Power Kite Forum

ARC size compared to LEI's?

Superdog - 10-8-2011 at 10:18 AM

Hi all,

Where I fly there are normally a few kitelandboarders around, however they all fly LEI's. Now I'm slowly getting to grips with my Phantoms but I haven't had the guts to take them out in anything near their top ends yet.

The other day the wind was v strong, there was a guy flying a 12.5(? ish) m flexifoil ION and seemed a little overpowered but in control.

I didn't have the balls to put up the 12m Phantom. Should I have done? How do the sizes compare, so I can have a rough idea of what I should be putting up next time? :roll:

Oh and I've also got a Phantom 15m in the post now, very keen to put that up, so the question is even more important :wee:

AD72 - 10-8-2011 at 11:58 AM

You could have put up the 12 or even the 15 compared to a 12m tube on land.
I have read the 18M even compared to a 12M LEI on the water.

flyguy0101 - 10-8-2011 at 02:24 PM

Cant give you a comparsion to an lei- but can tell you that I flew an 18m phantom in 18-20s last week and felt fine- definitly powered up but still in control (im 230 lbs) at the same time my 90 lbs son was flying a 10m vortex (important note was the 2nd time he had ever flown it) after have been flying a 12m vortex for a couple of hours in 12-15s. the older arcs really are gentle giants
Scott

bigkahuna - 10-8-2011 at 04:33 PM

I'd say AD72's description is pretty accurate. My Phantom 18 or Venom 19 had about the same bottom end as my Bularoo 13m (SLE) inflato. Top end would be close as well, but I'd much rather have the Bularoo 13m in 25-30+mph as it's many times more maneuverable than either of those arcs.

arkay - 10-8-2011 at 08:24 PM

I finds my arc's fly +2-4m larger then LEI... so my v13 is like a 9, the 16 is like a 13. ish.

Superdog - 11-8-2011 at 01:51 AM

Thanks for the advice!

Turns out I was being a girl about it then! :sniff:

Kamikuza - 11-8-2011 at 05:10 AM

Check out the projected area, that counts some ... thing is, the arcs like to be moving. Took the 19m Charger out today in very light wind and it pulled nicely when it was being worked.