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Light Wind Kites
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Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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wylieflyote

Since 30 Jun 2006
1634 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster



PostWed Apr 16, 14 12:42 pm    Re: Light wind board Reply with quote

Nak wrote:
For twin tips I'm a huge fan of the old Glides


Me too! My Glide story:
I had the original Glide (2006? Blue, eBay $200). After too many jumps on the bay where we live down here in Mexico, it snapped in half a ways out on the water. Struggled in, had a fisherman glass it up (mistake), next day it snapped again, further out at sea. Fixed again, snapped again. In stupid frustration I shoved it in a garbage can (flying home the next day, didn't want to mess with Alaska Airlines).
Two years later I see my local Mexican compadre slashing it up, so I kite up next to him. DUDE! Tu ROCK! Looked at his board and it was my old Glide! He had waited til I left the beach, grabbed my "trash", repaired it properly. HA! Still in use every windy day today.
Picture: Mario y Chuy (2 y.o.) repairing my Glide

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Kip Wylie

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jerp

Since 22 Feb 2013
450 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 1:19 pm     Reply with quote

JohnB wrote:
Ocean rodeo lines are equal length however the flying lines have a pigtail, I don't recall how long it is, maybe 2 or 3 inches.

It will probably fly on most bars however what I think is more critical is will it depower if the safety is deployed. I think ocean rodeo bars have a long depower throw so this is something to consider. 2 of there bars use a Mini 5th line system to flag the kite. There other bar is set up with a stopper and near infinite depower as stated on ORs website. This mean if the stopper ball is removed the bar will travel all the way to the "Y". The Y is real far away.

I would guess any bar with mini 5th line and doesn't have a low Y connection would be OK. I would probably compare any non Ocean rodeo bar to an ocean rodeo bar or check with windance or Ocean rodeos forum.


thanks for the info John and good luck with the test run today.

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KCM

Since 30 Jun 2013
53 Posts
Woodland WA.
 



PostWed Apr 16, 14 3:29 pm     Reply with quote

Well written Kip!
LMAO!
Great story.

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kochease

Since 03 Jul 2008
760 Posts
In Ft. Stevens, OR
Opinionated



PostWed Apr 16, 14 5:55 pm     Reply with quote

Fat lady all the way if you want to have fun kiting light wind! Kite loops great, super fast turning for such a big kite. Does great in the surf and I can even back mobe with it. Cruising is boring. Having a light wind kite that is fun is the only way to go. If I can only putt wth a park and big kite id rather stay home and ride my wife Cool
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D-Krep It Kiter

Since 18 Jul 2011
417 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 6:10 pm     Reply with quote

Caught the maiden voyage of the Ocean Rodeo Flite 17m... 6-10mph winds... looks like it goes on a whiff of wind!

   image9.jpg 

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jerp

Since 22 Feb 2013
450 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 6:18 pm     Reply with quote

arghhh.... kind of hope the review is bad for this kite (no offence John). i can see the credit line item on my bank statement now.

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Johnb

Since 02 Aug 2010
494 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 7:42 pm     Reply with quote

It was a good day to test the 17.

Overall I am pretty happy with the kite. When I first went out I was perfectly powered. But it died a bit and I was having problems getting up wind. Even when it lulled the kite still flew steady and never slacked the lines or hindenburged.

It turns fairly quick for a big kite, much quicker than my 15 m airush. It feels very similar to my Razors. It doesn't seem to have as much grunt as the airush which is a good thing as its not pulling as hard down wind. However I don't think my 15 would have got me up and riding in this wind.

The kite loops nice and has nice bar pressure. I was on my airush slayer board so I didn't try any jumps. I didn't try to water relaunch either because I didn't want to have to put away a wet kite.

I didn't launch the kite but it seemed to stand up nicely not like some bigger kites I have seen that look like a limp noodle. However I do like to pump my kites rock hard.

I want to test out the upper range and see how well it depower and feels over powered.

Fun day on new toy for sure.

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jerp

Since 22 Feb 2013
450 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 8:20 pm     Reply with quote

it was averaging 8mph at the time of the web cam picture. Pretty remarkable to be up a riding in wind that low.

were you able to grab any air with the kite?

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Johnb

Since 02 Aug 2010
494 Posts

Obsessed



PostWed Apr 16, 14 9:42 pm     Reply with quote

I was on a strapless surfboard so I didn't get any air.

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Sabo

Since 13 May 2013
51 Posts
Hood River
 



PostFri Apr 18, 14 1:52 pm     Reply with quote

If anyone wants to hop on my 17m or 15m TS feel free to give me a shout! I've flown most of the other kites listed here (as I get to hang out with other reps) and feel that it's a serious contender. Changed my enjoyment of light wind days - it's a 17m that goes upwind AND flies like a kite - sounds too good to be true, but you can be the judge! Just got back from the Expo and I will say that it changed some people's opinion about light wind kites!

PM me or contact me at any of the below details and I'll get you set up!

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Freeride Kiter

Since 08 Jul 2011
698 Posts
Alaska / PNW / Baja
Instructor



PostSun Apr 20, 14 5:30 am     Reply with quote

Here is some feedback from Tom Fredericks (some of you may remember him) to OR on the 17m flite. We just returned from the Thompson Pass Snowkite Festival where we demo'd this kite ourselves and to new and experienced kiters. I'm on a trip to Florida and Hatteras with this kite int he quiver and hope to have some kitebaording vs snowkiting review info this week.

From Tom:
As soon as I started pumping up the kite, I could already tell they were meant for staying up in light wind. The three strut design works well for this kite.

When I first launched the 17m Flite, a couple things surprised me right away.
- It is incredibly easy to reverse launch leading edge down when both outside lines tensioned to back fly kite.
- Even in the lightest winds the kite wanted to fly and stay in the air.
- Having a beginner fly the kite in light winds was easier for them to control then the trainer kite.
- The kites turns and feels like a 12 or 13m kite.
- No bad personality traits to the kite. (like backstalling, falling out of the air at the edge of the window, collapses)


I had a chance to fly the 17m on both flats and on the steeps of the mountains. Snowkiting in the flats I had a chance to feel the kite out and boost some jumps and feel out its up wind ability.
Lots of impressive traits to the Flite. The kite takes no wind to begin your session on snow 4-5mph. The kite keeps on creating power even when using minimal edging to create speed.
The de-power ability of the kite is unreal. It can spill some strong gusts and leave you in control and feeling safe. I did not get a chance to try it in strong wind conditions but would probably feel very comfortable using the Flight in 20-22mph of wind.
Jumping and loading up the kite was a serious pleasure. The smooth boosting feeling and hang time were unreal. The kite is fast, so sending the kite for a jump translates into bigger jumps and loftier hang time.

Riding up in the hills and mountains was very enjoyable with the Flite. Because of the looping speed climbing even the steepest of hills was nice. Your looping window as you climb steeper terrain becomes less until you have no room to loop the kite. So, even in the steepest terrain I felt comfortable with the 17m kite because of the predictability and looping speed. This means feeling safe climbing steep areas of the mountains. No surprises because of faulty performance.

Gliding the kite. Of course with such a large canopy area, gliding and jumping are a pleasure. I was able to ride up 2500' in elevation and glide all the way back down to the valley floor following a ridgeline that I used to climb up. My flight was around 2-3minutes. I know these kites were not meant for such flights but I thought you guys would like the feedback.
Gliding was really stable and predictable. During flight, the canopy was stable, quiet overhead and responsive. After soaring in the air, you just need to feel all the input from the bar. No need to watch the kite. You can just feel where it is above your head. Being able to feel the kite is so nice because you can just feel your way through flight. It was probably the nicest gliding kite that I've tried. Very happy.

From a snowkiter perspective, there are a few things we do differently then on water, so here is the snowkiter perspective for flying a kite that was designed for water.
- We normally never disconnect lines on our inflatable kites. We throw snow on the kite to weigh the kite down and ski and unwind our bar directly downwind of the kite. We make sure lines are not tangled and ski to the edge of the window, pull the kite around to capture the wind, self launch and go. Almost every launch on snow is a hot launch because the kite will settle downwind of you to launch in forward or reverse.
If the kite is leading edge up we reach up on the centerlines give them tension and off we go. (as you know)
If the kite is leading edge down, we have to reach up about 18" above the outside line floats and pull outside lines to hips to back fly 20 ft in the air and turn kite to one side and hot launch. No big deal since we are on snow. We just slide forward several feet and get on edge and go.

The leader lines on the Ocean Rodeo bar are clean spectra on the outside and center lines.
Normally we use both the center and outside lines to relaunch kite. Usually we have something for purchase for our gloves like cleats, stopper ball or knots.
The design on the OR below the bar cleat make for clean spectra leader lines above the bar.
Relaunching the kite with gloves and slippery spectra lines makes things a bit more difficult but not impossible. If I was to modify the bar and lines to be more snowkiter friendly, I would personally add stopper balls or knots about 18 inches above the outside line floats. I would also add a stopper ball that is fixed above the center line adjustable sliding bar cam. We tried to relaunch leading edge up with the cam stopper and it just slides towards the bar loosing any leverage to relaunch kite. We almost have to take a wrap of the center spectra lines to get the leverage to relaunch the Flite which is not ideal.
The kite bar is fine with none of these modifications and will relaunch just fine as well. You just have to man up and get used to the clean lines. But maybe some removable stopperballs for a snowkiting modification kite may be of some use in the future.

Kite inversions with Bar and line system.
One thing that happens almost daily is having to deal with line inversions. The kite can roll through its self and twist up periodically. Also, if you leave bar and lines attached, 50% of the time you have to deal with line inversions and untangling.

The long length of the center spectra leader lines up the the "Y" swivel was amazing at taking out any center line twists. The center Y lines never had a problem becoming twisted, which was great.

The problem we had with this being snowkiters was the length distance between the bar and the Y swivel. Many times we are taking out line inversions on the fly. When the kite is leading edge down directly in front of you. We normally pass the bar through the center Y and undo the twists, tangles and inversions.
Because of the long distance from the bar to the Y, it made it a little difficult to cleanly and rapidly take out line inversions on the fly. (10seconds normally passing bar through center Y)
The long length of center leader line would tangle with its self and the bar and the Y swivel while trying to pass the bar through the center Y lines. Basically trying to pass the bar through the Y would result in lots of slack and the slack would tangle on its self and bar. Not impossible to take inversions out but a bit of a hassle.

One of the ways we self land besides using an anchor, is the center line landing technique. We fly the kite at 45 degree angle at the side of the wind window and reel in several feet of center line. This induces a collapse of the kite and we normally grab the upper leading edge line and just before the kite hits the ground, we give that line a good yank. This allows the kite to fall and land in its normal resting position into the wind.
With the Y centerlines so far above the bar I found it difficult to try to reel the center lines and grab the upper leading edge line to pull the kite into self landing position.

These are the things I found to be a little difficult from the Snowkiter perspective. Although these are not even a big deal, it is the only feedback for snowkiter improvement that I found!


2014 Ocean Rodeo 17m Flight.  Thompson Pass Snowkite Festival in Valdez, Alaska.  April 2014
 2014 Ocean Rodeo 17m Flight. Thompson Pass Snowkite Festival in Valdez, Alaska. April 2014  17mFliteThompsonPassAlaska.jpg 

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Nak

Since 19 May 2005
4199 Posts
Camas
XTreme Poster

CGKA Member


PostSun Apr 20, 14 2:41 pm     Reply with quote

I gotta say, this thread shows why this is one of the best areas in the world to ride! On a lot of other forums, this would have degenerated into a pimp fest with posters slamming other kites. Here, fortunately the trolls stayed away, everyone has just explained the pro's of their favored equipment. This same attitude is one big reason every launch around here has such a great group of regulars to ride with! Thumb's Up

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