Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Flysurfer Peak 4

For all foil kite riders
User avatar
Flyboy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2715
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 157 times
Been thanked: 288 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby Flyboy » Tue Nov 08, 2022 7:46 pm

With regard to line lengths, I have had a variety of experiences over the past few weeks with fall winds kicking in. I've only been alternating between 20m and 17m lines. I would say the difference is the equivalent of 1 knot ... to a little less than 2 knots in wind strength. I only use the 6m with 20m lines. I only use the 3m with 17m lines. So the line length variations are only relevant to the 5m and 4m kites. If it's 12 - 14 knots I will use 20m lines on my 5m, above 14 knots I will use the 17m lines. Using the 17m lines will make it comfortable to use the 5m in winds up to 16/17 knots, but I might consider using the 4m with 20 lines from 14-15 knots. At 16 knots up I will definitely use the 4m with 17m lines.

In practice, I often find myself on the "wrong lines" because the wind picks up, or drops during a session. I've never come in to "change line lengths" - it's not worth it as there's no guarantee the wind won't pick up or drop again. I've become used to riding much more powered up than I used to with the Peaks. It's nice to be very lightly powered in good swell/waves ... but equally, it's nice to be powered up and be able to ride fast & hard upwind. I've had a number of sessions ridiculously overpowered with the 3m (30-35 knots). Not much fun really, but still doable because sheeting out the Peaks (lots of flapping) allows you to manage even really overpowered.

Shorter lines - mine are 14m - I only use in "real" waves. You lose a lot of ability to generate power, but gain in immediate responsiveness - I guess closer to the feel of winging.

User avatar
Peter_Frank
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 12734
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 1007 times
Been thanked: 1187 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:43 pm

Must say I have a VERY different feel....

Being on the "wrong lines" has only happened with short lines for me.

Using 15-16 m lines on the 3 m2 was pretty useless for me - yes I could ride when the wind was just "perfect", but no advantages, just a he.. of lot less windrange :(

The responsiveness might be different, but got nothing to do with wingfoiling where you got NO responsiveness at all, you just ride, powered, or flag the wing, you dont use it actively the same way as with kites.
True, one can ride overpowered without being overpowered, but its just the advantage of wingfoiling, you just angle the wing intuitively to fit.
Very different from having shorter lines, no comparison IMO.

In my experience, doing both.

But I know I dont like short lines with Peaks, at all.
Maybe some do, but not me.
Why would you do it?
Peaks drift in a way so you dont need to redirect it fast to keep it flying, so on a foil you just fly the kite higher if you want to bottom turn cutback really fast - instead of flying the kite low and redirecting like you often do on surfboards.

But I might very well be the "awkward" one, I know :rollgrin:

Of course if you have the wrong "too big" size, it might be a way of compensating - but I would choose the right size instead, prefer that.

8) Peter

IWantToFly
Frequent Poster
Posts: 368
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:43 pm
Kiting since: 2019
Weight: 77kg
Local Beach: Jones Beach, Sauvie Island, Floras Lake, the Gorge, OR coast, La Ventana
Favorite Beaches: La Ventana, the Gorge
Style: I wish
Gear: Groove Skate Pro 110cm
Kanaha Shapes 42” (106cm)
Triton T1 Monowing
Lift Classic 170
Litewave Wing 155, Kick-S 139
OR Mako 140
Duotone Whip 5’0”
Naish Pivot 6, 8, 10
Flysufer Soul 6m, 12m
Flysurfer Peak5 5m, Peak4 8m
Cloud 2.8, 3.7, 4.8, 6.2, 8
Pansh 7/11
Has thanked: 74 times
Been thanked: 115 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby IWantToFly » Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:12 am

Peter_Frank wrote:
Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:43 pm

But I know I dont like short lines with Peaks, at all.
What is “short” for you and what is “normal?”

User avatar
Peter_Frank
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 12734
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 1007 times
Been thanked: 1187 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby Peter_Frank » Wed Nov 09, 2022 8:19 am

IWantToFly wrote:
Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:12 am
Peter_Frank wrote:
Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:43 pm

But I know I dont like short lines with Peaks, at all.
What is “short” for you and what is “normal?”

Normal is 21 meter.

For me 18-22 is pretty normal too.

14-17 I find short.

And yes I know it might just be me who doesn't like short lines on a foil.
I never ride them above their "normal lines" sweetspot though, but way easier with 20 meter lines as the sweetspot range is a lot wider, so you never pick the wrong size.

If you don't have a small kite, or you are out in loads of wind, you might be able to compensate a bit with shorter lines, so handling might be easier.

8) Peter

User avatar
Flyboy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2715
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 157 times
Been thanked: 288 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby Flyboy » Thu Nov 10, 2022 6:57 pm

Peter_Frank wrote:
Wed Nov 09, 2022 8:19 am
IWantToFly wrote:
Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:12 am
Peter_Frank wrote:
Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:43 pm

But I know I dont like short lines with Peaks, at all.
What is “short” for you and what is “normal?”

Normal is 21 meter.

For me 18-22 is pretty normal too.

14-17 I find short.

And yes I know it might just be me who doesn't like short lines on a foil.
I never ride them above their "normal lines" sweetspot though, but way easier with 20 meter lines as the sweetspot range is a lot wider, so you never pick the wrong size.

If you don't have a small kite, or you are out in loads of wind, you might be able to compensate a bit with shorter lines, so handling might be easier.

8) Peter
My conclusion is not that shorter lines compensate for more wind. They don't make very much difference - perhaps 1 - 2 knots. Shorter lines DO give you a more direct feel for the kite & more responsive turning. This is an advantage in waves and swell, but you do give up some ability to generate apparent wind which at the lighter end of the wind range is a definite disadvantage.

"Normal" for me has become 17m lines on the 5m and 4m, as long as I'm decently powered. I use 20m lines with the 6m, because if I'm on the 6m it means the wind is 13 knots or less and having an extended power stroke is very useful. I think one of the interesting points of comparison will be in the 14 - 16 knot range: 5m with 17m lines, or 4m with 20m lines? I will have more opportunity to experiment with the 14m line length in Cabarete this winter.

drsurf
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2018 5:42 pm
Kiting since: 2000
Local Beach: NSW South Coast
Gear: Too much too describe
Brand Affiliation: Whatever I sell
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 268 times
Contact:

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby drsurf » Fri Nov 11, 2022 3:23 pm

There certainly seems to be a different take on line length from different people. I use 21m lines on my 2.5, 4m & 5m Peak5's and same on 3.5m Hybrid.
I do have a 14m bar and line set which i use mainly on 2.5m when it's really windy as the short lines extend the wind range significantly in high wind.

21m, or long lines as some call them, give a lot more power in lighter winds. With the 5m being my light wind kite I'm good to go from 8 knots and my most used sizes lately are the 4m Peak5 and 3.5m Hybrid. I like to ride with the smallest kite possible and longer lines make doing this a lot easier. It's easier to get up on the board and foiling, easier to get through lulls by working the kite over a much bigger window, easier to build up enough board speed for smaller high aspect foils to get going and easier to get the benefit of better wind higher up in the wind window.

I do like short lines for the responsiveness they give, but I also get responsiveness from being able to use a smaller kite. On my local beach there will be people foiling using 7m to 10m LEI kites ... and there beside them is my 3.5m Hybrid which looks like a trainer kite beside theirs :D
Out on the water I can go the same speed and point as high as the LEI kites but riding waves downwind I'm king of the drift! I often go out with wingers and we go upwind a couple of km and then ride swells and windchop back downwind. Meanwhile LEI foilers are just mowing the lawn.
These users thanked the author drsurf for the post:
alekbelia (Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:30 pm)
Rating: 3.03%

nayy
Frequent Poster
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:15 pm
Has thanked: 77 times
Been thanked: 56 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby nayy » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:19 am

Hi all,

Footage from my friend on his peak4 13m². Even in those sizes the kite is surprisingly usefull. Footage from last summer.

Enjoy !!!


User avatar
alekbelia
Medium Poster
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:11 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Weight: 100 kg
Style: hydrofoiling, waveriding
Gear: VMG2 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23 sqm
Ozone R1V3 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 sqm
Peak5 2.5, 4, 5, 6 sqm
Click 2.5, 4, 5, 6 sqm
RRD Religion 4, 5, 6, 7 sqm
Wave RRD Cotan 5.4
Hydrofoils Levitaz R5, Chubanga V3, RDB 860
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 137 times
Been thanked: 50 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby alekbelia » Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:41 pm

drsurf wrote:
Fri Nov 11, 2022 3:23 pm
...
I do like short lines for the responsiveness they give, but I also get responsiveness from being able to use a smaller kite. On my local beach there will be people foiling using 7m to 10m LEI kites ... and there beside them is my 3.5m Hybrid which looks like a trainer kite beside theirs :D
In strong wind and waves, I prefer to downsize the kite instead of using shorter lines. I use each kite with its own bar and changing kites is super easy. The small size kites are so fast and maneuverable that even with 20 meter lines they cover all my requirements. Waves over 2 meters and 2.5 kites are a real pleasure. The size of the bar also depends on the size of the kite. I run my 2.5 kites with a 30cm bar.

nayy
Frequent Poster
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:15 pm
Has thanked: 77 times
Been thanked: 56 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby nayy » Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:22 pm

Strapless kiting with peak4 3 and 5m², there were some waves that day ;-)





nayy
These users thanked the author nayy for the post:
Trent hink (Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:14 am)
Rating: 3.03%

User avatar
Flyboy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2715
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 157 times
Been thanked: 288 times

Re: Flysurfer Peak 4

Postby Flyboy » Sun Feb 12, 2023 2:27 am

Having foiled almost every day for the last 5 weeks - mostly in reef-break waves - I've had the opportunity to experiment a bit. I have settled on 17m lines for everything other than light wind (less than 13 knots). 20m lines definitely help the low end with the 6m and 5m, but for the most part I have been foiling in 13/14 knots plus, at which point I will use 17m lines with the 5m.

We've had a number of days with winds around 20 knots. This for me (at about 80 kg) is a toss-up between the 4m & 3m Peak 4. On the 4m with 17m lines it's a bit too much power, especially when in the waves. On the 3m with 17m lines it's a little bit light. I tried the 4m with 14m lines and didn't really like it - it certainly makes the power more manageable, but doesn't feel quite right. It might just take more time to adjust to it.

The 3m with 17m lines takes a light touch and sensitive sheeting & positioning to keep the kite in the correct power zone ... but it's absolutely magic in the waves - turning into an overhead wave is beautiful as it is possible to instantly depower the kite and just surf down the wave face and then pick up a bit of power in the kite when you need it.

Nobody else using Peaks - typically people are foiling with 10m LEI kites when I'm on my 5m Peak, and 8m LEI kites when I am on my 4m Peak ... but most people are not foiling in the waves, but are foiling in the flats inside the reef, jumping, tacking, sitting, "racing" etc. My buddy is using V2 UFOs and typically uses 7m when I'm on the 5m Peak and 5m when I'm on the 4m.
These users thanked the author Flyboy for the post (total 2):
IWantToFly (Sun Feb 12, 2023 8:57 am) • nayy (Mon Feb 13, 2023 9:28 pm)
Rating: 6.06%


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 136 guests