Flysurfer Peak4 in 5 m2, truly stoked

[bragnouff]

8m still does the job very well for me in light winds. Not extreme light winds possibly, but in the 8-12kts range, it just works.

Your weight and foil board and wing please?

I have the 5m and am considering the 8m.

95kg, Zeeko Scrambler 4'8 and a GoFoil Kai ~1200cm²

[jatem]

I held off for 6 months on buying an 8m, because people proposed it wouldn't be any good in light wind. I should have bought it earlier. I use it heaps, and I'm nicely powered from around 9 knots. It's a great size for days when the wind is below 13 knots, and it floats like magic in the lulls. If you have the 3,4 and 5m peak already, then it's a good addition to your quiver.

Your weight and foil board and wing please?

76kg, 1m J shapes pocket board, 900cm² wing.

[flying doctor]

Thanks Peter for your review, and sharing the stoke!

Just something to add to the discussion for anyone reading this without prior knowledge on the peak 4

It is a snowkite and officially NOT water relaunchable!
But many take the risk because it stays in the air so well. Just know you'll get it in the water sooner or later especially in waves so always make sure you can swim in.

The other thing: Peter you are very experienced and skilled in foiling, so using a 5m in 10 knts like you did is not something everyone can do IMHO.

I only have the 4m, and with just 9 months of experience foiling I can use it well around 20 knts but around and below 16 it's a struggle for me (Zeeko spitfire LW @73 kg).

In the smaller sizes it's a fast kite and a bit technical with the tendency to stall or fly backward if oversheeted.
It's simple to fly when properly powered but it requires more skill when underpowered.

That being said: enjoy the new stoke and keep us posted!

[omg]

my cents: I'm 80kg and ride Onda 633 with 109 pocket board. I'm riding the 5m at the max low end in winds of 4,5ms average and 5,2ms gusts. We have wind meter at kite level and steady winds so it's easy to check the low end. This was however that it's better to be on the foil, and never come off because getting back on foil is hard as you know, but it is doable by pumping the board and putting all skills to work If gusts are 6ms then zero problem.

I think it's important to be specific what wind (avg. or gusts) you are referring to as 5ms avg is very different for 5m Peak than 5ms gusts => in the former case I'll be comfortably riding and in the latter not.

[joriws]

I only have the 4m, and with just 9 months of experience foiling I can use it well around 20 knts but around and below 16 it's a struggle for me (Zeeko spitfire LW @73 kg).

When I tested my old trusty ULW setup (Flydoor XL TT-board on single digit winds in knots) with first time on water with Peak4 5m, I (0.11t) was able to ride/plane in less than 16kn. Although downwind a bit, I could not maintain ground but important is that I could plane on TT and keep power on long ride with board on water, and after the Peak-test I switched to 15m2 Sonic-2 -kite and smaller twintip. Sure I aim to use Peak4 5m on hydrofoil but the beach was shallow and water ice cold so I did not want to body drag hundreds of meters out.

So the Peak4-kite has plenty of power, if you are struggling, are you suffocating the kite by oversheeting with bar? Let it fly fast forward about "half sheeted" as starting point. Try to fly speedy arcs with kite instead of too quick turns. Sure there is a limit when "speed flying" the kite won't bring enough power but I feel that 16kn is already a storm and you should be going easily on that kind of wind even with 1m smaller kite as you are much lighter than I am..

[Jzh_perth]

Love my Peak — I have the 5m and it’s my main kite for foiling. Currently riding an Axis S foil with the 680 wing. One of my favourite things to do is to catch the “downwinder bus” with all the paddlers up the coast and kite back. No need to take a pump - it’s so simple to use. I’ve crashed mine a few times and relaunched it successfully. I wouldn’t say it’s guaranteed and I’ve probably been lucky, but so far so good.

[jaros]

Also I will soon post my version of unhooked bar for almost wind wing sensation from Peaks

Please do that! Thank you.

[Peter_Frank]

Regarding upwind ability, out yesterday with the 5 m2 on a low AR wave wing not very powered, at least as high than when I am out on my LEIs:



Nice to know, as I have read some saying it does not, so almost convinced myself about this before riding ha haa - stupid

Peter

[Peter_Frank]

Okay, a bit off topic, as this thread was about the 5 m2 I know,

But today out in my local beach, wind average around 18 knots, and the 3 m2 was amazing !
First time riding with this one.

Of course very sensitive to trim, and you can pivot loop it on a dime, if you pull the bar too much, looks like a propeller spinning round, incredible
But it does not take long till you know precisely where it is, and how to sheet

Anyways, today some medium wind waves and going downwind kite low, it could be depowered so I could ride freely, sooooooo great !!!

Had a blast today

Have ordered a 4 and an 8 m2 now, I am stoked as said, now even more....

It might be on the lower end of a 3 m2, but it worked just splendidly today

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Sometimes I crash bigtime even in the small inside waves ha haa

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But it was a fun day, with so many more options with a kite like this

Peter

[ice]

Regarding upwind ability, out yesterday with the 5 m2 on a low AR wave wing not very powered, at least as high than when I am out on my LEIs:

Nice to know, as I have read some saying it does not, so almost convinced myself about this before riding ha haa - stupid

Peter

I am one that finds the upwind ability not as good as my wave lei's at the low end of the kite. I am thinking rider weight makes a difference - I am 90 kg.

If I am in the kite sweet spot, the upwind ability is the same as my wave lei.