I just purchased a HQ Scout 2 on ebay for 155 dollars. To me it seamed like a awesome deal, and it still does. I got to fly it for the first time today. and while its power was amazing and jerked me around all over the place. BUT I could not get the kite to park or get more than 30 feet off the ground. it seemed that it wanted to stay in the power zone the whole time, making it a little difficult to control. all the lines look great and seem to be in the proper place. any help would be welcome.

Flying lines may have stretched if used. Try attaching power lines on knot closer to handle....or attaching brake lines on knot farther from handle..or you may need to do both.

When you can easily launch it, bring it to apex and hold it overhead.. and land it-put it anywhere in power window- your FLY lines will then be in balance.

The brake and power lines start out in almost all cases the same exact length, but lines can stretch. This happens 99% time on power lines as they bear most of the load. When it stretches too much....this can effect how the kite flies, how easy it will launch/land/control.

If you want to check and see for yourself to better understand the possible reason for lack of control in addition to just doing the probable solution listed above...do this:

Without detaching anything....You can attach all four loop ends onto a point(nail or hook) and walk out with all 4 lines until you get to the other end. If all 4 lines do not end the same length(perhaps within an inch , inch and a half most?)-They cannot be attached to the handles lead line on knots all the same distance from the handle. If they are the same length , they can and SHOULD be on same knot(or attach at same distance from)Handle's lead line. This is how on a new kite, NEW lines will attach....... but not lines that have stretched.

Your 2 power(top) lines may have stretched as much as 6- 10+ inches longer than brake lines.

New or used, just follow this anyway.

Capisch?

Good luck...and wecome to PKF!

If I am correct your Scout will be a 3 line fixed bridle on a bar ?

If I am correct ignore Skim's reference to handles. He is correct that your fly lines may have stretched?

Is it possible to make your 3rd ( brake line ) longer ? I suspect it is too short? It should be slack with a bit of an arc in it when flying. It only comes into play for backing the kite down or reverse launching.

As a last resort disconnect the 3rd line all together. If your kite won't fly to zenith with no brakes , on 2 lines and a decent wind then there is something wrong with the bridle and I would be asking for a return. Check that the bridle isn't knotted up or something before asking for a return.

Is it possible the wind was too light for the kite to find zenith ?

Ken, you're right.
Think I was thinking of a different model....

If 3rd line doesn't adjust(it should right?)..seems you should be able to knot lead lines from bar ends to reattach and bring power lines closer to bar. Does that affect flagging/safety release travel too much- or still okay? The video shows lead line to be plenty long enough to re-knot(see at 6:04 in video)....?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8q4GTt9GbA

Anyway....Chris knows!

Thanks for your help guys. Today was the first time I tried flying the kite the wind was around 20mph and was plenty strong enough to whip me around. I did notice that with my bar level it kept wanting to go to the right. I thought it was because of the wind but from what you all are saying it could be the lines. the bridle looks great and the lines on the kite look good as well. the flying lines do look like they have seen some wear though so they might be stretched. would it be worth investing in a new set of lines? if so where could I get those for a good price?

You should be able to simply make an adjustment by moving attachment point of lines.

Lines are expensive!

Check and make sure your fly lines are equal in length.

Like Brian says you can make adjustments by adding knots either on the leader lines at the bar or up at the kites leader lines. Use the lines you have until they break. New lines can cost almost as much as your kite.

thanks guys for all of your help I was able to set the up my kite in our church I did notice a small tangle in the bridle that I was able to fix and I also saw that the power lines were way stretched out one about 5 inches and the other about 2.5 to three. I adjusted everything at the bar just because I thought it would be easier incase I did it wrong. there was no wind where I was at today but I am hoping to get down to the water front tomorrow and test everything out.

Glad you have an understanding of how to adjust the knots to equal out your lines. Doing at the bar is best, if you have the length on your leaders to make it up.

As long as your 2 front lines are equal to each other and your 2 back lines match each other you should be OK. I think your kite is designed for all lines equal is best. As long as the brake lines have a bit of slack and don't interfere with flight you are set. Too slack and the kite won't back down when you drop the bar.

I think it is very cool having a Pastor in our flock ! For some crazy reason I have a picture of Sally Fields as the Flying Nun stuck in my head now. I was at the perfect age when that show came out !

Kiting very often replaces Church for me on Sundays. It takes me to some very special places and connects me in a way that makes me truly thankful !

Well Bladerunner I promise you I am not a nun, just a bald guy who enjoys kiting.

Thanks for all of your help guys with my kite, I was able to get out and fly my scout today for about two hours. Since adjusting the lines I was able to get the kite to its zenith and had much more control over the kite itself. However I did notice one thing and it could just be the fact that the wind was not as strong today but I did not have the pull it had before it seemed that the back ends of the kite are cupped a little to much causing some drag and the kite not flying at its full strength but I could be mistaken.

If you still have trouble try checking that the lines are equal length by detaching them from the bar and kite and hooking them to something and pulling on them with a finger, they should both sag equally. Don't pull them straight but focus on how they sag. If you do want to change lines I have 3 kite lines 21 meters long sitting around, let's say 35 shipped. They are lines from a 4 line bar designed to take a larger load than a trainer kite (better lines) but one of them got snagged/damaged and I bought a new 4 line set so now I have three lines sitting around.

The brake line is on a pulley that helps turn the kite too. I really didn't like it when I flew the kite on two lines post pulley snap, but it was a ridiculous day 20 to 40 Knot gusts. Instead of the strop, I had the kite killer attached to the spreader bar so I could push the bar away to kill the kite, but one of the gusts was just too much. all I tried to do was land the kite afterwards, but I remember it having a funny shape on two lines.

If your kite was hanging back in the window before and now flies to zenith it sounds like you lengthened the back lines or shortened the front ?

Naturally the kite will end up with less pull as it sits more forward in the wind window. It will spill more wind.

You may want to try and make the back lines just a bit longer if that tuck along the back doesn't go away with stronger winds ? I suspect it might ? Too loose and you will lose the little brake input that you get from a single pulley. Sounds like you have it close to tuned.

Bladerunner I shorten the front two lines so that all three lines are now equal. One line was about 5 inches two long and the other was about three I could make the center brake line a tad longer and see if that helps.