You can see his shirt flapping in the wind when he is talking.
For me that’s usually a sign it’s about 9-10kn.
Also how the foiler easily does a transition to toe side suggests it’s quite a bit more then 5kn.
These users thanked the author leeuwen for the post (total 2):
Pump me up (Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:30 am) • cor (Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:43 pm)
@Flaps 1111
Ralf said 4 knots
He did not say what you said 4 to 7 knots limit
Maybe your 7 knots is 90% of the time
And it lulls to 4 knots 10% of the time
So you just coast through at that moment
See how numbers can be manipulated
Now if it was 50%/50% exactly it would mean you are riding in 5.5 knots
But i doubt that very much
No way to really prove anything number wise
What counts is if you are having fun and beating everyone else on the water with ultra light wind gear
Well do you beat them all ?
I do, I do !
I sold my foil, my wave board. When there is less than 13-15 kts I go shoot some wildlife photos. Screw low wind, so many better things to do. Buy a bike or camera (more expensive than a foil .... But w/e).
P.s. when there is no proper wind for ages I still have an old 17m kite and tt. On my flat spot it starts like 2kts later than my foiling friends...
These users thanked the author wrogu for the post:
You can measure 2 knots with your hand held up...but you won't measure it up in 20m.
Once I had a session, the water was a mirror...nothing. But the trees, like 12+ m up had wind...so we put up the kite...and I was flying on the beach...the wind in 25m was like 20 knots!
So, always keep that in mind when you see mirror like conditions but someone riding...
These users thanked the author Toby for the post (total 4):
You can measure 2 knots with your hand held up...but you won't measure it up in 20m.
Once I had a session, the water was a mirror...nothing. But the trees, like 12+ m up had wind...so we put up the kite...and I was flying on the beach...the wind in 25m was like 20 knots!
So, always keep that in mind when you see mirror like conditions but someone riding...
The wind gradient is usually not like that you can get at most 2 knots at 30 mts ( they use between 20m plus 3 mts bridles and 24m lines in LEIs), at sea for my experience less, the more lines more window that is true. it is more likely that there are obstacles in the water and/or on the land that prevent you from measuring the actual wind or waves.
This video is more realistic I think than what it is like to ride less than 6 knots an.. in -1ºc
Last edited by flaps1111 on Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I have been off KF for a few years, so it's good to check back in and see the same posts still going on.
My light wind key to success is usually due to the fact that I almost always drift launch. My big kite is my 15m Ultra, and if it launches off the water, it is ridable with my foil. I really enjoy the times when my kite is barely hanging in the air, I struggle with a few dives of the kite, and then magically pop up on plane and enjoy a good session. Luckily, I also enjoy the excersise of a good long swim dragging all my gear. That's worth the chance to ride. I don't really care to debate the wind speed. It's awesome that kite companies are trying to build better light wind kites both to ride at lower wind speed, and to give kiters something to pontificate about.