Is there any way to un bowtie an Arc without having to do backflips over the bar? I read the Arc setup and yes, the kite was probably under inflated at the time. But I was itching to fly it for the 1st time and took it out in unsteady 10mph winds. It seems to me that it could happen at any time with the Phantom since it is such a high aspect ratio. The kite is setup with an 04/05 bar and an airush chicken loop.

you can do it, it just takes patience... the migher the wind, the more work it is... it also dependes whether you are on water or not

i find it easier on water

generally speaking, though, it doesnt really bowtie during anything but the launches, and once you get the hang of those, youre usually good. i have had a bowtie a couple times in the buggy when i let the kite get behind me, but that was pilot error, not kite

were you trying to fly the 9m phantom in 10 mph winds?? that could be the problem, that kite doesnt come alive until around 20 mph winds, arcs NEED a certain amount of wind to act right

Yes I was trying the 9M phantom. I did not realize that kite required 20mph winds. I was just static flying but intend to use it in the buggy. 15 to 20 is a good day inland around here.

on my board, at the beach, on hardpack, with 12mph winds (give or take) my 15m phantom is a gem.... great kite, but without the prper amount of wind, it just wont fly right...

check out this link, it will give you some info on recommended winds for most arcs made

http://www.kite-fantastic.co.uk/articles/mx5alan/arc-wind-ra...

plug in your weight in kilograms (2.2 lbs per kg)... and choose land or water as your method, and viola!, a handy little chart comes up

hopefully this doesnt put a damper on your kite purchase, but if it does, you wont have a hard time selling off that 9m phantom... pm me if you are thinking of selling it.

Thanks Dylan. What technique do you use to un bowtie on land?

on land its a lot harder, grab the lines from one side and pull, while trying to let the other side go downwind... its difficult on land because the kite will stick to the water a bit better...

basically you try to flag the kite out, and then recover it.... if its blowin hard, and the bowtie is right in the center, its nearly impossible without some assistance

if it bowties such that the underside is on the right, pull the right lines in, and try to flag out the left, it will correct itself if you can flag it out.... as soon as you can get it to flag, relaunch, you may need to pump the kite's power lines to get it to launch right...

but again, it may be easier just to land the kite and relaunch... once they get to flyin, they usually stay in the air

I have done it a few times. But it it doesn't happen that often and I am always amazed that I was actually able to undo it. That I can't recall exactly how it was undone each time. I believe that I counter steered with the bar while reaching up on the opposite steering line or power line (depending on how much of a bow tie it is, I think it needs to be whichever is at the "top corner") and pulling it in. The wingtip corner gets pulled away enough that the wind catches it and opens it up. Something like that. Maybe others can fill in any gaps.

BTW, doing it wrong can put another twist in it.

I have recovered from a double bowtie with an inverted kite this way. It was a spectacular recovery that gave me as big a stoke as any riding has.

I've never been able to correct a bow tie but the old adage applies. prevention is better then cure!!! if you pre inflate an arc properly then it wont bowtie. an arc needs the internal pressure and the internal straps for it to hold its shape so before launch, along with all the other pre flight checks, also check the leading edge vents are not twisted or stuck behind a strap.

The 9m, if properly inflated, will fly fine in 10mph of wind. So will a 6m. True, for landboard jumping and such 20mph is great for the 9m, the buggy (on dry lake bed) and static flying is great in 10mph of wind.

allow the kite to flag out and it will eventually correct it self , but can turn into a mess.

i have corrected a few bow ties , but limited experience, it just does not happen.

if its heavy wind you are asking for trouble, let it go rest

running toward the kite, let it start to drop and the "controllable side" should allow you to fly out of the tie (THATS ONE TURN ) .. any more twist its over.

on the water , dont' let it happen !

a text book flag out water relaunch is really the only way to go

One thing that I do is to keep the bar pulled in on launch. It will allow the kite to go slower and inflate as it goes to the top of the window. Sometimes these things need rear line tension when launching or they will bowtie, especially the phantom and the scorp.