Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 12:18 PM
So I want to buy a PL V13 from Kitesurfer. It's in great condition, aside from the fact that it has a top skin tuck in it. I don't really know much
about this, aside from the fact that the kite will no longer auto zenith. What else does this do? Aside from the lack of auto zenith, will the kite
still behave like a normal Venom?
Thanks,
Seanny
awindofchange - 22-12-2010 at 12:40 PM
Depending on how the tuck was done, the kite should be fine and usually the top skin tuck is preferred. It gives the kite more power, better speed,
less stalling issues and faster turning.
The TST (top skin tuck) was one of the changes from the V1 to the V2. There was also a trailing edge tuck that was performed which tightened up the
trailing edge of the kite and improved depower and turning. Another mod was to shorten the top strap which also helped.
The kite should still auto zenith with the TST on it. If it is drifting off to one side all the time it may need another tuck. If it is drifting to
both sides then there may be another issue.
As long as the mods have been done properly then you shouldn't have any issues at all.
Hope this helps.
Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 12:48 PM
He says it will drift to the left. I have no idea how to do a tuck, and if I had a diagram, I still wouldn't do it. Could anyone fix this for me?
PHREERIDER - 22-12-2010 at 01:13 PM
may have an asymmetrical shortened lead webbing in hyper mod. hard to say
AWOC describes a TST...hmmm i think it would be a TE tuck, 10% of length TE taken out with a shortening tuck in the center of each cell. you can
take them out as well as the webbing components added in the mod all really simple.
if it actually has TST certainly more room for error and strange behavior. but removal should restore to original.
the V16 i have from him as been modded ...but no TST. TE and webbing shortened. super rock solid.
Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 01:37 PM
I'm fairly certain it's a TST. That's what he says it is. He said he bought it from a PKF person from Canada (Didn't specify who, but I'm sure I could
ask) and didn't know it had a TST. The TST was done by a Canadian kite dealer also on here (Not sure of who he is either). The kite has no tears or
repairs... Still waiting on pictures, though. It also has other modifications... not sure what they are yet. He says the tuck was either too small or
needs another small one. Should I ask him if he can put in another? Thanks for vouching for him by the way, Phree.
Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 07:17 PM
As long as I have this topic posted, what is the best line length to use with a Venom? The bar I'm looking at that I really like comes with 20m lines,
but would I be correct to say that it would fly better on 27m lines? Does it matter?
PHREERIDER - 22-12-2010 at 07:46 PM
27m runs most all very nicely. good power stroke size and can add a little in light wind. canopy shape and distortion with really short lines
added with snappy quirks in behavior never seems propper with the arcs but with c-kites quite fun.
pic of the mod ? KS
Seanny - 22-12-2010 at 07:52 PM
Oh, okay. Bar was a 2010 Naish SLE 19-21". Comes with 20m lines. I really like it, very clean. But I don't want to buy extra lines. I'll just ask
around here if anyone has a good Arc bar with the right lines.
Still waiting on pictures. He said he'd take some of the mods tomorrow and email them to me. I'll post them when I get them.
Seanny - 23-12-2010 at 09:15 AM
Well, I have pictures of the kite. It's beautiful! Looks to be clean and crispy. I was not expecting it to be so nice. It has a TST and TET, which
look to be done very carefully and precisely. The front strap has been shortened. Essentially all the things that turn a V1 into a V2, I suppose. I
asked him if he could make the existing TST bigger, or add a second small one, just so that it doesn't drift anymore. 
I can post the pictures if anyone wants to see.