Here are my original posts from Yahoo arcusers back in June last year...

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Anyone out there ever try flying a twinskin on this type of bar ("control stick") and with very short lines (5m)? As seen here... On very short lines as seen here... I been playing with the idea as this may be ideal setup to ride a local trail and parking lots. Seems like a great way to spend a day just cruising. I am wondering if the kites will hold enough shape to function and whether they can be turned this way without creating a bowtie situation everytime.

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This is what appeals to me is to just cruise on the trail with a park and ride on a nice day after work when it's too late to head to the lake (or no wind at the lake) and the stick seems like a novel way to control the kite. The winds in the windrange I would use this in are usually rock steady (and stronger down low as it is on top of a small hill) in the area where the trail is. It may be harder to find a good parking lot though. Well, I have mocked a stick up with 5m lines to try. I have positions on the stick for both my 10m and 15m at positions that keep the front and rear lines parallel to each other. Right now the lines are fixed length (no trimstraps) with knots on the rear lines (in lieu of extension pigtails to make the rears longer than the fronts) for the 10 and 15. If it does work (one size may work better than the other) I will add a trimstrap to the front lines if needed. Right now the trim is achieved entirely by sheeting the bar in and out with the back hand. The other concern is the autozenith. How strong will it be? and will this take way from the relaxing cruise by constantly trying to keep the kite down. Will it be easy to control with the stick without causing a bowtie? I'll be ready to try it on the next appropriate day. The trail does require certain wind directions. But it is super long and there are many possibilities.

I finally had some time to try it with some static flights in light and marginal winds. Once again the Twinskin amazes me. Launches easy. Relaunch are a snap. Lands easy. Does not climb easily to zenith (even by pumping the bar) until it is fully pressurized. Holds its shape surprisingly well when pressurized. It does not bowtie easily after it has been fully pressurized. Recovery from wingtip clap and bowties was simple. Steering is very fast and light. It can be steered by the twist of a single hand. Seemed to be very stable as a park and ride with no tendancy to rise or crash. Looking forward to some real rides now.

It does misbehave in the usual ways in very light marginal winds and when not fully pressurized. Performance improved when fully inflated and as wind got stronger.

What was the wind speed with the 15 and the width of the bar? Were you able to ride any further with a board?
I like the shot with the soda bottles rolling into frame.

The wind was about 8G12 mph for both kites. It would have been better if I had stayed with the 15 to try with the board. I thought I would be overpowered for the way I was dressed so I tried it with the 10. The trail is only 8 feet wide and the ground unridable.

The bar is long (made from an old broom handle). I thought it would work best in light winds and for stability if the lines were kept parallel. So I made the length of the bar to match the length of the spar on th 15. I added a spot on the bar that matches the length of the spar on the 10 too. It is also setup so I can easily play with the bar length on the fly by using some old harness line loops to connect the lines. The rear lines have 8" (for the 15) and 4" (for the 10) and zero extensions built in. The kites were flown with extensions. There is a lot of adjustment I could have tried but I was surprised how well it work out of the box.

Be interesting to get you on a board ... never really thought the Syn was much of a parS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n'ride kite ...

Mad props for the mad professor inventions :o

COOL , i assume up the broom handle to the front kinda depowers it.

amazing control , real oddity there .

imagine how confused a newb would be looking at this set up trying to figure it out?? as compared to the regular.

off the charts man , very nice

Yup, to get full power control you would have both hands on the bar and push out with your back hand to depower and pull in to power up and pull in too far and stall it.

The control concept with this bar is a bit to wrap your mind around at first. Not as bad as I thought it would be though. A newb might just have an easier time with it as many often try to steer the kite by turning the bar or handles like a steering wheel anyways.

Now we are outside of the box!

Looks like park and ride / one handed heaven ? Learning to jump could be an adventure!

:Ange09: