Hi
Im a wing foiler who wants to learn kitefoiling for those light days 6-12kntsim 80kgs, I've bought Airush ultra 9m, made a 126x46 board. I used to ride mutants when I kited(few years ago now).
I ride Axis on wing, HPS 1050/930. 90cm mast.
question is, would the 930 work as a kitefoil to learn on? alternatively what would be better options, mindful of costs so a used one would be better value and I run ultrashort black fuse so would like something to use with ot.
thanks In advance.
Anything will work, what's more important is do you have the skills to make it happen?
Light wind kite foiling is a non-trivial exercise. You're going to have to develop some fairly serious skills. There will be a fair bit of crashing and self-rescue happening.
When the wind is light it can be hard to keep the kite in the air. If it gets too close to the edge of the window it will settle on the water and stay there. You need to keep the kite moving and powered, or buy a super light weight kite which can be expensive.
Single skin foil kites are relatively cheap and super light, but they usually don't relaunch. They're stable enough to stay in the air while you climb onto a floaty wing foil board. Getting going is a bit of a trick because you don't have any power to help you stand. You sort of do a one knee downwind send then rise up. I used a climbing harness to avoid damaging the board with the harness hook.
The 930 is kind of big for kite foiling. It will work but when you send the kite to start it's going to rear up. You need to move your back foot forward to keep the foil and board down. My usual light wind kite foil is very low aspect 950cm2. I can get kite foiling with all my wing foils but it's more for curiosity than improved low end.
My light wind kite foil board is 5' and 40 litres. That's quite huge for a kite foil board. My normal kite foil board is just under 4' and 30L.
Possibly more expensive, but easier would be to try one of the new generation downwind SUP/foil boards. A lightweight rider with a mid-size wing was able to get up and foiling within about 2-3 knots of what I can ride with a 12m kite.
I used to use a 930 as my light wind kite foil, still have it in the garage. The short answer is that it works perfectly well - it was the best Axis wing I could come up with for light wind use. I also fly ultras and the 9m makes plenty of power in the loop, nearly as much as larger kites. I think I've probably even used them together in lighter winds before. So that should work fairly well although you could scrape one or two knots less with a larger kite probably.
I was able to peak at over 20kts in about 10-11kts of wind with the 930 and a 10m foil kite, so it can move fairly quickly when you want it to. It is a bigger wing though so I eventually found it a bit too stable and boring, I rather something more manouverable. The size also means it can come up hard as Gorgo mentioned, and you have to stomp the nose back down (without going too far and sinking it), but then once you're foiling along it's well behaved and has heaps of glide for the lulls.
Personally I don't like big kite boards and my light wind board is a tray 94. Works well with the 930.
Select to expand quoteKBGhost said..
I used to use a 930 as my light wind kite foil, still have it in the garage. The short answer is that it works perfectly well - it was the best Axis wing I could come up with for light wind use. I also fly ultras and the 9m makes plenty of power in the loop, nearly as much as larger kites. I think I've probably even used them together in lighter winds before. So that should work fairly well although you could scrape one or two knots less with a larger kite probably.
I was able to peak at over 20kts in about 10-11kts of wind with the 930 and a 10m foil kite, so it can move fairly quickly when you want it to. It is a bigger wing though so I eventually found it a bit too stable and boring, I rather something more manouverable. The size also means it can come up hard as Gorgo mentioned, and you have to stomp the nose back down (without going too far and sinking it), but then once you're foiling along it's well behaved and has heaps of glide for the lulls.
Personally I don't like big kite boards and my light wind board is a tray 94. Works well with the 930.
Any better options that would work on a black fuse.
would a surf performance 660 be a better choice, can pick one up cheap on eBay, then find a red fuse to go with it.
what is best length fuse to go for.
thanks
Select to expand quotergmacca said..KBGhost said..
I used to use a 930 as my light wind kite foil, still have it in the garage. The short answer is that it works perfectly well - it was the best Axis wing I could come up with for light wind use. I also fly ultras and the 9m makes plenty of power in the loop, nearly as much as larger kites. I think I've probably even used them together in lighter winds before. So that should work fairly well although you could scrape one or two knots less with a larger kite probably.
I was able to peak at over 20kts in about 10-11kts of wind with the 930 and a 10m foil kite, so it can move fairly quickly when you want it to. It is a bigger wing though so I eventually found it a bit too stable and boring, I rather something more manouverable. The size also means it can come up hard as Gorgo mentioned, and you have to stomp the nose back down (without going too far and sinking it), but then once you're foiling along it's well behaved and has heaps of glide for the lulls.
Personally I don't like big kite boards and my light wind board is a tray 94. Works well with the 930.
Any better options that would work on a black fuse.
would a surf performance 660 be a better choice, can pick one up cheap on eBay, then find a red fuse to go with it.
what is best length fuse to go for.
thanks
othe most user friendly with for me at 74kg is the BCS 740.
Select to expand quotergmacca said..KBGhost said..
I used to use a 930 as my light wind kite foil, still have it in the garage. The short answer is that it works perfectly well - it was the best Axis wing I could come up with for light wind use. I also fly ultras and the 9m makes plenty of power in the loop, nearly as much as larger kites. I think I've probably even used them together in lighter winds before. So that should work fairly well although you could scrape one or two knots less with a larger kite probably.
I was able to peak at over 20kts in about 10-11kts of wind with the 930 and a 10m foil kite, so it can move fairly quickly when you want it to. It is a bigger wing though so I eventually found it a bit too stable and boring, I rather something more manouverable. The size also means it can come up hard as Gorgo mentioned, and you have to stomp the nose back down (without going too far and sinking it), but then once you're foiling along it's well behaved and has heaps of glide for the lulls.
Personally I don't like big kite boards and my light wind board is a tray 94. Works well with the 930.
Any better options that would work on a black fuse.
would a surf performance 660 be a better choice, can pick one up cheap on eBay, then find a red fuse to go with it.
what is best length fuse to go for.
thanks
Sold a few of the SP 660's to kite foilers your weight and they have been very happy with it. Though if you're trying to foil under 10 knots your 930 would be the go.
Standard length Red fuse would be easiest to learn on as it's less pitch sensitive.
Select to expand quotergmacca said..
I ride Axis on wing, HPS 1050/930. 90cm mast.
I am a beginner too. I think your mast is way too long. Try a 45 or a 60cm mast at best, for now. Getting multiple mast lengths is a must really so you can change it to suit your style, but I am learning far more easily on a 60cm mast.
Get line extensions. I can run my 9m Airush ultra down to 8 knots with 28m lines but at that wind speed I need to be working the kite even when riding and its not fun. 9 knots and above and I'm fine. I can't relaunch the kite until 10 knots of wind so its best not to crash.
6 knots is going to be challenging. I'd say you'll need a foil kite to push that low but the skills you learn at with the ultra will definitely be transferable.
I ride a 1200cm2 front wing and my wind measurements are taken from weather station on a 15m high pole by the launch spot. If you are using a hand held anemometer, you might be able to kite with lower numbers.
