Gin Marabou Water Relaunchable Single Skin

[Regis-de-giens]

I think Gin should send you and Horst a set of kites to demo.

I would pleasantly agree ! Thanks Slowboat, foilholio, Jatem, and tomtom for the honour. I wish it could happen and I would make a "user" video if things actually happen, like Horst I am sure.

[elguapo]

Well.

I just received my 12m...
I have to commend the excellent customer service from gin kiteboarding.

The absolutely did not have to expedite delivery to get this to me before I go overseas for a while (but they did anyways)

[geokite]

I would really like to get feedback from you regarding the 12m. Your weight, wing size, wind speed, etc and how it performs.

I have a 4m on order, hoping it is as stable as they claim.

[foilholio]

Reviews and videos would be much appreciated.

[elguapo]

I wanted this as a lightwind kite(current lightwind solution…is my 5m peak4)
The winds were ~20 knots..gusting to 27 or so.
I rigged…launched, flew the kite, and landed..but did not take it in the water.

so.. I can not comment on performance yet
…the listed wind ranges for the 12m DO appear to be accurate (at least on the upper end)


while an overpowered 12m soul feels like Thor’s hammer ready to launch me into space…. this kite is much more mellow.
Feels like a CA pulsion or kitech freeride on the beach (good for foiling..but not sure I’d pick this for boosting in a twintip)

bar pressure felt like any 12m on my 55cm ozone bar…it sits pretty well at apex.
I didn’t weight it…but it terms of “bulk” is about half the size of my 12m soul that was sitting next to it.
It did not taco even when back lines were completely slack.

i can say this pair very well with a soul 6m for a 2 kite quiver.
(I love my 4.5 CA wave too..but not enough overlap)

We have some lightwind days coming up..so I hope to get some time with it on the water this weekend (paired with a 633 wing)

I weight 180 pounds/81 kg

[tomtom]

We all looking forward to your next comment. Im very glad that you can appreciate difference between Soul and FRS - so your comment will be even more valuable.

[foilholio]

Gusting to 27knots on a 12m is well into doubleskin territory. Really exciting, considering you describe the kite as "mellow" which for that gusting is very good. Amazed that you consider going from a 6m to this 12m which should have more lowend than most 12m foils. That indicates a huge range.

Construction is very interesting. Looks like the double skin goes well past 1/3 cord. I would be interested in the water drainage at the cell ends and tips, if you could describe them or pics?

Zip placement is very stupid, pansh has done that. Not a major thing though given the small volume of air. Lack of LCLs not good either.

Please keep us updated and thanks!

Also

i have not tried all good wave kites yet... but the best depower and drift i have ever seen on any kite is Concept Air's Wave (smaller sizes only)
...which is a foil kite.

Comments, comparisons on drift and slack line ability, would be great. You use slack line on kites?

[jatem]

Looking forward to some more riding impressions, strengths/weaknesses compared to the peak 4. I'm close to ordering a peak 8m for sub 10 knot days, but holding off to see if the gin is worth waiting for.

[elguapo]

i would not compare a marabou to a peak4(and nothing like a soul either..for different reasons)

it does *not* have that type of de-power or is there is much "grunt" on demand.
i've never flown a bigger peak4...so maybe this comparison isnt a prudent one to make... but i would not consider a marabou a water relaunchable peak4.
i just does not fly the same as a snow kite, imo (but that may be due to kite size)

imo you would want a marabou when you want a tiny lightweight freeride kite with excellent wind range...
the low range listed is also accurate (at least on a larger (60+cm) kitebar)
i think the correct comparison is to a kitech FRS or pulsion or maybe even PLK's nova.
i use the marabou when i only want to cruise and prefer not swimming

a water relaunchable peak4 would be the greatest surf kite there ever was, imo.
yes, u'll have to work the kite....but the low end of a 5m peak4 on a surf foil wing is also competitive to any other kite(of almost any size).

[lederhosen]

the low range listed is also accurate (at least on a larger (60+cm) kitebar)
i think the correct comparison is to a kitech FRS or pulsion or maybe even PLK's nova.

How does the marabou turn compared to the peak4?