[quote="ronnie"]
You can see in these two videos of a C1 8m Cloud, that when he is in the earlier stages of learning to foil and fly the kite, he has the kite luffed more.
Then, in the Patagonia video a couple of months later, he is riding with hardly any luffing. I think that is because he is more comfortable on the foil and more tuned into the kite (or it may be because the wind is steadier).[quote]
[quote="rowboat"]@ronnie -- Nice theory, but since those are my videos I can tell you it's incorrect.
In the first one at Crissy in SF Bay I am luffing because I am overpowered, riding my Lift slalom foil with an 8m C1 in 19-23mph wind. In the second video in Patagonia I am not luffing because I was perfectly powered, again on the 8m C1, same foil, in ~15mph wind. Luffing in the first case was simply due being sheeted way (way) out. Riding at Crissy often results in this, because it's so much windier out in the bay vs. at the beach. This is exacerbated by the efficiency of the foil; you need _some_ kite to get off the beach, but once you get up on the foil out in the bay, a 5m would often be enough.
So, I am still learning, but it's more about learning how little kite I can get away with, not so much about trimming the kite.
I would agree with the comments about visual/auditory feedback on sail/kite trim. As an experienced small-boat sailor, I trim by feel, and I brought that experience to my kiting. Use telltales and the sound of the sail is a big part of learning to trim a sail, and that's a great way to "turn the negative into a positive" on the Clouds. I don't think of the luffing as a negative anyway, but that's a great way to spell out how it's a feature
Btw, if you are a Cloud rider and would like to connect with others, there is an active Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cloudriders/
Thanks for the review and the discussion - always interesting! [quote]
Thanks rowboat - always good to get the real story rather than guessing.
I did think there was more wind on the water, but didn't realise it was that much more.
Nicely powered on an 8m in 15mph is impressive - no wonder you were whooping in Patagonia.