Hey guys,

Bought a new peter lynn reactor 2 5.5 over Christmas. Like everything about the kite construction and backpack, just a few things are bothersome about the way it handles.

I'm experienced flier with 2 and 3m trainer kites (ram air both) and some experience with 12m inflatable.

Problems
1) kite seems to overshoot
2) kite seems to be really unstable. collapses suddenly etc.
3) turns are really really slow. I have to fight with it to get it to turn.

Flight conditions
I flew it on a soccer field. it was gusty but I still think the kite has some adjustment issues. winds were 10 gusting to 15. im 185 pounds.

Any ideas? I have it hooked up by bar control, I prefer it. I'm thinking the inside lines need to be adjusted but Im just not sure and I wanted some advice. The major worry to me is the slow turning, why would it be so sluggish? To me its the same speed or worse than my 12m is in light winds.

Is this just a wind issue? or could she use some adjustment?

Thanks a ton!
Thad

1) Add a little brake.
2) Utilize brakes correctly.
3) Use a bit of brake while turning.

Oh wait, you have it on a bar... there's the issue.

The reason that the 12m seems to turn faster is that the 12m LEI is a depower (I'd hope) which is both a) designed to be flown on a bar and b) turns using the brakes (that being the way depowers turn). Trying to get a 5.5m foil that was designed for handles to fly well on a bar (particularly if you want fast turning) is going to be very difficult.

Out of morbid curiosity. What kind of bar are you using? I'd hope that it's at least some form of cross-over bar or maybe an Ozone Turbo bar.

Its a peter lynn bar. I got the bar and handles in a deal with the kite. Can't tell you any more than that. Yeah I knew about the breaks for turning, I just was unclear on if they could be used with the bar.

I mean turning isn't a huge deal. I'm more concerned with stability. I can always re connect the handles, I still have them.

So all the problems i outlined are from improper brake usage?


Thanks for the quick response.

That kite needs to be flown and controlled and you lose so much of the ability to do that with a bar. Everything you are having issues with can be fixed by knowing when (and being able to) apply just the right amount of brake to the proper side of the kite. That is a fast kite that flies close to the edge of the window. When a gust hits, it speeds the kite up and sends it further to the edge. Some momentum and you failing to prevent it and the kite will fly past the edge of the window and fold up the kite. Better winds, more flying experience, and most of all some handles will help you realize what a fabulous kite you have. With the added knowledge required to fly a kite on handles comes increased control over the kite. Giving up that control dumbs down your ability to fly it. A bar has its place in kite flying but not on a Reactor II.

Interesting. OK. I was going to try and use it on my surfboard this summer, but you guys are telling me this is a bad idea now?

Do you have any suggestions for foil kites that could be better used this way?

I have had issues with overfly on a standard bar as well, and I find that using a turbo bar fixes it a little bit. Being able to tap on the brakes if it wants to overfly helps a ton, and like you sodman, I prefer flying on a bar. Also, you turn solely by using the brakes so the kite can turn extremely quick. Just my $.02.

@BB, have you ever tried your Reactors on a turbo bar?

Put it on some handles, this is a great kite.

I would never recommend any open cell kite for water use, but it would do ok as a low lift landboard kite. For more lift on a landboard, choose a Twister or a DePower kite.

Also, for any water use, choose a closed cell like a Peter Lynn Charger or HQ Neo...or some may say LEI"s...but I won't LOL.... J/K

The Reactor is designed as a buggy engine and it is one very nice buggy engine.

Quote:

Originally posted by Jovver @BB, have you ever tried your Reactors on a turbo bar?

No, whenever this is talked about, it always seems that the bar is "almost as good as handles". I learned on handles, know how to fly with them, like the control and finesse I have with the kite on handles so it would seem counter productive to get a bar especially for a brake enhanced kite like a Reactor or Reactor II. I'm not talking down to anyone who tries it, but all of sodman's issues point to a lack of proper brake input IMHO. I have the same kite and while I see the potential for the same results, I'm largely able to avoid these issues by correcting an issue in flight before the bad stuff happens just due to flight time and having that extra bit of control over the kite.

EDIT: I had a 3m HQ Scout on a bar that was a blast to fly. It was much more stable yet slightly missing (by design) some of the high performance characteristics of the Reactor II.

Well BB, if you ever get the chance to do so, slap one of your Reactors on a turbo bar... I am interested to see what you think about it. In regards to your comment about the 3m Scout on a bar, I find that flying a kite on a standard bar is easier when the kite is smaller, specifically less than 5m or so. I never really had any problems flying on a standard bar until I got my Flow with the standard bar setup. After a few flights with that setup I regretted the decision to go for a bar, even though I prefer that flying style. I found that in order to properly control the kite, it needed brake input, especially the few times that I buggied with it. With handles you can apply the brakes to get it to sit in the middle of the window, whereas with the standard bar, the kite would fly to the edge and once it was there, it was hard to get it back in the center of the window to get more power. Moreso, as stable as the Flow is, the kite also wanted to overfly a bit in gusty conditions. Sorry for the hijack. :tumble:

@sodman, I second the vote to try it on handles.

Yeah the Reactor is a 4-line biased kite.
For better luck on a standard control bar, try a 2-line biased kite kite a Flexi Rage or Blade, HQ Beamer, Peter Lynn Hornet. PL sells the Twister with a bar option but I don't like it.

I've put my Reactor 1 8.3 on a Turbo Bar. Kind of wonky and I had to adjust the brakes a few times to dial it in but it worked. I could tell it would get better with practice but I got impatient and put the handles back on. Wonky because when you crank it hard in a turn, the opposite brake line slacks way out behind the kite, making it hard to keep the tension it wants. But it will turn OK. In straight flight it is easy to adjust brake tension you want for the power boost the Reactor can deliver.

My 8.6 RII is still "cherry". So I cannot speak on this kite , but I fly only foils ,and I know a thing or three about how to fly em. Sounds like a brake issue and it was designed to be a buggy engine, not really a static kite.
I'm dying to try mine out but the weather has sucked since I got it. N.K.C.
It is supposed to be beautiful SAT , I hope to fly it then.
Will report results

Ok thanks for all the input guys. will try with handles!

You can fly an open cell on water you just can't relaunch it after launching so it is the worst possible kite for the job.

We lost Speliopower over issues with a SNOBdr. Pity He was our man for kiteboarding with open cells. He would take along a mesh bag , pack the kite and swim in if he needed to self rescue.

I know my 7.7 Twister II flew and turned like fresh turd on a bar! I put it on handles and LOVE it ! You can add a strop between handles to hook in to a harness. I used to be all about bars but over time all my Fixed bridles have ended up back on handles.

You may want to try and add a 2/1 crossover on to the bar you have. Search crossover bar on here for the design. It adds input on turning + you can tune in just a touch of brake for the overfly issue?

Sounds to me like you want to be saving up for a water kite ?

Like the rest I say get that kite on some handles. Just had all the same issues you are talking about with a customer who had a twister II on the same bar. Fly your fixed bridles on handles! Haven't used the turbo bar so i can not comment. I haven't heard anyone say its better than handles so I will stick with the handles. Especially if you figure the cost of the kite plus that bar you can get into a de-power and now we are talking a whole new ball game.

And like BR said you can fly open cell foils on the water just don't crash

direct result of bar flying.............worse than taking your sister to prom..............................get handles fly like a pro.....................................:o:o:duh::duh:

im just curious why you got a open cell buggy foil for kitesurfing?

the RII is a speed machine and sits near the edge of the wind window and doesnt have much lift either.

if you need something with grunt and open cell the Twister would have been better. also HQ / Ozone makes open cell on bar too

Just out of curiosity, how do you have your bar hooked up to the kite? What lines and where?

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I know my 7.7 Twister II flew and turned like fresh turd on a bar!

?? is that good?? how does a fresh turd turn? just courious, never heard somone comparing kite turning to turds so Im not sure how its ment.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I know my 7.7 Twister II flew and turned like fresh turd on a bar!

Quote:

Originally posted by Krohn1999 ?? is that good?? how does a fresh turd turn? just courious, never heard somone comparing kite turning to turds so Im not sure how its ment.

I had to laugh about this because Bladerunner's Twister really is like that on a bar.:shocked2:

With 30meter lines you "may" be able to loop the kite without smacking it into the ground. this was after many adjustments to get it to fly on a bar. (It came with the bar RTF)

Ron

Good thing the forum is here to help.
Like everyone else said, get it on handles, and in a bug (or board if you have space and have hooj balls)(lid on!)
You got yourself a very sweet kite, I'm just unsure if you bought it with the right intention.
If you're not into buggying and not planning on it either I'd say keep it as fresh as you can and switch it for something that'll suit your needs.
You've found the forum so good advice is just a keyboard away.

Cheers

Fresh turd is just a nice way of sayinf the Sh** swear word that would get edited on here.

Thanks for all the advice. Took her out today in 8-10 steady ocean breeze on a sand bar. Sweet kite. Got a few good airs. On handles she's awesome!!!!

Yeah, I know its strange to get this kite for water, but I don't have the cash for a true kitesurfing kite. My experience with LEI's has been bad and I don't ever want to pump a kite again! I just feel that foil's are better kites and last a lot longer.

All I'm really interested in is just tooling around with the kite on a surfboard in the shallows. just looking to get a taste of kite surfing on the cheap guys, don't be too judgmental

That being said, any other kite that would be better for me that I could get on the cheap? I have a friend that wants to get into it the same way i am now (cheap and no LEI).

Thanks a ton, never expected so many posts!!

I'm not a kiteboarder, but I think without front skegs ,you will be unable to hold an edge against the pull of the wind. It seems to me the front of the board would keep wanting to go to the kite. Maybe you gotta turn away all the time. Some kiteboarding guy needs to give ya more input. Man ,I miss speleopower. He was a Bada$$ foil flyer. If you are gonna do this ,get you one of those bags.( really good idea it is)

Your kite will become a sea anchor once it hits the water. You won't ever be able to relaunch .

Have fun but you are really making it hard on yourself.

Do you know about closed cell foils ? I think that is what you need . What you have is a buggy kite.

Quote:

Originally posted by sodman12 That being said, any other kite that would be better for me that I could get on the cheap? I have a friend that wants to get into it the same way i am now (cheap and no LEI).

older model pl arc and/or hq neo I

Pre 2006 flysurfers are getting extremely cheap. The weren't the easiest kites to fly but are well made. Old arcs are what you want but they have become popular and are harder to find.

Here is a good option for water on the cheap. Just need to find a depower bar and lines.
PL Venom 16 - $275US kite only

Thanks for the tip on the pl 16. I picked it up.

Thanks for all the help.

-Thad