Hi everyone.

I need some help please, I was bought a 4m Blade as gift last Easter.

I'm a complete newbie, (with noone to teach me) and have found it hugely unsuitable as a learner. The first time was in super low wind and I could just about control it but in anything over a waft of air and I'm face down in the dirt and covered in bruises. It lifted me clean off the deck and a good 6ft off the ground and half way down the beach a few times. I was put off kiting altogether for a while but would like to give it another go.

Would someone be able to recommend something more suitable to learn with that means I can move back to "the widow maker" when I have a bit more experience.

I'm 5ft 3" and just under 10 stone. I live by a huge beach with offshore winds. I am hoping to stay 4 line- similar to this blade I have to make the transition easier, hoping not to spend the Earth as I have a kite to grow into already.
I also have a landboard but would like to master the kiting before I venture on the board!

Cheers everyone

I'd recommend either a 2m or 3m Ozone Flow. Others will recommend the HQ Beamer or the PL Hornet (in similar sizes).

Yup, either of the ones Mavern suggested would be a lot easier to learn on. Something in the 2 or 3 meter range will work nicely from any of those manufacturers. I would suggest the 3 meter size as that will match up very nicely with your 4.9. When the 4.9 is to powerful, the 3 meter will be powered up nicely. When the 3 meter doesn't have enough power, the 4.9 will work great.

Hope that helps.

LOL,
Sorry tree, but it is funny to imagine what you must of thought when you were first trying out that 4.9m Blade in some good wind.

You might get some time in with a 3m ( I like the Beamer) but I haven't tried too many others. Even a 3m can be a fight in a stiff wind.

Something like a P3 two liner will get you going so you can learn the window. I think thats gona be important right now. I know you want a 4 liner, maybe these guys will chime in with a good one.

Just knowing when it's going to power up will save you some beatings.

Read up on the wind window but don't play with that Blade learning it because no matter how well you know the window, you'll still find yourself getting right in the power zone.

Spring for a smaller kite and fly the crap out of it.

I knew a little about kites and jumped on the 5m three years ago, and it still gets the best of me sometimes.

Welcome, t-tree!

We all assume you know about the wind window ...?
And when the kite pulls, let it drag you down the beach as you ski behind it (scudding) cos it's a useful skill for later, and will stop you nose diving

HQ kites are ok also, well made and durable

Hi Everyone.

Thanks for your ideas. I guess I am looking around the 3m mark from what you are saying.
I had just about mastered the scudding in the low wind Kamikuza then just when I thought it was going well I started flying through the air before being ditched just as quickly. This seems to happen over and over again. Am I flying directly in the window thus creating too much lift?
I get to the point of hold on and hope to land soon or release the kite and fall a long way. Then I eat the dirt.
Are these kite recommendations fairly docile? Mines far to much to handle for me.

Yes, all of the kites recommended are well suited for a newbie, as opposed to the Blade which is not well suited for one.

It may be the kite is making more power than you realize, or it's gusty, or you're sending the kite around too fast and it's yoinking you up.
Get some video or go hang out with some experienced locals. Fill in your location info in your user CP

"Beginner with a blade iv 4.9m"

Not to sound like a twit...but there is something rather disturbing about the phrases "beginner" and "Blade 4.9" (AKA "The Widowmaker") together in one sentence!

Especially for someone your size! :wow:

"Course, if it was my first kite AND a gift, I'd probably be running outdoors to try it too! (I also wish I knew someone who'd give me such a cool gift!)

But, being pretty cautious by nature (and seeing enough YouTube videos), I'd probably want to be sure of what I was doing first.

So, you came to the right place!

Definitely find a smaller, tamer kite to learn on, then take on the Blade later. Keep looking here for some good, used bargains. You prob. already have a few offers in you U2U.

fly it like you stole it.................................:duh::duh:

How windy is it there ?

I think you need to work on learning how to control the kite a bit better so you can avoid those violent moments.

Try this in about 3 - 8mph wind.

1st off work at doing nothing but keep the kite above your head and calm. Do this for so long you are truly bored.

Start just flying the kite left and right while avoiding diving it . SMALL motions. Every time you F up take it back to the top slow it to a stop and start again.
Start to fly figure 8's HIGH in the window. Notice how the edge of the window extends all the way down both sides. How at the edge there is very little pull. In the middle there is lots.

You have a good kite . Just respect it , use it in the right winds and you will love it!
You are trying to FLY the kite all over the place and that is what is getting you in trouble. Go out and try NOT to do that but to keep it calm an at the edge as I described. I'm sure you will have a lot more fun and success that way. Even a 3m kite is going to spank you if you don't learn how to control it. You DO want a 3m but you still want to work on that control.

Excellent way to put it blade. Welcome tree.

sell me your blade

I still have my Mark III Blade 4.9 - a true "knife" of kites - with experience very useful, with little experience you'll have a crap load of cuts all over you.

The Blade IV should have an adjustable AoA (Angle of Attack) in it's bridle setup - you can adjust to whether the kite is "lifty" (pulls you in the air) or "grunty" (pulls you around but not so much in the air). If you got it second hand and don't have any instructions describing how to do this I'm sure someone here will be open to explain it to you. The Mark III didn't have an adjustable AoA or I'd explain how.

Ditto to what everyone else is saying - a 3m will be a good way to get your wings trained before you get killed by the blade. Later you will learn to love the 4.9 - an awesome piece of equipment - do not get rid of it.

Click here for the Blade IV Angle of Attack Adjustment Addendum (PDF document)

ATB,
Sam

Haha, glad Hardrock finds it funny. I do, girl flying through the air going "Whoaaaaaa" followed by "OOOOOOWWWWwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!"

When I was first thinking about kiting I went to the shop in Lytham St Annes and they tried to flog me the Blade, board and the helmet etc with discount if I bought there and then! I was a bit put off by the high pressure sell sell sell.
HOWEVER my friend went back to the shop during the week and got out his wallet, worse still he bought themselves the 6.5m Blade at the same time as he was offered another "amazing deal".
We did fly them together briefly but after 4 attempts he sold the 6.5m on to a crazy guy with a deathwish!

I'm intrigued by the two line suggestion, I was under the impression that 2 lines meant less control plus no brakes? Will that cause me problems later?
At the moment I'm running kite killers on my handles (thats the only things that seems to save me from certain death).

The wind speed where I am is starts at 8kts but averages arount 15kts. I've seen days where it's reached 25kts! The speeds are quite accurate as theres a wind meter just by the beach. Having flown it at 15kts, I know that my limit of control is arount the 8-12kt bracket
I think my mates 22kt day at the beach was what finally scared him into selling it. I stayed at home that day!

Those are pretty strong winds.

That 4.9 will be a lot of kite but a lot of fun once you are it's master. Don't rush out and sell it.

PLEASE don't sell your kite to someone with a " death wish " !!!!!!!!!! These people are giving us a big blabk eye and getting us banned all over the world. NOT people we want to encourage. ( As though we can stop them )

No, you really don't want to set that kite up as a 2 liner - 4 lines is mandatory. Trying to land that kite by dumping it on the edge of the window is inviting disaster - the kite would most likely "pop" back open and then promptly kill you. The useful range for a 4.9 blade would be 12 to 18mph or 12 to 15knots, will fly in 7mph or 7knots. 22knots would definitely leave you with a stain in your shorts.

Just go out in lighter winds, 8knots sounds about right - and don't be afraid to dump to kite killers if you get nailed!
We are all control freaks here - the more control you have over your kite, the less damage you take :D

22 knots would paragliding The III 6.6 I had was a handful on a board in gusty winds about about 9 knots - I spent a lot of time hopping off the board and doing the Tension Two-Step ...

Quote:

Originally posted by flexiblade The useful range for a 4.9 blade would be 12 to 18mph or 12 to 15knots, will fly in 7mph or 7knots. 22knots would definitely leave you with a stain in your shorts.

Interesting contrast in styles. I'll fly my Blade 4.9 in 4 kts and PUT IT AWAY at 12 kts. Anything more would resemble work.

BTW, my Blade IV 4.9m is for sale. 3 years old and flown maybe 10 times. Still crispy