Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

[Peter_Frank]

Spot on Pedro

Dont underestimate #3, it is very important - both for mistakes but also for huge lulls where you loop the kite to keep it alive even when really good

[Jyoder]

I wonder if PFD, impact vest, and wetsuit flotation affects light wind water start by reducing the force needed to lift your body out of the water onto the board and allowing more kite energy to go into forward movement. Maybe we just need to start wearing floaty Michelin Man suits.

[Regis-de-giens]

I agree Pedro ! Would just add that in marginal wind i found out that a loop droping first forehead (I call Uploop) is more efficient that a downloop (I.e droping backward). I do not know if it is applicable to all kites but fr medium ratio kite you can save 0.0004 knots

About flotation addings It should not change a lot ,But if it does, I would bet it gets the waterstart LESS efficient .

[BraCuru]

But you managed to start your session in that wind somehow?

Affirmative - for example it might be after a long fight to launch a foilboard and then the wind decreases even more. Or you just begin in 10 kts and wind dies out.

In such a light wind this is what will happen:
1 - Go on the water with side wind and keep the kite moving to "try" that it doesnt drop from the sky, keeping tension on the lines.
2 - Do the first loop to start (or big stroke) that will be just enough to put you "standing" on the board: and this is where the board is important, if you have a low volume board it will sink before you have enough time to give another stroke/loop on the kite, with a bigger board you will manage to stand on it and do another loop to start you moving, and then another one to give you enough speed to lift your foil.
3- point 1 and 2 will happen again everytime you fail to jibe/tack properly, and the big board will allow you to touchdown for more time.

Point 1 - keeping front lines tight all the time - all beginners don't understand it and they usually blame all other reasons than themselves

Point 2 - all fine but there is missing one vital trick - feet pumping
It is not easy to learn proper pumping. It is not about lifting and pressing a foil.
This is 3 dimensional task which additionally includes pushing a board forward by front foot only and in the same time to lift a back foot.
Feet do not work in the same direction at the same moment and their work must be well synchronised.

Once performed well with kite movement it seriously lowers personal marginal wind limits.
BTW. Feet pumping does not require kitelooping anymore in my case. I pump a board and pump a kite in the same time. It is enough.

[sedluk]

I was out this evening and the wind was slowly dropping. I was using my 13m Sonic2 so I would not consider this ultra light wind, maybe 8 knots. It was getting close to sunset and would not have time to switch to a bigger kite so I tried the feet pumping and it helped. I was using my Nobile Zen board and the board can sink after the first power stoke if not enough wind, I would do the feet pump trick and this kept the board up so that the next power stroke I was moving and a few more feet pumps, the next stoke I was up on the foil and cruising along.

The feet pumping help me simulate having a bigger board, the board did not settle back down into the water. It was a great practice session and it will come in handy when the wind is even lighter.

[lezo]

Do you have a video about this specific kind of board pumping?

[joriws]

Let's take to history lane. This already 7y old video by gmb13 has foil board pumping starting roughly from 2:38. More modern Ketos foil pumping videos can be found at YT. Or hydrofoil surfing videos where watermen change waves by just pumping.

https://vimeo.com/17754852

[ronnie]