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Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

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Kitedougiefresh
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Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby Kitedougiefresh » Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:26 pm

I have tried several things to lower my minimum wind speed needed to foil. I use a 2300+ cm front wing.(Slingshot Infinity 99)and a Concept Air 18M Pulsion Kite. Both have helped, but the latest thing has made the most difference. I am now using a 7' Naish Sky Pirate surf board with a stick on foil mount. I am curious to what others will say, but to me the board is creating more resistance against the kite, which is huge on under 10 knot days. This allows me to get up on the board and then at this point if I am not able to foil instantly, I can send the kite again and build up enough speed to get to foil, which is not very much with the infinity wing. I can now just ride the surfboard in to shore if the wind drops too much. Also, I am using the 12 m Pulsion and wondering if I need the 18M anymore. It is to the point that even on days when the kite doesn't want to hang in the air without help, that I can send it hard and get up. I am not able to do with my Peak 13M. The Pulsion has a lot more lift. Anyone else made the same discovery?

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Kamikuza
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby Kamikuza » Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:11 am

No, I went the opposite way.

I hate the big boards, but don't mind a big wing. I used to have a Speed3 21 and could get going in very low wind, but the riding sucked: very mowing the lawn then intense stress trying to gybe, followed by inevitable swims.

Gave up the big kite for smaller and more importantly faster kites. Even a 12m Switchblade was too slow and pulled too much downwind. 10m SB was ok but didn't drift, so replaced it with a 10m Drifter. I'd consider a lighter, bigger kite though... the 12m Aluula Flite was great, for example, just crazy low end.

I've given up ultimate low-end for now, but if I can get up on the Dwarfcraft 110 and the 10m kite then I can ride, and I'll have an ok time.
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Jyoder
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby Jyoder » Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:43 pm

Yep, you don’t need your 18m Pulsion anymore, so best to just send it to me.

There will always be a window where you need a bigger kite to ride. How big that window is, whether it’s the difference between 2, 1 or even 0.5 knots wind difference, is a personal matter for everyone.
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby bigtone667 » Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:42 pm

Main issue for a big guy is getting enough forward speed or planing speed to pop onto the foil.

I use the Naish 155 skim board. Fat enough and flat enough to allow me to plane. I also use a 17m Cloud (C2) on 32m race lines and an AXIS 1020 or 1150.

I am nicely powered at 8 knots and over-powered at 10 knots.
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papasmerf
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby papasmerf » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:19 am

Jyoder wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:43 pm
Yep, you don’t need your 18m Pulsion anymore, so best to just send it to me.

There will always be a window where you need a bigger kite to ride. How big that window is, whether it’s the difference between 2, 1 or even 0.5 knots wind difference, is a personal matter for everyone.
this has also been my experience, i have a 15m foil kite at 85kg's and usually a 1150 front wing. the wind difference is very slight to get going but when i do get going in the lightest conditions with the 15m,, it is rather amazing as the water is very glassy,,,, but it is very rare at my spot for this to be the case. i used to think my 1650 front wing made a difference and it does slightly but really it is the kite,, the key in super light wind conditions for me is the gybes,,, gotta be right on and the 1150 turns sharper and goes faster and glides better, which makes a difference so even though my bigger front surf wing of 1650 will hardly ever stall, in the turns it sort of becomes a liability at my current skill level so it seems like the 1150 is working better. i will keep my 15m pulsion ultralight for now but it is not getting used as much as i would have thought. it will fly in almost nothing, i will give it that. but what it will fly in,,,if the wind comes up even 1.5 mph, it seems that my 11m foil kite will work fine and is a bit more enjoyable.

it is a very small niche that the 15m is needed for. but when i do use it in that niche,, it is so cool. literally no one else can make it work. but add 1.5-2 mph of wind and a few skilled folks can,, add 4 mph or more,, and numerous people can. the 15m is also nice for the slightly marginal conditions, it will stay in the air better during those sub 5mph lull's but i am lit in the 11-12 mph "gusts"
Last edited by papasmerf on Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Regis-de-giens
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby Regis-de-giens » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:56 am

That is Indeed an important point to décide or not for a 15 or 18: thé frequency of the weather 5-7 knots.

If rare : no 15m "necessary". Just for the luxury pleasure of extra flat- Alone on the spot.

But, on my homespot 5-7 is very frequent, Hence even if it is a niche when looking at wind range, the pulsion 18m is actually the kite i use the most of all ! So a strange "niche". Combines to 1200 or 1000 wing, laminar sea wind.

It is a matter also of budget/luxury/storage Space
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Kitedougiefresh
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Sarasota Florida.
Style: Surf & Swell
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Peak 4 8 m
Pulsion 18M
Sonic 2 11M
Sonic 2 21M
Soul V2 15M
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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby Kitedougiefresh » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:09 pm

Jyoder wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:43 pm
Yep, you don’t need your 18m Pulsion anymore, so best to just send it to me.

There will always be a window where you need a bigger kite to ride. How big that window is, whether it’s the difference between 2, 1 or even 0.5 knots wind difference, is a personal matter for everyone.
You are absolutely correct. I think I was just amazed how well the 12M Pulsion worked in under 10. I am sure the Pulsion 18M will blow me away on those 5-6 knot days....

And I am thinking the big Pulsion may be fun to TT with and jump on windy days...

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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby papasmerf » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:48 pm

Regis-de-giens wrote:
Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:56 am
That is Indeed an important point to décide or not for a 15 or 18: thé frequency of the weather 5-7 knots.

If rare : no 15m "necessary". Just for the luxury pleasure of extra flat- Alone on the spot.

But, on my homespot 5-7 is very frequent, Hence even if it is a niche when looking at wind range, the pulsion 18m is actually the kite i use the most of all ! So a strange "niche". Combines to 1200 or 1000 wing, laminar sea wind.

It is a matter also of budget/luxury/storage Space
my local spot during winter changes a bit and the 15m pulsion will be used more.

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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby flaps1111 » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:23 pm

I'm selling my pulsion 15m if one is interested. Europe.

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Re: Had Low Wind Breakthrough For Big Guys Like Me 100 kg

Postby MaximumAC » Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:22 am

flaps1111 wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:23 pm
I'm selling my pulsion 15m if one is interested. Europe.
Is it the UL cloth?


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