Cloud kite inverting

tree · Since 29 May 2007 148 Posts Bend, OR Stoked

I picked up a couple small D.0 clouds for foiling and am loving them... except that twice in the past 3 sessions I've managed to invert my 4.8 (as in, the kite is inside out). Both times it was really gusty, probably hitting the mid-30's. Is this a common thing with clouds, perhaps because being strutless lends itself? I think the clouds have been a big part of my foiling progression, but the inversion thing has me second guessing. Insight from you clouders would be appreciated.

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1734 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

as a fellow cloud rider, I have had a couple of inversions. probably less than a handful in over seven years flying them. check to see if you are losing air from a leaky valve as this could cause it to lose pressure while riding over time. and pump the shit out of them. clouds like lots of pressure.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1855 Posts XTreme Poster

I have over 200 sessions on my no strutters—UFO’s—and have never inverted. I pump the LE Rock hard.

Until two days ago…

As it turned out I had a slow leak in my LE and after two hours the kite noodled. Had a swim in.

Pump to 10-12 psi. The kites can easily handle that and really perform best with a rigid LE. No strutters are brilliant foil kites. Stay the course.

Eric

tree · Since 29 May 2007 148 Posts Bend, OR Stoked

I did a little more digging and it sounds like this is a thing with clouds (people on a cloudriders group refer to it as the omega because the kite looks like the greek letter when it is inside out). I'll for sure pump up harder and see how it goes, though I thought I was pumping pretty hard already. Had a pretty gnarly swim last week - my first in at least a decade. If nothing else it was a good refresher on how to self-rescue. Thanks for the feedback, folks.

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 537 Posts Oregon Addicted

Tree - I don't think its a thing. I have been riding Clouds for 7 years after borrowing the first generation from Stringy for a test run. The kites feel and perform like nothing else. During the last 7 years I have experienced what you are describing only once. That was this summer, on my 6.2, when I didn't screw the valve on all the way and it was slowly leaking. I have not had this happen any other time and most of my riding was done on a surfboard where I would load the kite much more than on foil.

Hope you get it sorted and enjoy the ride Very Happy

west · Since 09 Oct 2008 136 Posts Lake Michigan Stoked

More air in the kite, no struts....nice to remind yourself that a life saving swim may be on the table when you leave the beach; leads to periodic self-evaluation!

gybetalkin · Since 01 Nov 2010 55 Posts

Plus one to what Ryan has to say. I have been on Clouds for five years. Many, many sessions the last few years. Never an issue, but I do always give them a few extra pumps before capping off as a matter of ritual.

tree · Since 29 May 2007 148 Posts Bend, OR Stoked

Thanks, peoples. I'm going to pump until it's hard as a diamond in a blizzard, ala Ricky Bobby. Really appreciate the feedback.