Postby jumptheshark » Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:16 pm
So, who want's to read more about how great this kite is? Wow, all of you? Me too.
The past week has been pretty amazing. 7 sessions in 5 days. All of them top shelf.
Remember when you would find yourself marginally on the wrong size, but it was just way too much hassle to even consider going in, pumping another kite, walking the lines, potentially putting away the other kite and 15 minutes later getting back to kiteboarding? Well those days are gone.
The effective range on these kites for freeride Foiling is simply massive. From reading here you might get the impression that they have a small range and even smaller sweet spot. Not the case. The 5m and 4m are effectively a full quiver for me. I have a 3.5m kite that I hope to some day pull out and be disappointed with so I can justify a 3m peak. Certainly have no want for an 8m on water. It's already dead flat and rather boring at the low end of the 5. Rather hone my light wind technique that get a bigger slower kite.
In the event you do find yourself out on a peak and the wind edges toward the margins of its range. CHANGE KITES! Took all of 2 min off the water to roll up the 5 and pop up the 4. Just by default, your kites and lines will never sit flapping in the sun wasting away their lifespan.
But that is just fluff. One of the many "fringe" benefits that just improves the experience. Makes it safer, and more convenient.
No that is not what this post it about. THIS post is about the absolute revelation that the PEAK has facilitated.
I can report, that the Holy Grail is real. Will only minimal drilling of kite packing and handling, any strong swimmer can drift launch these kites reliably. I say again. RELIABLE SWIMMING DEEP WATER DRIFT LAUNCH is real.
What's crazy, is its way easier than my experiences doing the same with LEI kites. I've been working at this for literally a decade. Back in the day in 20 knots with an 11m torch and wake set up swimming out on a wing and prayer....... roughly 60% success rate with some harrowing moments in that 40% of failures. Enough to put a little respect in you!
Fast forward to foiling and strutless and single strut kites and the success rate goes up to nearly 90%, wellllll maybe 85% where the failures are generally far less scary, but just as much pain in the ass with lots of swimming, and untangling and restarting. Had it to the stage that if it was a solid 14 knots from the wrong direction, I'd swim a tube out and drift. Had me feeling like my guerrilla kite skills were not half bad. PFFFFFFt. The Peaks make that look like dayglo neon ninja clothing.
No man, the Peak is the answer to all who want the freedom to kite wherever and nearly whenever they want.
The swimming is the hardest part! No longer with a big kite flopping around, no longer dragging lines over rocky branch infested shorelines. Don't even need a kite size gap in the vegetation to get to the water!
No, the Peak has allowed me to leapfrog even the windsurfers for access and exit points.
Once you wet launch this kite a few times, you see how much safer and easier it is. The kite is IN the water, not on it. It wont flip, take off early, or even change its orientation to the wind. It just drifts! Smooth and predictably downwind at a pace that allows for calm and cool unwinding of lines, attaching of quick release and preparing to tension those front lines and get the kite up. Rush nothing and you will only have to do it once!
Everywhere is a now a kite spot. Whether its hiking into a secret wave spot for a sniper session in lockdown, or simply hopping off your buddies boat, there is no pump, no crazy recruiting of innocent bystander to help you boat launch..... no rigamerole at all. Simply hop in foil and kite in hand and swim a safe distance away. Then launch and cruise around on a magic carpet like it ain't no thang!
P.S. Once you grasp that wet launching is not only possible, but totally feasible, you get the idea that wet exit is also no big thang. and you can quickly and easily get yourself safely back ashore almost anywhere.
P.P.S. Single skin ultra light kites dry incredibly fast. Fly it somewhere for 3 minutes, but if you must, a 5m can be hung in the space of an office cubicle.
Headed out on vacation for a week. Same trip I've done many many times. Have kited consistently at three different spots along our usual route. Now almost everywhere has potential. You know, driving along, you see stretch of water with wind and think "I wonder if you could kite there?"
Well, get a Peak cause the answer is always yes!
Adventure awaits.
Peace.
- These users thanked the author jumptheshark for the post (total 4):
- andrzej351 (Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:17 pm) • geron (Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:02 pm) • wheat (Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:58 am) • oldkiter (Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:09 pm)