Ultimate lightwind kite for foiling? UFO or Single Skin

[Agnar Jensen]

I've done some research and testing of ligthwind hydrofoiling.

Yesterday I used a Peak3 12m in about 6-7 knots. It worked fine, but it's not so much fun when the loop is long and heavy, and you have to push hard for getting upwind.

I've also had a Hyperlink 13m. My judgment was too slow loops. A closed cell foilkite with higher AR could be a possibility, but price and bridle-spagetti is a big drawback.

So what I'm looking into now is the new UFO 11m. I already ride the UFO 7m and 5m, and pretty much love them. Anyone that has tried the 11m yet? Is it fast (compared to other kites the same size) and can you really relanch in 5 knots, as they say?

Hybrid kites like the upcoming Gin Marabou2 is also something that I'm considering, but not sure whether the flight characteristics is much different from ordinary single skins.

[Regis-de-giens]

You can add skycountry Hysper2 in your wish list, of same type as marabou, while skycountry can build it in lighter cloth. Size up to 14m2 which I own.

But i prefer the large double skin pulsion around 5-6 knots, more power, more efficient. Turn far slower than hysper 14m. But more lift, more speed than Hyper, and hysper less comfortable when parked (bar pressure, light fluttering in "gusts"

[jyka]

I mostly foil with strutless 12m LEI. You can go low wind with LEIs but if you want aim to ultimate low wind, there is only one option.. a foil kite chrono/soul/sonic etc.



Maybe a bigger aluula kite would be at the same level with foil kites

[Agnar Jensen]

jyka, how low would you say you could go on your strutless 12m LEI?

Wild video. There's literally no wind!

[Jyoder]

In 2017 I used to foil with big 17m strutless Cloud C2. It worked fine- easy to loop to recover from stall in lulls. I needed 8 knots to start on my 700cm2 foil and pocket board at the time. Maybe could go lower on modern bigger foils. Having long bar throw was key to not get overpowered. Kinda miss that kite. I use 18m foil kite now.

[drsurf]

I've used a 13m Peak4 in 4 to 5 knots. For my 65kg I'd say if the 11m or 13m Peak4 or Peak5 will fly I can foil.
One of the locals here who weighs 95kg can foil from 5 to 6 knots with an 11m Peak4.

The new Peak5's have a little better performance than the Peak4 kites so will feel faster especially in the turns. The Peak kites will stay in the air in very little wind, however you'll need to pay attention in your turns to keep the lines under tension. If you let the lines go slack the kite will tend to collapse and fall from the sky.

[bitxopalo]

In very light wind, gybing is difficult, is easy to go faster than wind. You must learn to gybe in a very small radius. Takes me several long swimming sessions

[khaakon]

http://www.born-kite.de/?cat=c102_Race- ... ath=21_102
If you want to experiment/research some more about singleskin kites, U also have little know German brand "Born Kites". Their Race Star+ comes in many sizes, biggest 11 & 14m.

AR: 6,1 should make them better upwind than FS Peak's (?)

[ieism]

I hardly use the 11m peak4 for foiling. The 8 is less powerfull but flies faster so I can start in almost the same wind with it now.
I have no problems going upwind, if this is an issue for you ride with shorter lines and see how it goes. This is the 8m2 in slightly underpowered wind, it pretty much goes straight downwind and easily upwind. This is a 10mile ride...

[Peter_Frank]

Ultimate lightwind kite will always be a double skin superlight kite (also fragile of course), and high aspect but not too high aspect.
Not many who make these, as they can not be used for racing, and costly and fragile - but they are the best for the task.

Not a single skin kite, nor a strutless LEI (UFO).

Peter