azoele wrote: ↑Mon Jan 03, 2022 9:49 am
I need 8 full knots and flat water to enjoy my session.
In those conditions, with a 10m LEI kite (Maverick), 21m lines, and a 1100sqcm front wing (gong Fluid L-S) I can "play" around training duck tacks and toeside tacks, all the time looping the kite (which to me is immensely, childishly fun
).
I can get as low as 7
full knots (better on a slightly bigger, thinner wing, gong Veloce L and of course 24m lines), but it is painful, because everything is borderline, even riding, and the smallest mistake means a swim in (8 knots I can relaunch, 7 is really, but really iffy).
I can ride lower (6 full knots) with my 15m (Kitech FRS ultralight), but I don't like it, because it is oh so slow in the air, and I hardly ever do it.
Am 110Kg, by the way. In my experience, weight makes
a lot of difference...
Why flat water?
I have the opposite experience, that even small wind waves, or bigger waves, will let me start and ride and carve fluid in less wind, and a lot more safe regarding the ability to stay up on foil when marginal wind
Of course waves are "my life", so it might be the reason it is natural, and they help you in so many things.
Even small waves will let you pump the board up, even if in the wind direction, use the energi for starting, or help the pump motion to free the wing.
Carving and jibing is even better now, as you can glide around on a small chop and keep momentum even when the kitepull is lost for a while.
Besides being a lot more fun, I find everything is easier, and avoid flat water if possible
The whole idea with the foil is we can ride just above any chop or waves, and use them instead, no matter how choppy and crappy they seem.
If a beginner, both kite and wingfoil, flat water is key yes.
But as soon as you have learned, you should be able to ride just as easy in chop.
And when experienced, you can ride easier in chop/small waves, than flat water
Unfortunately when we have marginal wind, it is very often dead flat
But you could be lucky it has been windy, and it died, then the waves will stand for a long time.
OR, wind far out, giving some mini swell.
Much more fun, always, for me
Peter