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Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

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Horst Sergio
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Re: Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

Postby Horst Sergio » Fri Jul 07, 2017 9:11 am

Did a small 1:1 comparison between Cruizer and Element wing:

First Cruizer, than at km 5,5 changed back to Element. Wind was sometimes difficult, low and not so constant. It shows the "high" speed difference was not so much with 33 km/h for Cruizer and 32 km/h for Element during this short run. But the easiness within maneuvers for Cruizer is significant better. I also can do everything with the Element, but success rate is much better for Cruizer, thanks to its better slow speed and maybe also stability in most axis when going slow. If going straight the difference is not so big, just Element has a better surfacing behaviour and Cruizer maybe more relaxed and even more upwind ... but talking about maybe 39° close to the wind for Element and 36° for Cruizer. Both values are insane, especially for not perfect conditions. Oh and now will also sand the Cruzier, as the Element already is, to make lowend even better. :D But with a big board and a good kite there is already nothing that beats a Cruizer Monowing. Did also a bit unhooked, it is insane how low the resistance and tension is.
Cruizer-till-km5,5-vs.-Element-Monowing.jpg
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Horst Sergio
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Re: Make Monofoiling great again: Test of Levitaz Cruizer Mono

Postby Horst Sergio » Sun Jul 09, 2017 11:13 am

Horst Sergio wrote:
Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:39 am
So now we are 3 Monofoiler on this planet:

1. Master Phil Caneri from Horue
2. me
3. Mischa from www.Kitejunkie.com
And here is Nr. 4 :D :

Kitejunkie-Monofoil-Riders.jpg
Kitejunkie-Monofoil-Riders.jpg (140.13 KiB) Viewed 3627 times
And he was immediately on the Wing so learning has taken 10 sec. For sure not everyone can expect this, he is on the same normal foiling level as Mischa but learned it just in 1/3 of the time.

But for sure also the big board helped a lot. And also the speed range starts to be really comfortable:

Kitejunkie-Monofoil-Speedrange.jpg
Kitejunkie-Monofoil-Speedrange.jpg (53.04 KiB) Viewed 3627 times

And even in difficult wind condition:

I just started to do flying tacks 4 days ago, but in difficult wind situations it already starts that they are nearly easier on the mono than on a normal Freerace Foil. As you can ride very slow and if the wind switches and the kite doesn't fly perfectly through the wind window, it doesn't matter, just turn the board on a dime and go on flying in the direction you want to or the situation makes necessary.

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Horst Sergio
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Midway to Monofoiling:

Postby Horst Sergio » Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:20 pm

For everybody, who is interested in Monofoiling but feels that it could be to extrem or to difficult:

There is an easier midway to Monofoiling: Just don't go without stabi, but with a very small one on a short fuselage or as in my case with a extremly small one (Levitaz bionic) on a normal fuselage. Already tried it a view month ago, when seeing the setup used by Peter Müller. But didn't like it the first ride.

DSC_0466.JPG
Now tried it again and after around 7 days of just monofoiling and found it as an interesting midway between Mono and normal foil, with about half of its advantages and disadvantages. But on the end for me in combination with the Aspect wing, I am not sure if it is interesting enough to stay with it, think I will stay with pure Mono and normal Freerace foil, but maybe for somebody it is interesting. One disappointment was that riding rodeo (sitting) was pretty difficult: On a normal foil I started to do not just flying jibes but also flying tacks sitting a while ago. On the half mono just riding straight is pretty difficult, so expectations to ride once the mono sitting have been lost. :(

But there could be one occasion, where such a half mono could be very interesting: In waves, where I have too low experience to tell, a mono foil could be to difficult, anyway I will try the next occasion I find. But a very big wing as the cruiser in combination with a very small stabi could work very well, or not?

Maybe any wave foiler around to comment?

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Levitaz EXO and strapless

Postby Horst Sergio » Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:35 am

Received my 2017 Levitaz EXO. With three light straps the board has just around 3,0 kg. So in combination with the Element-Mono it is around 6,0 kg. Which is not that bad for a, in this combination, nearly indestructible, extrem light wind foil with a volume board. The shown foil with one heavy levitaz strap and the Cruzier is around 6,5 kg.

Kitejunkie-Levitaz-Mono-Foil.JPG
I like the EXO for being a good compromise in size, volume and being pretty light and maybe also robust, but it is not a beginner foil board. Shape is ok, but think a higher wider nose (as ketos uses) would make more sense. They improved it with a pad and a bit better hole position compared to first model from last year. Unfortunately the hole position is still not so perfect, but ok and straps are just heavy standard, hard to mount and with 0,6 kg (3x wet) too heavy for such a nice light board, so better take 3 light straps with just 0,2 kg alltogether.

First I tried it strapless, but the combination: mono foil strapless is ok but just as long you don't try to change feet position in flight. Just managed very view tacks, but always with the help of small touch down. When changing feet position in flight you really need straps on the mono as after the quick change and even before you need 100 % control as sometimes you also have to pull up the nose of the board with the front foot. Also when jumping I was not able to catch the board, so I turned using straps.

Big respect to Stephane Goffinet from Ketos how is able to make strpless jumping look so easy. :thumb: Maybe I will turn back once with a normal non mono foil setup, when I find I nice setup with a small, but not to sharp stabi, as I learned strapless in the beginning of foiling and enjoyed it a lot.

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Re: Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

Postby Gandy » Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:26 pm

Hi Bernd,

Have you measured the take-off speed for the Cruizer in the normal configuration, e.g. with stabilizer? For the mono-foil, you mentioned a minimum speed of close to 15 km/h. That probably still includes a certain amount of lift from the kite.

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Re: Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

Postby Horst Sergio » Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:11 pm

Hi Gandy,

no just tried this setup long ago and haven't measured. But all these numbers are not so definitely, even if effects as kite high or not are less important as many are thinking, there are many more relevant factors. Can't even say if it would maybe even fly longer with a stabi, as when riding very slow with high AOA also the stabi will generate positiv lift together with the front wing. On the other hand at the very uncomfortable angle I had on the mono cruizer when trying to get as slow as possible the stabi may stall before the front wing despite lower AOA but due to reverse profile ...

As you see. On the end it is more important what is the minimum comfortable speed (for my setup think around 18 km/h), how big is the controllable speed range and how the wing behaves in maneuvers. In these categories and overall the Cruizer behaves just great for both mono and normal foil.

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Re: Levitaz EXO and strapless

Postby tripman » Mon Aug 21, 2017 3:25 pm

Horst Sergio wrote:
Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:35 am
Received my 2017 Levitaz EXO. With three light straps the board has just around 3,0 kg. So in combination with the Element-Mono it is around 6,0 kg. Which is not that bad for a, in this combination, nearly indestructible, extrem light wind foil with a volume board. The shown foil with one heavy levitaz strap and the Cruzier is around 6,5 kg.


Kitejunkie-Levitaz-Mono-Foil.JPG

I like the EXO for being a good compromise in size, volume and being pretty light and maybe also robust, but it is not a beginner foil board. Shape is ok, but think a higher wider nose (as ketos uses) would make more sense. They improved it with a pad and a bit better hole position compared to first model from last year. Unfortunately the hole position is still not so perfect, but ok and straps are just heavy standard, hard to mount and with 0,6 kg (3x wet) too heavy for such a nice light board, so better take 3 light straps with just 0,2 kg alltogether.

First I tried it strapless, but the combination: mono foil strapless is ok but just as long you don't try to change feet position in flight. Just managed very view tacks, but always with the help of small touch down. When changing feet position in flight you really need straps on the mono as after the quick change and even before you need 100 % control as sometimes you also have to pull up the nose of the board with the front foot. Also when jumping I was not able to catch the board, so I turned using straps.

Big respect to Stephane Goffinet from Ketos how is able to make strpless jumping look so easy. :thumb: Maybe I will turn back once with a normal non mono foil setup, when I find I nice setup with a small, but not to sharp stabi, as I learned strapless in the beginning of foiling and enjoyed it a lot.
The Ketos set-up with wave xl + stab xs is pretty spot on in that sense as this stab is tiny (so small compared to my previous stab L) and both pieces are definitely not sharp. But your set up is so rad. I wonder if I would change if I were you. You're exploring new riding experiences. That's cool. :thumb:

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4 Mono Foiler @ our lake and new speed record close to 40 km/h !!!

Postby Horst Sergio » Sun Aug 27, 2017 4:16 pm

Hi tripman,

thanks and yes, have always one eye at ketos. Going to buy an KF box adapter from them. Think they have very nice stuff. But on the end, try to keep things compatible which is Levitaz system actually.

Really nearly stopped using normal foil during last month.
Last benefits I see from normal foils:
- Riding long distance > 60 km and with sometimes over 40 km/h
- you can sit relaxed on a normal foil (actually I think impossible on a mono)
- ... maybe in very difficult conditions like waves? But not sure


Today I tried my new "Bionic" full race foil which I liked much more for having low drag over my old free race "Aspect" Foil.
But on the end when going from the mono to the full race foil and back to the mono it felts like:

Oh damm it feels so draggy (the full race :D ) and jammed, ... and then: oh great to be back on the mono, feels so much faster (even if it is not faster in reality) agil an much more fun to ride.

A friend has finished his first version of his own Element monofoil with slightly shorter strut for travel. Already the second day he set a new speed record with something in between 37 km/h and 39 km/h (Peak).
Never expected that it is possible to be so fast on a mono. Think mean ingredients have been much talent and a heavy board with lots of swing weight.

Image
Kitejunkie-short-Strut-Monofoil.jpg
Image

Just enjoying the freedom an just 6,0 kg, but still bomb proofed mono foiling gives you. :D

Image

And this is what happens when you have no remote for the camera and your trying to handle the kite down 3 m during foil flight. :oops:

Image


Monofoils produce great spectacular wipe outs, as they enjoy doing quick back flips themself :rollgrin:

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Re: Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

Postby Horst Sergio » Sun Aug 27, 2017 4:21 pm

Oh and we are now just on my lake 4 guys who tried monofoiling:

- one has build a view week later his own
- one awaits to get his fuselage build which is in progress and borrows ours sometimes
- and one who has less then one year of experience also was able to ride within the first 2 minutes, but wants to stay with normal foil first to learn the basic stuff as flying jibes and tacks first, which makes sense

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Re: Monofoil or "riding stabless", setup and riding

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:41 pm

Strapless stabless :thumb:

I HAD to try it, so went out this evening in really gusty wind, slightly offshore and coming over the big city, first with a stabilizer, and then without - really fun to try, and extremely sensitive at first, but possible to get used to.

Carving, it turns VERY different and freely, indeed.

Difficult to hold ground this first time, but should come with more practice of course.

I got an extremely small rear stabilizer too, 30-40 % less area than the "medium" normal one, and I find even this size is sometimes a bit too small somehow - so maybe the current ones works just okay.

But exciting to ride fully strapless and stabless today :naughty:

A great challenge, although I can not really see the potential/benefit apart from the challenge (which is fun indeed yes)

SSb.jpg
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