Would like to point out a couple of important facts. You can no more put the different models of foils into a group and comment on their characteristics than you can put the Nomad, CB ten, and the Turbo Diesel 1 in a group and comment on their traits. (I pick those kites because I have personal experience on them)
The Flysurfer Speed is out in three very different models.
Speed 1 not in the ball game. Do not buy one you will be disappointed.
Speed 2 very powerful kite, very stable, will not collapse in 12 to 20 winds, at least in the several hundred hours I have on them it has not happened in those conditions. Depower on the 19m speed2 is there but once the wind gets to the mid teens high teens you are looking for a place to put it down. Super kite in 9 to 12 kts.
Speed 3 the latest version and completely different kite. Loads of depower. I know Steve O can ride this comfortably in much higher winds than the speed 2 he is referring to.
I own a larger quiver of Cabs and 4 of the flysurfers. I enjoy riding them all. Relaunch is very similar between the Cabs and the Speed2 and 3. Yes the foils float on top of the water for about 45 min before things change.
The CB and SB are very different kites from the speed2 and speed3. These two models of foils are very very high aspect kites that must be flown and ridden in a different manor than the Cabs. Much like two sail boats doing a down wind leg of a course race, one a mono hull with a large spinnaker that can point straight at the mark and the other like a high aspect catamaran that has to reach off a little to get things rolling.
I would love to see someone with the extreme course racing skills of Damo or Kent take the time to get comfortable with the proper techniques of riding one of these new foil kites, then go for a test run on their high tech course boards testing against each other then switching kites and doing it again. I'll provide the foils give me a call. I would love to give it a go with you guys until the first "tack gybe" on this board with 4 monster daggers sticking out of it. I have the kites down but this board is a new world for me.
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