding cause the kite is so fast. I've decide to get a second larger board rather than another kite - litewave stealth here i come!

I have found that i am improving faster on the bow too, the depower really helps with that. to begin with i was sceptical about the crossbows top end range, but I've been out in 3o -35mph with no worries at all.

it feels a little strange when loading the car these days - only one kite! Wierd.

Should be back at the beloved borth over easter some time, its been a while and I'm missing it!

[Edited on 4-4-2006 by CharlieR]

well charlie you can look at my stealth if you wish they came in today..137 x 44..

.fat boys delight..

.now were am i going to find some one who's fat enough to ride it.

.oh yea there in the mirror every morning.

.dOooooh

Id love to try it Col, but Im probably not big enough to benefit from it!!Hehe. Nah, they look sweet as, still luvin the crazy fly in light winds though.

Hey dudes,

I've just received a copy of the new Surfstore catalogue through the post.

If you look at the Sonic, they describe it as a hybrid. I believe the Naish Shockwave‘s also a hybrid.

So maybe this thread should be pros and cons of “c’s” “hybrids” and “bows”

I know, its petty, but I haven’t sailed for ages, and I got fried brains in da Cannaries!

Ah well, back to Da Medano ,in 6 weeks!

Later

Dunks

Its early days for me with the Bow kites, so I cant really comment other than to say that once you have experienced the safety of a Bow the C kite never feels the same again.

If the development of windsurfing kit is anything to go by the first & second generation of a trend are allways pretty extreme, then over a period of time they usually pull back and become a little more conventional.

I think the hybrid kite may be the answer at the moment. All the depower& range of a bow kite, the stability of a C kite and none of the inversion problems.

[Edited on 6-4-2006 by Fat Shady]

aww the sonic, i was the first laydee in the uk to try that kite out, was the 11m in megavissy cornwall, was such a blast, very scary for the first time but you van definitly get used to them, whether its the c or the bow kite is questionable, i am like many fellow kiters watching this space to see how the bows develop, having spent alot of money on a complete quiver of c kites. Most kite manufacturers have come up with their own versions of the bow kite and the question is over which one i guess. So for the mean time i wil stick to my C kites and see what happens with the bows and how they develop!