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Swim in with a Peak

For all foil kite riders
jatem
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Flysurfer Peak4 in 3m, 4m, 5m
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby jatem » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:00 am

They're definitely not good for beginners learning to fly kites on the water.

However, they might make learning to hydrofoil a bit easier if you already have highly refined kite skills, particularly if you can keep the kite in the air during crashes. A friend learned to hydrofoil with peaks, and he progressed quickly. It didn't hurt that the peak was so well behaved. He didn't have to go through the sketchy overpowered sensation of an LEI as you go toeside, or the kite stalling out of the sky on downwind transitions.

The days he swam in were when the wind died completely, which would have happened earlier with literally any other kite.

They can sink a bit. They roll up nice and small.
I'd recommend wearing a life jacket and a bit of floatation in the board for you to sit on while you roll up the kite, and take a light bag you can carry it back in, if required. Don't go further than you want to swim.
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Herman (Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:07 pm)
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LONG
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby LONG » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:24 am

An other usefull tip is to use a lycra to make the kite compact instead of any light bag.
It works..... :thumb:
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Herman (Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:07 pm) • PurdyKiter (Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:25 pm)
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Herman
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby Herman » Mon Jun 24, 2019 10:40 am

Jatem and long

Thanks good points. You are perceptive jatem, I am not worried about my kite flying and relaunch skills, the last time I lost significant control of the kite was when going for a ramp that closed out on me, the lip stripped the board of and I spun in a piked cartwheel. When I saw the kite between my legs and knowing I was upside down I still had the presence of mind to decide to simply let go of the bar. Fortunately I had a nice soft landing on the next wave crest and when I looked up the kite was sitting obediently on its tip. Silly I know, but it was being able to let go of the bar that made me feel that my kite skills had arrived.

It is not just the beginner phase I am thinking about. It seems to me that the upwind abilities of a hydrofoil, in what I would consider to be benign conditions, could unlock the use of light offshore winds and flat water in my usual sailing area. Putting aside the question of safety cover, I could have ridden these conditions with a race board but did not fancy the swim with a big kite should the wind drop out completely. Seeing first hand what can be achieved with a small kite and foil has made me want to explore the possibilities. Hopefully it will also provide the motivation I need to get me through the foil learning phase and keep up my swim training.

I like the advice regarding the compression effect of lycra. Indeed, I have searched the web before looking for suitable storage bags without success, I could not better the mesh laundry bag suggestion (thanks PurdyKiter) for a ready made bag.

Unless I can be pointed in a new direction I will make up a Taylor made lycra bag when I find the time.

jatem
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Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:16 am
Local Beach: NZ
Style: Foil
Gear: J Shapes Pocket Board and Prone Board
Axis ART 999 foil with ultrashort fuse and HA 400 tail
Flysurfer Peak4 in 3m, 4m, 5m
Tow boogie
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby jatem » Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:26 am

If you do try a peak in the future, I'd recommend starting with a 5m, rather than the 8m. The 5m works for a 75kg rider down to about 10-12 knots on a 900cm2+ foil wing, it's fast turning, and you won't push the low limit into sketchy light wind territory. Heading downwind on swell or gybing a foil in 10-12 knots is no fun with a LEI, and great on a peak.
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elguapo
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby elguapo » Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:33 pm

jatem wrote:
Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:00 am
They're definitely not good for beginners learning to fly kites on the water.

However, they might make learning to hydrofoil a bit easier if you already have highly refined kite skills, particularly if you can keep the kite in the air during crashes. A friend learned to hydrofoil with peaks, and he progressed quickly. It didn't hurt that the peak was so well behaved. He didn't have to go through the sketchy overpowered sensation of an LEI as you go toeside, or the kite stalling out of the sky on downwind transitions.

The days he swam in were when the wind died completely, which would have happened earlier with literally any other kite.

They can sink a bit. They roll up nice and small.
I'd recommend wearing a life jacket and a bit of floatation in the board for you to sit on while you roll up the kite, and take a light bag you can carry it back in, if required. Don't go further than you want to swim.
what this dude said...

elguapo
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby elguapo » Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:44 pm

Herman wrote:
Mon Jun 24, 2019 10:40 am
Jatem and long

Thanks good points. You are perceptive jatem, I am not worried about my kite flying and relaunch skills, the last time I lost significant control of the kite was when going for a ramp that closed out on me, the lip stripped the board of and I spun in a piked cartwheel. When I saw the kite between my legs and knowing I was upside down I still had the presence of mind to decide to simply let go of the bar. Fortunately I had a nice soft landing on the next wave crest and when I looked up the kite was sitting obediently on its tip. Silly I know, but it was being able to let go of the bar that made me feel that my kite skills had arrived.

It is not just the beginner phase I am thinking about. It seems to me that the upwind abilities of a hydrofoil, in what I would consider to be benign conditions, could unlock the use of light offshore winds and flat water in my usual sailing area. Putting aside the question of safety cover, I could have ridden these conditions with a race board but did not fancy the swim with a big kite should the wind drop out completely. Seeing first hand what can be achieved with a small kite and foil has made me want to explore the possibilities. Hopefully it will also provide the motivation I need to get me through the foil learning phase and keep up my swim training.

I like the advice regarding the compression effect of lycra. Indeed, I have searched the web before looking for suitable storage bags without success, I could not better the mesh laundry bag suggestion (thanks PurdyKiter) for a ready made bag.

Unless I can be pointed in a new direction I will make up a Taylor made lycra bag when I find the time.

i dont know why.. but this whole "swim with a peak" thread makes me cringe

you know yourself and your abilities more than i do obviously... but if you're going out in offshore winds with a snow kite that is 50/50(at best) on relaunching...
...please know the tides and currents of your local sailing area backwards and forwards
(and/or have a rescue boat too....ready and on call)

Herman
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby Herman » Mon Jun 24, 2019 5:10 pm

Elguapo

I said "putting aside the question of safety cover" because I am not interested in discussing the safety issues in this thread. But I am grateful to you for emphasizing that this sort of undertaking is dangerous and requires well planned risk management.

My standard advice is don't ride in offshore winds.

I would discuss specific safety questions in another thread. Only riders who fully understand the risks should even contemplate cross off wave riding. Always know where you will drift if something brakes and if makes you cringe don't do it!

Have a contingency plan that caters for a failure in your rescue cover etc!

elguapo
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby elguapo » Mon Jun 24, 2019 5:45 pm

no worries, man.

fair winds
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Slappysan
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby Slappysan » Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:44 pm

I had my first swim in with the Peak 4 last night.

Wind switch from cross on to off, to cross off. I was able to ride through the switch just fine and had a great session.

Once the winds were too light to foil I was able to swim in about 400m with the kite still flying in 3-4 knots. The Peak has almost no pull when sheeted out so I think it was easier to just keep it flying. Once I got too close to the buildings wind shadow the kite finally fell out of the sky in 2 knots and I did a shallow water (waist deep) pack down. I used my strap to secure the rolled up kite around the bar and then just placed it on my foil board. It was easy in shallow water, might be a bit hard while swimming.
bbay_switch.jpg
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PurdyKiter
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Re: Swim in with a Peak

Postby PurdyKiter » Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:44 pm

Slappysan wrote:
Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:44 pm
It was easy in shallow water, might be a bit hard while swimming.
And then comes the drying chore. I've rigged up an elaborate clothes line in our 120 year old Victorian (with no yard or garage).


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