There was a thread on another forum that could be of interest here. I have used these kites a lot and wanted to share some of my experience.
The question was about the Slingshot TD, inflation pressure, design, bar stopper, relaunching, etc.
I made 2 replies, add your own comments/tips here in this thread if you wish.

1st reply
The Bow design needs a more rigid canopy, which larger diameter struts deliver. I think cost and weight factors were probably part of the consideration too. The TD canopy is still well made and all the essential seams along the back of the struts are taped and the teinjin sail is not sewn directly to the le, very good construction and made for easy repairs.

When you pack up any of the bow kites, do not roll the kite up along the leading edge like you do on C kites!
If you do you will get terrible twists in the internal bladder.

Roll the kite this way.
Fold the kite over at the first strut, along the line of the strut to sail seam, now keep rolling keeping the struts parallel to those seams, you will notice that the leading edge continually rolls inside the sail of the kite.
I roll each tip to the centre and then fold the TD once, but not exactly is the same place all the time. Avoid being too anal about folding in the same place, or brushing sand off with your hand, folding in the same place will lead to stitching failure at that place, brushing sand off damages the cloth. Remember sand paper is made out of sand.

The TD is heavier at the bar than the Fuel 06, but both are light in my opinion. The fuel pivot turns, the TD turns tight the point it turns about is further up the LE, and like all bows the swing turn. When learning to jump with them, you initiate the turn back to start the jump with the kite higher in the window, but turn back as sharply as you can by edging hard just at the time, then hang on!! Hold the bar in and only turn back when you feel yourself descending. Jumps are big and easy.

Make sure to pump the TD to at least 5.5-6 PSI.

Some people find themselves luffing the TD in gusty winds, I have found that you can move the black bar stopper down to a certain point where this will almost not happen, mark that spot with a marker pen, leave the bar stopper there if you don't want to "ride the knot".
Don't ride the knot if you want that instant depower to absorb gusts, just bring the stopper down for launch and then move it up once you are away from the beach.
Remember the 12TD has the bottom end of at least 15M and the top end of at least a 10M, it can still make you go to hospital.

2nd reply
Downwind relaunching is a cinch, pull in on one leader and hold it in until the tip it is connected to (opposite to the bar end) lifts off the water and the kites leading edge is pointing upwards or towards 10 to 11 oclock, let go of the leader at that point and just steer the kite up out of the water, sheeting out to avoid being pulled heavily.
Practice makes perfect, but it is easy.
If it is leading edge down with you upwind, then pull in one rear line a lot until the kite has moved towards you a fair but, then let the line go, the kite should rollover into the normal launch position described above.

Always have approx 12 -15cm of silver line outside the cleat, otherwise the kite will oversheet when you pull the bar all the way in, tie a knot in the silver line approx that distance up from the black stopper that holds the ring for the leash.

The bar stopper does not reduce bar pressure, it just allows you to ride the knot like a C kite and it really works unlike any other bar stopper on any other bow kite.


The on off power thing becomes a thing of the past once you fly the kite on the water, in decent winds, provided you have adjusted the silver line as described above. If you find yourself pulling in on the bar to get power, slap yourself and remeber to push the bar out a bit to get the kite moving forwards fast again, these kites respons to the bar being sheeted out more than in, they really fly off the front lines, the rears are just for steering and to a smaller degree power control.

Because the angle of attack can actually be changed so much with this style of kite it is important to not sheet in and out too much as this will disturb airflow over the kite/wing and reduce lift and pull. Smooth and steady with the sheeting is the way with this style of kite.

If the sh1t hits the fan you must remember to let go of the bar, if the stopper is down and you are riding the knot the only way to activate the 95% depower is to pull the safety release on the TD chicken loop, rehearse this in your mind before and immediately after every launch, and you should be able to avoid seeing the inside of a hospital a lot more!

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

PS I can post descriptions of how to self land and self launch the kites too, if anyone wants that info.