Also ~85kg & pretty happy w/ the red T38 all 'round.
At this weight, I wouldn't consider the 3''6 dc a light-wind board(also have the standard model). Powered & instantly on foil is a different matter, inconsistent w/ my definition of light winds.
Yeah - I think you're right. Fast foil, powerful, efficient kite = fast foiling in light winds. However, race boards ARE large & floaty, & there must be a reason for that. Part of the issue for me is that I would like to teach my daughter to foil. The 4'6" DWC is a perfect board for learning IMO. I'm worried that the 3'6" will be too challenging ... I think the micro would definitely be asking too much.joekitetime wrote: ↑Tue Sep 24, 2019 3:08 pmNot too long ago I went out on a day with wind showing 8 mph or so, light, and I put up my new (old) 12m Naish Trip. I must have down looped the kite 10-20 times just to get to the water. It was a real pain to keep the kite in the air. I swam out / and down looped until getting to deep enough water to ride. I happened to be riding my 633 wing, although I could have / should have elected to go with a bigger wing - but it was hot and I was too lazy to swap wings. But, I was also on my dwarf craft 2020 strapless micro. First dive I stood up, no foil, sent the kite back while board underwater (a trick we learned in the windsurfing days was that you can ride your board under water or on top of the water, it doesn't know the difference), then second dive I was off and foiling. Easy peasy from there on and the day allowed me to work on downlooping jibes, on foil, and it was very pleasant, quiet foiling in glassy water.
However, in the meantime, another guy, let's just say his name is Marcus (well, because it is), had a 15m (I think) race foil kite and full on race foil/board. He went out, dove the kite, and was off in the blink of an eye, easily foiling well over 20kts of boat speed and doing circles around me and laughing. The difference in our boat speeds was like a kid on a trike and a road racer speeding around on a fast road bike.
The conclusion for me: powerful kite and fast wings create the massive apparent wind and boat speed. Slow foils work (and I was content with that style of riding) but the slow foil kept the apparent windspeed pretty low, almost regardless of kite size/pull (you reach a point of diminishing returns with kite size because at some point the foil will really not go any faster).
Kite matters, foils matters, but the board is just a place to park your feet.
Don't do it! I'm my dream world if I were to teach my daughter(s) my "hope" would be to get a small sup board equipped with a medium sized foil on a 15" mast, assuming she knows how to kite! If not I'd get the same setup behind a jetski or boat. It is pretty easy to stand up on a sup behind a boat and if you have a foil, the slight leaning back "should" bring the board up on a foil. Huge board, medium wing.
Not going to happen. I will be in the Caribbean, steady side shore wind, flat water, uncrowded & 4 weeks to work on it. But no possibility to use a sup board, a jetski or anything like that. In my own experience, I found trolling along on the surface was not helpful at all - I only made progress when I committed to the foil & popped up on the wing. Of course, a lot of wipe outs for the first few sessions, but she's 40 years younger than me ... so she has that advantage!joekitetime wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:07 pmDon't do it! I'm my dream world if I were to teach my daughter(s) my "hope" would be to get a small sup board equipped with a medium sized foil on a 15" mast, assuming she knows how to kite! If not I'd get the same setup behind a jetski or boat. It is pretty easy to stand up on a sup behind a boat and if you have a foil, the slight leaning back "should" bring the board up on a foil. Huge board, medium wing.
The downside to this setup is that it is only good for the first day, in my opinion. Although ideally you'd force a student to ride this setup for a week.
Anyway, I don't know your particulars but learning to trust and ride the wing without the aid of the board initially is disastrous in my opinion. And, I came of this opinion thru lots of blood, sweat, tears, and a handful of brand new swear words (and have witnessed it in many others!)
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