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what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

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oz43
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what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

Postby oz43 » Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:59 pm

    Hello All,

    Looking to get into foiling and would like to know what guys my size (215 lbs dry) are using to learn to foil in 10-14 kts? My quiver is down to a 2012 OR Razor 12m and a 2018 10m Drifter. I'm skeptical either will get my ass out of the water at that wind speed... any kite suggestions?

    Specifically, if anyone my size rides a 10m drifter or similar surf kite for foiling, I would love to know their wind range on it when learning or up and riding.


    Cheers,

    K
    Last edited by oz43 on Mon Feb 05, 2018 7:58 am, edited 2 times in total.

    PD Gorby 67
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    Re: Quiver suggestions for a 215lb (~100kg) rider

    Postby PD Gorby 67 » Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:11 pm

    Hi oz43,

    I am 235 lbs without gear, and I am using BRM Cloud D's - 4.8, 8.0, and 13.4.

    This quiver on regular length lines has me fully powered at 10knots with the 13.4. Fully Powered on the 8 m at around 13 knots, and switching to the 4.8 m over 20 knots. Closer to 30 knots, the 4.8 is getting over powered on a hydrofoil.

    I am riding the Stringfellow foil, that Greg from BRM was riding up until last year.

    Hope, this helps.

    oz43
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    Re: Quiver suggestions for a 215lb (~100kg) rider

    Postby oz43 » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:40 pm

    PD Gorby 67 wrote:
    Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:11 pm
    Hi oz43,

    I am 235 lbs without gear, and I am using BRM Cloud D's - 4.8, 8.0, and 13.4.

    This quiver on regular length lines has me fully powered at 10knots with the 13.4. Fully Powered on the 8 m at around 13 knots, and switching to the 4.8 m over 20 knots. Closer to 30 knots, the 4.8 is getting over powered on a hydrofoil.

    I am riding the Stringfellow foil, that Greg from BRM was riding up until last year.

    Hope, this helps.

    Seems like I might get blown off the 10m fairly quickly. I was kinda hoping that by the time I was blown off the foil, I could remove the mast and ride board only...

    It sounds like you're an accomplished rider already, what conditions did you learn in, and what kite did you use?

    Thanks

    PD Gorby 67
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    Re: Quiver suggestions for a 215lb (~100kg) rider

    Postby PD Gorby 67 » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:21 pm

    oz43 wrote:
    Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:40 pm

    Seems like I might get blown off the 10m fairly quickly. I was kinda hoping that by the time I was blown off the foil, I could remove the mast and ride board only...

    It sounds like you're an accomplished rider already, what conditions did you learn in, and what kite did you use?

    Thanks
    Hi oz43,

    A lot depends on what foil / board that you are planning on getting.

    I started foiling Spring of 2016, on a Zeeko Black and White foil mounted to an old Liquid Force Skim Skate that is 20” wide x 5’-0” long, heavy and low volume. And strapless from the first day.

    The kites I used were wave kites (Mutiny S – 8m and 12m from 2012), and a freeride / freestyle kite (Best Nemesis HP 14m from 2014ish).

    I would get blown off my kites quite early because I was a heavy person on a foil / board combination that needed about 10 knots of board speed to take off, and quickly accelerated to above 15 knots. This effectively gave me about 10 more knots of wind speed. Also, my kites didn’t depower all that well. I would only use my 14m kite in less than 12 knots of wind. It fell in the water quite often, and there were many swims in.

    This past summer, there was a person learning with a large slow foil, and a 17m Ozone Zephyr kite that had a huge amount of depower. Because his foil was slow, he did not generate much apparent wind, and because he could depower his kite so much, even if he did get going a little quicker, the kite did not overpower him. He was riding this combination in over 15 knots of wind.

    In the same conditions that he was riding his 17m kite, I would have been on my 12m or 8m, because I would get overpowered so quickly. I got a relatively slower foil this year ( Stringfellow ), and I find that I like a bit more kite power with this foil since it doesn’t ride as fast as the Zeeko did.

    You need to look at the whole board / foil / kite combination.

    Your 10m Drifter should work fine ( I am assuming that it is a wave kite ). The razor will work as well, as long as it can steer well when depowered, and will fly in lighter winds.

    I hope this helps.

    skideeppow
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    Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

    Postby skideeppow » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:29 pm

    I'm 215 and am riding the ghost whisperer. I currently use my drifters to foil with. 7,9 and 12.
    I am looking to get a air USB ultra in a 12 because in light wind the drifter is pretty heavy and hard to launch and relaunch. The ultra is so much lighter and better for that super light wind.
    I would think if you are foiling with a 17 and it goes in the water, there is no way it will relaunch.

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    Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

    Postby Mossy 757 » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:55 pm

    oz43 wrote:
    Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:59 pm
      Hello All,

      Looking to get into foiling and would like to know what guys my size (215 lbs dry) are using to learn to foil in 10-14 kts? My quiver is down to a 2012 OR Razor 12m and a 2018 10m Drifter. I'm skeptical either will get my ass out of the water at that wind speed... any kite suggestions?

      Specifically, if anyone my size rides a 10m drifter or similar surf kite for foiling, I would love to know their wind range on it when learning or up and riding.


      Cheers,

      K
      Your 12 will probably suffice for that wind range and once you're good the 10 will probably overlap there. I'm 165lbs dry and my 9m can take me down to that range.

      The big trick is learning to foil properly powered in enough wind where you don't need to worry about the kite. Take the same size kite you'd take for your twintip while you're learning and be ready to keep the kite high to prevent runaway speed. Once you've figured it out from there, it will be totally obvious when you're ready to size down and take the smaller kites.

      I think a lot of people make the mistake of replacing kites before they really figure out how to ride the foil powered up, and thus end up owning the wrong kites.

      Windigo1
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      Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

      Postby Windigo1 » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:46 pm

      I'm the same weight I use a GTS3 LW 15M from about 7 to 14 knots on a Shinn with P wing the big one. You can foil with almost no speed on this thing. I'm still learning, I'll probably move to a single strut kite soon most likely a 15M. Everyone was telling me to start with a 12M but they are all much smaller than me I found out quickly it didn't work for me in ligthwind. big guys still need a bigger kite even on a foil.

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      pixelpedro
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      Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

      Postby pixelpedro » Mon Feb 05, 2018 5:43 pm

      When I picked up foiling I was 220 and got a LF solo 15.5 and the orange foil fish setup, the first few times out the 15 was great cause it got me out in the 10-14kts I needed the extra power while I figured things out, but gotta tell you that was short lived, once I figured things out (prob in about 5 full day sessions) even @ my weight my go to kite was a 9m solo I had to buy for the 12-16kts the 15.5 was reduced to only getting out in 8-11kts cause right at the 11-12 kts-ish I was lit on the 15 and I'd switch to the 9m, I sold the 15 with maybe 10 sessions on it cause I'd never take it out, didn't have to.

      I'm not an expert at all but my opinion/advice, I would do is to stick with ur current quiver and rough through the learning process with the 12 (which BTW shouldn't be that bad or long) you'll see once u get the technique of foiling finessed you'll probably be using the drifter the most in that windrange, providing the drifter is light enough to stay up in that sort of wind and if not I would highly recommend taking a look at the solo that kite is crazy light and really does pull hard for the size.

      I think that the size alone isn't that important as the type of kite + size, I don't like having too much gear so I'd later switch my quiver a bit to be a little more all arounder and got RPMs and my 9m RPM definitely wasn't nearly as efficient as the 9m solo was for foiling.

      Foiling is truly a game changer, I don't foil anymore cause I lost interest and I have a new obsession that I'd rather be messing around with when the wind is that light but it is truly a magical experience when ur out when usually you wouldn't even consider looking at windalert cause u know it's way too light and ur out on a tiny ass kite and ur out having fun going freaky fast in that light of wind.

      Hope this helped. Have fun it's a well worth journey.

      oz43
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      Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

      Postby oz43 » Mon Feb 05, 2018 6:26 pm

      skideeppow wrote:
      Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:29 pm
      I'm 215 and am riding the ghost whisperer. I currently use my drifters to foil with. 7,9 and 12.
      I am looking to get a air USB ultra in a 12 because in light wind the drifter is pretty heavy and hard to launch and relaunch. The ultra is so much lighter and better for that super light wind.
      I would think if you are foiling with a 17 and it goes in the water, there is no way it will relaunch.
      Hi Skideeppow,

      Have you tried a 12 in one of these light kites yet? If so, how would it crossover to TT/strapless free ride?

      My Razor will have the same problem relaunching for sure, and since I'll be learning on mostly sea breeze, this is going to be a problem. Would you recommend 12m or perhaps 13m to learn? It's just that this 10m kinda fell in my lap and now I'm building around it, and 10m-12m seems a little close together, though 12m has always been my upper limit as a rule, with my usual quiver being 9-12.

      It seems everyone who learns, suggests a kite that gets you up quick with minimal user input so you can focus on your board skills only. Once you're up and riding comfortably, you downsize. So to ensure the bigger kite still has usability for me, it would be nice if it still could turn reasonably quickly for things like TT/strapless jump transitions as our main spot, which is an unreal thermal spot, is not good for foiling. Is this something you are considering also, or are you strictly foiling these days?

      Cheers

      oz43
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      Re: what size kite to learn, 215lbs, 10-14kts?

      Postby oz43 » Mon Feb 05, 2018 6:32 pm

      Windigo1 wrote:
      Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:46 pm
      I'm the same weight I use a GTS3 LW 15M from about 7 to 14 knots on a Shinn with P wing the big one. You can foil with almost no speed on this thing. I'm still learning, I'll probably move to a single strut kite soon most likely a 15M. Everyone was telling me to start with a 12M but they are all much smaller than me I found out quickly it didn't work for me in ligthwind. big guys still need a bigger kite even on a foil.
      Ya I can just picture it now hehheh, me in 11 kts sineing the kite and nothing happening, just plowing water...

      Thanks Windigo


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