I have a 5 meter pulse... sorry no pycho3, the wind range are way off the mark - 15 knots is not going to get you out as stated on the flysurfer charts and other web sites - 28 knots and it starts to become useful.. 30 to 40 and its fun. I also have a 10 meter rebel for comparison of a lei.

Haven’t used the pulse enough to give you a complete comparison... but it’s better than someone that sells them or only fly's foils or hasn’t flown a foil at all.

Launches really easy, self landing can be harder than my 5th line rebel because it’s so light it doesn’t want to land in high winds... even with the backstalling method. It comes with a 5th line setup which personally for me doesn’t install the most confidence to use for fear of tangles.

You need to be more careful when packing up a foil than with a normal bridle inflatable because of the complex bridles. I have only ever had one major tangle and wasn’t that long with sorting out. About 15 mins.

I think you really need to just buy one and then use it enough to appreciate it because it’s different from the lei. You shouldn’t be taken back though just because it’s not a mainstream kite design. It’s probably more to do with kite companies - profits - patents and a whole lot of other factors not related to actual performance. (I have nothing to base that on except lei hype)

Psycho is more aimed at the wake style market I think. Were pulse is freestyle and wave ridding which is my discipline.


I may get a 7 meter yet as a teaching kite because it’s less liable to fall apart when mistreated by students. (Note: not an instructor yet )

Nah,load of cobblers matey !

If you get one of them foil thingies you will be the odd one out !

Not to mention if you drop the bugah,it will probably get waterlogged.

hey tobes, does a 10 metre foil have the same power as a 10 m LEi, or do yo get a size smaller in foil than you normally would for a pumped kite ? e.g 10 m pulse =12 m rebel in traction??

Yeah, it's basically about projected area, the foils are flat, the bows are pretty flat, the c's arent.
A 10m Flysurfer = 11-12m Bow = 13-15m C

bennie, come see for yourself - more than happy to give any competant kiter a test fly. Call me 0414 716 812 to make a time & place. I have lessons booked @ Peli Pt Sat & Sun arvo if you want to come down before or after.

Like all manufacturers the wind ranges published are from min upwind on average size board to almost being lofted. Having said that I have had safe fun on FlySurfer 10m Pulse, Psycho3 and Speed2's from 10-30 knots.

user, I've always found that it's always better to not say anything at all than to remove any doubt that you don't know what you're talking about - water relaunching has always been one of FlySurfer foils strengths.

Thanks Ian, but I actually live on the central coast of NSW now. Do you know where I might be able to demo one in this area or Sydney?

I realize the the advertised wind range is the absolute maximum. I was thinking that with a P3 10m that 10-14knots would be on my surfboard 15-25 knots on my flx 132 and 25-30 knots on a high wind board around 120cm, would this be correct. Also I weigh 80kgs.

I am interested in a good all rounder kite that is solid for surfing and general freeriding. I also like kites that turn fast. Does this sound like the P3 or would the Pulse or speed2 suit my needs better?

One more Q, as I have only ever used LEI kites. One of my concerns about having a foil is that if for some reason I cannot relaunch, the kite will eventually sink. Is this true? and if so approx how long will it float for ? will I have enough time to be able to wind up my lines and get to the kite so I can get it back to shore ? It would really suck to lose a 2k kite!.

Oh I've sunk em, but you've really got to try...
How's the aftermath lovey? Doesn't look like we'll get that southerly today...bummer.

I'm always happy to let anyone that knows what they're doing have a fly....

I bought my Flysurfers without a demo, based on reviews on the web, look at foilzone.com...and found the kites pretty much delivered as promised.

When I say sunk, I mean either eaten up by a big wave (pulse), or the Speed1 liked to take on water if it was leading edge down and a wave caught it. This happened once in an underpowered surf session. In either situation most LEI's would have been in trouble too.

Hey lovey, it's mostly the crossbow guys with the nappy harnesses and board leashes! Gives me a good idea though, we should have a retro session, we all bring our oldest worst gear and ride that, I've got a ballbreaking seat harness, a huge old TT and one of the first flysurfers, a Speedair....what do you reckon?

I have personally sunk a 5 metre maniac, but it took 20 minutes. Main issue with complicated bridle is occasionally if you put the kite down completely depowered the tip can twist inside the outer bridle (my 9.3 warrior did this too once, but i was close enough to shore to swim in and drag it in). If the twist is big enough, it will not relaunch (smaller kite, more of an issue).

The speed1 does this too, ask Jeremy who had the starboard 30 cm twisted yesterday after a crash following a jump. Jeremy was able to untwist his by pulling on the line when it was relaunched (took about 15 minutes though and it was not particularly directional during this time).

So saying, I am impressed with the speed 10 metre, and would expect all 3 of the fs machines to be well made, durable and fun.

Back in the warrior days the depower was like a C (not real good, especially if the front lines stretched), but I understand the new kites are better. I would be surprised if they were as good as say the cab bows and gk sonics for depower, but they relaunch even quicker. There was a tendency without the depower however to end up downwind a way from your board. I understand this is not the case with the pulse, and I could relaunch the speed without taking the board off the 10-12 knot day I tried Jeremy's. I was warmed up from a long walk back up the beach. How does the psycho3 compare Ian, I cannot find a good description of this on the net?

For speedair should I read mastair?

Chris/ Jeremy read http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianyoung/FS_tips.html for the technique on how to avoid wing-tip tangles and getting them out much quicker by reversing it down onto it's TE or in worst cases deliberatey crash the kite LE down then flipping it over - also read self-rescue, much better than dragging a kite through the water.

Speedair was the model before the Mastair in 2001. 7m Mastair was pretty unstable but had the power of 9.3 Warrior/10m current models.

The Psycho3 is more stable than the Speed2 but will tend to stall in light winds if fully sheeted in whereas the Speed2 just seems to accelerate when you sheet in. The PS3 also kiteloops (hooked or unhooked) really sweet - don't know if Lou Wainman ever pulled off that new trick though www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20089 foilzone.com has some revues but why not call me to arrange a test flight and see for yourself?

I don't know how to deliberately bow-tie a kite but you could go down to Peli Pt or Melville where you can touch the bottom and get a mate to bow-tie it for you then practice the techniques.

You should NEVER pull a foil towards you - always go along the lines to the kite. If you can't relaunch it for any reason the next option is a self rescue as per my tips page.

I'd be happy to run a free clinic for Perth FlySurfer users and any others interested?

Ian ..If you ran a clinic for Flysurfers i would be interested. If you like i could video the specific manouveres you talk about in your website tips. You could then use them as downloadable videos from your website.

Despite my bridal tangle the other day i'm still very positive about flysurfers. The Speed 1 has allowed me to use a lower wind range previously unkitable for me .