Slingshot fkite choice: Space skate 65 vs Infinity 76

[juandesooka]

I have 9m ultra, and I was betting on a big wing like infinity 76 to get my 80kg started as early as 8knts (although i might be dreaming).

What I love about Slingshot is that they have got rid of the sharp edge on the side of the wing, I saw a guy who got 5 points on the leg after a very bad wound with the foil, and I decided to go for something safer.
I m confused why other brand did not come up with similar moves and keep producing blade weapon instead of going for more round edges.

I haven't used a 76 kitefoiling but I have tried a variety of surf/sup foil wings. Any large wing will help dramatically at low winds. You can pop up on them with almost no speed. In fact, that becomes a problem in kiting, because if you are anywhere close to "normal" powered, you'll find it is challenging to keep it from breaching. Requires a lot more front foot pressure than normal and you have to go slow. So that's what some people are posting about it being boring ... I'd suggest it's ideal for wave riding, but is a pretty slow cruise if lawn mowing.

I thought my Infinity 84 downward wing tips were a performance trait, but an acquaintance in the biz told me these are turned down just for safety, so if you fall on wing edge, it's not falling onto a sword. (and in surf foil, it's not "if", it's "when",as it's going to happen eventually) I think this is fairly standard with surf wings. Maybe less so in kiting, with the racing heritage and also less likelihood of falling on it -- as you tend to get pulled away by the kite, rather than tumbled with your foil in white water.

Though for slingshot, the one safety modification I made was to file down the fuselage trailing edge. It is sharp as an axe ... can't imagine this offers much or any performance advantage.

[Youtch]

When people are referring to higher end of the range of the foil and speed limit, is it the speed from which the foil become too hard to control?
As per the need to put too much pressure on the front foot?

if it is the case the 76 seems (as per the specs) to tolerate higher speed (at least than spaceskate), does it still imply putting crazy pressure on front foot?

[gl]

I cannot answer your question about high speeds on the 76 but what I can tell you is the first time I used it I put the mast on the fuselage rather than the wing. This is the same as I do with my H4 wing. Even at slow speeds I could not keep the foil in the water. I kept breaching. So I went back in and put the mast in the wing and put it in the back of track. Then it was fine for the speeds that I travel. Again I did not attempt high speeds but moved along at a good clip and it was fine then. That's what I meant by having much more left than the H4. Not sure if that helps you with your question but maybe you can make an inference from that.

[Youtch]

Thank you very much, I understand, i was under impression that the mast on the wing is the default setting for the infinity.

[grigorib]

When talking about covering lightwind you probably don’t want to talk top speed.
Racey wings and lightwind wings are usually on opposite sides of wing choice.
If you want to go faster - pick H1/H2 they’re about 1000 sq,cm. And they will fly in under 10 knots.
Touching on 6-7knots winds - the larger wing will do better.
For me H4 was a bit jittery when I tried to push it and both H4 and 76 didn’t go overly fast.

I ride 590 (633 sq.cm) and 633 (1239 sq.cm) Slingshot/Moses and while I enjoy lowend of 633 and it’s pretty nice high end, it is nowhere close to cruising and top speed of 590.
On a large body of water 633 feels somewhat boring. On a tiny local lake or playing behind a jetty - basically in limited space where high speed doesn’t help - its awesome


If you’re at 80 kg weight then H1 with 1100 sq.cm area is what would be both fast and sufficiently LW

[Youtch]

I understand that it would more a less to the Time Code 68 (1101cm2) in Slingshot range.

[gl]

I think that you are right that it is the default setting. Having said that everyone I know that uses the H4 also uses it in the wing. I tried both and I prefer it on the fuselage. Where is on the 76 I preferred in the wing. I also have the 84 that I use as a windfoil and on that one I preferred in the mast but that probably has more to do with the position on the board.

[Peter_Frank]

Agree, the 1100 cm2 wing would probably be spot on for you Youth, you want to ride in low wind with a 9 m2, and also have fun in more wind.

It wont pop up "too much" as the bigger wings, so good, and you wont outgrow it and might be able to use this one wing for everything.

Just a thought

Primary is still, that you GET one, and get going, learning - it will most likely be the best time of your kitesurfing life

Riding in 8 knots with a 1000 cm2 wing and the 9 m2 Ultra is possible (longer lines, but we almost all use that in lighter winds), but not easy and definitely not while learning, but later you can.
Relaunch is a dog, in 8 knots you have to be prepared for a swim if it goes down, but that goes for most of us unless it is a foil kite or very special kite, no worries.

Have fun

Peter

[juandesooka]

When people are referring to higher end of the range of the foil and speed limit, is it the speed from which the foil become too hard to control?
As per the need to put too much pressure on the front foot?

if it is the case the 76 seems (as per the specs) to tolerate higher speed (at least than spaceskate), does it still imply putting crazy pressure on front foot?

For me, top end of the range partially means where you just can't make it work any more ... e.g., you repeatedly breach the wing because of just too much lift pressure. But it also partially means the limit where it just isn't as fun too. If I use the 84 wing sup foiling in waves bigger than waist high, I have to spend a lot of effort and concentration to just make it work -- call it "survival mode" -- which means I don't get to really focus on enjoying the wave. I am just barely hanging on. In contrast, the smaller H2 on the same wave feels perfectly locked in, it rides effortlessly, it says to me "I am loving this and I want MORE".

Same thing with kiting ... it doesn't mean you can't use that big wing in higher winds and faster speeds, but it may be that you won't really want to because it's not as fun.

There's lots of kiters on here who are big fans of the surf wings, but there goal is to slow right down and enjoy the cruisey turning. In particular for riding waves: slow down to the speed of the marching swells, turn off kite power entirely so that there is no pull whatsoever, and ride the wave power not the wind/kite power. Alternatively, there's others who focus on doing higher speed carving turns in swells, following the kite and keeping it powered ... and I'd suggest for this kind of riding, a surf wing isn't really the best option, you want something smaller and more quickly maneuverable. But both of these specializations gain the benefit at one end of the spectrum by giving up some cost at the other end.

"Horses for courses" as they say, chase the style you enjoy, choose the right tools accordingly.

[wallydog]

hey grigorib what "macgyver it to aluminum hoverglide mast" is that you have in your picture? Is that Stringys?