Just wandering what are the benefits of using short lines on small kites. I have an 8m that is good to 25-28knots.Since it has been a windy one this season wandering if using 20m lines instead of my standard 25m lines will give the kite a better top end?
Is it the handling that improves the kites top end performance or that the short lines tend to choke the power.
How short can you go?
Are shorter lines a good investment?

Thought it would be good for kite loops but your experience is different from my understanding.

waxman said...

shorter lines mean less power. It gives your kite less time in the power zone less power when bombing it down to get going and when your riding and hit the brakes the kite doesnt have to fly as far forward to reach the edge of the window to depower efectivly making it feel like a smaller kite. it lwont boost as high for the same reason. a lot of pro riders use shorter lines in windy conditions for unhooking easyer and looping with less power. the f-one team go as low as 18m from the standard 24m hope this helps.

Thanks Waxy,will that make my 8m Rebel feel like a 7 or say a 6 and therefore save me the money of purchasing a smaller kite? Just throw the kite up with the short lines when it hits 30 knots sounds too good to be true.

waxman said...

Yep thats right the rebels have great depower anyway and the shorter lines will help it feel like a smaller kite. The trick comes from the old c kite days where it was fairly common to alter the line lengths to gain extra range from the kite. Its a lot cheaper than buying a 7m kite so give it a go.

Most people in whyalla are all on 8m kites when it gets above 30kts so shouldnt be a problem on the rebel.

good luck

Thanks again Waxy the trouble is I am using the 8m with KONTACT 5'10" will the the lines truly help??? Have just invested in a second bar and 25m lines.By the way my Mother Inlaw from is staying with us at the moment do not think this will help me ride the 8m in 30+ in the waves.
Once again cheers.

waxman said...

As far as park and ride the 8m will still have the same power with the shorter lines. the advantage comes from how easily you can wash off the extra power by edging and driving the kite forward in the window and the fact it doesnt generate as much power when flying the kite like when smacking turns on waves it wont pull as hard.

At what stage when the wind picks up are you feeling over powered i know my 8m bandit dos when depowered feels like its just sitting up there with no pull at all. cant coment on surf to much as i dont get to ride much. maby this winter.

Park and ride is ok but in the cross on waves we get more power is needed and as the kite is sent from edge-edge of the window the power generated is too much too maintain edge control on the board.Kite therefore ends up above your head. Making me think a less powerful kite that can be sent wherever you like could be the go.Or shorten the length of power stroke????????

I disagree (sorry :P)

Shorter lines means the kite turns faster and flies to the top of the window faster than if the lines were long.

Even though the actual power stroke is shorter the peak power generated should be more and the kite can switch from one side of the window to the other way faster and can oppose the rider's momentum more rapidly than a kite with long lines if say he/she wants to boost.

I'm pretty sure you'll boost super high with short lines.

I'm unsure though, but it would be nice to hear from some others?

Actually, its all about drag. Longer lines create more drag and allow your kite to fly through a bigger window, they have a longer power stroke thus creating more power/ sitting in the power better.
Shorter lines have far less drag, your kite flys quicker through the window and has a smaller opportunity to produce power, it gets to the side of the window alot quicker thus you must swoop it all over the place to generate apparent speed.
You are still using the same size kite with shorter lines, the thing is you are flying it in a smaller power band and allowing it to get to the edge of the window quicker where it can depower in alot less time, this allows you to be comfortable in slightly stronger winds.

Jumping you will deffiently not go as high. A jump is made by sending the kite behind you as you pendulum underneath it, if you have longer lines (to a degree) your pendulum effect out and up under the kite will be longer and higher. Also short lines will push your kite to the depowered position quicker, which wont let you hang as long as if your kite was on longer lines sitting back further in the wind window.

Short lines will not technically make the kite less powered or make it turn faster. If the kite is sitting smack in the middle of the power zone, it will have the same pull as if it was on 100m lines. What it will do is, as Rowdy said, provide less drag and make the window smaller. You will need to work the kite harder to get going as flying the kite across the power zone will provide a sharper spike than if using longer lines. The kite will have a bit more of an on/off feel that can be harder to manage in strong gusty winds. Usually I'll fly 15m lines, but sometimes actually change to longer lines in strong gusty winds because the kite is easier to manage with a larger window (especially with a small fast kite). If you surf with the kite short lines can be pretty fun in the waves. The difference between 20 and 25m won't be too radical. If it was me, I would not suggest that shorter lines are a real useful high wind tool. If something goes wrong, and overpowered out of control kite on short lines can be just as dangerous as the same kite on longer lines. If however you are keen to just experiment with something different then they may be worth the investment.