The team at North has had some serious growth over the past few years, with an all-star team of athletes and some recent changes to the design team. With two major releases including the 2023 North Orbit and the all-new Code Zero, we got in touch with Lead Kite Designer Pepijn Smit to find out all about what’s new behind the scenes at North!

Hi Pepijn, thanks for joining us today for this Interview. You joined the North Kiteboarding team in a full-time capacity a year ago - congrats! What is your role at North Kiteboarding, and how did that relationship begin?

Pat Goodman is a friend of mine. He introduced me to the team with a focus on developing a one-strut kite design while he and the rest of the team concentrated on refining our core podium-proven designs. After Pat left, I came on board as the Lead Kite Designer for North Kiteboarding and started with fine tuning the Reach for the 2022 model year and began working more on the other kites as well - that's more or less how it started.

There's been some big news coming out of North Kiteboarding in recent weeks, including the launch of the 2023 Big Air collection. We are super excited to try out the new 2023 North Orbit! What can you tell us about this kite? 

For 2023, the Orbit feels even more responsive in all conditions. Without changing the DNA of the kite, we've made small structural refinements to smooth out the canopy, optimising the profile for less drag, faster forward speed and smoother turning.   

What is new in the 2023 version vs the 2022 version?  

Slightly refined bridling means the kite feels more stable and forgiving in overpowered, gusty conditions yet retains its ability to fly forward and catch you in kite loops.  

We've reduced the kite's overall weight with lighter bladders in larger sizes and introduced a new 2-ply canopy material reinforcement on the trailing edge. We've constructed the leading edge and struts in our lighter N-Dure Dacron to save significantly more weight without compromising strength or durability.  

The Code Zero was also released very recently, and we understand that this is a project that you worked on well before our time at North! Can you tell us the backstory of the Code Zero one-strut project?

Making special kites has always been a side development of mine. Not being able to work full time on this project meant it developed gently, becoming the most minimalistic kite I've ever made. 

Tell us more about the kite! How does the Code Zero stand out in the market? 

The Code Zero is the ultimate in light wind foiling. It is a highly efficient kite with a wide wind range and impressive power delivery. It's also one of the lightest single-strut kites available - the lightest made with conventional materials. Code Zero has a playful and agile feel with dynamic steering. It flies and turns quickly - with excellent drift and manoeuvrability, which makes it ideal for foiling and small surf. 

Can you share some insight on what your design process is? How do you get from the idea to the final product? 

The process is long, and it takes several prototypes that go back and forth to specific test-riders. I gather feedback from the riders and then make adjustments based on that to the kites. A lot of iterations go into materials and potential new technologies. 

Whether it's discovering the lightest, strongest, or most innovative material or a kite design that is capable of taking your pro riders to the moon, do you feel a lot of pressure to find the "next best thing"? 

As a designer, you are always pushing boundaries and trying to achieve more… It's the very act of seeking that keeps you energised and excited to create. The goal when designing is to craft the most efficient and accessible kite – to simplify rather than complicate things. Our North Design philosophy isn't about having all the bells and whistles; it's about taking away anything that isn't essential, engineered, refined and intuitive. 

We just got back from AWSI, where we saw the new North Mode wing featuring a proprietary material called N-Weave. What can you share about this new material? Any plans to include it in the kite lineup? 

North developed N-Weave, a new low-elongation, high tensile strength woven fibre, to help reduce geometric compromise in inflated structures. N-Weave creates a stiffer, lighter rig that holds its shape when under load and has a highly efficient power delivery. N-Weave has 3.5x the tear strength of DLE160. The resulting stiffness helps to reduce structural deflection and transfer wind more directly. 

It's also lighter than Dacron. The UHMWPE fibre used in N-Weave is 11x lighter than a polyester fibre of the same breaking strength. The N-Weave material is 40% lighter than a traditional leading edge Dacron (175gsm).  

UPE is known for its durability and toughness. N-Weave also has a very high cut and abrasion resistance, resistance to water, moisture, chemicals, UV and microorganisms. The possibilities with such material on kites are yet to be seen. Watch this space! Our development of new materials is ongoing. 

Let's go back a few years! You've had a passion for kite design since you were ten years old, starting with a simple single-line kite. Do you remember your first design success as a child? Can you tell us about it?

That's a while back! From what I remember, it was made from paper and bamboo rods. It flew with the lightest of breezes, and I had to trim it with fishing line lead to prevent it from leaning to one side - showing how important it is to make things symmetrical. 

Did that early passion for kite design help guide your education and career? How so? 

There's no education for becoming a Kite Designer except to question everything you see and do. That was also one of the strongest elements in study I did, and this approach is what brought me to where I am now.

You've had experiences with all kinds of kites, but when was your first experience with kitesurfing? Did your previous experience with stunt and power kites make your learning journey in kitesurfing a little bit easier?  

My first experience was not really what I expected from it; it was a way too big foil kite on handles with no de-power, so yes, the previous power kite experience was a great help for sure in this, as you're used to how to deal with kites in that situation. Nowadays, the kites are way more refined and can be trimmed down for less power. 

As a Dutch local, you've got access to some pretty wild North Sea conditions. Do you enjoy kiting at home? What is your favourite spot in the Netherlands? 

My favourite spot; is our 'secret' home spot! In the Netherlands, we have such a wide variety of wind and the North Sea - one of the best seas (not to say 'the' best sea). You get every possible condition you can ever think of. The wind is predominantly west, so ideal for the Dutch coast. 

Another project that you've played a role in is Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES), doing some work on the Kitepower project. Tell us about it! 

At Kitepower, they envision a world where kites are used to power systems that deliver clean, affordable, sustainable energy. This, all with up to 90% less materials used than a conventional wind turbine. For Kitepower, I designed a 60m2 kite with enough power (and de-power) to generate enough electricity to power 150 houses. 

Incredible accomplishment! Do you think that kites can provide real solutions for energy problems? Is this something that we might see some more progress and growth on in the coming years? 

The product is not there yet, but as it evolves, it should get its own place and contribute to the energy-providing sector. 

What are you most excited about for the year ahead with North Kiteboarding? 

Everything; possibilities are endless, and we have plenty of ideas to make the products even better. The development never stops.

 

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By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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