Hi,
I designed this kite because I ride a lot in light wind.
The 21m is the 2nd kite I use the most.
I designed it to have the lightest weight as possible: lightest reinforcements, no one pump, no pulleys. In the XLW range of kite, the 14m and 17m have 4 struts, the
21m only 3 Struts.
The total weight is the kite (I just checked mine) is
3.650Kg which is very light for such size.
I used a lot 4 years ago the 14m as biggest kite. But as I ride now with "real light wind weapon", I feel I could ride with bigger kite to go in very low wind.
What is the gain for such size:
Having tons of power in super light wind.
As you know power increase with surface and the square of the wind. Then when the wind down, the power decrease as square of it. Additionnaly, more surface you have and more power you have, specially in light winds.
When wind pass from 6 to 5knots, you loose around 30% of power, then there is no secret, to increase power, you need a bigger kite (or add extension lines or do both)
But in light wind you have one barrier: the weight of the kite.
With its design and its weight, I ride full powered in 5knots (lulls).
To confirm here a pic of the 2012 french racing championship with the first prototype
With the ERA system, you feel better for relaunching
And the kite is supply with 8m extension lines as this is the worst to have a big kite with short lines in light wind. The wind window is too small to create power.
Finally, I rode all the 2012 french racing championship (the world cup is forbidden for foilboard
) and I won it against Julien Kerneur and Maxime Nocher some of the best racing riders (they also used foilboard when they felt it was necessary)
Ride easy,
Nicolas