Small kite for downwind starts

What about a golf umbrella?

First minute of JD’s video today shows them in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDqvOmurM4A

8’6 x 18.5 downwind board and an axis 1300, I can get going in 10 knots on the same setup with a 4m wing by pumping the wing and the board, so I think fair to say you need more sail area on the kite as you can’t pump it as well, if at all.

The wing I can just give two or three pumps and it is up, in less wind.

Ya I’d be interested, novelty factor is strong here, but also I see it as a nice backup for big downwind sends, as a backup in case the wind changes direction, or dies off.

I wonder if it would be more efficient if the bumps were smoother along the airfoil direction. It looks like it is pretty much just a parachute without a clear airfoil shape.

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In terms of commercial development, I wonder if a a company like Flysurfer with their Peak range of single skin kites would be a possible developer of this, they have the experience to make it really perform.

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This looks hard on the hands in terms of holding it. If anyone tries this, these exercise handles might make holding it easier, and they are small.

I could be wrong, but I think the prototypes that have been seen in the videos out there are all from Five-O Windsports. Its not on their site, but I think they are behind it. They are building some very slick looking wings as well.

This is a NPW5 kite. Its modeled on a stearable re-entry parachute design by Nasa (Nasa Para Wing). I built a few around 7m2 in the late 90s to body drag and ski down the beach. Pulls like a truck for its size and flies well on long bridles. Relatively easy to make. Splitting the 2 line bridle in 2 or adding a 3rd depower line to the TE is dead simple. A 4-5m version would get you on foil. Enhanced version plans here https://pdj.home.xs4all.nl/nasaplan.htm

Yes, looks like it. They have a wait list now. https://www.fiveowindsports.com/store/p/pocket-wing

What about a golf umbrella?

That’s the dillion dollar question! Very tempting to try.

He was doing the Maryhill-Rufus run yesterday on what looked like the same size. Clearly that kite is never going to pull a foiler upwind, at least not while just hanging on to the bridles.

Googled around a bit as to what’s available these days in the way of “single surface trainer kites” and not much out there. Ozone had something called the “Go” which would have been perfect in the 2.5M size but nobody seems to have one, just the 1.5M. As soon as you start looking at anything other than a trainer in single surface the price goes through the roof

I’m pretty sold on this idea for two reasons

1. Being able to ride a small wing board in bumps appeals
2. Having a wing in your hand in DW bumps is irritating as it is always in the way unless the wind is pumping.

Sign me up! I’ve bought a 3m trainer kite, lets see.

nose line for auto zhenit and earlier fly
Works also from bridles

Standing launch

Updating my position on this:

big foil: paddling up on bumps is easier than expected, much easier than flat water. if the conditions are clean and organised then kite not necessary

small foil: quite a lot harder, so the kite appeals here. Especially in confused conditions, having the agility of the smaller foil benefits

Standing launch vids

https://www.lesfoilz.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5878&start=20#p76194

I’ve ordered a NasaStar, poor mans foil drive

https://www.instagram.com/p/C23-J9mvvPU/

In very light winds, the NASA type has useful upwind performance when compared to other styles of kites that are used for kitesailing. The reason for this is that, because of their highly cambered form, NASA’s develop strong pull even while hanging at their maximum angle to the edge even in very light wind- whereas higher performance kites require to be ‘figure eighted’ in these conditions, thereby losing much of their effective upwind angle source

A bit of messing around with an old slingshot 3m made it clear why the single skin Nasa design is interesting

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• dual skin sticks together when wet, and likely to be a nightmare to launch.
• stability with the higher aspect ratio isn’t great, kite only pulls when flying through the wind

I made a few of those Nasa wings in the olde days to body drag and jump on the beach before kiteboarding was a thing. Still have a 7.5m2 in the rafters. The thing pulls like tractor.
What size did you order Matt?
I’d be interested how you depower and fold them while on foil. Thinking maybe two steel rings connected with a rope to push towards the kite and collapse the bridle?

After playing around with the 3m slingshot in 5-10knots I went for the 2.5m as the 3m also pulled like a truck when a gust hit. More than enough to get on foil I would think in the 15-20kn range.

It has a depower capability, but I’m hoping that I can just collapse it just by grabbing the bridle. Lets see!

Was the 3m on kite lines creating apparent wind? 2.5m2 sounds tiny, even for 20knots. Or are you on a fast DW board?
Looks more like 30+: Cynthia Cynbad Brown on Instagram: "The Pocket Wing and the Pocket Chute have a play date on the South side of Maui! The beginning of this 9 mile run is super flat, with straight off shore wind and tiny wind ripples. Rather then grind it out trying to foil up in the flats and pump for a mile, @samnokaoi the inventor of @pocket_wing and I used our mini, collapsible wind assists. Some of the most foiling fun possible, specially when shared with friends! @mikeslab @ozonekites #marypoppinsreturns #didntevengetmyheartrateup #stoked #loyaltothefoil #downwindfoiling #wingfoiling #totalfoil #multitasking @foilingmagazine @fiercepulse"