Hydrofoil in 8/12 knots at 80Kg(176lbs) rider what kite size better?

[Archer77]

Hello all!

speaking about LEI kites (not foil kite)

I was wondering if it's better to hydrofoil with a smaller but better relaunchable kite like a 12mt? (please suggest your small size kite size for hydrofoil in low wind)
or with a bigger with better grunt and low end kite like 17mt? (please suggest your bigger size kite size for hydrofoil in low wind too)

thank you all guys, and many thanks again to share every time your experience!

[abel]

Have a look at the Hydrofoil forum,...lots of info there.
My personal suggestion as an HF beginner, is go for the lightest LEI you can find. The light wind LEI technology is almost in pair with the foil kites.
Kite size: 12m,... no need for more if your gonna have 8-12 knots. @ >12 knots consider a 10m2. This is what is generally recommended in the HF forum and I can confirm it.

@ 6-8 knots forget about relaunching unless you have 10-11 knot gusts (long enough).
Anyhow, at 6-8 knots you have to be really desperate for a session, otherwise it's better to opt for other alternatives.

[plummet]

What he said. 3 strut or less, What ever relaunches the best. That's the biggest challenge sub 10 knots.

Me I ride a foil kite 8-12 knots. They typically hang in the air way better than leis. Thought I do hair good things about the cloud kites being similar.

Forget anything with more than 3 struts. You will be swimming!

[dylan*]

8 knots, 17m for sure. 12 knots, a 12-14m would be comfortable. I have a friend who rides a 17m Roca from about 10-15 kts at ~180 lbs.

[neptune262]

If you a heavier rider, then a 12m should be fine (maybe a 14m if you are really a heavy person) - I use a 10m strutless kite for all HF conditions above 7kts, but I am light (70kg)!

As you post you are 80kg, this is border line for the 10m, so I would recommend the 12m.

Larger kites (i.e.17m) have more fabric and strut weight, so although they have more grunt when they are flying, need more wind to keep in the air than a smaller lighter kite, so they don't gain anything in the really light conditions. Where they gain is in the 9 - 11kts wind range - as they just have more power - but are slower to turn.

IMHO - buy the right size light kite for HF - either 10 or 12m depending on your weight (max 14m) - no struts or single struts if possible - saves spending a lot of money on a large kite.

I can use a skim board with my 10m strutless when others are on 14m - 16m LEIs (@11kts).

I used to have many kites in all different sizes, now I can run on a two kite quiver - 10m strutless and 7m 3 strut. This quiver sees me out on the water in anything from 7kts to 35kts, just changing board types to suit the power and conditions. Boards last longer than kites, so I have finally found a better solution on my wallet for my sport!!

Good luck and have fun!!

[Archer77]

Abel
Plummet
Dylan
Neptun
thank you for your advice!

finally what I understand is that is preferable a smaller kite for better relaunch between 9/10 knots to 12 knots and that under this wind speed the kite have to be bigger but lighter as perhaps a LEI mono strut or without strut or again a foil kites

Abel I didn't know about this specific foil forum, I'm still just talking information about HF, I will come to give a look when I start for sure

[Strekke]

8 knots, 17m for sure. 12 knots, a 12-14m would be comfortable. I have a friend who rides a 17m Roca from about 10-15 kts at ~180 lbs.

I disagree - at 75kgs and a 12m North Mono I ride at 8 knots (maybe gusting 9/10 at times). Once we get a solid 13/14 knots the 12 becomes too much and I switch to my 10. A 17m kite would have me overpowered in no time on the foil, but then again some kites have better high end than others.

[Archer77]

sorry I didn't realize that inside kiteforum exist an Hydrofoil section!
should I see if is possible to move the discussion...

Thank you too strekke for the reply!

[Peter_Frank]

8 knots, 17m for sure. 12 knots, a 12-14m would be comfortable. I have a friend who rides a 17m Roca from about 10-15 kts at ~180 lbs.

I disagree - at 75kgs and a 12m North Mono I ride at 8 knots (maybe gusting 9/10 at times). Once we get a solid 13/14 knots the 12 becomes too much and I switch to my 10. A 17m kite would have me overpowered in no time on the foil, but then again some kites have better high end than others.

Definitely, forget LEI kites bigger than 12 max 14 m2.

I can ride down close to 6 knots (average at 10 meters height) with a lightwind hydrofoil and my 78 kg, with a 12 m2 Storm Voyager Limited Edition

And have tried bigger light kites - not for me when a LEI, you get overpowered ridiculously fast and no fun left as they get slower and slower, in short no gain just pain

Would NEVER use a 17 m2 LEI...

PF

[abel]

Abel
Plummet
Dylan
Neptun
thank you for your advice!

finally what I understand is that is preferable a smaller kite for better relaunch between 9/10 knots to 12 knots and that under this wind speed the kite have to be bigger but lighter as perhaps a LEI mono strut or without strut or again a foil kites
...

Let me clarify...,
The size of the kite doesn't have influence on the relaunching feature of a kite, as the weight to area size does, as well as the shape.