2 posts
Hey Guys,
I recently bought an 10m F-one Bandit 5, however I am having some issues and hopefully there's someone out there to offer some advice!! I am fairly new to this sport, so any am open to any input on technique, kite set up etc.
I am finding that I am not having enough power to make good progress upwind (and a slight lack of allround power); the kite flies nicely towards the edge of the window and I can park it there, but there is insufficient pull to maintain it, and I really have to work the kite. (I rode at Scheveningen in the Netherlands yesterday, 24knts, 1.5m waves, (Travelling Lad!) I am 70kg)
I have the kite set up on the front-most edge line attachment points (+turning, less bar pressure).
I rode a Best GP 7m in Dakhla Lagoon, Morocco in 30mph winds for a week and was making good upwind progress, so am I thinking I am not completely useless at it!
Any advice out there?
Cheers
Rob
QLD
549 posts
Hey Rob. I have a few bandits and love them. I have flown a B5 10m and found the same issues. Start off shortening the back lines by going to heavy bar setting. I also altered the attachment points on the leader lines coming off the bar until I was happy.
2 posts
Thanks mate, yeah I'll change over the kite attachment points to the 'harder' settings. The back lines are attached to the 3rd knot on the line near the bar, as you suggested I'll move a knot closer to the bar and have a go this weekend!
As a general comment, do you find with your Bandits now are they not that the best upwind, or when you tuned it more or less solved this issue?
Cheers
QLD
549 posts
I mainly fly my B3 10m and have no issues going upwind. As I said, the B5 needing some adjustment til' I felt it responded like the old bandits. Bandits have traditionally flown to the front of the window thus helping upwind ability. General technique and board makes a difference. All that said, my wife recently got a new Ozone Edge and as soon as she flew it, noticed how much better it went upwind compared to her old B2.
It's amazing how kites can feel quite different to each other. I found that the B5 has a light bar pressure whereas I like the heavy bar pressure of earlier models, just me I guess. I rode recently with the importer of F-Ones who loves the lighter pressure and can get great performance out of it. He is much more experienced than me though. Give me a kite that pulls like a train and I'm happy.
