Hi All.
This post presents my impressions, comments, and querries about the Flysurfer (FS) Speed 13m after two weeks. These are thoughts I had while rigging up, unravelling the lines, launching, riding, relauching or packing this new toy. They may be usefull or totally useless to someone else, but anyway, I thought it would be better to share them than to keep them all for myself...
A brief presentation. I was 77.1 kg this morning and my board is a twin tip, 1.56 m in length, between 22 cm to 38 cm in width. This is my second season. I ride on the ocean in Perth. Till two weeks ago, I only owned a FS Extacy 7m. I initially chose a FS foil mainly to avoid pumping sessions, not to leave too much gear on the beach and to launch and land safely by myself. I have no experience with LEI, so there will be no comparison with LEIs.
Oh! And what follows is my opinion only, which is based on my limited experience. so it may not be totally right!!!! Also, I have not been paid by FS to compliment their kites (unfortunately)!
All the given wind strength values are interpolated from data given by this wooooderful site for the nearest beach from where I kite.
Firstly, I give a few details about the Extacy 7m wind range:
- to stay upwind on the ocean, I need 20 knots (or sand starting to be slightly blown away on the beach).
- I find it perfect in about 22-23 knots.
- I generally use it up to 25+ knots because I have the opportunity to borrow an Extacy 4.5 m that I prefer to use in stronger wind, purely for safety reason. However, I used the 7m up to about 28 knots when I could not get hold of the 4.5m.
Two weeks now since I have first used the Speed 13m. I used it
approximately ten times so far in wind ranging between 8 and 20 knots.
Comment 1
The Speed 13 m complements perfectly the Extacy 7 m.
I tried to use the Extacy in about 18 knots (the sand on the beach not
being blown away) and I could nearly stay upwind. I switched with
the Speed on that day, and felt very comfortable with it. I was not
fully depowered, thus I could absorb very easily the gusts by
depowering. It was a good experience as it showed that the wind ranges
of the Extacy 7m and Speed 13m overlap. Hence, I have a H U G E wind
range with these two kites!!!
Comment 2
Top of the wind range
Comparatively, I think that the top of the wind range quoted on the FS website for the Extacy 7m (30 knots; www.skywalk.org/) is much higher than that of and the Speed 13m (20 knots; www.skywalk.org/). I mean I would not risk going out with the Extacy at 30 knots though i think that it will be nearly reasonable to use the Speed at 21 knots. However, the sea conditions are different at 20 or 30 knots and I must admit I have a better control of my board on a relatively quiet ocean at 20 knots than on a furious ocean at 30 knots!!!
Comment 3:
The Speed bridle system looks more complex, though I guess it is a
matter of time before I pick it up...
At the moment, checking that the lines are not tangled as part of my
preflight check appear to me much easier with the Extacy 7m (it takes seconds) than the Speed 13m. However, I am still working on understanding how the Speed bridle system works and I hadn't got any problem with tangled lines.so far.
Comment 4
The pull of the Speed is much smoother, more constant and so
pooooowerful!
It is quite like comparing the Extacy to a small two-stroke nervous
motorbike and the Speed to a huge four-cylinder roadster!!!
A direct consequence is that riding is much easier with the Speed.
Also, I immediately improved my upwind ability by 4 or 5 folds!!!
Comment 5
Yes, the Speed hang time is fabulous!
Comment 6
I am surprise how different it is to kitesurf with with the Extacy 7m
and the Speed 13m:
The Extacy is very quick, responsive and physical. It is a very fun
toy!
The Speed is more cruising type, jumping high, riding fast with a
feeling that the action is slower (I guess because the kite moves
slowly and needs anticipation)...
Comment 7
relaunching....
The first time I used the Speed, I underestimated its size, I flew it
too low in the wind window, the wing tip touched the sea surface and
the kite dropped... Now I've got it, I fly it much higher in the sky,
and it has not touched the water since...
So during my first session, i dropped my kite four times... Good
opportunity for practicing my relaunching techniques! No problem when
the kite was on its training edge: all it wants is flying away from
the water... But when it is leading edge down, what is the best
relaunching technique?
I first tried unhooking: the kite will go back on its trainling edge,
but it sometimes took a few minutes...
I tried a backward start, but I early gave up as the kite did not seem
to launch but pulled a lot instead and the manual says that backward
start may stress the kite in some circumstances...
I did not try to relauch from the edge of the wind window by pulling
one line as detailled on page 27 of the manual (that s how I usually
relaunch the Extacy when on its leading edge), because it is not
recommended in the manual.
Is pulling 2 m of one steering line and releasing this line is the right
technique?
comment 8
Backstall and lower limit of the wind range
Oh! Oh! Oh! This kite never seems to backstall!!! It is soooo easy to keep it in the sky! I tried it in 8-9 knots: it launched very easily and did not backstall although it did not pull enough to do anything fun on the water...
I tried it in 12 knots.I think this is near the lower limit of the wind range for my capabilities. I could slightly go upwind...
comment 9
Luffing...
The Speed did not luff... however, it sometimes flew much more over my
head than the Extacy does...
comment 10
Hard Steering.
I was surprise by the hard steering of the Speed... I prefer the soft
steering of the Extacy... I know there is a setting to soften the Speed
steering strength and I will probably play with this setting.
However, i am so happy about the way the Speed flies that I do not want
to modify its flying behaviour just to soften the steering strength...
OK, 10 comments, like the Ten Commandments... That sounds good and I
think that is enough regarding my first impressions...
I am sure they will change with time and experience spent on the Speed
though...
I will give further information once I have tried several launching techniques to tell which one seems to be the suitable one when the kite lies on its leading edge.
Fred,
(Happy FS kiter).
Thanks for the comprehensive review. I have recently bought the same kite and my impressions are verysimilar to yours. I am particularly impressed with the power and smoothness. I have come from a LEI background and I am not really sure of the best way to solo land the Speed. What technique do you use?
You are welcome Ice. I am glad this review was helpful to someone.
Regarding the landing techniques, I usually backstall my kite.
Here is a detailed description of my ritual:
I drop my board on the beach slightly upwind of me, within arms reach.
I check that the wind is not too strong and gusty.
I check the direction of the wind (by throwing some sand in the air)
I face straight downwind.
I slowly put the kite overhead.
I check again that the wind is not too strong by assessing the pull of the kite on my harness. If I am too floaty, I stop there and adopt another technique!
I make sure that I can reach the safety release in case crap happens.
Stage 8 : I pull hard the two steering lines (at the junction of the green/red lines with the white lines). From this moment, I can have a very good control of the backstall speed and the direction of the kite. I can -usually- land smoothly the kite.
As soon as the kite as landed I pull harder both steering lines, to oversheet even more the already oversheeted kite in order to make sure that it will not launch again.
I take both steering lines into one hand and unhook.
Still with both steering lines in my hands, I pull the kite leash through the bar and, by this way, I transfer the pull of the kite from the steering lines to the leash.
Once the pull of the kite is transferred into the leash, I release both steering lines.
I then grab my board, edge it into the sand, and add more sand onto it to use it as an anchor.
I clean any sand that is around the board handle;
I undo the leash from my harness and attach it to the handle of my board. During this operation, I always keep the leash tight and I check that the clip of the leash is free of sand.
Then I run to the kite and pull one wingtip upwind. I put the kite on the ground, fold the wingtip and weigh it down with sand;
The kite is now parallel to the wind direction, ready to be easily folded, or relaunched from the edge of the wind window.
The above technique has the advantage of keeping control of the kite and nicely landing it where you want. However, as the kite backstalls through the power zone, there is no place for hesitation or a change of mind in the middle of the procedure. It is important to be ready to reach the safety release at any time as this will kill all power if crap happens.
That s how I usually land the 7 m Extacy and how I have landed the 13 m Speed so far. I tried this technique with the Speed to winds up to 18-20 knots in a constant seabreeze and it worked very well. In stronger wind, owing to the amazing power of the Speed, I am concerned that the kite will just loft me at Stage 8 of the ritual, so I guess the use of the depowerloop safety release would be a better option to land the kite.
In general, I much prefer landing the 7 m Extacy by pulling the safety release when I am close to the upper limit of the wind range with gusty conditions. I recommend kiters that are not familiar with FS to regularly use the safety release as it is for sure an excellent safe way of landing a kite and the best practice for future possible emergency. I have not landed the Speed 13 m using the safety release yet, and therefore I can not comment about its behaviour when the kite lands in this mode. I will try as soon as the wind is not too strong and give some feedback if anybody is interested.
There is an interesting video demonstrating different launching techniques if you open "Relaunch of FS-Ki...*" at www.skywalk.org/
Alright. I have just written another novel.
Fred 
Just read your excelent review of the 13 SPEED Fred, Good work!
I would be interested to hear an update on your progress on the SPEED..
How is it treating you now?
How do you find the turning speed? Is it fast enough to be fun?
What about dealing with "run away speed" runs? Can you slow the kite easily enough?
All good, Thanks.
