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North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

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North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby Toby » Fri Nov 17, 2017 10:43 pm

North News:

North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil


OFFICIAL PRODUCT CLIP

Check out the official 2018 product clip and see the new Speedster Combo in action. With its unmatched Speed Range, you can cruise comfortably at low speeds or switch gear for race mode. Taking you through all the intricate design and performance features, as well as showing you how to assemble it, you’ll soon understand why it’s the most talked about Foil for 2018. Excited? You should be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBN1crXWPMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBN1crXWPMs


THE SPEEDSTER COMBO IS OUT!

north 1.gif
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New to the North Kiteboarding range is the most anticipated Foil for 2018. Introducing the new Speedster Combo, the only tool needed to quickly improve your Foiling skills. Our vision was to make an easy, durable, and inexpensive Foil for kiters in the novice to experienced categories, and we’re stoked on our creation.
Endless attention to detail can be found through unique design features such as Winglets for outstanding stability, an additional small Mast for shallow waters and the optional Wedge for first-time flyers. A good, easy Foil for novices who are just getting started and intermediates looking for an easy Foil for flying Tacks and Gybes, it's also well suited for experts wanting to focus on tricks rather than the maximum possible speed, or if they like to ride waves.

https://www.northkiteboarding.com/produ ... ter-combo/


RIDER REVIEW

north 2.jpg

We get the professional opinion on the new Speedster Combo from our Freestyle, Freeride, Wave and Strapless Team Riders. Agreeing on the accessibility and fun factor our Foil offers, it’s safe to say that they are all hooked and we guarantee you will be too.

https://www.northkiteboarding.com/blog/ ... VKnLYRnZsw


DESIGNER INTERVIEW

north 3.jpg
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“The practical Speed Range is big because it begins at a very low number. We have riders who report lifting off at under 8 knots of board speed and maxing out at 30 knots. That's a big range.” With zero compromise on design and performance, who better to give us the core facts than the designer of this magic piece of kit. Take it away Ken Winner.

https://www.northkiteboarding.com/blog/ ... fqpmyq2FBA

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby wingnut » Sun Nov 19, 2017 8:18 pm

Looks good. Let's hope the reality matches the hype. The fact that North has taken their time coming to market with this means a lot IMHO. Ken Winner has given us some really great innovations over the years.
Is it available in most markets yet?
Anyone know what the price range is likely to be?

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby 3InletsWindsports » Sun Nov 19, 2017 10:41 pm

6135E4D8-2392-43D2-BDFE-F30D67509F29.jpeg
They have been available in Australia but last I heard they are getting some replacement parts.

I like the statement of “some reports of lift off at 8 knots”. I think you would like to use some more empirical data to lay claims to a wind range.

Sorry but can you tell I’m not a North fan.

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby MrWolf » Sun Nov 19, 2017 11:24 pm

wingnut wrote:
Sun Nov 19, 2017 8:18 pm
The fact that North has taken their time coming to market with this means a lot IMHO.
They probably took their time because their last foil release was a flop. That thing had major performance and quality issues and it looks like this one is too. :lol:

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby wingnut » Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:42 am

So, in my experience, pictures like that can be taken totally out of context. There are a huge number of factors that could cause that type of failure, it might be nice to see the whole wing. Granted those type of inserts in an injection molded piece could stand to be bigger/longer but there is no way of knowing what other forces have been exerted on it. Even over-tightening the bolt into an insert that has no bottoming stop could weaken it. That all being said, hopefully this is not at the same price level as carbon fiber and is well supported by North.

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby Horst Sergio » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:08 am

3InletsWindsports wrote:
Sun Nov 19, 2017 10:41 pm
I like the statement of “some reports of lift off at 8 knots”. I think you would like to use some more empirical data to lay claims to a wind range.
Yeah empirical they do, as there are much more "some reports ..." statements, for example this one:
https://www.northkiteboarding.com/blog/ ... fqpmyq2FBA
"We have riders who report lifting off at under 6 knots of board speed and maxing out at 25 knots", which might be the base for the following graphic.
Or "We have riders who report lifting off at under 8 knots of board speed and maxing out at 30 knots. That's a big range.” in the first post. ... So enough values to do some empirical calculations :wink: If I would ad my very small experience with it and this one from a north teamrider:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6U57eN ... be&t=5m05s

I would come to something I would call a more close to true range in green:
true speedster.jpg
true speedster.jpg (49.83 KiB) Viewed 2364 times
@North: Everything else you should be able to verify with a bit more than "some reports ..." statements

I think North has done a good job with this foil and has also been innovativ with a new material in this application. The starting problem they may had, due to this, is something that can happen to everybody, so shouldn't be a big deal. As I understand North, they have found a good way to deal with it, so not necessary to show again and again one single picture of one broken fuse, where nobody knows what happen to it (ground contact?).

The only thing I don't understand, why some at north seem to believe it is necessary to do commercials with in my eyes unrealistic speed ranges, but maybe just a miles, knts, km/h conversion confusion :wink:

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby 3InletsWindsports » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:41 am

https://www.facebook.com/groups/melbour ... 597874036/
My Spitfire has been known to waterstart under my feet straight onto the foil so the reports might say so can this be that Zeeko can claim a speed range of 0 - xxx.

It’s not just North but am I noticing that the only performance that the major brands are improving on is their marketing BS.

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby windmaker » Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:27 am

wingnut wrote:
Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:42 am
So, in my experience, pictures like that can be taken totally out of context. There are a huge number of factors that could cause that type of failure, it might be nice to see the whole wing. Granted those type of inserts in an injection molded piece could stand to be bigger/longer but there is no way of knowing what other forces have been exerted on it. Even over-tightening the bolt into an insert that has no bottoming stop could weaken it. That all being said, hopefully this is not at the same price level as carbon fiber and is well supported by North.
:thumb: Most brands had problems with their first foils. Nevertheless placing 3 inserts so close to each other while having the wing supported on a tiny area is a mistake even the basic amateur foil builder wont do. Talk about engineering...

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby darius_ks » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:15 am

Not very good, the foil just pressented to the publicity with increadibly speed range and stability parameters, it is interesting to see actual reports from the users.

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Re: North Kiteboarding Issue 11/2017 - Foil

Postby TomW » Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:10 pm

They can't make a kite bag with a zipper that stands up to 20 uses. How can they make a foil that holds up? My local dealer doesn't reply to my complaint. It's a shame, products are well designed, but volume/quality issues are popping up.
Vote with your feet.


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