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Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

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Pedro Marcos
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Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Pedro Marcos » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm

So yesterday i got to test an extreme lightwind combo that completly changed my opinion about in how light winds you can foil:

The kite the was Ozone R1V2 17m with 25m lines and racebar, board custom 150x50x8 Carbon (lots of volume) and for the foil i used my Moses with the 550 wing (just because i wanted to try with a foil that im very familiar with). I own myself a Ozone 15m V2 UL, but this R1V2 and this board gives me at least another 2 knots of bottom end, i had the feeling that if i dont needed to change direction i could foil in barely no wind, only when i had to jibe i could realise that its was "no wind", kite colapsing from the sky every single time my board speed went to anything close to zero.

Its amazing! But the skill required to be able to safely foil in this conditions its also very very high because you cannot touchdown at all, or at least if you touchdown it needs to be with some board speed.

After this experience i went back to my normal board and my UL 15m and i could not even stand up on the board, was able to keep the kite flying maybe better then the r1v2, but not enough power spike to lift me from the water.

Wind was never over 4-5 knots, and im sure in some places it went under 3...

Just incredible to be kiting in this wind.

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby grigorib » Fri Nov 03, 2017 4:46 pm

Pedro Marcos wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm
...
After this experience i went back to my normal board ...
What's your normal board?

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Pedro Marcos » Fri Nov 03, 2017 5:27 pm

Moses T40 , 142x47 30l

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby BraCuru » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:37 pm

Pedro Marcos wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm
So yesterday i got to test an extreme lightwind combo that completly changed my opinion about in how light winds you can foil:
Welcome in the club :)
The board is the main key to the LW Kingdom. Not a kind of kite or a foil.
Second most important factor is a skill to operate this key ;)
then we can have academic discussions about surface of front wings, low speed foils, super lift foils etc ;)

Love a moment of foiling in sub 5kts on an inflatable kite when touching the water means the end of the session.
there will be more and more riders not only believing it ;)

Any picture of your magic board?

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Pedro Marcos » Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:27 pm

BraCuru wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:37 pm
Pedro Marcos wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm
So yesterday i got to test an extreme lightwind combo that completly changed my opinion about in how light winds you can foil:
Welcome in the club :)
The board is the main key to the LW Kingdom. Not a kind of kite or a foil.
Second most important factor is a skill to operate this key ;)
then we can have academic discussions about surface of front wings, low speed foils, super lift foils etc ;)

Love a moment of foiling in sub 5kts on an inflatable kite when touching the water means the end of the session.
there will be more and more riders not only believing it ;)

Any picture of your magic board?
Unfortunaly no pics, but its a big board similar to the ones you use, just with flat bottom. In that case i felt that the kite was also the key, because only the r1v2 generated a power spike enough to lift me on the board, the chrono had more grunt but not enough spike to lift me up, also 2m smaller.

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:44 pm

Awesome Pedro :thumb:

This is my exact experience too - bigger boards makes a HUGE difference in marginal winds (also in light winds actually).

Kitesize and type and wing of course also - but the board is a (maybe the) major part of how low you can go, in my experience, and how easy and "feel good" it is too.

And yes, the deciding point is to get UP on the board, so true :naughty:

8) PF

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby tegirinenashi » Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:46 pm

BraCuru wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:37 pm
...Love a moment of foiling in sub 5kts on an inflatable kite when touching the water means the end of the session...
But you managed to start your session in that wind somehow?

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby grigorib » Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:48 pm

BraCuru wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:37 pm
Pedro Marcos wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm
So yesterday i got to test an extreme lightwind combo that completly changed my opinion about in how light winds you can foil:
...
The board is the main key to the LW Kingdom. Not a kind of kite or a foil.
...
It is when you ride a door. But for a foil as long as you're up on a foil upon first kite dive, what does board matter?
I know for sure that my large 20.5"x9" wing MHL takes off water way earlier than even my 548 wing and it's only transitions that are tricky.

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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri Nov 03, 2017 8:09 pm

Wings matters of course - so does kites and their powerspike particularly.

If you can get up on the foil in the first kite dive, it is not marginal wind IMO - as this is not possible here, so this is another reason why board matters a lot.

The major problem will be getting UP out of the water onto the board, with your body - not to get up foiling with the right gear :D

Besides, as stated in another thread, IMO board size matters hugely regarding ease and low end and harmony, and has to be matched accordingly to wind/conditions/gear when 10 knots and down.

8) PF

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Pedro Marcos
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Re: Extreme Lightwind... Amazed

Postby Pedro Marcos » Fri Nov 03, 2017 8:15 pm

grigorib wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:48 pm
BraCuru wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:37 pm
Pedro Marcos wrote:
Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm
So yesterday i got to test an extreme lightwind combo that completly changed my opinion about in how light winds you can foil:
...
The board is the main key to the LW Kingdom. Not a kind of kite or a foil.
...
It is when you ride a door. But for a foil as long as you're up on a foil upon first kite dive, what does board matter?
I know for sure that my large 20.5"x9" wing MHL takes off water way earlier than even my 548 wing and it's only transitions that are tricky.
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.

The foil you use just change the following:

- Big area: you will lift faster/earlier/at less speed but because the foil its slower it will be worst on the lulls
- Smaller area: harder to get enough speed to lift but better on the lulls and better glide on transitions.

So i guess something in the middle will be best.


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