nothing2seehere wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 10:22 am
From my experience, the ultra 12m doesn't drift as well as the soul and won't relaunch as easily at the bottom end though it doesn't fail as catastrophically.
Like all one strut kites you need to be very careful how you crash them. If you tip them onto the trailing edge (e.g. reverse launch and stall when you spin them) then its game over and you need to wrap up the lines and try and reset the kite.
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As per my thread that I started - short lines on a LEI doesn't make the difference you would like. The static pull is still there, you just remove some of the power during the sweep. I like my single strut on long lines, it doesn't feel quite right on normal length lines (22m) on a hydrofoil.
I respectfully disagree with this sentence. 1-struct kites are super-easy to relaunch even when they crash on the leading edge. You just need a reverse relaunch. They're also super-easy to self-launch...
Here's Jake Kelsick showing a reverse relaunch with a 3-struct kite (Reach) and heavier than any 1 struct.
And yes... there's no reason to use short lines on smaller LEI kites. If we're looking for stronger and steadier wind we should do the opposite. Take advantage of faster LEI kites over 2-skin foil kites and use longer lines.
joe f wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 11:48 am
I have been enjoying this thread as I have actually been using my Souls a bit more recently. Why? Mainly because I need to learn to tack and switch feet (have got lazy with my Peaks as they are so easy to ride toe side all the time, but they have a lot less lift than the Souls, which doesn't help with tacks / foot changes) but also because I have *never* had to swim in with a Soul and, personally, find them the easiest kite I have ever used to relaunch.
All these things are personal, but I used to swim in with my 9m Airush Ultra every now and then as I would be tempted out in crazy light winds, crash it due to slack lines and then stand zero chance of relaunching. I find the Souls (I have a 9m and 6m) very easy to launch in the lightest of breezes.
I have just gone through a couple of years of never relaunching a kite as I have been using Peaks, which I find incredibly difficult to crash! I don't know whether that is because you have to actively fly them into the water or whether I am being far too hesitant (quite possible - I have started to question whether the fear of relaunch is holding me back). I have actually had to relaunch a few times in my past couple of sessions (both on Soul), but it was a piece of cake and I know that I would have struggled with an LEI on the second session as it ended up being extremely light wind. So light that I couldn't get back up on the foil after a crash - it was all apparent wind.
Just my personal view, but I don't think that an LEI will solve the relaunch issue in light winds. I think they are more likely to go in and are not going to be any easier to relaunch in the light stuff.
I think the experience with 2-skin foil kites varies a lot with your local conditions. People riding Souls, or any other 2-skin kite, in
*steady* in shore sea breeze, ranging from 9-12k, will not have swinming back issues as chances to leave the kite crash and not relaunch are marginal, however, as I've cited before, my local spot has an on/off wind, sometimes with large intervals, thus, I usually don't have the 15 minutes window to relaunch a Soul before it turns into an anchor. After 10 minutes trying, with no success in 0kt wind, I just pack the kite and come back swiming. Had 4 sessions like this and gave up. I have not sold my Souls because I'm in the hope that, after gaining more experience with the hydrofoil board, It will be easier to focus on flying a foil kite better