Asnews interviews F-One's Raphael Salles this week

[marina]

Podcast #97:

This week, our guest on the ASNews.net and The Kiteboarder podcast is kiteboarding pioneer and the founder of F-One, Raphael Salles. A former pro windsurfer, Raphael saw the light when kiteboarding was in its infancy and started one of the industry’s first kiteboarding companies in 1996. Raphael will be joining host Ryan Riccitelli to tell us about F-One’s 2008 product line including the company’s new delta shaped kite, the Bandit, the only kite they will release for the season. Raphael will also tech out on what’s coming down the line with boards in the new year, and also share with us his newest feat, successfully crossing between France and Corsica, what he thinks about the differences between the US and European markets, and his take on crossings, speed racing, and kite racing.

Due to the time differences between the US and France, this week’s interview will not be live this Thursday, but we can still ask your questions for you, directly to Raphael! Just post them here before 5p PST on Thursday Nov 29. We will post the interview to http://www.thekiteboarder.com, http://www.asnews.net and http://www.kiteforum.tv Friday evening November 30.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LIVE SHOW URL HAS CHANGED TO:
http://fubar.com/new_lounge.php?lid=50075

[mdubrulle]

Hi,
Do you really think that the same kite can be used by a beginner and a pro-rider?
If you compare surfing and windsurfing, more persons are surfing because a surfboard is cheap. Are you not thinking about developing a cheap kite?
perso....Why the local dealer can't get this kite in UAE (Dubai)???
Thanks,
Marc

[Wavemaniak]

Hi Raphael,

I've been on F-one kites since you releaced Mach1, so pretty much from the beggining.
I only kite in waves, and till now the f-one kites, expecially tribals and impacts, have worked pretty well for me.
I've been on the bandit 7.5, 9 & 11mts, for more than 3 months, and I must say I'm very desapointed. The kites just don't feel rigth to me. They do not respond directly to the bar imput, they turn slow and they seem to be weither fully powered or with no power at all. This issues are important limitations, wave riding in side on conditions. I'm sure the kites can be great to some riders, they are stable, have lots of range, and relunch in a dime. But unfortunally not for me. So, do F-one plans to release a kite more suited to riders who like fast, direct steering kites? If yes what kind of kite will it be? If no..., please dont say no!

hope to see you in Cape Verde soon...

[liv2surf]

Raphael,

I have a few comments and questions below about your Legend Board and the Bandit kite. Thanks for your vision (its all about waves, for me anyway) and the great products - keep them coming!! Come kite with us in SF Bay area - an F-one hot spot.

Comment (Boards): I am a big fan of last years F-one Legend which is my main ride. The real advantage of the Legend is on the way back out -- allows me to place myself in the best, most critical part of an oncoming wave (or run away depending on the situation) with a much higher degree of success than would be possible for me if I were on a directional (which I also have with me in the car).

Question 1 (Boards): In the continuum of boards for the waves, what place do you see for the Legend -- do you see it as a board for misfits who can't jibe or as a excellent board for expert waveriding or merely as a transitional board between a TT and a directional ?

Question 2 (Boards): What is new with the Legends for '08 and with the whole surf board line ?

Question 3 (Boards): How was the reaction to the Legend during the past year ?

Comment (Bandit): This year I bought some Bandit kites after demoing some other models (my first experience with F-one kites). I have 7.5 and 9m. Some days recently at a well-known, well-attended wave kiting spot near Santa Cruz their have been more F-one Bandits flying than any other kite brand, let alone model. Your US distributors must be doing a great job !

Question 4 (Bandit): There has been some discussion about the rather long length of the depower rope and the absence of a stopper ball on the Bandit bar. Please comment on the rationale behind these design decisions ? Has F-one considered depower below the bar for the Bandit ?

Question 5 (Bandit): The F-one Bandit and North's EVO kite bear considerable similarities at first glance. Some have speculated that one or the other company obtained the idea from the other. I suppose one could argue that the concept for a kite is not the finished, prototyped, tweaked, production kite. Can you comment on these apparent similarities and if possible address the speculation regarding the origins of the Bandit Delta kite concept.

Question 6 (Bandit): How has the reaction to the Bandit been, did you anticipate this response accurately and are you able to get Bandits to all those eager kiters ?

Question 7 (Bandit). While most of us locally seem to be OK with the stock depower length on the Bandit bar, if a rider is having a problem with the distance of sheeting strap what is the best fix - small chicken loop or shorter depower line ?

Question 7 (Bandit): Are their improvements that you and your design team have in store for the Bandit next year ?

[nicolo]

Hi liv2surf - You can preview the new F-One 08 boards (twin and surf) here: http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/boards

[liv2surf]

Hi liv2surf - You can preview the new F-One 08 boards (twin and surf) here: http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/boards

I did already!! The surf shapes look nice (don't care at all about the true TTs). Kind of wonder what the logic is for the two different Legends and the other different surf shapes.

[windmaker]

Hi Raphael,

I've been on F-one kites since you releaced Mach1, so pretty much from the beggining.
I only kite in waves, and till now the f-one kites, expecially tribals and impacts, have worked pretty well for me.
I've been on the bandit 7.5, 9 & 11mts, for more than 3 months, and I must say I'm very desapointed. The kites just don't feel rigth to me. They do not respond directly to the bar imput, they turn slow and they seem to be weither fully powered or with no power at all. This issues are important limitations, wave riding in side on conditions. I'm sure the kites can be great to some riders, they are stable, have lots of range, and relunch in a dime. But unfortunally not for me. So, do F-one plans to release a kite more suited to riders who like fast, direct steering kites? If yes what kind of kite will it be? If no..., please dont say no!

Totally agree. I have been kitesurfing for 8 years using Tribals and Impacts for the past 2 years and the Bandit was a real disapointment. Will you ever make a kite for real kitesurfers again or just for the masses ?

[WILCO]

Hi Raphael,

I've been on F-one kites since you releaced Mach1, so pretty much from the beggining.
I only kite in waves, and till now the f-one kites, expecially tribals and impacts, have worked pretty well for me.
I've been on the bandit 7.5, 9 & 11mts, for more than 3 months, and I must say I'm very desapointed. The kites just don't feel rigth to me. They do not respond directly to the bar imput, they turn slow and they seem to be weither fully powered or with no power at all. This issues are important limitations, wave riding in side on conditions. I'm sure the kites can be great to some riders, they are stable, have lots of range, and relunch in a dime. But unfortunally not for me. So, do F-one plans to release a kite more suited to riders who like fast, direct steering kites? If yes what kind of kite will it be? If no..., please dont say no!

Totally agree. I have been kitesurfing for 8 years using Tribals and Impacts for the past 2 years and the Bandit was a real disapointment. Will you ever make a kite for real kitesurfers again or just for the masses ?

Sadly i have to agree as well..real disapointment flying the bandits after the tribals, steering and directness is gone... what's with all those people that don't seem to notice (or don't want to?) or is that the kite is doing well with the freeride riders who don't seem to care about direct steering to much? And believe me i hoped for it to be what they claimed as i now don't know yet what to replace my tribals with when they're gone..