Stik
At Redhill the X-Wind limit for the PA18-135 was 15Kts.
For my L4 it is 15Kts but 10 Kts imposed by Syndicate rules (sensible)
The one I flew in the states was 17Kts so I guess you pay your money and take your choice.
I would suggest 10Kts for a beginner, depends if it is gusty too (as you well know).
Is it 90 degrees X-Wind as this is a big factor too, I've found that anything up to 20 degrees off is not too bad, beyond that it's a whole new ball game.
Arc