Lightwind / non-race foil

[grigorib]

Been riding MHL Lift 2013, medium-low AR for quite a while and love that setup. I don't race and I'm having major blast in light wind and at low speeds. Went to 42" board - light, compact, fun, fun, fun...

The setup is getting somewhat aged so I've started looking for new one and hit a problem:
So many foils to choose from and all seem to tend being medium high or high AR - they need more speed to go, more speed to maintain in transitions and I feel I'm going to be missing my old wings. The new ones ride so much faster and smoother (an smoother part is really cool) but the low speed is gone... Slowing down I feel like I'm balancing a Harrier VTOL jet landing.

Anyone is feeling the same? Any suggestions?

[Peter_Frank]

I have been using KETOS gear the last years, and just invested in a new wing and board and mast, excited as waiting for it to arrive now

And they are full on into us non-racers (besides having a good racewing too now), so can only recommend the FR2 wing which is more area and medium AR and made for fun and turning - my friend just bought one.

Just one (out of possibly many) suggestions.

They also make bigger wings than that, if you go for ultimate and not allround.

I really like their approach for freeride and freestyle, and having a "module" system that has remained unchanged so you can use any wing or mast or board or rear wing you like, or buy used ones too that fit.

Besides being a one screw for changing fuselage or board, or mounting when you get to the spot - just up my alley regarding easy and fun

PF

Yesterday, having fun

[TomW]

Peter,
The Ketos website is really confusing. They have these stupid names : so easy, so cool, so fast, so wave. And there's no description of the product...

I wonder if they would give me a discount if I copy wrote their Web content...

It puts me off.

[pikovsg]

I love the new Lift 130 and 150 wings for light wind. Made a custom 41 liter board with Temavento and now having a blast in low wind. Can go down to 6-7 miles with the Cloud D 13.4 on it and still jibe relatively easy. 150 wing needs only about 4 miles to stay on foil, so you don't really go down on turns. Not a fast wing, but as fun as it gets when not going in straight line in low wind.

[Mossy 757]

AR doesn't necessarily determine stall speed of the wing, take a close look at some of the race wings, they usually have insane low-end as well as high end, they just go really fast which scares some people.

New MHL's look baller, btw, saw some of the new ones last November in St. Pete and they're stout.

[grigorib]

I love the new Lift 130 and 150 wings for light wind. Made a custom 41 liter board with Temavento and now having a blast in low wind. Can go down to 6-7 miles with the Cloud D 13.4 on it and still jibe relatively easy. 150 wing needs only about 4 miles to stay on foil, so you don't really go down on turns. Not a fast wing, but as fun as it gets when not going in straight line in low wind.

I was told Lift 110 is really close to 2015-2016 osprey wing. Lift 130 looks close by area to 2013 Lift foil and it might be a good choice.
What 150 wing would not do that 110-130 wing can?

[Peter_Frank]

Peter,
The Ketos website is really confusing. They have these stupid names : so easy, so cool, so fast, so wave. And there's no description of the product...

I wonder if they would give me a discount if I copy wrote their Web content...

It puts me off.

Agree, their english version lacks a lot

The names are for making it easy - so light for the big wings to be able to ride in light wind, so cool for the allround wings for everything, so wave for the wave wings, and so fast for the race wings.

There is a description of every single wing, and the size and span is in the typenumber itself which is great so never in doubt.

But in the english version there are sometimes a bit lacking or errors now and then yes, so always check with the french version if in doubt, I found out.

Does not matter much for me, I prefer a good product with solid experience in the materials and "non perfect" english, over a mediocre product and perfect PR

PF

[pikovsg]

The Lift 110 is my fav all around. Very similar to their original model, yes. A lot more durable, and as I learned yesterday, pretty weedproof. We had weeds in the water yesterday and most of the other foilers could not keep on foil. The 130 is for wind below 11 knots. 130 will stay on foil around 6-7 mile speed. 150 is for wind below 8 knots - will stay on foil around 3-4 miles. I use it very rarely, only on days when nothing else works - it's a slowww, but super steady foil.

Btw, when I mean stay on foil, it's the minimum speed required to keep the board above the water. Not necessarily with a kite - strictly propulsion needed. So if you hit a low lull, you can ride through it if you kite doesn't fall.

[Peter_Frank]

Dont know if this is the right thread or not ?

But was out today for the very first time on my new KETOS WaveXL wing and new 130 Pocket board, I bought and received yesterday, so used half the night to put Hexatraction on so it would be ready (summerholidays here now, luckily).

A really different way of riding, difficult to explain, but it felt "Greg Drexler" like because of this wing, veeeeery different.

Had a great two hour session, soooo different to all other wings I have, and eventhough I could hardly waterstart in these 10-11 knots with normal lines and an 8 m2, it felt right when up and could play around doing full carves on the small waves, could even glide and ride in these 2 feet chopwaves just parking the kite, and had lots of fun, 360s was different too no more lean back and power needed:



Many other foils also works great, I have simply fell in love with this one

PF

[Ramkiter]

Peter what length are your 'normal lines' to make an 8m work in 10 - 11 knots?
I've recently started using 28m instead of 20m and can get my carver wing up & flying with a 9m kite, very happy.