Power Kite Forum

First Flight

OregonFlyer - 4-11-2006 at 12:37 PM

Just received my Little Devil 4.5 that I purchased from code. First time out the winds were 10-20 mph and I am thoroughly worn out. One question what causes the kite to spin through its center. I wasn't trying to make it turn but it was just sitting there spinning. I got my frist jump by accident. I was standing straight up and pulled the kite straight up through the power zone and when up 3 feet and 5 feet forward. I wasn't prepared for it but it was great. Although I am really glad that this kite doesn't have very much lift.

Bladerunner - 4-11-2006 at 03:07 PM

It sounds like your brake lines are just a bit too tight. That is almost always the cause of spin. Lengthen them or shorten your flying lines by a few inches. That may change the lift a bit to.
I still think you NEED Sirby's gear!
:bird:

DON321 - 4-11-2006 at 05:44 PM

sounds like brake lines... check out COREYKITES post on how to adjust lines, follow his advice on doing this, knotting your lines to make them shorter will weaken that area, he points that out in his post...... i think he said he uses short legnths of dacron to legnthen lines and he uses another method for shortening..
his method works well.....

code - 4-11-2006 at 07:11 PM

I'm surprised at the jump thing to be honest as I tried very hard to get jumps out of that kite and never was successful, but the pull was definitely there for me to go kgb'ing and snowkiting.

I flew the kite several times right before you purchased it from me and had it hooked up the same when I sent it out. So I'm a bit curious if you changed any of the setup that I had originally done when you received it? Honestly, I'm questioning myself why it would do that myself as I never had that problem. If it continues let me know and I'll shoot you a call to see if we can't work it out.

Glad to hear that you had an enjoyable time with it too though and congrats on the jump!
Let me know how things work out on the next outting...
~Joe

OregonFlyer - 4-11-2006 at 08:03 PM

So...
The spinning is no big deal. It hapens only when the lines are already twisted from the kite rolling over once or twice.
But more importantly I took the kite out again today was flying and everything was fine. A husband and wife were hitting golf balls on the edge of my window ( they moved in after I started flying). The kite is on the ground and the guy walks close to it and I yell telling him to move. The guy comes over again and the kite flys up just as a gust hits I yell at him again as he walks under my lines the kite flips over and hits him. It doesn't hit him hard but lines go across his face. At this point I think I crap my pants. I go over to him and he insists that he is ok. He says "guess I shouldn't have walked under the kite". I dodged a bullet. I am going to be much more militant about keeping people away from now on.

code - 4-11-2006 at 09:40 PM

You definitely need to watch that stuff. I've seen pictures of people getting pretty bad cuts needing stitches from kite lines..if it has enough speed and power you would be amazed to know what those lines can cut through. When I first got into the sport I never really thought much of it either..it took a thread on another forum to wake me up and make me realize just how bad the lines alone can mess someone up.
~Joe

jonesing4wind - 5-11-2006 at 12:03 AM

My son bears a scar across his cheek from something just like this. I was very new and he was launching a 2 line foil. Nothing can take it away, but I can learn from it. Fly safe!!

Seany

Bladerunner - 5-11-2006 at 10:17 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DON321
sounds like brake lines... check out COREYKITES post on how to adjust lines, follow his advice on doing this, knotting your lines to make them shorter will weaken that area, he points that out in his post......his method works well.....


Yes, most handle / bars have some extra lenght on the heavier attachment ropes for minor adjustment. Same with the kite end.
Knots in regular flying line definately weeken that point. Q-line is different.

Generally you will find poeple are clueless yet attracted to your kite. EXPECT them to move into your hot zone and try to compensate ( Yell at them ) well ahead of time. Off leash dogs are another treat!

FreeFlyFrog - 5-11-2006 at 10:50 AM

Wait till you get on a buggy on a beach. What seems like plenty of room to clear an obstacle, suddenly becomes way to close in a hurry with a big gust. I've only just started this year and I've already had the pleasure of running over a small dog with my back tire. Luckily it was alright. That dog came from 30m and decided ir did NOT like me and my kite and chased me. He got unlucky, triped while close and ate it. I felt bad at first but when I saw he was ok and that the owner wasn't flipping out I couldn't help but laugh inside. Don't take me wrong I love dogs, but those little dogs that people coddle some much as they bark away incesantly deserve a lesson every once in a while....
:frog:

coreykite - 6-11-2006 at 12:28 PM

Howdy,
Another thing to watch out for as well as tight bottom lines, is where you're holding the handles.
Some begin by holding the handle in a tight grip below the top lead.
Wrong.
Most typical grip is for the index finger to be over the top lead while the rest of the fingers are below.
Your thumb can provide pressure against the top of your handle to aid you in making small, brake/steering inputs.

Remember that these quad-control, fixed-bridle foils are truly 2-line kites with two additional lines added to the trailing edge for independant flap-control.
They are mostly controlled by the top two-lines.
That's the most efficient.

Manueverability induces drag, slowing the kite.
Drag and a slower flying kite reduces power.

Seek to Be Efficent.

Now to something a bit more esoteric...

May I remind everyone how it feels to be yelled at?
You're out in a public park or beach and somebody starts yelling at you?
Unless you're on your own property, please don't yell at folks.

Land and secure your kite and walk over to explain.
On a windy field or beach you probably can't make out what the yeller is saying anyway.

Please don't yell at people.


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

jonesing4wind - 6-11-2006 at 05:36 PM

Well put, Corey! I appreciated your restraint (not yelling at me) when I crashed into your banner pole at the Fall Thang... Never did say sorry properly, so: Sorry! See ya,

Seany

Bladerunner - 6-11-2006 at 05:55 PM

All of a sudden I'm not sure if I'm lazy or rude ! I'm always polite ( the Canadian way ) but yell that I can't be sure they won't get hurt if they are about to go downwind of me . I then park the kite opposite their area. It's amazing how often you must take the next step and drop the kite as well.
:bird:

jonesing4wind - 6-11-2006 at 09:03 PM

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Yelling, that is. I try to walk up to people and let them know that the safest place is behind me.

DON321 - 7-11-2006 at 05:59 PM

Its a tough one, especially at the beach there are alot of people who come to walk right at the shore level, wich happens to be the best place to ride because the sand is packed all nice..., i hate to yell, but i yell out wich side im coming up on a person (on your left!!! on your right!!) this dosent mean they will hear you but hey your doing what you can, people dont understand how hard it is to stop on a dime with a buggy, especially if your not prepared for it.... the nice thing is when the wind starts blowing at the beach people usually start to leave and you have a little more room,...
the biggest problem is when you have 3-4 guys at the beach and your ridding and doing tricks (2wheels,180,360,powerslides) it draws alot of attention and people will crowd the area to watch thats when you can explain what to watch out for when there all in a group.....

just be safe and never think you have the right of way, give the right away and you wont get hurt or hurt anyone else, its not worth it....
try to explain not yell, but it dosent always work out that way...:tumble:

jonesing4wind - 7-11-2006 at 06:41 PM

Well put, Don! Especially about never having the "right of way". In nautical rules, the vessel under motor power must yield to the vessel powered by wind. Likewise, we should yield to foot-powered (human) vehicles...

Seany