Is it possible to kite a surf-foil?

[jespin4845]

Why lie about the conditions? It's not possible to even hot launch an 11m kite off the beach in FL in 4-8 mph wind. If you're going to make claims about something's performance, at least be honest about it.

Why? Is this just the case in Florida? Or just 11m kites?

Hot stank ass wind has no power, 10 knots in Florida when it's hot = 8/9 knots in the winter

[Peter_Frank]

This is interesting now....

Norcom and Gunnar love these surf foils

Whereas for the typical foils, the big ones are too slow and boring for most it seems...

They work great in light or marginal winds, but not so much in more wind.

Dylan, regarding the wind strength, well yes, if measured head high, the 4.7 to 7.7 MILES per hour (which is 4 to 7.6 knots in understandable terms) could very well be usable for marginal wind hydrofoiling as more higher up, with a super light kite, so I dont doubt this that much, only a little, but so be it.

One can hotlaunch almost any kite in 2 knots of wind, and fly (but not ride), so this is no restraint IMO.

The question is, do these huge and cambered wings make fun when no waves ?

Asking, as even big wings 700 cm2 and above, feel dull when not light winds IMO.

I have never ridden on a Takuma style wing, so can not say myself, sorry...

But just a bit suspect as I dont like the bigger wings when loads of wind (above 10 knots) no matter what waves we are talking about.

Maybe there is a "gap", so the smaller wings works great in waves, and the huge ones also, but the medium ones not so much ?
At least this is what you hear from some, that they dont like the medium to big ones (700 to 800 cm2), or is it lack of experience ?

PF

[norcom]

Whereas for the typical foils, the big ones are too slow and boring for most it seems...

They work great in light or marginal winds, but not so much in more wind.

One can hotlaunch almost any kite in 2 knots of wind, and fly (but not ride), so this is no restraint IMO.

The question is, do these huge and cambered wings make fun when no waves ?

I don't think these big wings would be fun in flat water. It's just TOO SLOW. But the smallest amount of speed you need to get it flying is amazing! Once going, this wing drags and needs more power. It doesn't build/hold speed as well as the Ghost Whisper. If there are no waves, I won't use this foil. I'll definitely grab the Ghost Whisper.

I don't know how well this setup would work in larger waves. We don't have them here. But I do think the large wing had a very surfy feeling. A feeling I was missing on the LF Fun Foil and the Slingshot GhostWhisper. I was smiling all Friday evening and Saturday. These conditions never brought me so much fun! This was my first/only session, so my views may change after a few more. But right now I'm STOKED!

I flew the kite twice on Sunday (only first one was GPS logged). The first launch was from a sandbag and the kite barely stood on the side of the window while I ran back. I caught it and got it up in the air. The second launch was a reverse hot and it took three attempts. I couldn't waterstart the second time and packed up for other reasons. I don't think this is the best ultralight wind foil, it's SLOW and wont build apparent wind.

This is a VERY dedicated setup. It's not a do it all for sure. But DAMN! It just FELT SO RIGHT for the conditions we have here! I want to mount it to one of my SUP boards and see how small of wind chop I can catch with it.

The one drawback is it's VERY heavy. The front wing feels like it weighs as much as my whole Ghost Whisper foil. I didn't feel that weight once on the water but when you carry it to/in/out/from the water you do notice it.

[ulx]

It seems to be very personal. I tried it and didn´t like it at all. I can´t really imagine that it will become widespread for wavefoiling. But what do I know. To me it felt like kiting with a minimal or something similar. Much too much drag. Not as much fun as a short surfboard with a kite.

I do believe that there might be wings in the future which are somewhere between these SUP wings and now standard wings. Ketos has new big wave wings. Not as huge as the Takuma and the likes. Very interesting development.

[dylan*]

Why lie about the conditions? It's not possible to even hot launch an 11m kite off the beach in FL in 4-8 mph wind. If you're going to make claims about something's performance, at least be honest about it.

Why? Is this just the case in Florida? Or just 11m kites?

the wind strength here is just very weak. in 4-8 mph an 11m LEI would literally not even get off the ground when trying to hot launch it

[dylan*]

Why lie about the conditions? It's not possible to even hot launch an 11m kite off the beach in FL in 4-8 mph wind. If you're going to make claims about something's performance, at least be honest about it.

I measured 4.7mph to 7.7mph when I got to the beach and no, it didn't pickup because I got two tacks in before I crashed back on the beach.

It's quite possible to launch that low, if you have the right kite. Just because you don't have the skills or the gear doesn't mean I'm lying. But you are a hole of an ass for accusing me.

For anyone else who thinks I'm lying, here's the log from the that day, yesterday actually. And the most accurate sensor we have/use for this location. I can even put GPS coordinates.

You can see the time is 14:22 (2:22PM) on the Suunto log, the elevation's always messed up. Because of the wind direction and the location of that sensors, the way the wind is funneled by the roof towards the wind meter makes it over read by 3-4mph. As I mentioned, I measured 4.7 to 7.7 MILES per hour with my handheld meter. But hey, you don't have to believe anything on the internet.

why did you cut off which meter that is? 95% of the meters here are completely useless. It could be a hurricane outside and most meters will read 10 knots

[norcom]

why did you cut off which meter that is? 95% of the meters here are completely useless. It could be a hurricane outside and most meters will read 10 knots

Wow you're ignorant. I pasted details that are relevant. I said i can put the GPS coordinates of the locations as well. Here's the meter that's from http://www.windalert.com/spot/51238

And "95%"? Do you have actual data to prove this? Oh wait, you're pulling numbers out of your ass. At least I stated how I got the wind measurements. I've used this meter for many years as well as measuring with handheld and comparing. I know how to read this meter on all the directions.

Just because YOU can't launch YOUR kite doesn't mean it's not possible. Go suck one boy. You came out accusing and brought shit to this thread.

[airsurfer]

It seems to be very personal. I tried it and didn´t like it at all. I can´t really imagine that it will become widespread for wavefoiling. But what do I know. To me it felt like kiting with a minimal or something similar. Much too much drag. Not as much fun as a short surfboard with a kite.

I do believe that there might be wings in the future which are somewhere between these SUP wings and now standard wings. Ketos has new big wave wings. Not as huge as the Takuma and the likes. Very interesting development.

well at least you tried it before posting a bunch of crap with no first hand experience anyway there is a great in between foil for surf and chop it's the 2017 Lift 150 much faster than Takuma when you want it to be but can go really slow for catching and turning on waves. The 150 is fast enough for flat conditions although there are better foils for that . I like my Takuma for clean small slower waves or ocean swell but for Florida fast chop and "so called waves" the Lift 150 can be more fun and agile. also the Lift weight less than half of the Takuma and goes together with just

2 screws which is great.

[gmb13]

Ive seen the topic before: to use a kite-foil on a SUP..
Now my question is the other way around: what about using a go-foil mounted on a surf/sup with a kite?

Ive seen on the go-foil specs that the downwind sucks.. but does that refers to kite?

Thanks, Paulo

The Downwind "sucks" in the specs refers to Stand Up Paddling and not kiting. The Go Foil and other Surf foils ride downwind just fine.

I love riding small waves with Surf Foils and a kite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygcZO1quUyM

--
Gunnar

[Kamikuza]

My prediction -- people will buy more than one foil wing set.

...oh wait, wut...