Hey,
as per title, i have a few Qs about my new (to me) PKD buster 3, and a couple of the bits included with it.

With the kite i got two little rectangular florescent orange bags, with the PKD logo, and a Velcro top. They're about 6x4 inches. I was wondering what these are for ? I thought sand bags, but they are two small for that. Are they waterproof, to keep phones in or whatever ?

Second, i think the handles may be damaged. Or im just being dumb ! Check out the pic at:

http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj515/yesnopossibly/Misc...

Its not great quality, i know. The tops of the handles, dont have the little bit of rope that sticks out, that a strop attaches to. There is the hole in the right place though (seen in pic) Does this mean that the rope has gone inside the handle ? Its a bit annoying as i obviously need a place to attach the strop!
Is there an easy way to fix this / put something on that will allow me to use the strop.

And lastly, i've never used, or even seen a triple A adjuster (until this morning) can someone give me some info on that, how /when to use it etc. I know it allows a certain degree of de power (?) but would appreciate some proper info from someone who knows

Thanks guys!!

Tim

I think you are right about the handles. They should have a cap you can pop and replace or change the leader lines. if you re-use those lines you must compinsate by shortening your back line connection to match.

I think those are sand bags?

Yes those are probably sand bags.

As far as the lines, I would look real carefully at those handles and the power leads that come off them.(not doubting whoever sold you this kite) It appears that they may have actually pullled through or started to at least. See of you can get the caps off and have a better look at them. I have seen this happen before on other brand kite handles, Small kite, lots of wind, torque out the wazoo, power lead starts to pull through the handle. It is at least worth double checking those power leads.

Hmm okay, thanks guys.

Its all packed away in the garage now, ill have a look tomorrow.
It was bought off ebay, so its always a risk. Its not a big deal, i don't guess it will be massively pricey, or time consuming to fix, and the rest of the kit is great !

Is replacing the power leads a simple job ?

Tim

Yes, easy and pretty straight forward . That is if the handles are O.K. ? No need to stress if they are exactly 12' or anything . Just make sure all are equal in the end.

That kite kind of looked like a Brooza? I am not sure if Buster III had graphics but the original was single colour? Does it have lots of big air inlets or only a few small ones?

I think that is an ~ '08 or '09 Buster. I have a full set of Broozas and the black colorway comes back to a point at the center trailing ege.

Pop the cap off the top of the handle with a utility knife. The top leader on the original set-up should come into the handle through the front hole and have a big figure 8 or stevedore knot, then run out the back hole to create a strop and over into the back of the opposite handle. ANother Figure 8 or stevedore stopper knot and then back through the front of handle to create a leader. I'd replace both top leaders in a similar fashion but leave a very short pigtail with overhand knot out the back of each handle. Then tie on a strop that can be trashed when it wears out.

A slick way to set up adjustable leaders is to tie a knot at the end of the top leader then one 3" closer to the handle. Now tie one at the end of the bottom leader, then one 2" in and another at 4" in. But you need to allow extra leader so that you can allow for the rope that you use to make the knots such that the leaders top and bottom are the same length when all the knots are tied. Make sense? If you do it this way you get 5 positions of adjustment.

Triple A adjuster was for Flexifoil Blade IV kites. Go to this link and click on '+Blade IV':
http://www.flexifoil.com/us/community-support/manuals.cfm

PKD Brooza II's and III's had a more adjustable version of that that I installed on all of my Broozas. Don't know if it works on Busters - how are the secondary bridles ganged to the primary bridles?

krumly

As Krumly said about the strop will work. Not sure what the previous owner did with the handles, I would need a full pic of them to see what is going on.

As for the AoA set up, that too needs to have a pic to tell if it is generation I, II, or III. The AoA is a bit different from the other kites. It is very simple to use but I would need to see which one it is to tell you how to use it. I may even have the manual for one or too of the systems.

If the lines are any indication of the kite, it is a Buster III and the handles that came with it have been altered. I will bet anything the person had no clue as to what he had and was totally ignorant to understanding or even unable to read the instructions.
Sad to say, I have lent out a few kites with PKD handles and they came back with a half dozen knots in the brake lines of each handle. Then I ask them why they didn't use the brake cleat, and they reply that it's a stupid setup and they need to fix it. But I could be rong.

Oh yeah - right on the cleats at the brake lines if they have them. You can forget the knots provided the leader lines are stout enough to stay locked into the cleats.

I had to replace some leader lines on some of my Brooza handles and used a softer laid double braid and it tended to dislodge from the cleat with a bump or even under it's own weight.

Sorry Jeff - can't say I'm totally enamored with the cleats for that reason. Knots are pretty foolproof.

krumly

Thanks for your help as always

Its definitely a buster, don't worry. It was advertised as an '09 model

Right, as requested here are some pics i just took of the kite this morning. (it makes a lot more sense if you scroll straight to the bottom, then view them in the order i took them , from the bottom upwards.)

https://bu.mp/hO0mV3

Hopefully you'll be able to work something out!
I know it will be easier to take the lines off the handles, to sort them out, but my garage is'nt massive, so it would be pretty awkward to do so.

TBH, i was thinking it might be worth getting some new handles, the outer foam they are made from is a really dense, and i reckon will become slippy when wet, and possibly uncomfortable for long periods of times too. (although the majority of the time i fly hooked in.) I'm intrigued about the clam cleats though, they seem like a really good idea, and i wanna at least try them out first !

Tim

Well at least the power leads look to be secure. Nice looking kite as well

Quote:

Originally posted by krumly Oh yeah - right on the cleats at the brake lines if they have them. You can forget the knots provided the leader lines are stout enough to stay locked into the cleats. I had to replace some leader lines on some of my Brooza handles and used a softer laid double braid and it tended to dislodge from the cleat with a bump or even under it's own weight. Sorry Jeff - can't say I'm totally enamored with the cleats for that reason. Knots are pretty foolproof. krumly

My sailing experience is jam cleats have to be replaced on a regular basis as well as the lines used in them. Never thought they any place on kite handles.
S

Krumly, your right, using a smaller/lighter brake leader will not work very well unless you use a knife file or your good with a knife, make the brake cleat a bit deeper.
Clam cleats, an instruction manual should be included with them. I think they are the best thing out there. If any of you have broken them, you are pulling way to hard to lock them in or you are way way over powered and the brakes are your last chance for survival. And I speak from experience.:frog:
The last owner cut the strop off at the handle and that was real stupid. If you cut the strop in the center you can tie a knot in both pieces so a new or longer strop can be installed.

You have the Buster III, when I get back later I will explain the AoA.
By the way that is a nice kite, wish I had one.

I did find the Buster II manual and on page 4 it talks about the AoA.

http://www.pkdkites.co.uk/pdf/Buster_II-English.pdf

In the Buster I kites the AoA was set up with 3 settings, position 1, 2, and 3. the kite came from the factory set at P-2. You could move it to P-3 to decrease the AoA and would increase the kite speed and would luff at the edge of the window.
Set the AoA to P-1 would slow the kite down and would increase the wind window as you could fly farther up wind, and with a bit less power.

Buster II is the same idea but with more knots to be a bit more precise in a little or more AoA change. The Buster II came set up at P-2 with 5 settings total.

The AoA on the Buster III comes with zero knots. The idea is to move the larks head as little as 1/32 of an inch or as great as 2 inches one way or the other. The larks head is self tightening so there is no need for the knots. If you have the I or the II you can untie the knots and do the same as the III.
If you make a sharpie mark at the center of the AoA, that will be the factory setting. You can go more or less from there, it's up to you.

Because the Buster was a beginner/intermediate kite with high wind capabilities, it came with the AoA. The problem with the AoA on a beginner/intermediate kite is that most of the beginners and the intermediate flyers have no clue about the AoA, let alone how, what ,why it is what it is.

In the Buster Soulfly and the Pro, the AoA was removed to lower the cost of of the kite to the customer and eliminated the "This thing flys like #*%&!", from those who didn't understand. :eureka:
Anyone with the understanding can add the AoA to any kite and make it work somewhat. Or just enjoy the kite as is, with no need to do anything but enjoy the kite.

I order the just the AoA setups for playing around on different kites and trying different ideas.