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5m or 4m? windrange and sweetspot?

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windfreak74
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5m or 4m? windrange and sweetspot?

Postby windfreak74 » Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:40 pm

hello guys ive been foiling with a 7m 3 strutkite for 2 year .
at 20knots im overpowered
foiling with a 1100 cm hydrofoil wing.
what would be ideal stepdown? 5m 3 strut or a 4m one strut?
what can i expect in wind range and sweetspot?
anyone with experience on tghe 5m or 4m department?
thanks!!

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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby windfreak74 » Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:41 pm

i weigh 72 kilos !

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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby slowboat » Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:46 pm

20 knots and 72 kg, I would think 4 meter.
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby windfreak74 » Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:48 pm

thanks Slowboat!!
can you shed some light in the wind range to expect on a 4m?

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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby jakemoore » Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:59 pm

Both would work. The big question is how much power you like. Both would take me well above 25 knots at 90 kg.
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby lederhosen » Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:25 pm

I am 80kg and my 5m LEI is good until 30kn and not higher. 4m is my guess for you at 25kn plus.
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby jumptheshark » Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:35 pm

Agree, you can make either work. Also, different models, especially in small sizes are really pretty variable for foiling. They all "work", but some don't fly that well underpowered, which can make em less enjoyable in anything but steady ample wind.

I spent a lot of time the last two seasons overpowered on a variety of 6m kites Enough to prompt me to get a 5 and a 3.5. Turns out they are just much better kites for foiling than either of the three six meter wave kites I was playing with. I'm on a 7m single strut up to 18/19 knots. Then skip my sixes and go to a 5m single strut. Sweet spot is 20-25 kn. Above 25, you really need a 4m or smaller for comfort but I've held a gutsy 6m into way above that where you have to ride much steeper angles up and downwind to have fun. Looking to avoid that moving forward with the 3.5 and 5m.
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby PurdyKiter » Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:00 pm

If you are already enjoying strutless, I would say that I'm perfectly happy with my 3.7 Cloud D in higher winds. I'm 72kg and I save my 3.7 for trips to the Columbia River Gorge and 25+ mph winds. Rarely overpowered and if I am it's beer-30 hour.
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:08 pm

I got 3.5 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 15 m2.

@77 kg and a 1200 wing it corresponds to your 1100 cm2 and 72 kg, same thing.

My 5 m2 starts from 14 to 15 knots on the big wing.
From 20 knots I am overpowered, can still ride but not fun. With a smaller wing a bit better but not much higher.

Sweetspot is 16-18 knots for me with the 5.

A 7 m2 starts in 12-13 knots, on the low end though, sweetspot around 14-15 knots, and from 15-16 knots overpowered with the 7.

As I ride waveboards too, I find it important to have small steps, as the 5-6-7 m2 is used the most in waves.
The same thing on hydrofoils IMO, hate to be outside the sweetspot - only in some size waves it is okay to be on the low end.

I would suggest 5-7 for you, but 4-7 can work but it is a big difference and you have to work the 4 like a maniac in the wind between these sizes.
If no waves even bigger difference...

If you get a 4 and 7 and find the step a bit big, you can later get a 5.5 so no risk in this step, and you can ride with the 4 from +20 knots, where a 5 gets too big.

How many struts is unimportant as windy, does not matter at all, and if you like to ride waveboards or TTs also get more struts to cover everything the best :thumb:

If you ride with straps and like to ride powered and jump, forget all about my post, but based on your numbers it does not seem like this is your goal.

8) Peter
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Re: 5m or 4m?windrange and sweetspot?

Postby geokite » Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:45 pm

My experience mimics Peter, as does my specs. Sweet spot for 5m single strut is 16-18, overpowered above 20. Switch to 4m single strut; haven't found the top end of the 4m yet.

Hoping to fly the 6m Kitech FRS and see how it compares, this summer.
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