Flysurfer Peak 4

[Horst Sergio]

Again a very nice experience with the 5 m² starting in very difficult side side off shore winds around 17:00, the spot I was maybe had even less wind than the Station, never felt like 15 knts. Kite first dropped in 2 knts in the shallow water. First rebuild here didn't work, as still to low and to much changing winds on the ground.
But then after walking 200 m out building up again in shallow and 4-10 knts I was able to start it out of the the water:

Getting now a bit experience with building up in the water:
Before winding up bar do not oversheet to much, so if taking backlines over one finger at eyelet, then pull out chickenloop also by about 20 cm. Leting it drift away, sometimes it can be helpfull to pull in the frontlines to get it more up into the wind. But as long the nose cap is over the water it will be possible to work it out. … at least in flat water, no experience with low wind and bigger waves yet.

I think I always had to wait the 10 knts gusts, but just because I was first time riding a new 88 x 33 cm board which is hard to start over a big wing. But when riding, I think the wind has dropped some times also significantly below 8 knts.

Oh and there have been quite some folk with 15 m² tubes, at least one in the drink, the rest on the beach, also with big foilboard wings, just watching the scenery All the time I was on the spot haven't seen anything even flying apart from the 5 m² Peak, which was even riding

[tomtom]

Cool! Do you have figured out how to get best WMG out of it? I have just one proper water session and it feel different than on snow - because as i was able to push further upwind kite start to flaping which i did not like so i keep my angle more conservative to keep it without any flapping. I know its not Peak territory - but i have to get back from these breathtaking downwinders . Maybe it was because i rode on river with quite strong counter current and my actual angles were very steep. What is your inside on this. Many thanks for comment.

Also i have this crazy idea about start/restart peak - swim to it and actualy release it straight to the are air /like kids kite/ by lines and slowly release lines till bar end in you hands. I know it sound super crazy and it require some advanced line management but peak is only kite on which i even dare to try it...

[jatem]

Also i have this crazy idea about start/restart peak - swim to it and actualy release it straight to the are air /like kids kite/ by lines and slowly release lines till bar end in you hands. I know it sound super crazy and it require some advanced line management but peak is only kite on which i even dare to try it...

I like this idea. They're very stable in the air, it might be possible with an occasional pull of a steering line to keep it at the zenith.
I've yanked metres of front line when testing for front stall, and the peak will just float back up. If you can get it into the air, and hold the front lines in one hand, it might just work.

I haven't actually dunked any of my peaks in the water yet, despite 15-20 sessions on the foil. They give you so much time to catch them before they fall out of the sky, and they still respond to steering inputs.

[Adventure Logs]

Also i have this crazy idea about start/restart peak - swim to it and actualy release it straight to the are air /like kids kite/ by lines and slowly release lines till bar end in you hands. I know it sound super crazy and it require some advanced line management but peak is only kite on which i even dare to try it...

I don’t remember which gen, it could have been the Peak 1, but flysurfer did a promo video showing the Prak basically launched by throwing in the air. In the vid they had short lines and were just playing around, but it got me thinking about boat launching like that back then. I think some form of something like a modified foshing reel could be used to bring the lines in and out.

[foilholio]

The years are getting on.

[Denisesewa]

Funny, reelbars have been around almost from the beginning of kiteboarding.
https://goo.gl/images/EXHqTA

These were mostly for 2 line kites although I converted one to 4 line, the problem with them was when the kite was down and lines slack you couldn't keep equal line tension while reeling the lines in, this caused lines to overwrap and get jammed when trying to release the lines while flying the kite.
There was also one 4 line realbar called the turbo launcher, it was heavy and expensive.
One of the attractions of the peak is simplicity, a reelbar of any kind just takes away from that.

[neilhapgood]

Could you use a peak 3 on the water? Thanks

[tomtom]

Today another proper water sesssion. Flapping was from very strong counter current on river /Danube - spring snow melting/ Today was much less current and no flapping. Anyway i rode 5 - and 4m later and the verdict is 4 is same than 5 just better - sits further in WW - has stronger powerstroke due to faster flying speed. So 4 was actualy easier to get on foil than 5 /both in they relative bottom end/ I think Peak just isnt scalable /or not easy/ and 5 is for me biggest size than i want use. Im going to buy 3 also... About reel bars. - its just too much hassle i was thinking this just as last resort to water-restart - Sliding lines in hand /cooling in water/ - static flied peak - hydrofoil size - is basically powerless. I still dont waterstart yet. No accident and too cold to do it on purpose...
Verdict - for me Peak4 is best freeride HF kite in 10-12+ knts

[tomtom]

About Peak 3

Yes you can - but i wont - Peak4 is just soooo much better for this. They are complete different kites

[tomtom]

Please anyone HF freerider/waverider - specially ones who wants ride light "without kite"...

Do yourself favour - and buy Peak4 4m and or 3m...

I was riding today 20 knots on 4m little bit too much power 3 would be better i think - on nice smooth 1m waves - and its like dream. If any body tell me that such kite can even exist i dont believe.
Its freaking fast - it drift beyond imaginable - it was impossible to do something that made line slack. Its just work - 100m direct downwind - on wave pump like crazy just to slack line. Start with kite on zenith just to do something that it dont made... - Kite just sit there line wont even goes slack... One hand wrist control - i dont even bother use two hand on bar. Upwind on 4 is completely OK. I was switching HF/surboard and can go upwind on SB. I think its perfect SB kite too. I was little underpowered on 4m /just 20kts/ but in stronger wind it will scream upwind. Also on SB i was going surprisingly fast. Other guys was on 9-10m LEIs. I test also water relaunch - i just smash it to water - there was definately water in LE pocket and I made it lay to water - but in this strong wind it restart without any issue. I just pull backlines to turn it /it goes back slowly because water in LE pocket/ so i dont fly it direct up but in arch to turn it and get rid of water...
This kite is another thing after HF which really impress me. Its not 20% better than one wave lei from another its 300% better if riding wave and let kite drift is your thing.
Imo only these small sizes 15+knts wind work so miraculously good.