Big kite question

[Kamikuza]

I got myself a LF Fun Foil to learn on and beat up... the foil or myself, I don't know who'll get thrashed the most yet.

Plan on starting out in lighting wind, as getting out from the beach into deep water is a major effort.

For kites, I have Crossbow 16, Flite 17.5 (first gen, more Razor-esque), and later I think Speed3 15 or 21 if I get the hang of it/desperate.

Question: slow-turning Crossbow will be good or zippy, faster-turning Flite is better?

[Wielandt]

Hi

I think you are planning way to big !

Although I have both 14m and 17m Kites I never use more than 12m on my foilboard. When wind is low, 8 knots, I use my 12 m Solo with 28-30m lines. It works perfect for a 80 kg guy like me.

Good luck and happy foiling

[Kamikuza]

... I'm not 80kg tho

[windmaker]

For your first steps you need to use the same size or slightly smaller size kite than what you would be using on surfboard. As you progress kites will get smaller and smaller

I weigh 66kg and my biggest kite is a 10m F-one Diablo foil kite and I am up and going with 6 knots, 10knots and I am up and going with an 8m Bandit inflatable (standard lines)


What type of kite you use (fast /slow) is down to personal taste.

[BraCuru]

Question: slow-turning Crossbow will be good or zippy, faster-turning Flite is better?

Forget about Crossbow!
It is too heavy (especially the one with 7 struts).
It will fall down in lulls easier than any new large light wind kite.
Speed of kite is not so important as most think. It helps but a slow kite in hands of advice rider might work well too.
If you want to stay with an inflatable kite in light winds (save mode) then I would recommend to take Velocity 14m and use it with 7-10m extension lines in winds below 8kts.
This is what works perfect for me. Velocity with a racing bar is the best inflatable kite for foiling I had in my hands so far.

I found that the Edge performs a bit better than Velocity but once in the water in light winds might be a nightmare to relaunch it.

[Peter_Frank]

As you ar not such a wimp in size Kami, it is fine to use the big ones as your lightwind weapons (you just need more wind than we do).

I dont know the Flite, but would definitely choose that one, as the Crossbow, if just remotely like the one I tried years ago, has grunt like no other kite (and not fast) -it just pulls and pulls.

Which is the last you want for foiling - you want a kite you can turn and dive or loop to get up foiling, and then you just want a kite with good depower and fast turning

PF

[Kamikuza]

Forget about Crossbow!
It is too heavy (especially the one with 7 struts).

Also not an option, due to budget yes, all 7-stutters too...

Goal is to get semi-competent then switch to my Speed3s for all-foil fun but until then I don't want to risk a swim in with foil and not-so-buoyant board.

As you ar not such a wimp in size Kami, it is fine to use the big ones as your lightwind weapons (you just need more wind than we do).

I dont know the Flite, but would definitely choose that one, as the Crossbow, if just remotely like the one I tried years ago, has grunt like no other kite (and not fast) -it just pulls and pulls.

Which is the last you want for foiling - you want a kite you can turn and dive or loop to get up foiling, and then you just want a kite with good depower and fast turning

PF

That's the nicest way anyone has put it

Mmm, I think the Flite is more insistent when powered, as it sits deeper in the window. I find the Xbows to depower fine but slow to loop, and prone to choke at the bottom if the wind is light. I've been running the 10m on the "B" setting... but don't notice any difference

Well, I guess the only solution is to suck it and see. Then upgrade eventually!

[irwe]

If you are beginning I would suggest not going out on light days (<12 kts). I started out in 12 - 15 kts on 10 -12 m kites (72 kg). The biggest problem I found was keeping the kite in the air while I was setting up to start if the wind was too light (<10 kts).
Quick tips

Learn to body drag with the board.
27 m line length
Keep pressure on your front foot toe and just ride with the board in the water for a while.
Just do small runs and stay close to your launch spot.

Lots of video's online for more tips.