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Pro Level Tip

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joekitetime
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Posts: 312
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2018 4:58 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Weight: 160
Local Beach: Sherman Island, SF BAY CA
Style: Surf Foiler
Gear: Appletree, FONE, Mike's Lab, Peak4, Mystic, Wainman Hawaii
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Pro Level Tip

Postby joekitetime » Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:01 pm

Here is a pro level tip for anyone interested.

Yesterday was windy - a somewhat rare day when the sensor was showing an average of 27mph, probably gusting to like 35mph (I didn't check). I had the day off and did 6 sessions.

I started on a 50L board, Fone Phantom 940 foil w/250 stab on a 3.5Dlab wing. Swell was huge but I didn't feel dialed, kinda felt like I was fighting something. Felt good but not perfect.
Swapped out for a 35L board. Felt better, but I still felt like I was fighting.
Swapped out the 3.5Dlab for a 2.5Unit. Felt slightly better, still not totally dialed.
Swapped out for a Fone Phantom 840 foil w/mirage 220 stab on the 50L board. Feeling better but still not there.
Took a break, ate a sandwich, started over.
Pumped up a 4mUnit, grabbed the 50L on a Fone Mirage 800 kite foil w/mirage 220 stab. Oh yes! Unbelievably easy to ride and totally dialed.
Did 2 sessions on that because it was so magical.

So here is the point. Many times it is your equipment to blame - too little, too much. Being dialed is critical.

At the same time I was riding absolutely lit on a 4m wing, kite foil and medium sized board, another guyed showed up. He only had a 5.3 wing, he had an 80 liter board and a huge axis foil. I saw so many others show up with similar kits. Me looking at the gear and thinking I couldn't ride it on that day to save my life. Tons of wingers were totally struggling, going out for a few minutes then giving up - supposedly because of the conditions but I knew it was just their gear.

Subtle differences in gear make a huge difference. I know it is expensive, but being totally dialed on a given day is worth it.

A few days prior a bunch of people were complaining to me that they couldn't ride in the flat water I was riding in because they didn't have enough power to ride in that area. Same problem, opposite end of the spectrum. Having light wind gear gets you dialed for light wind conditions.

And that is your free pro tip! I know, I know, you already knew that!

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