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Cloud kite inverting

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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tree

Since 29 May 2007
147 Posts
Bend, OR
Stoked



PostMon Sep 27, 21 12:42 pm    Cloud kite inverting Reply with quote

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.

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stringy

Since 23 Jun 2006
1724 Posts
vancouver
XTreme Poster



PostMon Sep 27, 21 1:17 pm     Reply with quote

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.
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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostMon Sep 27, 21 2:40 pm     Reply with quote

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

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tree

Since 29 May 2007
147 Posts
Bend, OR
Stoked



PostWed Sep 29, 21 8:08 am     Reply with quote

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.

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Ryan

Since 14 Jul 2005
536 Posts
Oregon
Addicted



PostWed Sep 29, 21 8:30 am    not a thing Reply with quote

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

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west

Since 09 Oct 2008
136 Posts
Lake Michigan
Stoked



PostWed Sep 29, 21 9:50 am     Reply with quote

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!

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gybetalkin

Since 01 Nov 2010
50 Posts

 



PostWed Sep 29, 21 6:24 pm    Plus one that it’s unlikely a cloud or strut less thing Reply with quote

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.

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tree

Since 29 May 2007
147 Posts
Bend, OR
Stoked



PostThu Sep 30, 21 8:56 am     Reply with quote

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

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