My 2 cents worth:

I must be the luckiest bow kiter because...:

• I never had my bridles tangle
• I never had my pulleys break (and to be honest, I don't even notice them when I'm riding)
• In almost 12 months riding bows I had 4 inversions. All of them caused by waves after a crash in the surf. None of them forced me to swim to the beach. Relaunch was always possible and at best I had to untwist a line on the beach. I probably had a similar count with my North/Flexifoil kites that I had before

MY CONCLUSION: Most inversions, problems with pulleys, bridles, etc. happen on the internet and NOT on the water!!! I wonder what agendas are driving this????

Rall In, no worries. I was happy to come and help you. Rigging a 13.5 in winds gusting 40 might not have been a sign of brilliance. I was on my 9m SBlade (11m C) and was well powered.

P

GOB,

No agenda here (as you saw on my post I refered to riding bows and not to bows of a specific brand - so at best I was pimping bow-type kites).

I just find it particularly unhelpful when new kiters or kiters considering bow kites read on the forum topics like inversions, bridles tangling and pulleys breaking blown completely out of proportion.

Put yourself in their shoes and you would probably come to the conclusion: "I'll better not buy a bow, because they are full of problems".

The reality though is that these problems do happen (I'm not saying they don't), but in much smaller frequency than you may think when only reading what's in the forums.

And think about the upside of bow kites:
1. Riders feel safer (during whipe outs, in gusty conditions, lower lofting risks)
2. Riders progress faster (easier relaunch, etc.)
3. Riders need less kites in their quiver due to bigger range

That's the only thing I wanted to point out.

Moritz

P.S.: I've seen inversions at Dolls, at Kurnell and at Wanda. Quite often from beginners though. I'm sure they'll rather live with the occasional inversion than moving back to kites that are hard to relaunch, less safe and require them to have more of them. And as they progress they'll learn the trick to avoid inversions by keeping tension on the lines and ensuring the kite is pumped up properly.

Now, just a note on the side. What is your real name? I'm sorry, I don't use Seabreeze that much and am not familiar with all the users and their aliases?

Forget about the problems with inversions, pulleys, bridles, gayness....
I just hate the l@@k of Bows.
There, I said it.
They l@@k.......ummmm......flat. lol
Flat and ugly.
Is it just me ?

Ahhh :), changed my post, were not used to seeing 9's used in syd! Explains the speed at which it loops!

But yeah, I agree with your beginner statements, and finally some decent dialogue rather than negativity..

G'day Dan

Real mates, thats REAL ones would not care what you rode, would they?

Bows are a long way from the volvo of kites, and even volvos have come a long way since they were referred to as flying shoeboxes at the Bathurst races years ago.

Curved tips are here to stay. Doesn't matter if the kite is a C, hybrid or a licensed bruno bow (banana ocean wing) design. Flexifoil did it first, they did not do anything wrong on the Storm 2 kites, they actually worked really well.

There are still happy kiters using them. The idea took a year or so to ferment in the minds of other designers, and now virtually all brands have them.

I just wish all the brands could do the same thing with bar colours, line colours, and kook proof connectors for safetys sake.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

quote:

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Originally posted by kiterdan

I get all the advantages on my vegas that Moritz eludes to..

quote:

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Originally posted by Moritz

GOB,

And think about the upside of bow kites:
1. Riders feel safer (during whipe outs, in gusty conditions, lower lofting risks)
2. Riders progress faster (easier relaunch, etc.)
3. Riders need less kites in their quiver due to bigger range

That's the only thing I wanted to point out.

Moritz

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Plus a bit more

I like the evolution rather than the direct change from C to SLE (bow). Next year, I reckon most companies will have some element of the curved profile in the leading edge of their kites...you get the depowerability of a bow, yet the feel of a C.

I have flown a few different bows but much preferred my vegas. Having said that, Im sure its just a matter of flying hours.

And to an extent, Im with waveslave...bows are the volvo of the kiting world.
I just wouldn't buy one...what would me mates say?!

Who really cares? Ride whatever!

Cheers
Dan

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I dont understand the difference either...

A crossbow, switchblade and turbo diesel are all BOW.

The waroo is an SLE.

I think its something to do with the profile of the canopy and / or the lines...

Anyone else?

so SLE is actually bridle..... and not Single Leading Edge

then pretty much all SLE's must be bows or of similar degign, and no c shapes are SLE's

Thanks Moritz, for your help that day.

As for USER.

Bloody Volvo driver!






Sold on safety, promoting the image of indestructability, who cares what they look like. Mum will feel safe with the kids. No need to care about avoiding accidents when you drive a Volvo.

quote:

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Originally posted by RAL INN

Thanks Moritz, for your help that day.

As for USER.

Bloody Volvo driver!

why didn't I think of that one

Sold on safety, promoting the image of indestructability, who cares what they look like. Mum will feel safe with the kids. No need to care about avoiding accidents when you drive a Volvo.

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all volvos rock. old volvos are teh pimp - the only way you could make one of these fly hoopties better is to add a stack of subs in the boot and hydraulic suspension so you can bounce down chapel st with dr dre blaring at full volume to piss off the grandpas like ral inn.

BondO
WaroO
VolvO

All rhyme with .......[}:)]

I think I'll join a new terroist organisation for Granpa's

Al Ziemer.

Now if I can only remember where I left my Bomb making notes.

Ah the Galah at it again

You must confess so all your sins can be forgiven.[}:)]

I will see you this Sunday Galah and expose who you are if you dont come clean.

Come on Galah we have kited many times in extremely cold conditions, dont tell me your getting soft.

Anyway I will not tell anyone who you really are as that will spoil the suprise, you have alot of kiters very curious as to who you really are.

Keep up the good work as Im sure I will see you soon even if its not this Sunday as we are all deseperate for some descent wind.

Go the Galah may he or she fly free for some time to come