Flysurfer Peak 4

[a99]

If 8m peak as some said power as 11 lei than it definitely must go from 7/8 knots standup.

[flying doctor]

This thread made me so exited that I've jumped on the opportunity to buy a second hand 4m peak 4.

Because it's winter here and I'm in my first year of foiling I'm hesitant to try it out in cold waters too far from shore. But I'm really looking forward to trying it.

What would be the ideal wind range for my 73kg and spitfire XLW, can anyone give me a recommendation?

Just a bump to see if anyone can help me with my question. Traffic in this thread is intense!

One of the kiters at our local beach has a Spitfire and a 5m Peak4 and is enjoying foiling in 10 knots with 8 knot lulls. He's around 85kg. I think you'd need a minimum of 12knots to get going on your 4m Peak4. With the Peak4 if you have enough power to get out of the water onto the board, even if you have to flog your kite all over the sky, you should be fine to get onto the foil where your drag diminishes and the apparent wind gives you a boost. It may also depend on the size of your board. Surface area may be your friend.
There are a lot of variables and I'm talking about a good quality, steady wind to get going. If the wind is turbulent because it comes off the land or there are structures nearby disturbing the wind then you'll find it harder and need stronger wind. Let us know how it goes

Thanks Dr.!
I took it out today in 20-25 knts and had a blast. It's hard for me to imagine using it in a lot less wind, but that's probably down to my foiling skills.

Looking forward to using it again, it's really fun using such an agile kite. Wasn't worried for one second that I'd crash it. But went to a lake with onshore winds just to be sure...

[Adventure Logs]

Had a chick in La Ventana run up to me after landing asking me if it was the new Peak she's seen out on the water. Apparently FS is working on a Peak like the Firefly and from the sounds of it, it's pretty close to being a finished product. I haven't seen it out on the water yet but I'll keep my eyes out.

[foilholio]

Also, particularly with light wind, i have made expensive gear purchasing decisions in the past, based on claims made in this forum, where in the end i was very disappointed with what i got.

So my estimates might maybe be conservative, but only because i think it is important not to give out bad information.

People also quote different numbers for different types of riding. While I can ride with a 6m kite in 6-7knots I can not water start in that. I just realized I have a big difference in what I can water start in the open ocean vs the whitewash, because as well in the open ocean I am using the swell to help. It actually makes about 1-2knot difference.

[LeoLeal]

Guys,
Is it much harder to do trick like changing stance , backroll tack and sit on foil using Peak4 than a Lei kite?

[Horst Sergio]

@Adventure Logs:
Yes as there are always prototypes around also heard something, but I would be sure that there will be nothing before another 6 month or more likely another year. Just check the Sonic², which is now 3,5 years old and Sonic3 is not yet released, even if a friend is riding a like serial looking proto since about 5 month and I have tested something also not looking like proto about an year ago, so doesn't mean anything to see a kite looking like a finished product flying around. It can still be another year to be published.
Just check this topic start, my first Peak4 which was still pre serial (and which I still use) is just 16 month old, so no reason for FS to bring something new, while Peak4 still sells very well. Also to me, even if I still say 3 m² to 5 m² is not a to big gap I now bought also the 4 m² for luxury and as it better fits into a 3 kite setup for travel with 2,5 m² firefly, 4 m² Peak4, 8,6 m² Sonic² . Oh and by the way I also bought another one of the last 9 m² Sonic2 as I am so happy with its great performing and long living consturction. Sonic3 unfortunately will not have the long living lotus cloth.

I hope FS will build a great firefly²/Peak5 but I also hope they take their time to make all improvements the concept of the firefly could have. Then I will test and likely change towards it.

@LeoLeal:
Yes backroll (normal) tack is definetly harder with a kite like the Peak4 that sits deeper in the wind window, at least compared to a foil kite. It for sure depends on what LEI you are comparing to. Compared to a "single skin" no struter it could even be better. I have done these days an upwind run of about 6 km with the Peak4 5 m² and was impressed how well it was going upwind. Haven't measured but could be that I could go nearly 45° against the wind, at least with a high performing Cruizer monofoil. Flying tacks I started to learn, at least with the 5 m² but not ready to show it in a video yet.
Sitting on foil on the other hand the kite doesn't make to much difference so will be fine with Peak4. Also changing stance is not problem when powered a bit, I also do it with the monofoil that shows you well when you don't get enough support from the kite.

[Trent hink]

I have actually noticed the same thing, where is is much easier to start underpowered when there is maybe a 2-3' chop.

I think we would both agree that the peak is pretty unusual in these kinds of conditions; very low power and bouncing around in chop or swell it feels very safe and unlikely to fall out of the sky. But in the same conditions LEI and even many foil kites might feel very sketchy.

The only argument I guess is about the numbers. I am just trying to point out that in low winds the estimates/measurements people give are frequently not accurate.

Like I said, my friend claimed I was riding the 8 in wind he measured at 7 knots. When he made this claim I actually felt pretty well-powered on the 8.

When my friend took the measurement, the water was pretty cool but the sun was making the land pretty hot, and looking at the tree tops it was pretty obvious that there was a strong wind gradient.

I don't beleive it is true to claim that every time you measure 7 knots on your hand-held wind meter, you will feel well-powered on the 8 meter peak. I'm just trying to point this out and perhaps why that may be the case.

So if you were to find yourself in a situation where the land and water temperatures were very similar, with very little wind gradient, and then make the same measurement, you might find yourself a bit confused and disappointed with some of the light wind claims that some people make.

Also, particularly with light wind, i have made expensive gear purchasing decisions in the past, based on claims made in this forum, where in the end i was very disappointed with what i got.

So my estimates might maybe be conservative, but only because i think it is important not to give out bad information.

People also quote different numbers for different types of riding. While I can ride with a 6m kite in 6-7knots I can not water start in that. I just realized I have a big difference in what I can water start in the open ocean vs the whitewash, because as well in the open ocean I am using the swell to help. It actually makes about 1-2knot difference.

[Atte]

What bar sizes are you guys using for your 3m, 4m and 5m kites?

[drsurf]

What bar sizes are you guys using for your 3m, 4m and 5m kites?

I use the Flysurfer Connect control bar which is 50cm wide.
The width is fine for me though the 3m Peak would be fine with a smaller bar. The Connect bar is also lightweight and simple which feels good with a lightweight simple kite like the Peak4. It's also not too expensive

[Trent hink]

I'm using 2018 LF v2 mission control bar for the 4,5 and 8.

I have the bar set at 55 cm. I thought about switching the cassetes around to make the bar 49 cm to use with the 4, but it seems that the cassetes are jammed with sand so this is was not possible. At 55 cm, it seems to work just fine with the 4.