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Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

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noahsw
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Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby noahsw » Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:55 am

I'm looking for a new kite for hydrofoiling in 20-25 knot winds. Priorities for me are hangtime for tacks, boost for big air, and drift. I've been kiting 13 years and hydrofoiling for 4, all with LEIs. 160lbs/70kg.

For the past couple years I've flown 5m Clouds in this wind range. Super fun zippy kites but they're not designed for hangtime and boosts.

I'm intrigued by the new Flysurfer Soul 6m. Seems like a nice transition from the LEI world.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Mossy 757
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby Mossy 757 » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:51 pm

Foil kites are a handful at really high windspeeds. For 20-25 knots I'd be looking at an 8 or a 9m, especially if you want to go flying.

foilholio
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby foilholio » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:28 pm

Smalls foils are great fun to fly, excellent range especially when used with various line lengths as they can fly well on very short lines. only one large downside is their tendency to explode internally in high wind crashes. There are solutions like Pansh magnetic buttholes, not crashing, Flysurfer warranty :-)

Buy one, crash it for fun, if flysurfer hasn't made a crash proof 6m yet and offers free repair, then make them eat their hat and repair it 20 times.

noahsw
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby noahsw » Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:54 pm

Mossy 757 wrote:
Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:51 pm
Foil kites are a handful at really high windspeeds. For 20-25 knots I'd be looking at an 8 or a 9m, especially if you want to go flying.
I’d be worried about being overpowered on an 8 though. For what it’s worth, I foil on an 8 when TTers are on 12s. I want something for when TTers are on 9s and 10s.

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jakemoore
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby jakemoore » Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:20 pm

Most people who do a mixed Tube/Foil quiver of kites use foil kites for the low end. I had a speed 4 lotus 6. I don't know if I ever had it out over 20 knots on the hydrofoil, in part because I would ride surfboard or twin tip over 20 knots. Soul 6 looks pretty sweet to me.

I don't think I would take Foilholio's crashing advise. Maybe sarcasm? Flysurfer customer service is great, but still has a cost in time off the water.

mgs
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby mgs » Mon Jun 25, 2018 6:55 pm

FS free repair service in the event you damage your kite is highly commendable.
I would suspect the number of kites being returned for repair being minimal.
However, seeing repeated returns would presumably trigger an alert to suggest the kite and owner shouldn't have got together in the first place. :D

Mossy 757
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby Mossy 757 » Mon Jun 25, 2018 7:57 pm

noahsw wrote:
Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:54 pm
Mossy 757 wrote:
Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:51 pm
Foil kites are a handful at really high windspeeds. For 20-25 knots I'd be looking at an 8 or a 9m, especially if you want to go flying.
I’d be worried about being overpowered on an 8 though. For what it’s worth, I foil on an 8 when TTers are on 12s. I want something for when TTers are on 9s and 10s.
I just don't think 6's are made for boosting to the moon is all...I ride a 9m Cabrinha Velocity up to about 30 knots with my hydrofoil and it works great. Not to impugn your hydrofoil skills, but I've found that as I've gotten better, I've eventually gone back to riding the same sizes I ride with a twintip.

That said, I was out the other day on my 15m Elf and guys were riding twintips on 13's and 14's, so I definitely rig large. I also ride a Dakine Vega seat harness that helps me hold power. I could never hold power well with a waist harness. I'm 71kg/158lbs in street clothes, for reference. About 170+ in full kite gear, who knows how much in a wet wetsuit/harness/life jacket, etc.

noahsw
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby noahsw » Mon Jun 25, 2018 8:05 pm

That is a fair point. I recently converted to seat harness and find I can ride much more powered as well.

I’m not looking for boosts to the moon, just something solid. At those high winds, I probably care more about hangtime for tacks. Again, I’m used to tiny Clouds with barely any hangtime so tacks (at my ability) are close to impossible.

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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby foilholio » Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:55 am

jakemoore wrote:
Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:20 pm
I don't think I would take Foilholio's crashing advise. Maybe sarcasm? Flysurfer customer service is great, but still has a cost in time off the water.
Maybe maybe not. Disclaimer Flysurfer make the best strongest most durable foils available, you won't find better. But their 6m kites have a history of exploding with merely a single crash. This is not really a Flysurfer problem but a foil one, but if they are going to emphasize the Soul is stronger than ever and the free repair then I expect the 6m to be improved. I would love an indestructible 6m but is it possible? A single skin is already there! Things like magnetic buttholes may do it, but I am not willing to test and then repair if they don't! A single skin-foil hybrid may offer improved durability, and a potential dream kite for drift when surfing. Strangely I see this working in the LOW AR kites, not the mid to high AR which Monjet is developing. I really would hope flysurfer is investigating that idea, the single skin -foil hybrid. If any one has the history and ability to do it, it's them.

Mossy 757
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Re: Hangtime kite for 20+ knot hydrofoil? Flysurfer Soul 6m?

Postby Mossy 757 » Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:39 am

noahsw wrote:
Mon Jun 25, 2018 8:05 pm
That is a fair point. I recently converted to seat harness and find I can ride much more powered as well.

I’m not looking for boosts to the moon, just something solid. At those high winds, I probably care more about hangtime for tacks. Again, I’m used to tiny Clouds with barely any hangtime so tacks (at my ability) are close to impossible.
The bigger the kite the more the hangtime, that's why once you get into foil kites you'll be begging for 12-15 knots so you can ride your 15.


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