Hey all, first time poster, been lurking for some time though...
Question: been having trouble getting my 9mt slingy rev2 to zip to the front of the wind window when I get too powered up. Was out today (very lonely in the cold gusty westerly) and the wind was 15knr to 25knt. Should have been able to control the kite better and in the end I pulled the pin after 40 minutes of equal joy and frustration.
A few details:
I am 50 years young
Been surfing for 39 years
Been kiting just over a year, 85kilos but short and short arms, (not really overweight but built like like an ox, good fitness level)
board I road today was an Underground Tahee, 141x42
Level of experience, can ride up wind easily, can jump about 4 to 5 meters up, ride toeside, transition easily, and even downloop transition when everything is just right.
Now this part isn't the best, but it is what it is.
I have three kites, all different.
07 12mt Rebel
08 11 Gk sonic (which I learned on)
and the 09rev2

Out of all of them I like the slingy best, in the ocean (on a twintip, haven't gotten confindent enough to ride a surfboard) goes great and love the way it turns. Jumps well too, (sometimes too well for me just yet)
But on a day like today I just could not control this in 25+knots no matter how depowered I was. I feel for my weight I should have been able to kite these conditions.
Both other kites will race to the front of the wind window and can be controlled reasonable well even when overpowered.

I have checked the p/lines and have learned a ton here on this forum about them and maintaining them, they are set correct and in the ocean seems to indicate that its so as it performs and holds its shape. (didn't at first because the previous owner had replaced one of the plines with the earlier revs which are longer, fixed that and was sorted.)

Now, I will take any advice given and look at whether or not its me, or the kite, conditions, or a combo of all.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this very long first post, appreciate any help in this awesome sport. I really am addicted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ps I live and ride around the Jervis Bay area, great spot for everything....and I consider myself very very lucky as the summer noreaster spot is just down the street from me.

Hey thanks dude, all good advice. Sliding transitions are no problem, I think you are right about smaller board and edging. I do have a smaller board with dual concaves, should have been out in that, but... this place that I go to in a westerly is a drift launch and a major pain to get in and out. I plan to make myself a weight and float and take the boards out first about 50 meters or more away from the shore (still waist deep water) and tie them off before going to launch my kite. Its a hairy place to launch and I have had a couple of hot launches on me there, so I am always trying to perfect the launch technique that I have read about here on these forums. Thing is, once you are out there and your kite is flying, there is no rest or swapping out. You go til you are tired, land the kite in the water and flag it out, and hope you can wrap the lines without a big rats nest. The place is actually great to ride, but there is never anybody there and its cold...I am actually stoked that I have somewhere to ride in any wind direction. It just has to blow!
Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Cheers

Thanks Puppeteer, appreciate the advice. I know the surfboard is really where I want to head (being a long time surfer but too old school for tow in escapades), and have been practicing bit by bit. The riding is easy, transitions are HARD! Will keep at it though. I am having so much fun jumping, its tough to stop and work on the other.

When I say the other two kites move forward when edging, I am using them in a more moderate wind range, say from 14 to 20 knots max. They behave well. I guess by the advice given above its more about my edging technique and board size in stronger winds will make a world of difference. I think too that I am in too much of a hurry to be where I want to be progression wise, and feel I should just be able to do it!

On a side note to the surfing side of things, I saw the Ben Wilson shots of cloudbreak, and I can tell you, I surfed there in my prime 20 years ago with a couple of dudes you might have heard of, they both had different measurements for how big it was. Brock Little called it 15 foot, a very young Shane Dorian called it 20 foot. I called it HUUUUUUUGe and scary. Caught some epic waves, and caught the worst beating of my life all in the same hour. Later that session we had to rescue a guy who went down and came up virtually dead, and I did my first and only cpr on the dude. Ended up back on Tavarua working on him for four hours before the heli landed to take us to Latoka where he recovered. He since then became a very good friend.
Seeing Ben on those waves is nothing short of amazing and I can't get my head around being able to kite a wave like that. It is impressive beyond words.

Thanks for the tips, will keep at it!

Hey Prawn,
I did my lines on my bar a few weeks ago and they all checked out. To your suggestion, I did fold the kite and the bridal and plines are all equal. They are starting to twist though, so I am going to order another set and replace them and use the current ones as backups. I bought some dyneema lines today to make up new attachment points, just going to start replacing things are are looking a bit tired.
Really, I think the kite is fine, just need to work more on my technique and use the smaller board.
Thanks for tip on folding the kite in half, that was easier than taking measurements which is what I did before...easy easy!

dafish said...

Hey Prawn,
I did my lines on my bar a few weeks ago and they all checked out. To your suggestion, I did fold the kite and the bridal and plines are all equal. They are starting to twist though, so I am going to order another set and replace them and use the current ones as backups. I bought some dyneema lines today to make up new attachment points, just going to start replacing things are are looking a bit tired.
Really, I think the kite is fine, just need to work more on my technique and use the smaller board.
Thanks for tip on folding the kite in half, that was easier than taking measurements which is what I did before...easy easy!

The twist in your P lines could be causing the kite to turn when you sheet out in gusty winds.
Makes it a scary ride so sounds like a new set of P lines would be the go.