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the right sized kite

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Peter_Frank
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Re: the right sized kite

Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Mar 21, 2018 6:54 pm

codifilo wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:25 pm
evan wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:04 pm
What foil? Some foils are too slow and/or have too much drag to create enough apparent wind from an "underpowered" kite so you need to ride bigger than someone on a higher performance low-drag foil.
I thought it was the other way around. The bigger the wing, more lift so you can ride with a smaller kite.

You are IMO correct, it IS the other way around - more lifting wings and you can ride with a smaller kite yes.

When more wind, no doubt at all, as the apparent wind doesnt influence nomore really, so if above 8 knots the bigger the wing, the smaller kite one can use.

When marginal winds it is more difficult, as when going faster, you get more kitepower (squared with your speed in fact) because of the apparent wind yes.
BUT, because you are out in say 5-7 knots of wind, and riding (even when slow) at 2 to 3 times the windspeed, the AOA for the kite to give you power, is "pinched" away so you can not utilize it really...

So my take on this is, that the smaller wings might ALMOST be able to ride in the same low end, once up foiling, up to speed, that is (which is WAY more difficult or not possible with the small wings), but they will never exceed the bigger wings in terms of "how low can you go".

Also, the tradeoff with the smaller wings at higher speed is also, that the parasitic drag (not desired, the unwanted drag) from the fuselage and mast and joints etc, plays a much bigger part in the overall efficiency, which drops because of this, with smaller wings and higher speed.

So I seriously think that you will be able to ride in less wind or with a smaller kite, with a bigger wing, also when marginal winds.

BUT, the but is, that it is extremely boring to ride so slow IMO, so this is the determining point :roll:

If you got "draggy" foils, meaning bad design, too low AR, huge fuselage etc etc, of course they wont work well in marginal winds.

8) PF


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