80kg/175lbs - FS Sonic2 11m will I foil at 6-7knots? Or do I need 13m2?

[coleman]

I'm about to take delivery on a 9m sonic2, replacing a 10m sp4 lotus. The lotus was a magic kite in light wind. Super stable at zenith and if it drops then easy to relaunch in the lightest of winds. Riding an alpinefoil with the big XLP wing i could ride in what felt like impossibly low winds. But the bug got me and I've got to try a sonic. I got a 9m for general riding in 10-20+ conditions that are common for us but i am very curious as to how it compares to the light wind capability of my now sold 10m sp4 lotus. I'm sure i'll be giving up some light wind stability at zenith and relaunch but i imagine the actual low end for riding will be similar.

A bigger free ride front wing can make a huge difference when using smaller kites.

[Brian H]

I think the only time you need a bigger kite than a 12 is if the wind is directly onshore with a long mast .

[davesails7]

I'm about to take delivery on a 9m sonic2, replacing a 10m sp4 lotus.

I rode my sonic 2 9m for the first time last week. I don't ride it in light winds, so cant comment about that, but I was amazed by the stability. Compared to the sonic 1 9m I had last year, it's night and day. Sonic 1 9m was fast, but in gusty winds it was a handfull, always surging back and forth.

My first session on the 9m sonic 2 was gusty, but I had no problems with it at all. I feel like the sonic 2s have better performance than the sonic 1 but with the stability of the speed 5.

[plummet]

I'm thinking 13m

[haare]

Today I was out kiting in 8 knots. Checked with meter. There were no white caps. I took my 18m sonic 2. I could foil easy up and downwind. Wind dropped to 6 knots. I could still foil quite well. in touch down turns It took 1-2 loops to get back up. It dropped to 4 knots. Kite stayed barely in the sky when stationary. Looping and timing for a gust I could get going and once on foil I could stay there okay, every once in a while I needed to pump speed with legs. It dropped to 3 knots. Self rescue time...

Personally I think with some more skill the low end would be the same with 15m. If you consider foiling only. However smaller kite needs some looping to get up with my skills. 18m to get up usually one or 2 times going through powerzone is enough. With 15m I need to move the kite lot more to keep constant speed. With 18m I just keep it at around 1 - 1:30 a clock all the time and just control my speed with bar and board. Lulls I manage to get through by just pulling the bar usually. With 15m it is not so easy. But I have crappy lake conditions so it can be better where you kite.

As a beginner I have had now around 5 sessions with 18m, 5 sessions with 15m and 4 sessions with 11m. I have had plenty of practise in winter with all of them when it comes to kite handling.
With 18m I stay on foil all the time, I hardly fall in gusts. With 11m I fall atleast 3x more. So bigger kite gives more gentle pull which certainly helps if you want to focus in foiling. Of course chop is one big reason here. When I kite with 18m chop is about one third the size compared to 11m conditions.