I doubt I've even cracked 20m knots on a foil. At what speed do the NP pinkies start to whistle?

But is there a fundamental reason wind foilers are behind kite foilers in top speed? Or is it just that smaller, faster foils haven't yet had the development?

A kite foiler has told me they aim to be cruising at just over 30knots in open water. That's believable, GPS don't lie and the winner of the lighthouse to Leighton race averaged low 30 knots . I suppose kites can get the upward lift to get small foils going in light wind but, theoretically, could a wind foiler that needed all of 18 knots to get going be stable enough to match slalom boards at the slalom board's own off-the-wind game?

Select to expand quote

Ian K said..
I doubt I've even cracked 20m knots on a foil. At what speed do the NP pinkies start to whistle?

But is there a fundamental reason wind foilers are behind kite foilers in top speed? Or is it just that smaller, faster foils haven't yet had the development?

A kite foiler has told me they aim to be cruising at just over 30knots in open water. That's believable, GPS don't lie and the winner of the lighthouse to Leighton race averaged low 30 knots . I suppose kites can get the upward lift to get small foils going in light wind but, theoretically, could a wind foiler that needed all of 18 knots to get going be stable enough to match slalom boards at the slalom board's own off-the-wind game?

I think the faster speeds of the kite foilers is largely due to a few things. As you say, they do use smaller foil wings because they can. They have a fair bit less weight that the foil has to support. The rammed air kites they use are also a lot more powerful than a normal C kite like the lawn mowers use at the local, and their power source isn't directly attached to the board, which makes things a fair bit easier to get/keep stable. Youre not trying to get the power unit in balance with you and the board.

i can attest to their downwind speed. Me and a mate were doing a downwinder on the swan river one 20knot summer afternoon on slalom kit when two of them went past us like we were standing still. That was on a fair amount of chop though. On some flat water i think it would be a different story. I will say, after i thought to myself "that was fast" my next thought was "i wouldn't want to be attached to that board if it went pear shaped". You'd rip your feet out of their sockets by the looks.

as to a windfoiler beating someone on slalom kit, i think it would be very dependant on conditions/windspeed. Ultimately the foilspeed will top out somewhere before the slalom/speed board does on some flat water. Not to mention stability/too much lift becomes more of a problem for the foil the faster it goes. Not to say set up won't help a bit, but the foiler is going to have to disconnect all of the self preservation wires for it.

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Ian K said..
I doubt I've even cracked 20m knots on a foil. At what speed do the NP pinkies start to whistle?

But is there a fundamental reason wind foilers are behind kite foilers in top speed? Or is it just that smaller, faster foils haven't yet had the development?

A kite foiler has told me they aim to be cruising at just over 30knots in open water. That's believable, GPS don't lie and the winner of the lighthouse to Leighton race averaged low 30 knots . I suppose kites can get the upward lift to get small foils going in light wind but, theoretically, could a wind foiler that needed all of 18 knots to get going be stable enough to match slalom boards at the slalom board's own off-the-wind game?

Speeds were around 28 knots according to the Zeeko owner who published the video

Select to expand quote

duzzi said..

Ian K said..
I doubt I've even cracked 20m knots on a foil. At what speed do the NP pinkies start to whistle?

But is there a fundamental reason wind foilers are behind kite foilers in top speed? Or is it just that smaller, faster foils haven't yet had the development?

A kite foiler has told me they aim to be cruising at just over 30knots in open water. That's believable, GPS don't lie and the winner of the lighthouse to Leighton race averaged low 30 knots . I suppose kites can get the upward lift to get small foils going in light wind but, theoretically, could a wind foiler that needed all of 18 knots to get going be stable enough to match slalom boards at the slalom board's own off-the-wind game?

Speeds were around 28 knots according to the Zeeko owner who published the video

Some of the foilers here have cracked 30knts on a run, so 28 is quite believable.

The focus is on Freeride Slalom as in getting out with some mates smashing down the run ( being the first to the end ) then peeling off for that perfect lay down gybe then back again.
social blasting with the only communication a nod a smile a hoot and a rebel yell.
The video is saying foiling is now part of that.

www.windfoilzone.com/post/windfoil-speed

There's another thing about the kites that AAlbeau mentioned. With the windward tilt they can oppose the tendency to lift by holding the kite low, allowing more power to be put thru' the foil. Will be interesting to see how close windfoils can get; phantom have
www.phantom-international.com/latestnews/2019/7/22/phantom-40-knots-challenge

Although personally I have to say a switch to fin power seems wise above a certain speed.....