High Pressure kite by Bruno Legaignoux

[Toby]

That sounds good Bruno!

Looking forward to results in the near future

[tilmann]

[brunolgx]

Why the focus on a Thin LE and single skin for high performance ?

Who is focussing on high performances ?
The hydrofoil racers and speed record chasers should.
The average kitesurfer/kiteboarder should not.
Myself I focuss on accessibility (price and easyness) for wider access, especially for people and countries with lower purchase power.
So the HP hose technology development was driven by cost. Yes it has other advantages over classic inflatables, lower drag and weight that can be exploited too.
As long as you want a rigid and double surface kite, it will be too cumbersome and/or awkward and/or expensive for the average rider.
One of my main concerns since the sport started is the price and I always warned about costly technologies becoming main stream. That killed windsurfing as it was known in the 80's : a general public sport (in France)
I see it coming with the high aspect ratio ram air kites. As hydrofoiling is becoming "mainstream", the costly ram air kites become too. Not good for the market ! The HP kite can be a solution for highly efficient kites at low cost.

[tilmann]

The HP kite can be a solution for highly efficient kites at low cost.

... and they will be way easier to ride than today

[edt]

Honestly I would use a high pressure kite even if it cost more than a regular kite. Being able to get that reduced drag would be worth it. Double skin kites though, leave that for the racers.

[tilmann]

how it looks like when windsurfers use our current technology

[Toby]

wow, never saw that before!
great idea!

[longwhitecloud]

Kitesurfing equipment costs have become rediculous, driven by corporate interests and greed in our sport.

They just had the Australian wave titles, in the juniors there was 1 female competitor and 2 male. This in the country with some of the best conditions on earth. It say it all really.

The World Sailling kookboarding championship organisers thinks it is a good idea to allow the use of a $1800 wakeboard and bindings, and twintip ($1000)in the same heat $.. How is that making things accessable.

I looked at getting a new bar and lines the other day.. they wanted $799! wtf

There really are some leeches involved in kiting today with the sole agenda of monitizing kiteboarding in the short term.

[Toby]

Well, a company needs to make a profit.
Or are you working for free?

And how many companies on the market really make great profit? None as far as I know.

Does a car cost 1000 USD? Guess why not?

And there is lots of cheap used gear on the market...with 1000 USD you will be able to have a good kite and board.

No need for new equipment if you can’t afford it.

Hey, I want to drive a Porsche...but can’t afford it.
Should I blame Porsche for me not having enough money for it?

[brunolgx]

I agree with both of you. On one side GKA is not the right way to manage the sport because money is their first concern. They inflate the price of equipment and orientate the sport in the direction they wish.
On the other side they have to make some profit to be able to develop new products.

The kite has a certain cost (materials, manpower, factory profit) which is then multiplied by at least 5 when you purchase it in a shop with VAT.
To reduce the price there are solutions :
- remove the middleman/men
- introduce cheaper technologies as HP hose kite
- offer to the market more basic products, for example a simple control bar with low cost spectra/dyneema. I am sure it would be possible to get a new one for 250$ in shop.