So check this out: I went out tonight cuz the wind was blowin at about 20mph gusting to 25mph and I heard that the 13m would SHINE in these conditions. OF course I was a little apprehensive at first because (i just got my bar and lines on friday) and I haven't had a chance to do it. MISTAKE: Flying a kite i'm not used to in winds that you would normally be fully powered up O.O . Anyways I got out there, figured out the lines and stuff and had my brother launch it for me since he was out there with me. I have to say WOW! Normally i would be scared of such a kite in these winds, no i was not overpowered but one of my spars is busted so the left side was all bent and it wasn't acting very nice because of it. It wasn't flying as fast thru the window so I couldn't get to the edge to stop the pull! LOL!

Anyways, I did a few jumps and I just have to say WOW what amazing float! It's so true you get lifted up there and just sit there looking down thinking "huh, this is nice". I ended up having to pull the emergency release cuz i got all frazzled and when i pulled it i got tangled in a few lines. Needless to say i did quite a dance to get out of those lines it scared the CRAP out of me! I didn't want to end up getting pulled downwind on myb ackside with my foot hooked by the lines :D . I ended up packing it up and deciding it will be good to get to know the kite with new spars, and in lower winds (15-20 instead of 20-25 :P).

GREAT KITE!!!

That's a sketchy learning curve to say the least. I have had that kite out in those winds and it can be a handful, even to the initiated in its flying style. Good thing you were able to walk away with everything in tact. That's pretty amazing that you were able to get it up with that broken spar, let alone control it. Well now that your cherry's been popped you'll most likely have a better time the next time you take her out in more controllable winds. I don't know if you set the bar leaders out all the way and tied off the center lines to the closest knot above the depower strap - it will make all the difference in those kind of winds - maximizes your depower and keeps her from getting too aggressive. Again my hat is off to you - now you just have to use your new found power.

nice getting started.

challenging conditions and broken spar be careful.

sometimes when the LE distorts from spar damage they can collapse in the wink of eye esp. in 20+ winds,

back line tension will help control a limping kite. depowering the rig when in trouble only makes it worse if not bowtie instantly.

V13 one of the most versatile kites with the widest apps on the planet for avg weight rider,

that kites gonna take you a long way

Hey Flexi Thanks for that advice on the center lines, I think I'll definitely be playing with the different settings there's SO MUCH to tune. I noticed on the top lines (on the actual kite) There are like 4 knots I can attached the center lines to. I had no idea which ones were what so I just did the one in the middle and it seemed OK.

Phree, Yeah I definitely had it bowtie on me a couple times. Amazingly though it would fix itself in a matter of seconds (must be an ARC characteristic?).

Good call - to depower leading edge lines - farthest knot away from kite - for full closest knot to the kite. Also if you look in through the deflate vent on the middle of the trailing edge you will see a mysterious black strap, oooohhh scaaary. If you tighten that strap it will make the bar pressure stiffer (harder to pull on control bar - a little more mmmppphhh out of the kite). Opposite happens if you loosen the strap - it's suggested to loosen the strap for lighter winds - so if you pull the strap tighter in lighter winds to try and get more power out of her she will only respond by stalling a lot.

hmm yes, I had seen that strap before and read about it. I'll have to play around with that sucker as well as the knots on the LE. Thanks!