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So, speeds.

Now I am comfortable going what I consider fast for me on a foil (which I don't have a speed yet as my GPS was not on yesterday)

Given the windspeed V Max speed, how fast are you guys going?

For example

Wind - 10 knots
Speed - 15 knots
Kite - Flysurfer Speed 4 Lotus
Weight - 108kg
Foil - Zeeko 2014

What you guys got?!

Tony

Usually, not very.

I went through some of my sessions from last year and found my best speed was 27 knots. Most of the time I am going about 15 knots.

On Monday I was out and felt like 15 knots was way, way too fast! It was really gusty and there were maybe 2 foot waves, so I would explode periodically. It was hard to maintain my balance because the kite was surging back and forth in the strong gusts. The wind meter reported 10-20 mph. I wanted to make a post asking people, "How do you go 20 knots???" It almost felt like I was doing something wrong.

For my best:
Wind: 3-8 mph (on local meter, reads a little low from this direction).
Speed: 27 knots (26.96)
Kite: Flysurfer Speed 4, 10 m deluxe
Weight: 77 kg (dry)
Foil: AlpineFoil XLP and AFB 50 (surf style board), strapless
Time Period: 2:18 - 2:32

Johhnn wrote:Usually, not very.

I went through some of my sessions from last year and found my best speed was 27 knots. Most of the time I am going about 15 knots.

On Monday I was out and felt like 15 knots was way, way too fast! It was really gusty and there were maybe 2 foot waves, so I would explode periodically. It was hard to maintain my balance because the kite was surging back and forth in the strong gusts. The wind meter reported 10-20 mph. I wanted to make a post asking people, "How do you go 20 knots???" It almost felt like I was doing something wrong.

For my best:
Wind: 3-8 mph (on local meter, reads a little low from this direction).
Speed: 27 knots (26.96)
Kite: Flysurfer Speed 4, 10 m deluxe
Weight: 77 kg (dry)
Foil: AlpineFoil XLP and AFB 50 (surf style board), strapless
Time Period: 2:18 - 2:32

3.87 times the speed of the wind!!!!!

That is mental!

Yeah! I'd say 3.87x as really an upper bound. I had gone down the beach some and maybe got a little "gust." The wind was very light and flukey that day. I can remember it picking up gradually, then backing off. The water was smooth, no whitecaps at all, some swell, but very, very minor. I remember the day well because I made it all the way some miles (~6) down the beach past the boardwalk to the restricted area, the guarded beach. The wind died and my kite landed in amongst all the people and I had to do the walk of shame most of the way back! The lifeguard was cool. He said, "Don't worry, I won't report you." And, "Where can I learn how to do that?"

I went over the data in GPS Action Replay a little while ago to see if it was just a single data point, but no. You can watch the speed increase, then it stays at 27 for a bit, then I turn upwind and it drops down.

That's a very careful run as I was very broken at the time.

My first customers have been hitting almost 50km/h (27knots) on their first few sessions.

I have managed to hit 38 knots once when I was still uninjured last year on the early prototypes.



Kite: Peter Lynn Fury 2014 9m2 (23m Lines)
Weight: 83 kg (dry)
Foil: Magmafoil Barracuda

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Gunnar

I don't seem to be able to get my Sword 1 over 25 knots consistently. I can get to 25 in almost any wind speed, but getting over it is hard. We had a fun gusty day last week where I peaked at 28 knots bearing away, but my speed seems to drop off as I head downwind.
Here's last Thursday's Race night. I didn't turn the GPS on until the second race https://www.strava.com/activities/282972856 12m Chrono with the occasional gust above 15. I'd love to try another foil and see if it's me or the foil that's slow

Hey Gunnar, why do you remove your bar floats? Ive seen lots of racers do this but could never get a good answer of why.

I'll have to get my GPS out next time to add to the list! Still working on downwind. my best yet downwind VMG (including lots of swimming) is less than 4 knots

Can't speak for the others, but for me it's like this:

1) Packs down smaller

2) Floats get in the way during light wind relaunches.

3) Get in the way when I want to adjust Bar width.

4) for the 0.0000000000000001% less drag

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Gunnar

So got my Suunto Armbit3 and starting to get some speeds

10m Edge in 12 mph, moderate chop so not idea.

Averaging 18-21 knots
VMax 24-25 knots

MASSIVE crashes though.

Last years speed event in France topped out at 34 knots by Maxime Nocher, so anywhere near that is very good.