Power Kite Forum - 17m Zephyr First Flight

17m Zephyr First Flight

md2pigeon - 13-8-2011 at 12:22 PM

I just bought a 17m ozone zephyr i took it for a first flight yesterday. I found that all those people on youtube who show the kite flying easily in 5-6 probably dont have to deal with the shifty winds of the chesapeake bay area. I was able to fly the kite but had to hot launch it (Leading edge up) most of the time. The wind picked up to about 8mph gusting to 10 a few times. I could instantly tell when the wind picked up a few mph more because the kite instantly became extrmemly stable and tame requiring almost no bar input a zenith. Has anyone else had experience with the Ozone zephyr? Also what kind of pressure does this kite need to be pumped to i was at about 6.5psi but the kite read 8psi at the fill point. I didnt want to overfill the kite as i thought this was the max psi.

arkay - 14-8-2011 at 11:14 AM

typically you want to fill it until it's drum tight... ping it with your finger and it will make a hollow tight drum sound. Also I like to have the kite stiffer so that it doesn't flex out of shape. Mileage may vary, but I fill my kites to about 7.5 or so. I will also sometimes see if the wing tip is floppy or stiff. that will help you guage overall all kite stiffness.

tridude - 14-8-2011 at 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by arkay
typically you want to fill it until it's drum tight... ping it with your finger and it will make a hollow tight drum sound. Also I like to have the kite stiffer so that it doesn't flex out of shape. Mileage may vary, but I fill my kites to about 7.5 or so. I will also sometimes see if the wing tip is floppy or stiff. that will help you guage overall all kite stiffness.

great advice........I would also add after the tight drum sound check your leading edge about 18 inches from the tips......bend and fold it. If it bends or folds easily with little resistance give her about 5 more pumps........this will inflate your tips properley.................. :thumbup:

bigkahuna - 14-8-2011 at 01:14 PM

My favorite test is to pump the struts until they are "Bay Watch" firm. Not that I'd know what that might be like from personal experience.

arkay - 14-8-2011 at 01:48 PM

Clearly then you mean hasslehoff firm...

I could not resist.

md2pigeon - 15-8-2011 at 05:11 AM

Baywatch firm......Gotcha... lol!

I will deff try and pump a little firmer next time i just want to see if i can reproduce some of the videos i have seen with the kite flying in next to nothing. Im not saying i will be able to do anything else but fly static with winds like that but it would be cool!

ragden - 15-8-2011 at 05:49 AM

Where were you flying on the Chesapeake?

All above advice is good on the LEI. There is another guy in the area who rides on a 17m Zephyr. He is normally out and riding in the same winds I can get out in... Hard to say who is jumping higher...

md2pigeon - 15-8-2011 at 07:18 AM

Im in southern maryland st.marys county. What kind of wind is he able to get out in?

ragden - 15-8-2011 at 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by md2pigeon
Im in southern maryland st.marys county. What kind of wind is he able to get out in?

10-12mph. Where are you riding on the water?

PHREERIDER - 15-8-2011 at 07:34 AM

<8mph with a tube , you have to keeping it moving , static for couple passes maybe then it will fall back into the window.

i can ride atb on 8-10 mph easily with any tube...you just can't stop!

5-6mph with a tube? keeping it up will be alot of work if you can get it up high enough.

on the water(ocean) best i have seen in 10mph with a race board and 15m rrd II . upwind like crazy and its park n ride IF YOU CAN SUPPLY THE SKILLZ TO RUN THE BOARD!

md2pigeon - 15-8-2011 at 10:41 AM

I was actually thinking of picking up atb for the colder months to keep some kind of board skills up. and im riding just down from piney point so not really on the bay directly but very close i get direct wind blowing in from the bay

ragden - 15-8-2011 at 11:15 AM

Wow.. Piney Point is a lot further south than I thought it was... heh
Interestingly enough, I've heard a few comments that landboard is similiar, but just enough different that the transition between the two will cause some difficulty. The person I was talking to said something along the lines of after having landboarded for a couple months, he had to relearn how to kiteboard on the water again, because his foot positions were all off. Now, snowkiting on a snowboard is very similiar, especially if you get a kite specific board. Unfortunately, I wouldnt think you would get that much snow that far south...

Have you considered coming up towards highway 50 in the Chesepeake Beach area, or off Kent Island to kite? There are a couple spots up there. As well as on the coast (Dewey Beach & Ocean City area). Just curious...

md2pigeon - 16-8-2011 at 04:07 PM

Good to know on the atb, and snow is sometime hard to come by here. I have actually been to new road and loved it! perfect spot, friendly locals and newbie friendly. I plan on making more trips there this fall. Do you live around that area?

ragden - 17-8-2011 at 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by md2pigeon
Good to know on the atb, and snow is sometime hard to come by here. I have actually been to new road and loved it! perfect spot, friendly locals and newbie friendly. I plan on making more trips there this fall. Do you live around that area?

Actually, I live in Springfield VA. However, when the wind is blowing, and I don't see an abundance of rain in the forecast, I head out to either Dewey, or spots in that area. There are enough spots that you can pretty much ride on any wind direction, as long as there is enough wind.

PHREERIDER - 17-8-2011 at 05:35 AM

in my experience the ATB stuff is more tedious but has made my water progression seem so much easier for sure.

the water has seemingly more speed but i do sessions at 15-20 both land and water.

20+ mph on atb is supreme juice and error penalties can be HIGH.

adding the land board WILL enhance balancing board skills and demand kite control mastery.

snow board and ATB is best comparison for similarities

Mostly Harmless - 17-8-2011 at 06:26 AM

This was my first summer season with my Zephyr and it has been pretty much my go to kite since summer winds are light here. I recommend pumping this kite up until it's pretty firm, it will make relaunching much easier and it flys much better when holding it's shape. The kite has a ton of depower to it. I am often out on it when my buddy is out on his 15.