theres one at broulee...outflies everything else when the wind is light. My mate tried it when he couldn't get going on a 05 rhino 16m - and had no trouble getting powered.
1. Of course it will go in less wind than a traditional LEI of 16m, that is the idea of a flat kite after all. 2. Who cares???? The Naish SLE and the SS Turbo Deisel are twice the kite the Craphina was ever going to be. Quality of build, better flying characteristics and one pump systems etc etc.... The only reason some retailers are pimping Crossbows is because they bought them cheap direct from the manufacturer and can make more money from them. Wake up AUS.
The wind on the lake was very gusty with 10 minute averages varying from 10 knots to 19 knots with gusts of up to 25 knots recorded during the two sessions over 4 hours.
Normally I would have wanted to use my Rhino2 20m in 10 knots but I would have used my Rhino 4 16m because of the gusts. I only sail weekends and probably it would not have been much fun.
However, we unpacked the Crossbow and set it up. It was easy once we found the back edge tags. I had never seen a CB before and the front and back tags were joined together for packing. Pumping up also caused a delay because my old pump didn’t fit the Cabrinha screw nozzle so had to go and get the CB pump. There is a standard valve on the CB leading edge but on this kite it didn’t work it looked like it was blocked.
When pumped up the kite looked great at least as well built as the Rhinos. I also liked the look of the bar and quick release.
The best part was the flying. It felt different to the Rhinos but even in very gust conditions it didn’t cause me any problems at all. It went upwind way better than the Rhinos or windsurfers. It relaunched in the water with the leading edge toward me and away, no trouble at all, just had to pull a little on a back string. I had a great sail.
Without the CB I would have spent most of the day over powered or underpowered or working out what kite to use. I loved it.
