I've been kitesurfing for about 6 years (water only) and am thinking about picking up a ProFoil 5.5 (great price) to use for kitebuggy-ing and kite-snowboarding (two sports I'm brand new to). I've been flying Peter Lynn arcs, and use Phantoms and Venoms on the water.

I've read that the ProFoils are real stable (that's a hot button for me) but does anyone know if it can be converted from steering with handles to a bar? If so, how is this done?

What do you think the wind range for a big guy (I weigh 240 lbs) would be for the 5.5 on a kitebuggy or snowboard?

I may be moving from Hawaii to someplace that gets a lot of snow, so I'll need some way of getting my kite-stoke

Hey Kahuna, where might you be moving too?

I have only flown my 5.5 ProFoil on handles but I do not see any reason why you can't use a bar. Should be straight swap with the brake lines to the center pigtails. then tune in just a little brake tension.

The 5.5m will start flying reliably for static flying in 5-5.5 kts with some work to keep it moving, and will start pulling well enough to move in about 8 kts. I'm just over 200 lbs with gear on.

I have not tested the upper end but I am not an extremist anyway and alwys reach for a smaller foil when it's too much work to hold on. As it is my wife is always checking on my life insurance when I go to the beach with the buggy.

Skis generally hold and edge better than buggies though so you'll have a higher upper end there.

for the price you cannot go wrong.

Be warned, bar conversions don't always work as easy as they would at first seem. Problem with putting the brake lines on the centre, is when you turn left, the right flying line will be let out, but the right brake will remain put, so effectively you're pulling in on right brake when turning left, the same works turning the other way.

It's easily fixed though, all you need is about 3m of Q power line or something fairly tough. Put a 1m extension on either flying line off the bar ends, then put a safety line through the centre of the bar, knot on one end to stop it at the bar end, About 1/2m from the bar you want to put a small pulley, Run a 1m lenght of Q line through the pulley and tie a knot on either end. Pull the 2 knots tight and tie another knot at the end of each of the flying line extentions from the bar. All 4 knots should end up the same distance from the bar.

The reason for this setup is so that when you turn left, you'll get slack in the left brake line, this slack will work it's way through the pulley and give you the movement you need on the right brake to not be applied. Works great on any kite.


Another question though, why not use the Arcs for the buggy/snowkiting. I've gotten along great with a 13m Venom in the buggy in winds from about 12mph up to 35mph.

Thanks Acampbell and Pablo for the info, especially the info on setting up the braking line. I'll have to study a couple other bar setups to make sure I understand what's going on. I think a buddy of mine converted his old F2 to a system similar to what you described.

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Another question though, why not use the Arcs for the buggy/snowkiting. I've gotten along great with a 13m Venom in the buggy in winds from about 12mph up to 35mph.

Yeah, I'd prefer to use arcs, and if the conditions are right I'll use my Venom 19 ( thanks Kent) or Phantom 15 but would like to get something smaller. The prices on those ProFoils make them pretty tempting. Hey Kent, you wouldn't have a smaller Phantom or Bomba laying around, collecting dust, would you?

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Hey Kahuna, where might you be moving too?

Not sure yet. My mom in Ohio is getting up in her years (she's a very healthy 85) and I'm thinking about moving closer so I'll be around if she needs me. I started a new business ( http://www.marinesimulation.com/ ) which should allow me to be almost anywhere, but I'm guessing we'll end up somewhere in the Midwest or East Coast somewhere.

Leaving Hawaii is gonna be tough though, I've been here for almost 30 years...