What angle for speed

[Cahliss]

What angle would you get the most speed out of your board and yet still remain close to point of origin? Using a Blade of course.

[Murdrak]

That's a very good question, however I truly believe that it can't be answered. First of all you must realize that feeling a lot of pull doesn't necessarily mean that you are going in the right direction if what you want is more speed, actually when you get the most power is when you're fighting against it. The good thing about going a little bit upwind (which is when you are trying to go away from the kite) is that you get a faster turning rate. So, it all depends on the wind, the size of the kite and your skill level.

In light winds you have to keep moving the kite and a good technique is to put the kite at the zenith then dropping it as fast as you can in the direction you want to go and just before it hits the ground lean back while turning and repeat the whole process. You will notice that you are leaving an "s" pattern behind you if you do it right, if you lean back too much you will come to a complete stop and if you don't do it enough your kite will hit the ground.

In strong winds the problem is not how to go fast but how not to go too fast. Normally (if the wind is strong enough) going almost directly towards the kite will result in uncontrollable speed, so you need to start going upwind and in some cases you must start what I can only call an endless power slide (this is when your wheels are barely moving but you are going amazingly fast).

I hope this helps you with your problem and I apologize for my english (I'm not a native).

[jeffsnox]

What angle would you get the most speed out of your board and yet still remain close to point of origin? Using a Blade of course.

Bang on 90 degrees to the wind is the optimum in this circumstance is it not?

 

Max speed is actually obatainable by going slightly downwind (think it's something like 15 degrees downwind?) but then you're going to struggle to return to your starting point as you'll have to track, somewhat slower, at 15 degrees upwind.

[Adrena1in]

I agree with Jeffsnox, in that slight downwind gives the best speed. I've certainly been going pretty much 90 degrees to the wind, at what I thought was full speed, and have turned slightly downwind and actually sped up a bit. But only at 10 or 15 degrees, yes.

 

Sometimes it's nice though, to blast downwind slightly, and then cruise back upwind, ready for another speed run. At my local beach, (West Wittering), I've had to do that a few times because the smooth sand area is limited, and if it's not a direct onshore then there's no choice, especially if you want to go for a long reach.

[tom1599968574]

depends how powered up you are too. if your seriously overpowered, 90 degrees to the wind will be tricky and very slow. 45 degrees downwind will be rediculously fast tho!! i bin tryin on me surfer! no problem with going too fast on that! normally a few dehreees downwind gets you moving then you can turn upwind a bit more and use the speed to get upwind.

[Kroy]

While I was in France, I found that in light winds (with the 8.5), once i got going at a reasonable speed, i could get a load more speed up by snaking slightly upwind... so i'd lean backward... feel the kite pulling and lean forward slightly... pick up some speed, lean backward... and so on. I picked up a load of speed like that and still managed to go upwind. Then, as Adrena1in so well put it, you have some space to "blast downwind".

 

Dunno if n e one else has done that? obviously it doesn't really work in strong winds (tho i haven't actually had chance to try it yet). Oh and it was much easier to do using the handles without a harness coz you could really feel what the kite wanted to do.