Hyperlink size recommedation

[airsail]

Just off the water, borrowed the shops HL 12 mtr in standard cloth. Naish medium surf wing on 25 mtr lines in 8 knots of wind. Although not fast the kite is very stable, drifts downwind during turns with minimal tip tuck. Maxed out at 31kph (17 knots). Can't imagine ever needing a larger kite for surf HF.

[TomW]

Jakemoore, thanks..yes, but he's on 7 m lines, totally flat water and he's way better than me.

I've ordered a set of 15m lines. Try those out on the 9m at top end.
I'm not feeling a huge difference in range on 20m VS 25 m except the fact that a down loop transition has more power/ longer power stroke as it comes around and back through the window.
Cruising along kite parked, I don't feel any difference.

On the one hand, I'd like the 5 to be best choice as it would give me most margin of comfort at top end. On the other I don't want a gap.
7m won't have a gap, but my not take me up to 23 knots comfortably? In choppy / wavy water? If I can be sure to get up to 23 with comfort on 15m lines, it's the right choice.

[TomW]

I went out yesterday in some terrible wind, holes all over, shifting, 5-19 knots mostly about 16. Rigged 15 lines on the 9m Hyperlink.
Wow, it's fast, and zips across the window really fast and further up the wind window edge. I get it why races use short lines.
Will take more practice. The feeling change from 20 to 15 is like 3x the feeling change from 25-20m.
It was so weird wind and I was having trouble getting going, I went in after only 15 min and changed to 25m bar. I realised that most of the problem I was having was the wind, not the lines. But it was interesting to try back to back.
I'll definitely give it more time. But under 15m seems really extreme!!

I'm leaning towards getting a 7m.

[jakemoore]

Yesterday a great session on my 5 in 18g21 kts 24m lines and Cruizer wing. This wind would have been fine on the 7 and similar setup.

7 is my most used kite. Tom, my guess is if you get the 5 you will love it, but ultimately decide to fill the gap with 7. With a 7, you might want a smaller kite for foil, or you might simply switch to surfboard or TT as the winds builds.

I suspect similar offerings from flysurfer and concept-air would also be quite nice but cannot comment as I have not flown.

[jakemoore]

So I had 7 out in 19g24 yesterday. Very well powered but not overpowered. I would have preferred the 5 on foil or possibly switching to high aspect wing, surfboard or TT. It was easy to handle in flat water and the power nice to practice transitions. Downwind no problem. Much tougher when reaching in the bigger bay swells. Jumps were fun but would have been better on the aspect wing. Maybe I will enjoy more power as I get better on foil.

[TomW]

Jakemoore,
What's your skill level on foil? Are you beginner or intermediate?

[jakemoore]

Competent but not telegenic. I’m practicing surface jibes. I can do 50 in a row but many are clumsy. Any attempt at an air jibe guarantees a big crash.

[TomW]

Jakemoore, thanks - keep practicing!
I'm doing flying gybes in both directions, toeside riding, linked flying gybes. Learning flying footswitch. Can do 20 km sessions and fall 5-6 times. Ride in pretty rough water with little problems as long as wind is OK.
So I suspect I'll be able to hold a 7m considerably longer.
Right now I'm waiting to hear how the Concept Air Wave 6,5 works. But 90 % sure I'll go for the hyperlink 7.
I'm on session 12 in a row on the 9m. Out yesterday in 12-14 knots and perfectly powered. Friend on an old rebel 12 anf Lf Fish, he was going good too. He's better foiler than me.

[jakemoore]

Jakemoore, thanks - keep practicing!
I'm doing flying gybes in both directions, toeside riding, linked flying gybes. Learning flying footswitch.

Do you call it a flying gybe if there is no foot switch? I would call it riding toeside, which I can do. So I'm practicing touching down, switching feet, and completing my gybe. I'm trying to improve the footwork accuracy and shorten the amount of surface time. Its the attempted footswitch that results in a guaranteed crash, and right now courage is enough that I will only try 1-2x session.

[TomW]

Yes, I call it gybing even without a footswitch. There was a big debate about it.. I am in the camp that thinks if you " sail " downwind and " bow" goes thru window downwind, then it's a gybe. It doesn't matter how you are sitting or standing on the " boat". You could very well be sitting on the board. It'll still be a gybe.

Easy enough to say, toeside gybe with footswitch, or heelside gybe with footswitch. Or if no footswitch, then simply heelside or toeside gybe.

Anyway, I'm trying to learn footswitch while flying, not during turn, but before or after. Also have to learn toe and healside gybes from my weak side....A lot to learn!