Power Kite Forum

Atb in gusty winds

Jellikin - 17-8-2009 at 05:16 PM

Was wondering whether the more experienced riders could give me some advice. Today i was on the beach with the kite and board which i am still trying to get to grips with, the winds where gusting between 15-25mph and i was flying my 4m Crossfire2. Obviously i don't have the skill level yet to fly this type of kite with a board in such conditions, found it very difficult to keep the kite stable and parked where it needed to be. What i want to know is it possible to landboard in such gusty conditions. Should i wait for cleaner wind before getting on the landboard or is it worth learning in gusty conditions. I have a 2m Beamer4, a 4m Crossfire2 and a 6.5m Crossfire2. I am 6'4" and 19 stone or 240ish pounds.
Thanks
Andy

dgkid78 - 17-8-2009 at 05:29 PM

yeah those winds are too gusty to learn on . Cleaner winds do help. maybe the 6.5 crossfire in 12-15mph winds?? maybe someone in close to your weight will come along with better advice on kite size for condtions. But Gusty condtions suck to learn. especially with a crossfire. Great kites though i had a couple of'em. :Ange09:

carltb - 17-8-2009 at 05:49 PM

i always say, its 80% kite skill and 20% board skill. so learning to board in gusty conditions isnt ideal but if you are comfortable flying your kite in those winds, then i see no reason why you shouldnt have a go.

furbowski - 17-8-2009 at 11:24 PM

make sure the cf's are adjusted for max stability / low lift / low angle of attack. (not sure what they call it) but they are adjustable.

DAKITEZ - 18-8-2009 at 12:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by furbowski
make sure the cf's are adjusted for max stability / low lift / low angle of attack. (not sure what they call it) but they are adjustable.


from my experience the crossfire II is more stable on the lift setting than the low lift setting. Yours are more stable on low lift setting?

furbowski - 18-8-2009 at 02:21 AM

hmm just had a think about how i was using the word...

no, i've got one cf 3.2 and it's not adjustable.

what was i after was what my blade does on low lift setting: extends the wind window, increases stability at the edge, turns faster -- all that means I don't collapse the canopy as much in gusty winds, and I can usually fly feeling more safe as well. so I may have been using the word wrong there, as the kite turns quicker when it's like that... I meant more like stable at the edges and easier to fly out of collapses due to botched redirects...

don't know if we're talking the same thing or different, but you've flown both, I've not...

:puzzled:
:embarrased:

@ jeelikin: I don't yet ATB, and I don't actually know your kite.... you've gotten good advice from the others above, don't mind mine tho, eh?

BeamerBob - 18-8-2009 at 03:54 AM

Furb, the adjustability to less lift on the Crossfire II makes it MORE of a handful. You are exactly right on your Blade though. I could let kids fly mine with the low lift setting in suitable winds and they did fine with it since it turns so fast. You have to really be on top of things with the CFII in the low lift setting. It is easy as pie on the lifty setting.

That kite and those wind conditions are not a good match for learning on a landboard. The power from that kite is very explosive and you are at the edge if not above the high wind range for that kite. You could do well while learning with that kite in the 12-18 mph range without it covering that whole range or worse with gusts.

furbowski - 18-8-2009 at 06:21 AM

my cf 3.2 would be a terrible match for a landboard, i know that.

but thanks for confirming the kites fly quite differently... tho it does seems weird. I got the same results as the blade AoA way back when i played about with modding the AoA on my ace 5m.

i wonder why?

but that would deepen the hijack.

no worries....

Jellikin - 18-8-2009 at 11:58 AM

Thanks for all your replies you've all pretty much confirmed what i suspected all along. In the conditions i was talking about i.e 15-25mph gusts would any of you experienced riders be able to landboard using the 4m CF2. Btw i had my kite setup on the less lifty setting, making it prone to luffing at the edge and overflying the zenith. I had a blast static flying the kite after i conceded defeat on the landboard, 50m scuds and jumps.
Should i master landboarding with fb kites berfore buying a depower.
Djkid how you liking those Montanas.
Cheers
Andy

dgkid78 - 18-8-2009 at 01:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jellikin
Thanks for all your replies you've all pretty much confirmed what i suspected all along. In the conditions i was talking about i.e 15-25mph gusts would any of you experienced riders be able to landboard using the 4m CF2. Btw i had my kite setup on the less lifty setting, making it prone to luffing at the edge and overflying the zenith. I had a blast static flying the kite after i conceded defeat on the landboard, 50m scuds and jumps.
Should i master landboarding with fb kites berfore buying a depower.
Djkid how you liking those Montanas.
Cheers
Andy



I love my Montanas...kinda always had the soft spot for HQ cause of the price point. and I learned power kites with my crossfire 2.4 ....The 7m was my first depower. great kite but i didn't trust it completly in higher winds, I went with the 9.5m Montana 3 and I friggin love it. Of course I know nothing else cause Montanas are all i flown for depower. but compared to the 7m Montana 2 , the 9.5 is leaps and bounds better than the MK2, as far as low wind, and able to handle gusty conditions. I weigh 145lbs. and it's pretty much a 1 kite quiver for now. I use it in 10mph-23mph winds. Little hops in 11mph winds and Fun at 13mph+ ...I don't use the 7m at all and have flown it back to back with 9.5m in 15mph. The depower is so much better and i feel so much safer with the 9.5 :singing:
I think i am gonna get an Arc next though and expand skills even more.

Jellikin - 18-8-2009 at 04:28 PM

Nice video djkid

dgkid78 - 18-8-2009 at 04:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jellikin
Nice video djkid

Thanks planning on doing another video tomorrow