Gyre wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:35 am
Been a twintip rider for years and am just getting into foilboarding. Everyone is telling me that my foil kites will be no good for foilboarding because they fly too far forward in the window (etc). Is this true? I doubt it (and also don't want to believe it).
They fly forward in the window yes (if good high aspect ones), but not too far forward.
If you ask all kitefoilers, I think the majority will say foilkites are definitely the best for kitefoiling, both marginal wind and high wind
So it is wrong, the statement.
Some prefer the turning speed of medium wind LEI's, over the higher windrange and low end of foilkites, but this is simply a personal choice.
Trent Hink said it correctly regarding learning, agree.
The only situation where I have seen a problem with foilkites, is when a dedicated LEI foiler, get a lightwind foilkite and rides it for the very first time in light wind - then almost each and everyone I see do the same mistake
Dive the kite, it picks up speed and they get the waterstart solved, but now the kite is low and very forward and absolutely no pull
Compared to a draggy deeper sitting LEI which can have more grunt, if they used such one before.
It is only a behaviour change which is needed, so as you are used to foilkites you should of course use these, they are better in every way except if you screw up in less wind than where they can relaunch - but this is unlikely as you need more wind to learn.
Go with your foilkites, no matter which you got.
Okay, if 18 to 21 m2 or similar, dont use these for learning unless you are way over 100 kg.
Peter