Just wondering on others takes on this, I have always noticed from time to time, but more so in the last few weeks on assisted lauch of various kites, me being the launcher that lots of guys just are not inflating there kites enough , like you pick it up and the thing bends in half with a puff of wind against it???
It seems strange as alot of kites fly like a waffer if not infalted to at least give you that drum flick sound when you flick the leding edge.
Anyway is it they don't know, or is it there afraid of popping the thing or happy with the that'll do approach???
I used to tell alot of em, but few listened and carried on , I don't bother saying now having the whatever attitude now.
Anyone else notice this much?

Pump It

Yeh I have no idea, not sure if they are scared of popping their bladders or what, personally I will pump until my pump stops working, makes relaunch heaps easier and the kite is gauranteed to fly well,

Thanks
Matt

^^^ if you fly cabrinhas your slow leaks could be from sand getting in between the rubber seal and the flange on the inflate valve.
(just a thought)

Reasons:
- laziness
- scared of popping while pumping
- scared of popping if crashed hard square on the leading edge
- scared of popping if caught in a wave and bent back on itself

Problems:
- If it is pumped up hard, it flies better and you are less likely to crash it on the leading edge.Though the kind of impact I'm talking about is generally from some ill-fated trick that ends with your foot in your head so I'm not sure you have much say over what the kite does
- If it is pumped up hard, much easier to relaunch and then less likely to get caught in a wave.

Laziness really is the key though.

I would say fitness is an issue, when you have a big kite and you are a little older than these kids there the effort to pump can be quite substantial. I am reasonably fit so it is not an issue but I could imagine what it is like for someone who only gets out once or twice a week, stuffed before they get out on the kite. Have to have a Nana nap before they go and play in the water.

I think im pumping mine too hard - 6 to 7 psi, (guage) dont know how accurate these are though ? will 6-7 psi damage the kite over time ???

I was told go hard or go home !

mf

harry potter said...


Hard at the start but after two hours riding they become limp and I need to pump them up again.

What does your girlfriend say about this

Monkeyfish said...

I think im pumping mine too hard - 6 to 7 psi, (guage) dont know how accurate these are though ? will 6-7 psi damage the kite over time ???

I was told go hard or go home !

mf

8 psi AT THE LEAST, 9 - 10 is perfect!

8 to 10psi or you might as well fly a doona.

RedKite said...

harry potter said...


Hard at the start but after two hours riding they become limp and I need to pump them up again.

What does your girlfriend say about this

Nice one that cracked me up.

if your using a pump with a gauge and you have a valve with a stopper ball the reading you get is only measuring the pressure of the air in the pump tube not the bladder.


the pressure will slightly under what ever it takes to move the stopper ball. just worth noting (ie don't trust the thing)

anyone with a bandit should also remember to be pumping kites up to 12psi, which seems bloody hard but helps stop the leading edge deforming when it's really powered up, the Bandit Dos has an extra mini bridle/attatchment point which should help this aswell.

^^^ correctamondo. pump gauge is the stupidest thing ever, just pump it till its hard, its not difficult if you can't get it right stop kiting.

the beach should have air stations next to the showers - or if you live in adelaide they should give us showers first -

board9898 said...

lots of people who ask for a launch have only half pumped their kites and are way too soft!

Yep they're all way too soft - they should self launch

Yeah, I've popped a couple of kites before, it makes for quite an inconvenience having to find an alternative kite for the sesh then doing the repair. Now I go for pumping it just hard enough to get reasonable flight characteristics, without getting overexcited.