slowboat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 01, 2017 11:39 am
Obvious beginner question: What happens when you push a foil beyond its maximum speed?
Hmmm, there IS not such thing as a specific foils maximum speed
The more power you can "invest" - the faster it can go.
There is a practical maximum speed though, the speed the really good riders are able to obtain, is what one determines as the "maximum" practical obtainable speed most often it seems.
Also, control is a big practical issue - as eventhough big lifting wings can go fast with sufficient power from the kite - it will be really difficult to control
Thus the smaller and faster wings are a lot easier to ride, when going fast.
Smaller and faster wings, do not need as much power either, to go fast, thus using the max power you can invest, you can go a lot faster with these.
However, when you reach more extreme speeds, cavitation (water is boiling because of local low pressure points around the wing) will set in at it will kinda stall at high speeds - but it will probably be at such speeds it wont be a concern for nor you nor me
For thick and lifting wings, this will occur at lower speeds though, so might happen
PF