Here it is guys. First flight (and oddly the last as I sold it on the spot to a guy there that had been looking for one). That thing was dialed in spot-on and pulled like a mother. Nothing fantastic about the video, just a kite flying. There's some legs at 2:38....looks like a hunter left behind a calling card cuz the rest was gone.

If you can make it to the end you can actually see me scratch my head trying to figure out how to bring the giant down. Luckily a helpful kiter offered a catch ; )



Please, any comments about technical points are welcomed. That thing stayed LOCKED deep in the power and really got my heart going a few times. Basically if you see me watching where I'm going it's cuz it was cranking it up on me. I was later told that I should always be flying 45-60 degrees up which tells me I've never really done it "right" or sized the right kite for the day because more often than not I have the kites smoking along at ground level or 30 degrees.

FYI - this was the greyest, haziest day ever and the HD GoPro did a great job I'd say. I mounted it to the top of my helmet and adjusted it by walking around the house, looking at things and "saying" what I was looking at so I could go back, check if the camera was lined up and adjust as required. Now, where I look, the subject is in the centre of the frame.

Great vid macboy! talk about living vicaiously through someone else, I felt like I was there! Thanks for the ride!

I think it applies to all kites (if I understood how it was being explained to me anyway).

As I understood - please correct me if I'm wrong: If you can crank it out to the edge of the window then it's OK to be nearer the ground but his theory was that any turbulence you're going to get is going to be worse closer to the ground. If a gust hits you and your kite is down low it's gonna want to just yank you downwind. If you size your kite such that it produces sufficient power for you at 45-60 degrees then not only will you be closer to a quick move to zenith to settle things down, but you'll be less prone to being yanked over your skis/board and you'll also presumably have a perfect balance of lift to lighten the load on your edge but not so much that you drift downwind AND you'll be right in the "zone" for boosting some nice air.

Now, this day flying I was definitely getting cranked by that kite. When I took Daniel's 15m afterwards I realized that I was hauling everything I had against the SA sheeted right out yet with the 15 I was able to lean away from the kite and just sheet in/out to maintain the pull and keep myself from falling over or getting yanked over. Again, too much wind for flying the kite wrong that day. Had I flown it "right" (as I understand it now) maybe the story woulda been different.

Nice vid.


It seems a LW session ? You have some depower. I like to always have some on the 19m even in LW because I can pull the bar a bit more (I have short arms).


definitely fly the kite high. you kite position is too low. it gives too much pull and reduces your ability to go upwind.

if you fly the kite higher:

- you will be able to increase your top end because less downwind pull
- you will have better chance to dive the kite and give a stroke (down/up) in lulls
- you will control your speed easier and your direction

when launching:

- try to give 2-3 quick pull on the front lines. the kite will inflate faster and the tips will unfold faster to start. useful in LW. not necessary in strong winds.

Nice vid ther Mac. That GoPro HD really did a good job. Looked like you were on Skis. Just a curious question do you think that the kite would have been more suited that day if on a snowboard? No real reason other than just wondering. Otherwise nice video.

Shaggs

in all the excitement were you able to compare the upwind performance of the FS to your PLs
Paul

No comparison done BUT I can tell you I was screaming upwind. And, given the fact that I wasn't really even getting the most out of the kite that's something. If I fly all of my kites equally inefficiently I'd give it a verdict of "same". Would have to wait for a side by side comparison to say better or worse.

There may even be some points in the vid where you can see the angle I'm crossing my old tracks.

Shaggs - I bet I'd have held it a lot better on a board but I'm still learning that skill so I stuck with the skis last weekend (and have vowed to not take them out again until I'm holding ground on the snowboard goofy AND switch). I think water riding this coming summer depends on me staying focused on the snowboard.

Great vid mac. The good tips on flight angle were a bonus - I always try to dial it in and cruise just like you were. I'll try it up higher.

I have no experience on snow but too low and what were your winds..........I see alot of power trimmed out on your strap............take a look at my Go Pro vid on the 17m SA1.5 on kite review/Sullivans Island thread..................my sons vid is the lower kite and he doesnt get upwind as well as I do on the higher kite vid..........................good call Buzz...........

Mac,

I looked at your vid again....you had the kite out in front nicely at 3:30 onward when you flew the kite higher in the window...................Id say low level flying for sure, and edging perhaps. Again, I have no snow experience but I would think you should lean away from the kite while edging hard on the inward edge of the ski closest to the kite................Secondwind and Dennis have alot of Speed2, snow, ski knowledge...........................nice video for sure...........Ive been to Edmnton and Cold Lake but it was in the summer....................nice kite session beats an afternoon in that huge mall you have

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy There may even be some points in the vid where you can see the angle I'm crossing my old tracks.

I seen you crossing some rather fresh looking tracks at quite a sharp upwind angle. I wondered if those were your tracks or not. I figured if those were your tracks then you had some very good upwind reach going on.
Paul

And yeah...that's with my limited skillz

I was impressed. Can only imagine what it's gonna be like to become proficient with that thing.

Another thing that's occurred to me is part of the reason behind my flying style. I love watching the kite fly. Not that I NEED to watch it, it just looks so cool watching it soar along. And of course, it's easier to see when it's down low. Maybe when I transition to the snowboard I'll be able to fly it higher AND still enjoy the view ; )

Quote:

Another thing that's occurred to me is part of the reason behind my flying style. I love watching the kite fly. Not that I NEED to watch it, it just looks so cool watching it soar along.

Yep...agree with the comments above about kite positioning - 45 degrees, but occasionally pulling in the brakes on the Yaks flying the kite about a foot off the ground as you're zooming along on the bug is soo cool...