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stringp
Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 176
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:28 pm Post subject: Windsurf foiling vs kite foiling |
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Out yesterday at Stevie foiling on a 3.2. I hear this hissing noise like an air leak from a compressor. What the hell is that? Then I see the kite shadow. TAK screams by me on his foil, does a planing 360, and takes off straight down wind. His kite was making a hissing noise as it cut through the air. He was able to translate his thoughts into motion through his equipment.
Made me feel like a plodding bovine rather than on the cutting edge of a windsurf revolution.
Questions:
Will windsurf foil technology evolve the way kite foils have evolved? Not the same path, but evolve.
Is windsurf foiling going to die on the vine because it's power source is so limited and gibing is tragically hard. |
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dllee
Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5330 Location: East Bay
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Perhaps, the kitefoiler was a very good sailor, while you are ...not.
When you used to windsurf, where you the best windsurfer in the water in your area? That pretty much explains how some people get really good at windfoiling, while other's never get there.
Different skill levels exist. |
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sailworksman
Joined: 26 Jul 2000 Posts: 58
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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Windfoiling is not going to die - this aspect of the sport is just getting started and the boundaries are being pushed back daily. Foiling not just for light winds either if you go prepared with smaller foils and sails. This was shot 6-7 am today at the Waterfront Park, wind 25-33 mph. Dale is on a 5.2 Flyer and LP 590 wing. 27 miles covered in 70 minutes, top speed 32.4 mph.
https://youtu.be/TY-mGXRVNLI
/Bruce |
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SpeedRoo
Joined: 27 Sep 2006 Posts: 89
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Still not as fast as windsurfing in the same conditions, out this morning and had a peak of 43.5 mph in the same wind. Tony Logosz from Slingshot has hit 35 mph on his small wing but it gets to be a handful at that speed. Foiling is much faster on a kite with the same wing, they can use the power better than a windfoil at the moment but windsurfing is still faster....for now! |
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stringp
Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 176
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Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:27 am Post subject: Wrong horse |
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Thanks for posting that video. Dale is an amazing athlete and the Flyer sail is a work of art. Perhaps I bet on the wrong horse in choosing a foil platform. I'm on the Slingshot FWind1 big wing. Other Slingshot wing options are not available while LP has at least 3 front wing options. In the conditions of the video I would have to be on 3.7 or 3.2. Water turbulence and gusts will cause vibrations in the Slingshot mast and I would never load it with that much power.
To my point, Dale is to me as Jorden Splief is to a 15 handicapper. It's great that professional athletes are pushing the evolution, but what about your average joe windsurfer. I can't imagine a kiter waking up one morning and declaring that this is the day I'm going to switch to windsurf foiling. To grow the sport newbies would have to come from the windsurfing ranks. The average windsurfer is probably a little older and has been doing the sport for decades. They didn't jump ship to the kiting revolution. Are they going to sign up for the hundreds of gibe, fall, up haul attempts? We will see. |
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hilton08
Joined: 02 Apr 2000 Posts: 506
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stringp
Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 176
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Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:51 pm Post subject: Z |
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I tried the FWind2 wing and didn't like it much. Seems like it was not developed for windsurfing but pulled off a kite foil. Gibing went from hard to really nitty. I don't know if LP does the same thing. Interesting about the 5 slingshot wings. Any more info? Are they windsurf specific? |
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grantmac017
Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946
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Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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I think the fuselage and it's draggy shape is part of what let's the Slingshot down. Hopefully those other ones aren't outrageously expensive when they come out.
The wing is also very thick on the Slingshot Fwind1, but it's also flying sooner than the others around here. |
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dllee
Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5330 Location: East Bay
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Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Wider thicker produces more lift, and drag.
Just like in windsurfing.
Smaller wings better for higher speeds, but worse for early planing and angles...just like windsurfing. |
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stringp
Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 176
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:43 am Post subject: Zz |
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Went down wind and rode with the kiters yesterday. Thier swell riding performance was amazing. I could turn down some swells in the lulls if I COMPLETELY sheeted out, but nothing like the stately dance they were doing. I was on the H2 wing pretty much overpowered on a 4.2. Max wind average was mid 20s.
Again maybe I wasn't a very good windsurfer as was pointed out, but the kiters were able to depower their kites way better than I could depower a sail. Slingshot says that an H3 wing will be available in September. Looks like a LP. Maybe that will be the answer rather than the H5. |
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