Opinion on Line Lengths for Foiling Large Format Wings with LEI

[jakemoore]

uh - shovits not on the foil!! Surfboard, skimboard, alaia...

Interesting comments on the long lines. So you like to use the drag to push the kite downwind when it has "slack" power?? I'm assuming that's your drift. I just use a kite that drifts like a madman and run the 18m. Really, I might use a 12m every once in a while, but it's normally 9m.

If I'm riding the alaia, I like a bit of power to do transitions and use my normal line length bar which I think is 21. Normal powered riding but less than you would want for high boosting. Something like 9m kite and 16 knots plus.

Mostly I like to surf waves on a floaty surfboard or 900 cm2 Cruiser wing and then I like a tiny kite. I'll fly my 7m when other free-riders are on 9m or 12m of the same popular model. Long lines - small kite.

I don't understand the drag question related to drift. If you are asking about line drag, then no, I'm using very thin lines on my 30m lines bar. Liros DC Pro with 0.83 mm on the back and 1.1 mm on the front - no jumping. Just looking at rear line slack, I suspect my normal bar has more drag with its beef-cake lines and an extra mm of fuzz. I think the biggest benefit to drift is a smaller lighter kite. The less obvious and less important benefit is that with kite altitude there is more time.

For example my largest tube kite is a 9m. Its generally considered to be an Ultra-light LEI at 2245 grams. Riding in 15 knots plus and normal lines wave riding and drift is very good. Less than 15 knots in our onshore wind swell and a floater of a surfboard results in the kite slowly sinking backwards as I ride into the kite, pushed by the wave. If the lines are longer, there is more time for the kite to fall before I have to correct.

Right now I'm most attracted to anorexic kites that weigh less than 1000 grams for the hydrofoil. Paired with 30m low drag lines, their drift transcends any words recorded on the kite forum. No tube kite comes close.

[Peter_Frank]

Snip..

How much wind on your 5m inflatable with 26-27m lines?

Hi Cab Driver

I can ride with a 5 m2 fast LEI in 12-14 knots @78 kg and a Surf wing 1200 cm2.

Usually I will choose a 6 or 7 m2 in this wind yes, but can ride with the 5 and have fun, pretty amazing.

Peter

[tomtom]

In general, it seems (non race) foil kite riders use shorter lines than LEI riders

Peter

With foil kites you must account for bridles which can be almost 5m for Flysurfer kites so it can be almost same.

[tomtom]

Jakemoore, sorry for little OT - I also use anorectic P4s - did you try them on SB? I rode 95% HF and 5% SB, and selling my LEIs. Do P4s work on SB? At least somehow?

[Peter_Frank]

In general, it seems (non race) foil kite riders use shorter lines than LEI riders

Peter

With foil kites you must account for bridles which can be almost 5m for Flysurfer kites so it can be almost same.

True, so as LEI usually only have around 1 meter (rear) bridle, the difference is 4 meter in the designs themeselves.
A bit less maybe, as the LEI are usually not as flat as foil kites, so COE is up higher, lets say 3 meter difference now.

My point though was, that LEI riders tend to use the same or longer lines on their LEI kites, in normal winds, when foiling compared to other boards.
Whereas it seems a higher number of foil kite riders use shorter lines than they use on other boards.

So the 3 meter difference isnt the only one.

Just what I see and hear - might be wrong....

I never use shorter than 30 m + bridles on my foil kites, but only use these when 5-6 knots of wind, 7 knots max, and from 7 knots and up I use LEIs.

Peter