21M kite

jackZ · Since 13 Apr 2008 355 Posts Devon Alberta ca. Obsessed

Hi All ,
I read these views on foils . I started kiting with a Flysurfer 05 Extacy 13M . I still have it and use it on occasion .
I took a lesson , what did I know , nothing . I was on a frozen lake with some loose snow .I flew a 4M foil for 10-15 min , then I was told "OK , you seem to have the flying down now so we'll hook you in to this one and try it " I was hooked into a 19M ! It was laid out in front of me in the hot launch position and I was told " just go with it at first then edge your snowboard " Well I pulled the center line and this massive wall of material rose up in front of me building good speed going up and with it an amazing amount of power which pulled me over my board and onto my face and I was drug for several yards through the snow ! WOW what a rush and a good amount of fear came over me .
I found out about reverse launching . I found out about how the wind window narrows as the wind lightens and how flying the kite too far out there will let it luff and start to fall back into the window and open up to full bore power once in the wind again Yanking you for a good 30yds at mach speed . Unless you know what to do with that power your going to get yanked off the board and a good chance the kite is down ( beginners don't know ) "it'll take some practice " I was told . "Go fly it in a field with lots of room " That was not good advice as I did it . I launched it as I had been taught and then was drug through the dirt for the 30 or so yards untill it went to the zenith and kept going over me as I hadn't pulled the bar enough or fast enough to stall the kite and stop it from going over me ! Now it starts to fall . I ran back and got it under control for a few seconds until it started to come across the window . BIG power now and I was leaping like a deer with 20 yds between steps and trying to get a hold of that little red safety ball to release the safety ! Good luck as your body is flailing through the air ! I got it , focusing on that ball only not caring where my body was . I was freaked out again and this is in your mind every time I launched that thing . I have had several close calls and some good scrapes using that kite .
I found it hard to park it , no wonder as in light winds they have to keep moving but watch out you don't fly too close to the edge of the window or the luffing of the tips and falling back into the window happens !!!
I was told " I never put my kite on the water , keep it in the air no matter what ! " Holy shit man I'm a beginner and don't have a lot of skill yet ! " practice practice " I was told so I did . Here in Alberta our lakes are full of weeds at the shoreline . As soon as the ice is off the lakes cabin owners put their piers out , there are boat lifts in the water as well . All pretty intimidating to learn around and in !!
When the kite falls into the water with weeds , DON"T pull too hard on the lead line as it fills with water and if it's upside down use the reverse launch ! Sure but if there are 10lbs of wet weeds hanging in your bridle lines it's going to trey to turn over in one direction continuously untill it's full of water and 100lbs of weeds in the bridle lines and your session is over . Hours spent cleaning the weeds from the bridle .
" Don't hot launch in stronger winds " Lay the kite out at the side of the window BUT if the tip rolls over the kite due to the wind pushing it that way , Watch out as there's a good chance you now have a Bowtie and hours spent sorting it out , session over !
Oh ya foils are a treat to fly but to learn on they SUCK .
Is snow smooth and flat NO , there are edges due to melt and wind . All these will catch your bridle lines ( launching/landing ) and that can cause the kite to roll over itself and the bowtie happens again , session over !
I flew an inflatable on South Padre 06 . I was jumping after a short period of fly time ! I could easily put my board on my feet while flying the kite as it didn't need constant input . WOW inflatables are the answer !
I wanted to try an Ozone this year at the Montana snow kite rodeo but after driving 12hrs each way I guess I wasn't assertive enough to get a Demo , I was disappointed as I really wanted to try one to compare it to Flysurfer of new . No bad your way Tony , I know you were busy and there were others too so .... I had a good time , thank you for organizing it , I will be back for Haggin !
Oh well I'll just continue pumping up and having fun with Inflato's !
I rode a Harley bike for 25 years and I have had enough of tinkering and fixing and being broke down while others have fun , I'm not about to go that path with foil kites too and thats been my exp with them .
To each their own but from my experience ..........
PUMP and have fun I say ! No one has proven me wrong yet .
Foils are awesome for some and they are good kites I know as there are quite a few here . I say this to keep civility . My choice is to pump as I have had the bad experience.
There are plenty of Foils in the air and some pros use them too so it's just my opinion , I did want to keep an open mind to them now that I'm experienced but still those old experiences linger in my mind . Rolling Eyes

Kite on

JackZ