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Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

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elguapo
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby elguapo » Mon May 13, 2019 8:48 pm

Tony wrote:
Sat May 11, 2019 7:32 pm
Rode the 8.5 again yesterday on the foil in light winds. The winds were side-off in a tough launch on the sound. All the LEI kites were having to go out into the water to get clean wind to launch. I was able to launch from the grass. I did get some collapse/tacos walking out with the kite but it was when the wind completely shut off. My LEI would have been in the water, no question. The Wave would collapse, drop and then open back up and recover. Never touched the water. I find the kite very friendly on the HF, smooth. I don't get yanked around. It doesn't generate as much power when you crank the bar as an LEI so in super light winds I sometimes need to loop it to get going, but it turns super fast so no problem. Had a really good session. I was the only one coming back to the launch with a kite in the air, landing on the grass. All the LEI's were dropping 100m from shore. Probably similar to other foil kites I guess.
Still getting used to all these lines/bridles. Honestly, do not like bridles and the associated complexity. Our launches are not clean, lots of grass, twigs etc. to contend with so it takes longer to get set up. I always launch with one hand on the eject/release.
Hope that helps.
Tony
Post by Frankieboy » Mon May 13, 2019 1:48 pm
Hi guys,

I ride a Wave 8,5 but think of selling it. Used twice.
I am in Europe if anybody has interest, it doesn't fit in my quiver...

I didn't experience this taco thing except when walking on the beach, even powered.
I ride it with a 65cm carbon bar and 24m lines (don't have shorter...)
Drift is just like no other kite. This is why this kite is so interesting in the waves.

Bar pressure is quite heavy on the low range, then no problem when good powered.

Cheers Frank
this is exactly when it would taco...on the beach after launching (while trying to tune before going out on water)

i'm probably just a big wimp.(i'd put it down immediately)
is odd because the 4.5 is absolutely the perfect swell/surf kite.

that said if anyone in usa or DR is interested... i have a barely used 8.5 wave if anyone wants it.
barely used as in it has never been used on the water much less been in the water.
it was rigged/flown on the beach a few times.

so...more or less "new".
(doesnt really fet my quiver either)

BJkitesurf
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby BJkitesurf » Mon May 20, 2019 3:10 pm

Have you tested LEI BRM Cloud ? If so, you can compare between Cloud and CA Wave . Thanks

elguapo
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby elguapo » Tue May 21, 2019 9:54 pm

BJkitesurf wrote:
Mon May 20, 2019 3:10 pm
Have you tested LEI BRM Cloud ? If so, you can compare between Cloud and CA Wave . Thanks
i flew clouds before discovering foil kites (and i still have a 10.5m D cloud for sale somewhere)
..to this day i prefer smaller kites.
the wave 4.5 is simply one of those gems of a kite (i purchased a wave 8.5 because i loved the 4.5...but have yet to actually take off the 8.5 off the the beach yet)


both the wave and cloud are low aspect kites...which means both drift and "sit" well..easy to travel downwind on foils..are maneuverable and have excellent depower.
neither seem to run to edge of window or are upwind machines
both have that "grunt" when needed.

a wave seems to fly off the back lines more than any kite i've ever seen(key to drift?).

the biggest difference is relaunch.
unlike a cloud...you don't need to be a member of MENSA to relaunch a CA's wave.
it more or less relaunches itself (seriously)
(that auto relaunching...is also a negative to me)

not only can you tackle breaking waves with CA's wave ..it actually excels in surf (with a bar with decent travel..you can turn it "off" to actually surf properly)
i have not seen the upper limit on a 4.5 wave... but the lower limit(on a moses surf foil) is when i start seeing 10-11m on twintips on my local beach
not sure if it true for foil kites in general....but compared to clouds(or any LEI)...there is a massive wind range on smaller foil kites.

is pretty easy launch a wave 4.5 (no need to pre-inflate)...but due to that auto relaunching i either flag out @edge window or land to partner.

i may get flamed for this... but i think the concept air wave is what drexler aspires his clouds to become.
(imo)

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Tony
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Tony » Wed May 22, 2019 12:36 am

Elguapo,
You need to give the 8.5 a chance, take it on the water. I've ridden mine 4 or 5 times now it's a fast fun kite. No issues on the water.
I'm sure Ben would put your mind at ease if you reached out to him.
I have a 4.5 that I have not unwrapped yet, just haven't seemed to hit the right conditions or I get pressured into putting up my LEI's (tight launch with a lot of crap all over the place).
Now I want to get the 4.5 out!
Tony
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby slowboat » Wed May 22, 2019 1:56 am

Tony wrote:
Wed May 22, 2019 12:36 am
Elguapo,
You need to give the 8.5 a chance, take it on the water. I've ridden mine 4 or 5 times now it's a fast fun kite. No issues on the water.
I'm sure Ben would put your mind at ease if you reached out to him.
I have a 4.5 that I have not unwrapped yet, just haven't seemed to hit the right conditions or I get pressured into putting up my LEI's (tight launch with a lot of crap all over the place).
Now I want to get the 4.5 out!
Tony
Tony, what is your low end with the 8.5? And your weight, if I may ask. Thanks

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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Tony » Wed May 22, 2019 2:12 am

slowboat wrote:
Wed May 22, 2019 1:56 am
Tony, what is your low end with the 8.5? And your weight, if I may ask. Thanks
82kg without any gear. I don't know low end for sure, pretty light, no white caps, only foilers on the water.
Wind meter averaging 9-13 knots I'm guessing. This is on a Levitaz Cruizer wing 989cm2 and I'm a beginner foiler, up riding with ease and working on toeside and transitions. Had it out on days where the wind was even less and had to loop the kite to get up on the foil. I think a bigger foil would help a lot with the low end.
I think it's similar to a 9m, maybe 10m and every bit as fast, easier to keep in the air, keep flying, easier relaunch if you drop it, smoother.
I'd fly it more but the launch I go to most is not all that foil friendly. A small grass area in front of a couple houses. You stand in the water with the kite on the grass and there is deep grass, seaweed, sticks etc at the waters edge between you and the kite. So far launching has been ok but coming back in, with strong winds, can be a be hairy. Landing, even with a helper, is a bit risky. I think I'm going to have to explore some other launch options for these foils.
Tony

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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Regis-de-giens » Wed May 22, 2019 8:43 am

IMO for someone aiming for foilkites and waves on Hydrofoil, the Wave is the ultimate beginner kite:
- extremely secure at launch, even plain window without inflation
- unbeatable relaunch,
- robust/ solid
- instant depower better than competition, useful to balance the firsts fights
- grunt power at waterstart
- regular traction during working kite and loops
- excellent wind range and stability
- not too fast in straight line

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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby gl » Wed May 22, 2019 12:28 pm

Tony have you tried drift launching your Concept Air kite? Where I kite most of the time there is no beach so I stand in waist deep water and partially inflate the kite let it fall on its back. If it's only partially full it drifts slowly. I let the lines off the bar when the kite reaches the end of the lines it just sits there unless the wind is very strong. When I'm ready to go and the lines look good I pull on the front lines and up it goes. The same goes for landing I take it to the side of the windows and stall it with the back lines and wind some of the back lines on the bar and then wind the lines on the bar to the kite. If it's really windy I flag it out on one line after doing the same landing and after a few wraps of the one frontline on the bar I wind the rest of the lines on the bar to the kite. I do this in quite strong winds as well. I find this much easier than trying to deal with it on the beach where they bounce all over the place.
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Tony
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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Tony » Wed May 22, 2019 1:08 pm

gl wrote:
Wed May 22, 2019 12:28 pm
Tony have you tried drift launching your Concept Air kite? Where I kite most of the time there is no beach so I stand in waist deep water and partially inflate the kite let it fall on its back. If it's only partially full it drifts slowly. I let the lines off the bar when the kite reaches the end of the lines it just sits there unless the wind is very strong. When I'm ready to go and the lines look good I pull on the front lines and up it goes. The same goes for landing I take it to the side of the windows and stall it with the back lines and wind some of the back lines on the bar and then wind the lines on the bar to the kite. If it's really windy I flag it out on one line after doing the same landing and after a few wraps of the one frontline on the bar I wind the rest of the lines on the bar to the kite. I do this in quite strong winds as well. I find this much easier than trying to deal with it on the beach where they bounce all over the place.
Hi gl,
I'm more comfortable with a regular launch and would only drift launch as a last resort. Normal downwind launch is fine with these kites. I just take my time. Landing is fine except when windy. When windy, even with a helper there is a risk of things going wrong (or kite damage). That's when I land in the water as you suggest, a wet kite is much better than a damaged kite (or injury). I do have other launch options but the one I frequent is one of the best for foiling, close and where my friends are typically riding.
Tony

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Re: Concept Air Smart Wave 6.5 & 4.5 & 3 and now 8.5

Postby Tony » Wed May 22, 2019 1:15 pm

Regis-de-giens wrote:
Wed May 22, 2019 8:43 am
IMO for someone aiming for foilkites and waves on Hydrofoil, the Wave is the ultimate beginner kite:
- extremely secure at launch, even plain window without inflation
- unbeatable relaunch,
- robust/ solid
- instant depower better than competition, useful to balance the firsts fights
- grunt power at waterstart
- regular traction during working kite and loops
- excellent wind range and stability
- not too fast in straight line
I want to re-inforce what Regis-de-giens is saying, he is 100% correct.
The Wave 8.5 was my first foil kite and I do not think I could have chosen better.
The only issues I have are common to all foil kites and will probably not be issues as I get more foil kite experience:
- Getting used to all these lines (probably need to learn to pack the bridles up better)
- Self landing
Got to meet Benoit briefly last weekend on his way out of town and he is a great guy. Very happy to be riding his kites.
Tony
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