Flysurfer Peak 4

[bohme]

I dropped my 4m Peak4 for the first time yesterday at my wave spot. It happened in a downloop transition, and I foiled a few metres towards the kite. Slack lines...
It turned out to be a lot easier and safer to self-resque than I expected.
It sits deeper in the water and does not yank you like a LEI everytime a wave is passing.
It is a lot easier to roll up in waves than a race foil kite in flat water. My board is low volume, so I did this with my feet in the foot straps.
I rolled up the kite around the bar, but I will recommend to bring a small bag as other people in this forum suggest.

[tomtom]

put it in your wetsuit - through neck. Unless you wear dry suits

[LeoLeal]

Guys,

I have been reading this forum for the last five months and something is intriguing me. Some friends of mine who doesn't have Peak4 claims that it's hard to ride a wave on a foil board, the main reason is because the foil get speed, you loose line tension and eventually you crash you kite, they say that do ride a wave on a foil board the direction of the wind has to be in a correct position.

Other video that I watched, Gunnar he said that wing foil in wave it's more enjoyable than kite as you have more freedom to ride a wave without worrying with a kite.

Right now I don't have the experience neither the correct equipment to give a try but I will appreciate if you guys comment your experience with me.

[Foil_Adict]

I struggled to feel free to ride waves they way I wanted until I got my peak 4. I was constantly slacking my SST and it would fall out of the sky. Now with the peak as long as it’s some what side shore I feel like I can ride anywhere on the wave or swell. It almost impossible to slack line a peak. As long as you keep it mid way up in the window or higher you can completely deposed the kite and ride the wave. It’s really has been a game changer for me. I feel like I have a personal tow vehicle with the peak 4.

Guys,

I have been reading this forum for the last five months and something is intriguing me. Some friends of mine who doesn't have Peak4 claims that it's hard to ride a wave on a foil board, the main reason is because the foil get speed, you loose line tension and eventually you crash you kite, they say that do ride a wave on a foil board the direction of the wind has to be in a correct position.

Other video that I watched, Gunnar he said that wing foil in wave it's more enjoyable than kite as you have more freedom to ride a wave without worrying with a kite.

Right now I don't have the experience neither the correct equipment to give a try but I will appreciate if you guys comment your experience with me.

[tomtom]

Peak 4 is easiest kite for foil wave riding. Many times better /easier/ than closest LEI /and probably closed cell foil kite/. Still wind wing is much better than ANY kite. Reason for this is.
No lines, No possibility for kite to fall. Totally and instant depower, And most important ability to ride faster than wind in direct downwind direction.

Price for this freedom is less low end - bigger less maneuverable HF wings, bigger and heavier board and physically more demanding riding. Still Peak4 and WW are currently best options for HF wave riding - where WW is most progressive. WW is the most progressive wind - wave board sport right now.

FIY im purely kite rider right now because of physical-logistics and laziness reasons.

[a99]

Of course WW best going for downwind foiling. But i think WW like more who also deal with windsurfering, necause for pure kiter (Who only going with kites and no deal with windsurfinf) i dont think will be nice to have all time physical thing in the hands during all session time and have in general big wall and not open space before eyes. Pure kiting is more luxury feeling except downwinds with foil.
I think with Peak you will find more freedom if calculate all cases and faster wings, better upwind, not so bad downwing and no wall before eyes. Just little moves with bar:)

[slowboat]

....... It almost impossible to slack line a peak. .......

Guys,

I have been reading this forum for the last five months and something is intriguing me. Some friends of mine who doesn't have Peak4 claims that it's hard to ride a wave on a foil board, the main reason is because the foil get speed, you loose line tension and eventually you crash you kite, they say that do ride a wave on a foil board the direction of the wind has to be in a correct position.

Other video that I watched, Gunnar he said that wing foil in wave it's more enjoyable than kite as you have more freedom to ride a wave without worrying with a kite.

Right now I don't have the experience neither the correct equipment to give a try but I will appreciate if you guys comment your experience with me.

Always surprises me to read or hear such comments. Using a reasonably fast foil (1200 cm2), its very easy to slack line any kite on waves including a Peak 4, unless the waves are very small. A fast bottom turn will do it consistently for example. My last wave session was slightly overhead with moderately steep face and the speeds are so fast when on the wave that any movement towards the kite for more than a second or 2 and my 3 meter Peak 4 was slack lining. One just cannot freely surf. Towards the end of my session, I just said screw it and rode a wave freely and cut back towards the kite....it tumbled out of the sky as I knew it would but I just kept surfing as long as I could. It was a great ride and worth the mess with the kite.

Don't get me wrong, I agree the Peak 4's are the best wave foiling kites out there but still very limiting in decent sized waves.

[Foil_Adict]

That’s fair slowboat, anything is possible. I have two peaks, the 5 and the 3. I use the 5 the most. When I am well powered on the 5 I have not had any unpredictable slack line issues with the 5 even in chest high waves. Granted these are relatively slow Florida wind swells, but for me I barely even have to think about the 5 when riding waves at all angles.

Now the 3 on the other kite is much less predictable and I have to pay a lot more attention to it. Sort of flys like an angry bee on the end of my lines. I have found that above 20knt winds the 3 does not really depower to near 100% like I am used to on the 5 and I can get into that runaway freight train feeling when riding a swell straight downwind. But even in that situation the kite never threatened to fall out of the sky.


Perhaps my slingshot inf 76 foil is not as fast as the foil you are riding.

[Flyboy]

It would seem, like a lot of other things to do with kitesurfing, the situation is VERY dependent on the local conditions you are dealing with. If you're in a spot with ideal surf conditions then why not simply surf? If your spot has less steep waves, but consistent swells, decent wind & lots of space - like open water swells - WW might be the ticket. Many people don't have access to reliably good waves - especially not in a side-shore conditions, nor consistent, rideable swells. For them, kiting/foiling is primarily about RIDING with as much wave action as can be added. WW seems a very poor fit for that scenario which better suits windsurf foiling or kite foiling.

As someone interested in a Peak4, my major concern remains: what size? Not looking to chase the lightest winds, but have a good experience in 10 knots + (80 kgs).

[Foil_Adict]

It would seem, like a lot of other things to do with kitesurfing, the situation is VERY dependent on the local conditions you are dealing with. If you're in a spot with ideal surf conditions then why not simply surf? If your spot has less steep waves, but consistent swells, decent wind & lots of space - like open water swells - WW might be the ticket. Many people don't have access to reliably good waves - especially not in a side-shore conditions, nor consistent, rideable swells. For them, kiting/foiling is primarily about RIDING with as much wave action as can be added. WW seems a very poor fit for that scenario which better suits windsurf foiling or kite foiling.

As someone interested in a Peak4, my major concern remains: what size? Not looking to chase the lightest winds, but have a good experience in 10 knots + (80 kgs).

I would recommend the 5m. I can get started in 8-10. You have to loop it to get started and may have to sine it to keep going but it certainly is capable of riding in those light wind conditions. Once it starts gusting to 12 you no longer even need to work the kite. I weigh 85kgs. I ride my 5 from 10-20mph winds, 15 is definitely the sweet spot though.