Kiteforum.com

Dear All,

My kite quiver at the moment is an ozone catalyst 9 and 12m² (2014) and reo 7m² (2015), i have 2 board: strappless wave board and a skimboard for light wind days...

This season I added a foil + foilboard... F-one IC-6+ TS51

Now I have the problem that, although ozone makes light kites, my catalyst 12 does not fly good enough in marginal wind. (<10 knots) With my regular boards I did not notice it, but on the foil you go out on less wind...
I'm tired of having a kite that drops out of the sky and does not restart.

On an ozone test day I tried the edge 15 m²... I could foil in 8-9 knots, but was struggling to keep the kite in the air. Going upwind was ok, but going downwind with less apparent wind you could feel the weight of the kite and again it was a struggle to keep it in the air... and it did not restart once dropped .

After that I tried the ozone hyperlink 12... what a relief... it just sticks above you... not tendency at all to drop out of the sky. A little slower than my regular 12 kite though.

So i think I will change my 12cat for a 12 foil kite...

Here's my question: do I keep my 12 cat ? personally I don't think I will ever use it again. I think I will foil until 16-17 knots and then change to my surfboard...

I only tested the hyperlink 12, but i read good reviews on the flysurfer soul... I'm tempted between those two kites...but maybe I overlooked a kite . High end kites like the chrono or diabolo do not interest me, they are too slow... .
I've never seen the soul in the air, nobody has it on my homespot, an no shop nearby... not easy to demo it...

On my home spot, experienced foilers can foil with the hyperlink ultralight with 6 knots... impressive...

thanks for the input,

Nayy

So I read from your question: What is the use of a larger LEI if I have a larger foil kite as well?


I can imagine some uses, like riding it properly powered with a displacement board when the fear of dropping it isn't really there. Using it to boost at the very top of its wind range. Backup kite you bring to the beach in case your foil kite gets wet and won't fly until it's dried out.

There are uses.

The question I'd ask, is your need for the money garnered from reselling it enough to justify the depreciation you'll recognize when you make that transaction?

Im flying a 13m edge for learning to foil, I've tried it with 5m line extensions in wind under 11kts. I understand your frustrations as I swam a couple of times. Relaunch is my No.1 requirement now.

Perhaps its as simple as waiting for a few more kts of wind for your 12m than spending a lot of money on a foil kite.

However....
On my last session I was surviving on apparent wind on my 13m edge (regular lines) with a 5.6 Airush cypher <14kts and dropping off. A kiter at my local beach rigged up a 12m soul on a TT, he consistently flew well including jumps and kited into lower conditions than me. It really got me thinking... for the conditions I kite in, could I sell my quiver for a 10m soul?

I think I'm more concerned about advancing my board skills first. One thing that keeps putting me off is another kiter at my beach who fly's larger foils looks like he's pulling in a fishing net every session end..............

You didn't say your weight.
But if you are under 80kgs, If you are foiling 10-17 knots all the time, I would get a Soul 10 or a Hyperlink Ultralight 9m.
I am 75-78 kg and use my Hyperlink UL 9m 100% in those conditions.
I retired my 12m Lei, keeping it in case my son picks up kiting.

Under 10 knots i would look at a bigger foil. I'm not sure Hyperlink 12 m cuts it under 10. But I'd definitely go for UL version.
Everyone told me 9m is magic size and 12m would give me 2 knots lower end, but take way more off top end. I've not regretted getting the 9.

TomW wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:33 pm

You didn't say your weight.
But if you are under 80kgs, If you are foiling 10-17 knots all the time, I would get a Soul 10 or a Hyperlink Ultralight 9m.
I am 75-78 kg and use my Hyperlink UL 9m 100% in those conditions.
I retired my 12m Lei, keeping it in case my son picks up kiting.

Under 10 knots i would look at a bigger foil. I'm not sure Hyperlink 12 m cuts it under 10. But I'd definitely go for UL version.
Everyone told me 9m is magic size and 12m would give me 2 knots lower end, but take way more off top end. I've not regretted getting the 9.

i'm 80 kg at the moment, but a few years ago 70... and 10 kg is really a big difference...

the problem is that with 2 little kids at home my free time shrunk to 10% what is was a few years ago... i want to kite in max possible situations, I can't wait for the wind... this season (Europe) we had a very hot summer with almost nog wind... foils were flying and I sat frustrated on the beach...

At my homespot experienced riders can use the hyperlink ultralight 12m² on a foil with 5-6 knots... it's really the limit. Very impressive to see them...

I only flew the hyperlink 12, and it's much slower than my catalyst 12... but much gruntier.

Nayy

ScoopZ wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:35 pm

Im flying a 13m edge for learning to foil, I've tried it with 5m line extensions in wind under 11kts. I understand your frustrations as I swam a couple of times. Relaunch is my No.1 requirement now.

Perhaps its as simple as waiting for a few more kts of wind for your 12m than spending a lot of money on a foil kite.

However....
On my last session I was surviving on apparent wind on my 13m edge (regular lines) with a 5.6 Airush cypher <14kts and dropping off. A kiter at my local beach rigged up a 12m soul on a TT, he consistently flew well including jumps and kited into lower conditions than me. It really got me thinking... for the conditions I kite in, could I sell my quiver for a 10m soul?

I think I'm more concerned about advancing my board skills first. One thing that keeps putting me off is another kiter at my beach who fly's larger foils looks like he's pulling in a fishing net every session end..............

this summer we had almost no wind overhere... all foilkites were flying with 6-8 knots and the LEI were frustrated on the beach...

normally I almost don't drop my kite so that's not really a problem... the reason the Catalyst 12 drops is because it just falls out of the sky because not enough wind...

I also saw some fishing nets and I understand your worries about it...

Nayy,

I get it with time. I have same attitude. So this is what I did and it's working well.
6-12 knots - used Flysurfer Sonic 2 13m . Speed, cruising, getting out on water is priority. Fun to rip upwind and float downwind. I can hold it to 14-15 knots. A Ozone Chronos 2-3 13m will do the same I guess. Heard the Chronos 3 13m UL is magic.
10-17 knots- Ozone Hyperlink UL 9m. Freeride, loads of fun. ( 90% of my sessions). Overlaps Sonic 2 13 well.
15-22 knots -Ozone Hyperlink 7m. Not used yet, probably tomorrow.
Over 22 knots, I'm on surfboard due to water state here.

I'm in Sweden.