Thanks for the info, what's the maximum wind you can self launch 9m sonic 3? I guess this is where the practical limit of foil kites vs LEI ..I'd want a kite I can self launch in 25 knots but of course skill level is variable ...Have seen videos of Soul launching in pretty high wind
Self-Launching is never a problem!
It’s only a question about technic!
Self-Landing is even more difficult in high winds!
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based on ALs comment I'd get a 7 or 6m soul but not curious to know 9m Sonic3 actual wind range as FS ranges are too conservative as explained by Armin for good reason
I have a 9m Sonic 3 and use it in 18-25 knots with a Mike's Lab foil on short lines. You can ride in in less wind, but if it's consistently under 18, I'll take my 13m.
This is the only video I have with my 9m.
Thanks for the info, what's the maximum wind you can self launch 9m sonic 3? I guess this is where the practical limit of foil kites vs LEI ..I'd want a kite I can self launch in 25 knots but of course skill level is variable ...Have seen videos of Soul launching in pretty high wind
I'm sure I could self-launch it in more wind than I actually want to fly it in. Especially if launching somewhere "easy" like a big sandy beach.
I had a disappointing session on my Soul 10m with a hydrofoil the other day and I think it was basically just that I was overpowered. The wind picked up from 13 knots when I launched to 18-19 whilst I was out there. Being honest I would also have had a difficult time on my Airush ultra 9m but at the time the slow steering speed and lack of confidence to pull downloops through the gybes was frustrating. I probably would have changed to a twin tip if I'd known the wind would pick up but as it was stronger than the forecast I forgot to pack it in the car.
Being fairly green to foil kites, can anyone suggest techniques for a softer slower downloop into a gybe? I'm running 20m lines. Is that just too much for a foil? Should I be pulling a steering line to try and keep the loop higher in the wind window? Keep the bar pinned at full power to prevent the kite whizzing through and generating to much power?
The Soul has a really strong and quite slow loop in my experience but like all foil kites you can get a quicker loop with less power if you pull on the steering line above the bar. I managed to downloop it straight into the beach once because I forgot how much slower it is than an LEI to downloop. Was rather embarassing...
I had a disappointing session on my Soul 10m with a hydrofoil the other day and I think it was basically just that I was overpowered. The wind picked up from 13 knots when I launched to 18-19 whilst I was out there. Being honest I would also have had a difficult time on my Airush ultra 9m but at the time the slow steering speed and lack of confidence to pull downloops through the gybes was frustrating. I probably would have changed to a twin tip if I'd known the wind would pick up but as it was stronger than the forecast I forgot to pack it in the car.
Being fairly green to foil kites, can anyone suggest techniques for a softer slower downloop into a gybe? I'm running 20m lines. Is that just too much for a foil? Should I be pulling a steering line to try and keep the loop higher in the wind window? Keep the bar pinned at full power to prevent the kite whizzing through and generating to much power?
if you were overpower, why would you need a downloop for transition?
I had a disappointing session on my Soul 10m with a hydrofoil the other day and I think it was basically just that I was overpowered. The wind picked up from 13 knots when I launched to 18-19 whilst I was out there. Being honest I would also have had a difficult time on my Airush ultra 9m but at the time the slow steering speed and lack of confidence to pull downloops through the gybes was frustrating. I probably would have changed to a twin tip if I'd known the wind would pick up but as it was stronger than the forecast I forgot to pack it in the car.
Being fairly green to foil kites, can anyone suggest techniques for a softer slower downloop into a gybe? I'm running 20m lines. Is that just too much for a foil? Should I be pulling a steering line to try and keep the loop higher in the wind window? Keep the bar pinned at full power to prevent the kite whizzing through and generating to much power?
if you were overpower, why would you need a downloop for transition?
I was struggling to keep line tension to finish the kite turn. I'd bring the kite up and start the board turning downwind - at which point I'd lose line tension so the kite would stay above me and I'd overrun the kite (sideways not downwind) run out of speed and drop off the foil. Its something I could get away with on tube kites as the steering is quicker so you can dive the kite once you regain your line tension but with the soul being that much slower, the dive is often too late. By downlooping I can get the kite pointing in the new direction before turning the board. The problem is that when powered up you get a big spike of power as the kite accelerates through the wind window and my toeside riding isn't strong enough to be comfortable with handling that spike of power yet.
Its a technique thing but was a frustrating session that only in hindsight did I realise was down to being overpowered as when riding along I felt comfortable - where I would notice earlier on my tube kite that I was overpowered.
I had a disappointing session on my Soul 10m with a hydrofoil the other day and I think it was basically just that I was overpowered. The wind picked up from 13 knots when I launched to 18-19 whilst I was out there. Being honest I would also have had a difficult time on my Airush ultra 9m but at the time the slow steering speed and lack of confidence to pull downloops through the gybes was frustrating. I probably would have changed to a twin tip if I'd known the wind would pick up but as it was stronger than the forecast I forgot to pack it in the car.
Being fairly green to foil kites, can anyone suggest techniques for a softer slower downloop into a gybe? I'm running 20m lines. Is that just too much for a foil? Should I be pulling a steering line to try and keep the loop higher in the wind window? Keep the bar pinned at full power to prevent the kite whizzing through and generating to much power?
if you were overpower, why would you need a downloop for transition?
I was struggling to keep line tension to finish the kite turn. I'd bring the kite up and start the board turning downwind - at which point I'd lose line tension so the kite would stay above me and I'd overrun the kite (sideways not downwind) run out of speed and drop off the foil. Its something I could get away with on tube kites as the steering is quicker so you can dive the kite once you regain your line tension but with the soul being that much slower, the dive is often too late. By downlooping I can get the kite pointing in the new direction before turning the board. The problem is that when powered up you get a big spike of power as the kite accelerates through the wind window and my toeside riding isn't strong enough to be comfortable with handling that spike of power yet.
Its a technique thing but was a frustrating session that only in hindsight did I realise was down to being overpowered as when riding along I felt comfortable - where I would notice earlier on my tube kite that I was overpowered.
I completely understand you. I've recently learnt to hydrofoil and got a Soul 12m as my local spot usually have winds ranging from 8-12k only, however, when practicing toe-side, I can only manage the LEI kite (an Ozone Reo v4 8m) as it's much quicker and responsive. Foil kites are sooooooooo slow that we have to reprogram our brains to remember that they don't like to be worked (S curves don't help) and the correct timing when steering them. I'm also a little bit disappointed on this concern. The Reo is much more fun to foil than the Soul
Maybe I should try a Peak4...
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