davesails7 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:39 am
Peter_Frank wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:37 am
True, from 25 knots a 3 m2 is too big for the average weights...
Do you go to shorter lines for higher winds? For race foilers now, 11m kite is no problem in 25 knots, but on 10m-12m lines. Or do you prefer to stick with long lines to take the smallest kite possible?
Ha haa, yes it is actually amazing, funny to some extent, to see that a racefoiler can use a kite 3 to 4 times as big, on the very same day.
If out in 11 knots with a 5 m2 Peak on a surf wing, a racefoiler could be out with a 21 m2 kite, and we both have fun
No, I dont use/like (much) shorter lines in higher winds, for surf foils Uwhich are the types the OP are talking about) - does not work for me at all.
With small LEIs I use longer lines than for my foil kites, also the small ones.
Small kites has a more on/off feel, so sometimes longer lines is a plus, to get them more dynamically satisfactory in terms of handling and surfing.
It is not about holding a bigger kite, or a smaller kite in more wind - it is all about having the right feel and dynamic in terms of power delivery and carving
Foil kites: For 3-4-5 m2 I use 20-21 m lines, for the 8 m2 I use 27 m, and 30 m on the 15 m2 but only used when wind below 7 knots.
For LEI kites I use(d) 26 m on the small ones 3.5 to 9 m2, and 30 m on the bigger ones.
Definitely a bit shorter on the small foil kites, works for me, but not shorter than 20 m - I dislike that, way too little range and low end, and feels wrong.
This is the most important feature with the small foil kites used for waves or carving, for me
Peter