Overwalking under the kite coming in, dead onshore

> 10 years ago
Reply
Register to post, see what you've read, and subscribe to topics.
Shredsled94
Shredsled94
WA
15 posts
WA, 15 posts
28 Mar 2015 9:31pm
I'm not actually a newbie which makes this more embarrassing haha.

If the wind is dead onshore and drops down to 8-11 knots when i'm on my 12m vegas and I try to walk towards the shore to the grass, it's a bitch...

I struggle to keep it in the sky if I sit off to 1 or 11, just because it's so light.

So I take the approach of keeping it at 12 and doing little wiggles from 1-11 to keep it moving while I walk towards it, but it often just falls out the sky if I walk towards it(super light tension in the lines and it just arses over to one side, doesn't backstall), even if I walk slowly.

I've tried trim in etc, even trim out in the hope to back stall it a bit so I don't over walk it.

Only happens when it goes super light and worse if its dead onshore. Other freeriders on hybrids or bows were fine, and i'm the guy who was in boots unhooking and flipping about, and when we go to come in I look like a ****witt hindenburging it haha, it's actually really funny haha.

Is it just genuinely to light for the kite, or is there some secret art that I missed out on when learning.

Any thoughts?
kitebt
kitebt
NSW
325 posts
NSW, 325 posts
29 Mar 2015 5:08am
Dump it in the water
Plummet
Plummet
4862 posts
4862 posts
29 Mar 2015 4:40am
Bar in and back stall it into the powerzone. Then walk forward. Keep it back stalled in. Feather the bar to stop it dropping to low or rising too high

or option 2

If you have room. Loop it. Skid down the beach looping. Lots of fun.
KiteBud
KiteBud
WA
1615 posts
WA, 1615 posts
29 Mar 2015 10:39am
^^^ Agreed with Plummet.

Low wind flying will fine tune your flying skills and get you used to your kite behavior. Since most people never fly in very lows wind it's understandable you're not able to handle your kite in those winds.

It took me many years to really get good at kiting in sub 10 knots winds (now much more fun on the hydrofoil), loops are often necessary just to keep the kite from stalling and dropping in the water, especially if you're standing still. If you do a very tight loop in sub 10 knots winds, you won't even get pulled by the kite as the kite stalls a bit during the loop. I often have to do those by pulling on the lines (faster loop), while removing sea weed from under my foil, and all this just to keep the kite flying. Gets very technical.

Also, because of your kite shape it's normal it won't fly as well in very low winds in comparison to bow kites and high aspect ratio kites.

...Also in on-shore winds the wind tends to get very weird as it hits the shore, especially if you have larger dunes and such you can expect the wind behavior to change unpredictably

I'll try to organize a free light wind clinic before the season ends

Christian
Shredsled94
Shredsled94
WA
15 posts
WA, 15 posts
29 Mar 2015 11:01am
Thanks guys, that really makes sense.

And thanks Christian, definitely see what you're getting at there. I think looping it and more aggressively back stalling it on occasion will help.

I'll take it out on a sub 15 knot day and try all of this and just get it locked in. You're right I only ever fly my 12 when its 15-18 minimum.
gkawo
gkawo
VIC
193 posts
VIC, 193 posts
1 Apr 2015 11:48am
Or get a doona kite - Flysurfer, Chrono, etc. They hardly ever hindenburg or stall /
jamesperth
jamesperth
WA
611 posts
WA, 611 posts
4 Apr 2015 9:03pm
Stall yes - Hindenburg no. Stalling a foil kite is a convenient way to land it downwind. ( trailing edge first, leading edge up). Hindenburg - doesn't happen. They tend to float backwards with slack lines and eventually take up the slack. My favourite trick with new foilers is to ask them to try and induce a Hindenburg - grab the front lines and pull, then immediately sprint downwind under the kite :) guess what ? Nothing happens....
Kamikuza
Kamikuza
QLD
6493 posts
QLD, 6493 posts
4 Apr 2015 11:56pm
jamesperth said..
Stall yes - Hindenburg no. Stalling a foil kite is a convenient way to land it downwind. ( trailing edge first, leading edge up). Hindenburg - doesn't happen. They tend to float backwards with slack lines and eventually take up the slack. My favourite trick with new foilers is to ask them to try and induce a Hindenburg - grab the front lines and pull, then immediately sprint downwind under the kite :) guess what ? Nothing happens....



Speed2 and earlier used to Hindenburg... You don't know how lucky you are, this younger generation
Please Register, or first...
Topics Subscribe Reply