VIC
54 posts
I have adjusted all of the lines and made sure they are all the same length and am still having trouble with the kite holding power.
I find the kite flys well with the bar about an inch or two off the chicken I have played with the trim strap while on the water but I am still strugling to find the right settings and am finding the kite will not hold power with the bar all the way in.
Will changing the kite to 5 lines make any difference if not who wants to bye a new kite.
SA
2288 posts
Having no experience with flexifoil kites take this with a pinch of salt. Just because your lines are the same length does not mean they are necessarily ideal. For instance your bridal lengths/ pigtails might have stretched or mean the the kite naturally flies a bit depowered.
Lengthen the middle lines/ shorten the outside lines until it flies the way you want it too, if still not enough consider more drastic measures such as actually shortening the lines but you shouldn't need to.
Ideal power for light wind is where the kite will just start to begin drifting backwards oversheeted with the bar all the way in at 12'. Generally this is the most comfortable way to ride kites in light wind. Of course some kites prefer to be more/less oversheeted than others.
WA
432 posts
If it is anything like my Atom, I found that when they are at the bottom of their windrange, you really have to get the kite moving to generate power and by that I mean, sheet out slightly, let the kite fly fast and trust that it will pull you. only once is is very powered up could you pull the bar all the way in, park it and be powered up.
VIC
197 posts
Some of the bigger ion3's have needed a little bit of a tune to get the best out of them.
What you need to do.
Set the kite up on 4 lines, in the lower end of the kites wind range (for a 12.5 should be about 15 knots) with the trim strap at full power and the kite above your head gently sheet the bar in. The kite should just start to fly gently backwards. If it does not, then shorten the rear lines on the kite and try again. (on my 16.5 I had to make a new knot 2 inches up the pigtail on each side).
With this setup you will have peak power available on the kite. when flying in light wind you may need an inch or two on the depower strap to avoid stalling the kite.
If the kite is stalling when you are flying then you will need to use the next knot down the pig tail to lengthen the rear lines.
If you are down in Geelong anytime then I can tune it for you!
Going to the fifth line will not help much as it was the length of the length of teh rear pigtails that needed to be tuned.
WA
762 posts
Its an Ion3 what are you doing with the kite? Unhooked stuff or just cruising?
If you are unhooking then I recommend you switch over to the 5th line for a more direct feel.
Other than that you should listen to Karves advice.