SS’s New Infinity Wings

[PugetSoundKiter]

I've found one kiter review so far at seabreaze.

The 76cm Infinity wing is standard on the FSurf and FWind packages and 84cm Infinity wing on the FSup package. I can find several reviews of these products online, but no more reviews about kiting with the Infinity wings. I’ve read this statement about the Infinity wings on several dealer websites “This wing has also been exceptionally popular with our freeride kiteboarders for lightly powered riding. The growing contingent of freeride kite foilers love this wing for light winds, small kites, downwind swell riding, and growing their carving or footwork trick arsenals.“

The SS Foil Academy web tool recommends the 76cm Infinity wing for kiters 200# or more who:
(A) “I want to cruise, and do flat water tricks, I’m not worried about speed”
(B) “I want to link my tricks and ride swell”

I’m interested in the 76cm Infinity Wing for lightwind kiting mated with the 42cm rear wing and the two position 61cm switch fuselage. I’ve read the bigger wings may work/feel better with a bit shorter mast than a full length mast (the SS Fkite package with a similar large space skate wing is sold with the 71cm mast not the full length 90cm). In lightwinds I may not need the extra clearance for chop/waves, but it may be nice to have the extra length to keep the long wing from breaching. Curious if anyone has tried the Infinity wings kiting and what they think?

[ladomi]

I have about 8 sessions kite foiling and the same amount tow foiling. All sessions were on SS foils (H2, H4, H5, H10) and the 24" mast with the short and long fuses and only the small rear wing (on backorder). 6 of the kitefoil sessions have been on the H4 (space skate) with the 61 cm fuse. My last session was on the H10 (Infinity 84) with a 17M kite and it was great. Insane lift relative to other wings, super stable even at high speed (initially was overpowered on the 17M), agile considering how huge it is but certainly not as agile as the H4, and just unbelievable glide in light conditions. Still working on jibes but the entry carve was super smooth and predictable. I made a couple touching down and on one attempt stayed on foil over to toe side but just lost power in the kite.

For tow foiling, the 84 has been the easiest to use by far. I've been teaching friends and it flies at much lower speed, is stable and much less prone to breaching for newbies, does fun little S turns and can handle fairly aggressive carves against the wake too. Although I prefer the Space Skate for towing as it is more agile, you need noticeably more speed. The 84 gives you way more time when working on transitions as it stays on foil longer.

My large rear wing is on back order so it remains to be seen how that might affect the agility. If it adds even more lift, that will be incredible. Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if that is why it is so controlled at high speed (20 mph while tow foiling).

I would think the 74 would be a great lite wind wing. If I had tons of money I would get one. I actually got the 84 for SUP foiling and I am just completely stoked that it works so well as a kite wing.

[gl]

I have the h4 and the infinity 76 and 84. I use the 84 for windfoiling and have not tried it with the kite. I agree it has way more lift than the h4. Just got the 76 and hope to kite with it today. Will post a report once I try it. Had it for over a week but getting the new wing killed the wind. I use the larger rear wing with the 84. To start with I mounted it on top of the fuselage till I found out it was to go on the bottom. Seemed to have more lift that way although I was still learning to windfoil so could have been just me getting better.

[SENDIT!]

Disclaimer-I sell these as well as others...

I just got the FSurf (Infinity 76) for my own personal setup. I'm 230 pies and we have a lot of light wind around here. I got out on it for my first time a week or so ago in something around 10mph or less. There were no whitecaps visible anywhere. I was using a Flite 17 with it, as I wasn't sure whether I had enough to keep a 12m in the air. I found it to be super stable and easy to get up on quickly. Where in the past I might have stuggled to get up foiling on the original Hoverglide, with the Infinity, I was already popping up onto foil before I had finished my dive. I didn't get very long b/c it was getting dark, but I was very impressed and am looking forward to getting back out there soon. So far, it seems like this Infinity wing really works well!

Edit: I forgot to add, but once I was up on foil, I was almost a little overpowered on the 17. I was riding it full powered, but it made me think I might've been just fine on a 12m.

[gl]

I managed to get out on the infinity 76 today on the simulator board with a 60 cm. mast. It is shallow out a long way where I was kiting. The wind meter directly upwind from me said 12 knots gusting to 16. The lulls were definitely less than that. It was extremely gusty. I weigh 180 lb and to start with I had the mast in the further back position the same as I have it on the h4 wing. I used my 8.5 concept air water smart kite. On a surfboard I would use that kite in 20 to 30 knots. When I first went out I couldn't stop the foil from breaching. I went back in and put the mast in the wing and went back out. I had no problems with breaching once the mast was moved forward. It was terrific then lots of lift but controllable. Compared to the H4 far more lift with infinity wing and much more stable and far less manuverability. It will definitely be my light wind wing now. Once the wind picks up a bit the H4 is much more playful and more fun for me. Although there is nothing wrong with the Infinity 76 it's just turns a little slower. Speed wise I felt they were similar but it was just one session and really gusty wind so it's hard to tell. I was able to foil at a lower speed than with the h4.

[SENDIT!]

Good point. I followed Slingshot's recommendation and put the mast through the wing, too. I just wish I could get the wind to do better than this here...

[PugetSoundKiter]

Thanks for the posts with setup and condition details, sounds promising for sure. Interesting to read the 76 wing can keep up the pace. I was hoping, like a good lightwind kite, a higher Lift/Drag would give good efficiency and translate to a wide speed range on the low end, yet still be somewhat nimble. I saw on Houton Kiteboarding site graphic the 76cm Infinity (8-22Kts) range should be wide enough.

[Peter_Frank]

The aspect ratio numbers are wrong in above scheme...

They should be corrected as they are only half of what they should be, so can not be compared to anything

The easy way to calculate is to take span*span/area

Which essentially is the same as span/middlechord which is the very definition of AR.

Of course some nitpicks might say there could be differences because some might use projected and not flat area, but that is only small percentages in difference, max

PF

[PugetSoundKiter]

Yep, good catch, that graphic has messed up the ARs, the SS's web page says the Infinity 76cm AR=3.7

[Kamikuza]

I’ve read the bigger wings may work/feel better with a bit shorter mast than a full length mast [...] but it may be nice to have the extra length to keep the long wing from breaching. Curious if anyone has tried the Infinity wings kiting and what they think?

I've not ridden the new SS wings but I do have 82cm and 72cm wide wings now. I've been using a 75cm mast...

First rode the 820 with a 90cm mast. After riding the 75cm mast and 72cm wing exclusively for a couple of months, I didn't like that setup. Too cumbersome and slow reacting for my tastes at that time.

When the 75cm mast arrived, I jumped on it with glee. Had to get used to picking my jibe spots, and keep the board close to the water as I kept venting a wing tip.

Went back to the 72cm wing and it was easy riding again. Then yesterday, I put the 82cm wing back on, and had no trouble. I might be something I've gotten used to, but I still think I want an 82cm MAST now

IMO go by area and not width. That 76cm SS wing has the same area as my 820...