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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 3:16 pm
by Tony
Thinking on how I can increase my water time.
I live 2+ hours from the coast, which is where I kite.
There are a number of lakes locally though but I don't generally bother because the winds are lighter and tend to be very gusty (say 5-17mph).
Launches are also less friendly.
My big kite is an AR5 15.5 and I ride wakes.
Would a big foil like a Warrior 12.5 make the lake more doable (I have no experience with foils)? Would the Warrior be better than my AR5 for those conditions? How would the Warrior compare to say a 2002 Toro or Rhino? Bigger board probably be required as well?
Maybe it's more trouble and cost than driving for better conditions ...
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 3:21 pm
by jever98
I never tried them, but many people say that the new flysurfer foils are very well suited to gusty lake kiting due to their easy launching and auto stable profiles.
You would probably get more time on the water if you dont have to drive 2 hours each way...
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 3:49 pm
by Dwight
Tony,
I have not flown the flysurfer kites, but I did learn on foils and used them for 6 months. You’d have to be crazy to use a foil in gusty lake winds. They were a nightmare. I know guys say they are a lot better, but man I still have nightmares thinking about those horrible kites. Also, the AR5 is a nightmare in gusty winds compared to the newest kites coming from the Gorge. Think about this, the Gorge is like lake kiting, a nightmare! The kites being designed and tested there are light years ahead of everybody in gusty winds. I think the Toro is one of the best for this.
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 3:59 pm
by Guest
i got several opinions from good kitesurfers saying that, i.e., ARC kites are very adequat in gusty lake conditions. paul from lake neusiedel uses exclusively ARCs and i guess, he's rather experienced also with kite teaching.
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 8:06 pm
by Guest
Im kiting only on neusiedlersee and wind is here relative stable without gust. There are also many more inflantable like foil
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 8:26 pm
by BLOWN AWAY
I know from experience that my 11.5m ARX does not handle the gusts very well at all... it falls from the sky in the lulls and you have to start over again. It's probably the same with the big AR5's... infact in the gusty stuff I have better luck with my C Quads but around where I live people swear by ARC's in the gusts.
Although the newer inflatables on the market don't drop anywhere near as much and have better depower on them... get a newer kite as they seem to handle gusts better. The mastairs and warriors from flysurfer are rumoured to have huge depower on them... way more than the "buggy foils".
Also in regards to your board... I find wakeboarding a total nightmare in gusty winds but can get going sweet as on my larger directional so you'd be better off with a bigger board as you won't sink in the lulls as much.
If it really is bad though you're probably best off putting up with the 2hr drive and at least getting some decent sessions in some smoother wind....
Go hard and go high
BLOWN AWAY
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 9:13 pm
by Guest
Please do not make claims on Flysurfer kites
if you haven't flown them personally.
These kites are not in any way comparable to
foils of 1 or 2 years old.!!
I use them for over a year now and have a
Warrior 9.3m, this kite is fabulous for
gusty kite conditions, it just never overflies you.!
Also because of the very big depower range,
you can depower correctly in the gusts and
keep control!
I use the kites on gusty lakes and really like them,
please try one out if you can, or read some
objective reviews on
http://www.kite-surf.com
if you want to know more about them.
Safety on these kites is very good, as is the solo landing, launching and water-relaunch
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 10:41 pm
by BLOWN AWAY
You're right I've never flown one myself but from what I've read about them I think I need to.... their wind range I've heard is excellent.
I'm so surprised that no-one over here in NZ uses them. Virtually everyone over here uses sled kites (ARC, inflatable). Sure it's reasonably windy here but on the coast it's not that gusty.
I've heard from some reports that the wind range of one of the warrior sizes is from 12 - 30 knots or something...
To me that sounds like a kite that can handle gusty winds!
If there was a place in Auckland that sold flysurfer kites.... I'd have got one allready.
BLOWN AWAY
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 9:28 am
by Guest
The range indicated by you is for the
Warrior 9.3m, this is indeed one sweet
kite and is my favourite of the line (fast
and good lift),together with the Warrior
7.0m (very high jumps)
For more info on the kites look up there
website at
http://www.flysurfer.de
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 10:01 am
by murdoc
the flysurfer system's totally different to all the other foils on the market.
maybe the advance and boomkites can be as good, too but i'm not sure (never tested)
the warrior's very stable in the zenit.
water relaunch's no problem in 95 of 100 cases.
they got a depower which works fine.