20 knots and don't want it

[Pedro Marcos]

Ive a good feedback for this post, today for the first time i was out foiling in 20-25 knots, using a 6m Naish Ride and i can tell you that it is too much kite. I was using 24m lines, maybe it would be more confortable in 20m lines, but i think a smaller kite with the longer lines would be more fun. This for freeride/waveride, obviously for racing or boosting that would be a good setup.

[DukeSilver]

I'm 81kgs and using my 3.5m in anything over 20kts. I can even get going in 18kts on this kite because of the speed you can fly it - but it's harder work as I have to sine it regularly to stay on the foil. 15 - 20kts would see me on my 6m Catalyst.

[TomW]

The north Mono 3,5 costs me 700 euros.
A Ozone Uno 4 costs 470 Euros.

Anyone have experience of using a 4m Uno?

[Starsky]

When the wind is just on the light side for a waveboard, I find the same kitesize on a foilboard is too big.

In short: I see two kitesizes difference from waveboard to foilboard, so changing back and fourth if the wind goes up and down during the day, is a no no for me - I have to rig two different sizes and THEN I can change (also use different linelenghts anyways) if I want to change back and fourth, even if the wind changes a bit.

Meaning in the same wind the difference waveboard-foilboard for me is typical 6-4 m2 8-5 m2 10-6 m2 which is two kitesizes difference, not only one

PF

Maybe Im not there yet, but Im with Juandesooka on this one. I really don't like foiling underpowered. It takes all the fun away. You can't bear off and simply let the kite drift, your angle upwind is nothing special, you can't get a hit of power to save yourself from imminent doom, and if it lulls just a little you can be sitting in the water waiting (in perfectly decent wind) for a gust to get up and going again. Don't get me wrong, Im not a fan of being overpowered either, that can be almost as limiting, but the very moment I have felt underpowered on a surfboard and switched to the foil with the same kite has always been right back into the sweet spot. Lately have found my wind threshold creeping back up, despite the foil. I haven't used my 12m yet this year because those days just don't seem to tempt me. Glad I have it for some future wind drought when I'll need a fix, but lately if its not at least 12 knots, I really can't be bothered.

For me, two full steps up from foil kite size is twin tip size. Have even had that board out a few times lately!

[DukeSilver]

The north Mono 3,5 costs me 700 euros.
A Ozone Uno 4 costs 470 Euros.

Anyone have experience of using a 4m Uno?

I believe Plummet bought a 4m Uno this year. There is also a video posted on here of a guy using an Uno - but I think it's a 2.5m from memory. They definitely work for foiling.

[plummet]

The north Mono 3,5 costs me 700 euros.
A Ozone Uno 4 costs 470 Euros.

Anyone have experience of using a 4m Uno?

I believe Plummet bought a 4m Uno this year. There is also a video posted on here of a guy using an Uno - but I think it's a 2.5m from memory. They definitely work for foiling.

Yep I have a 4m uno. Its awesome for the price. Only had a couple pf good sessions with it on the foil in 20-25 knots. Awesome lippidy loop session. It will be my go to kite for high wind wave riding.
PS I love small fast kites. they are so much fun. The uno packs a lot of performance for a "trainer kite". it does well. I say buy one!

[Peter_Frank]

Hej guys, thanks for your insights and personal experiences.
I'm still a noob, but getting out in more varied conditions, but playing it safe.

Peter, you're years ahead of me. But considering my experience and knowing I need to fly a kite more conservative ( as noob) on foil, if I want to go out in 20-25, do you think I should get a Mono 5m? I can also get a Mono 3,5 or Neo 4 or a Ozone Uno 4 or Ozone Reo 4.

As it stands now, I'm on a 12 in 8-14 knots, the 9m 14-18, the 7m 16-20.
I'm wondering if the 5 is small enough...
Very much want to maximize my time on the foil.

Hmmm, I would definitely not go under 5 m2, when you dont have small kites at all now.

When under 5 it gets more squirrely and not as easy, both because the kites behave a lot different, but also because the wind is mostly more tricky it seems (at least in our regions and you have the same weather pattern as us in DK)

And having a gap 7 to 4 or 3.5 is no good in my experience - possible yes, but you will have a much better time with a "pleasant" 5 m2.

But you will also find it really big and overpowered when 25 knots, but in 20-22 knots it is spot on.
Remember the wind "pull" is 60 % higher in 25 knots than 20 knots

On the other hand, you ride extremely powered compared to me, which is another reason you should not go lower than 5 m2.
In 14-18 knots you ride 9 m2, I ride 6 if I could only choose one (well, I ride 8 in 13-14 knots, 7 in 15, 6 in 16, 5 in 18)

Start with a 5 m2 and see where it leads you in the long run - it will work good together with your 7 m2.
But why not buy a wavekite instead of a mono or similar ?
You must need something when it blows 25-30 knots, for riding waves on your waveboard, or do you pass over on windy days ?

So choosing a normal wavekite will also work, and be better suited for waves and your waveboard - another option

PF

[TomW]

Thanks again for very helpful advice.
Peter, I think you have understood my perspective and as a noob I am riding powered. I don't go out in 30 knots anymore on any board. It's pretty insane conditions in that wind in Scandinavia, as you know.
I'm looking at Mono because of soft power development and now I have a quiver. I really like the 7 mono, the first 7 I think is manageable for me.

Going for a 5 seems most logical, as you state Gap is smaller as wind speeds increase.

[borist]

But why not buy a wavekite instead of a mono or similar ?
You must need something when it blows 25-30 knots, for riding waves on your waveboard, or do you pass over on windy days ?

I wondered about that as well. A good wave kite makes more sense to me as well

[Peter_Frank]

When the wind is just on the light side for a waveboard, I find the same kitesize on a foilboard is too big.

In short: I see two kitesizes difference from waveboard to foilboard, so changing back and fourth if the wind goes up and down during the day, is a no no for me - I have to rig two different sizes and THEN I can change (also use different linelenghts anyways) if I want to change back and fourth, even if the wind changes a bit.

Meaning in the same wind the difference waveboard-foilboard for me is typical 6-4 m2 8-5 m2 10-6 m2 which is two kitesizes difference, not only one

PF

Maybe Im not there yet, but Im with Juandesooka on this one. I really don't like foiling underpowered. It takes all the fun away. You can't bear off and simply let the kite drift, your angle upwind is nothing special, you can't get a hit of power to save yourself from imminent doom, and if it lulls just a little you can be sitting in the water waiting (in perfectly decent wind) for a gust to get up and going again. Don't get me wrong, Im not a fan of being overpowered either, that can be almost as limiting, but the very moment I have felt underpowered on a surfboard and switched to the foil with the same kite has always been right back into the sweet spot. Lately have found my wind threshold creeping back up, despite the foil. I haven't used my 12m yet this year because those days just don't seem to tempt me. Glad I have it for some future wind drought when I'll need a fix, but lately if its not at least 12 knots, I really can't be bothered.

For me, two full steps up from foil kite size is twin tip size. Have even had that board out a few times lately!

Me neither, dont want to ride underpowered on a foil, important to go fast upwind and have the ability to just let the kite "hang" no matter what.

Amazed though, how you guys can use the same kitesize ?

An example:

Out on a waveboard, with a 7 m2 in its sweetspot (for me) around 23 knots.

When it drops to 20-21 knots I am underpowered on the 7 m2 and not in its sweetspot anymore, no more fun.
Would normally rig an 8 or 9 m2 then, as I am not able to go upwind well or at all - meaning this is the scenario where the wind drops so my 7 is too small.

Now I can definitely not ride in my "sweetspot" on a hydrofoil in 20-22 knots with a 7 m2, I will be WAY overpowered and need a 5 m2 here, even my 6 m2 is too big not in doubt, have tried it so often

My point was, if it was 23 knots I would use a 4 m2 on a hydrofoil, and a 7 m2 on a waveboard, which is 2 "typical" kitesizes difference, and not just one.

So amazed how you guys can use the same kite for hydrofoiling when the wind backs off so on the underpowered side for a waveboard ?
It definitely does not work for me - and no, I dont ride underpowered on my hydrofoil.

Of course, if the wind drops a lot suddenly and permanently, you can just switch from your waveboard to your hydrofoil using the same kite (but different lines, for me) - it has happened once (a great day BTW with the best waves seen in a long time), but what happens the most is the wind going just a tad up or down, so you are on the either overpowered or low powered side, outside the sweetspot for your kite on a waveboard.
Here the same kite can not be used with a hydrofoil, at least not for me...

It would be nice if you could just change board, but as said, too much kitesize difference from waveboards to hydrofoils when free and waveriding, for me.

PF