Exactly my point David !

Just to state my former posting: ARC's with a double surface, but not very clean trailing edge profile, seem to perform slightly lower than the LEI's - so drag at high speeds is very much related to trailing edge also, and the single surface tubes (LEI's) has very low drag in fact. But the differenc...

Of course the clean profile has the lowest drag. The surface of a profile has a boundary layer - which is the air speed gradient layer. Just on the surface the air speed is zero. The air speed then increases to the surrounding air speed in a very thin layer called the boundary layer. For kites at th...

On 2002-12-19 19:02, CM - South Africa wrote: Thanks Toby, New to the sport and not sure if one should wait until next year.....but seems most ppl say buy 2nd hand, 2 lines. What about the Wipika Hydro 9 ? 2nd hand, 2 lines ? No - not today ! 2nd hand, 4 lines is the way to go. The Hydro 9 (12.2m2)...

On 2002-12-19 15:40, sara wrote: Thanks everyone I will have a look. And I know that a 16 x2 need a lot more wind than a ariblast 11,8....:smile: I don't think so ! You can plane just as easy with a 16 X2 - well, I think maybe just a notch earlier - than on an Airblast 11.8 (16m2). The Airblast is ...

On 2002-12-19 12:01, Anonymous wrote:
dwights point of view is very one-eyed for a down to earth and realistic knowledge source.

We are ALL biased in some direction (regardless of what you think yourself) - but thats not the point.
You can still have a down to earth and realistic knowledge.

I would say Dwight, Toby, and Rick I (in no particular order).
Dwight for a down-to-earth realistic and knowledgeable opinion.
Toby for giving us a lot of news from all over.
Rick I for caring about safety and the image of the sport in general.

I admire the "minimum" idea here, really ! But it is somewhat of a dedicated "mission", is'nt it ? I mean, if you should have a minimum quiver - it would be just as easy (easier, and maybe slightly more expensive only) with one board, two kites, and one set of lines. (and the small kite could be an ...

It does not matter whether you buy a Cabrinha or Wipika.
Go for the Cabrinha CO2 8.8 (12m2) or the Wipika Hydro 9 (12.2m2).
Both are low aspect, but still quite high performance kites - ideal for beginners and beyond !

On 2002-12-18 13:00, sq225917 wrote: death runs. 1. before you faceplant and die, point that sucka upwards and jump all the forward speed out of th kite. this takes pure balls of steel the first couple of times but it is the most effective way of killing kite speed. 2. is to point your board behind...