So I got my ATB this morning and haven't gotten to try out the harness. At my place it was blowing a stead 10 knots. So on my lunch we went to the park about 5 miles away and the wind was crap there

It was around 5 knots but getting a lot of mechanical turbulance with the addition of the wind coming from two different directions....

But I got to get the kite up and get the feel for her with the harness. It was fun and kicked my butt, turned out to be 80* degrees today. Otherwise I had an audience and their wind dance helped a little lol.

A couple times I tried jumping on the board but with out any luck. I need to get use to the harness first and need to get to a better location with more stable wind.

For your amusement I posted the video of this session. Nothing exciting but something for you to laugh at and feel bad for me at the same time. I'll take any pointers too. I believe other than the wind being the main factor, it was also due to not having the kite fully inflated....

Also the rear lines seem really loose/no pressure most of the time. Is this b/c I have it too much depower?

http://youtu.be/oagrcrVCy3s

Tried to milk the bottom wind range of my kites many times, so definitely feel your pain bro. But even in those sucky conditions, you’re still getting to know the kite. Better than not flying it at all imho. Enjoyed the vid

You came home without injury... It was a great day...!!

Helluva way to launch a kite LEIs will punish you if you try that in good wind :o
Not much you can do when the wind is so light you have to work the kite just to keep it in the air

You need enough wind to be able to keep the kite near the zenith, step onto the board, then dive the kite and ride off...
Dunno how much you know already but at the risk of teaching you to suck eggs - board 90° to the wind, kite near the zenith, get on the board and sort your feet in the strap, hop the board around to about 45° to the wind in the direction you want to head, dive the kite and ride off, edging the board upwind a bit and leaning back against the kite, working it until you have the speed to ride easily...

Really hard to see from the video about the rear lines...
Don't think of the bar and strap as "depower" but as a trimming system - you trim the kite for optimal flying performance with both the bar and the trim strap; the bar being a temporary "setting" and the trim strap/rope a more permanent setting.
Either one though does nothing more than alter the relative line lengths - makes the rears 'longer' than the front etc altering the Angle of Attack of the kite in the process; turning is a separate matter.

So you've got the set the kite up for your conditions...

When you get more confident, you can skip a few steps and jump straight to starting with the board pointing in the direction you want, then just stepping in and diving the kite...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu4cU6eE9dc&t=2m15s

Dude, I love the team support! You can't help but have fun!
Be sure and check out Carl's How To videos:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=20841
He did a great job with these.

You are still not filling the kite near enough ! It shouldn't sit all limp like that or buckle in the sky.

Learning to board start is easier with at least enough wind for the kite to sit at zenith.

You need to set your board on more of a downwind angle.

Looks like you have a gaggle of young pilots to be following you there !

You know of course that a hot launch like that will be a nono in real wind ?

Dude, loved the video! To me, that was an epic session.

Looks like you had fun, learned something, and came home safe

Love it!

Granted it was fun and I appreciate the advice. Like I said, I'm new to all this and all in all its fun even in no wind and just with gusts. One hell of a work out tho!

I'll take a look at those videos and use them for sure. And I have to admit, I was in a hurry when pumping up the kite. So....Im sure it WAS under inflated.

The kite did sit at Zenith a few times but then it also shot over/past me and came crashing down.... :dunno:

I believe this is b/c the settings were not correct, as in, on the bridle...or thats what I read. When it goes past twelve o'clock, the front lines are too tight and the rear lines have too much slack. And to correct this, I would need to adjust which knot it is on. This is where I am lost. There aren't any knots on the line already to adjust it. So we'll see how it goes. I've got my work cut out for me with playing with the adjustments on the kite itself and getting used to the settings (depower). But at least Im having fun doing it and burning fat doing it

Flyfish - Thanks for that link! I missed that one somehow. Good videos for sure!

"The kite did sit at Zenith a few times but then it also shot over/past me and came crashing down...."
Too gusty or your back lines are way too slack... front lines are supposed to be tight :D

Is it the OEM bar for the kite?

Hey Kevin,
I'll try to give tutorial on how to tune a LEI.
1. All lines should be equal length. To check this... Unroll lines, separate them, then attach them to something solid, then go to your bar and pull against the lines. The depower strap should be set to full power. Don't use a harness, just pull the bar. If the lines are not all taunt then pull the bar to stretch the short ones.
2. In "theory" the lines should now be just attached to the kite at factory pigtails, and the depower strap used to tune the power based on the power of the kite. But, to check the kite for stalling: fly kite with depower strap full power, stabilize the kite in the air (no turns) and pull the bar slowly all the way from full out to full in. The kite should stay locked in place with just an increase of power. It should not "back up" in the wind window at all. If this happens: your front lines are too long or your back lines are too short. To adjust this at the kite just think about how to change either one of these at the kite attachments. So basically, you want the kite right at the max angle of attack without any stall with the bar pulled all the way in.
But remember: to check this you need decent steady wind, the wind you had in your video would be hard to tell anything in.
Hopefully I'm not rambling...

Side note: all the overflying and crashing, probably from the horrible wind. This is one reason I'm new to this forum. Foil kites behave much better in sucky wind. I'm a half convert to Peter Lynn foils because they mind themselves up in the sky while I surf the wave!
but your wind that day would make any kite pissed off!

haha, yup, a bit of a crowd watching..maybe some future kiters in there you just inspired.

failed? no. Looks fine to me for a first go. Not sure you could have ridden much that day as a beginner, it's probably only a static flying day. The easiest day to get on your your board is when you can keep the kite just sitting at the edge of the window flying statically, that way, you don't have to worry about getting just the right angle of the board to keep the kite up and keep forward speed going. Ya, all in all, good day for static flight, tough day to learn both boarding skills and lightwind technique all at once.

Thanks again for the advise and info. I can never use too much.

Kamikuza - The bar is a 09 Best bar.

I went out to a spot near my place in the desert. I made sure it was fully inflated and I got to play with adjusting the sheeting. I've always had the depower strap fully pulled. So I attempted to pull more power. Amazing how much different the bar pulled (sheet fully powered). I could tell there was more pressure in the bar than the front lines. This made it easier to control the kite and I was able to plant the kite and keep it at 2 o'clock.

So with your input and recommendations I am going to keep practice kite control before attempting the board again. Also looking for a better location with more steady winds.

Flyfish - Thanks for the tuning tutorial info. I am going to have to do that to make sure it is all even. Curious tho, on the bridle, there are adjustment knots on there as well....? I've included a picture below what that. Any ideas where it should be?

I also included picture of my flight today. I recorded it with my cell again but its nothing worth posting a video of. It was much better than yesterday tho. I got to do some jumps flew down which a good 10 ft or so.

Bridle

Ah. If you read the other thread, you'll know that I believe in using the same bar as the kite maker... :D

MOST kites are designed so that when the bar is sheeted in and the trim stap is fully out (max AoA for the kite or what most people call "full power") all the lines end at the same point, at the kite end; ie. they are "equal length". In theory, any bar that is set up like that will work... but there may be differences in the amount of trim or depower throw between bars...

Hard to see from the pic - but those just look like loops for attaching the bridle line. The part the pulley runs over will wear and it's probably so you can replace them :dunno:

If you check the top of the canopy at that location you should see a graphic explaining that using the inboard loops increases bar pressure and using the outboard loops decreases the bar pressure (labeled f1, ft2, f3). I believe that there are 3 more loops at the other end of that bridle line labeled something like f4, f5, f6. and the steering lines bridles (b1 and b2).
The system is called A-KPO. Learn about it and check out the tuning for it on the Trix here...
http://www.globekites.com/08/-=GLOBEKITES=-.html

Kamikuza - Ya it didnt come with the original bar but I'm working out the kinks. I just need a lil more stable wind to get it to sit and let me play with the settings.

Zero gee- Thanks for the link to that site. Ya I've used that website to adjust the settings to low wind/light bar pressure. Slowly but surely I am going to change it from f3/f6/b2 to maybe other settings but for now I am keeping it at light wind since....we have light winds lol.


As for the crowd, there was a kids Bday party going on the otherside of the park. Apparently this was the highlight of their party haha. We had them cheering and doing the "Wind Dance" to get the kite up. :frog:

Nice video. What a great fan club! Sounds like you are getting a handle on things.

Now, at the risk of sounding like your mother.... where is your helmet?

Yes a helmet....I really need to get one of those. Especially when I fly at the spot right next to my place. Its all dirt and rocks (sizes from pebbles to footballs). Speaking of.....

I had a great day of flying. It was a steady 12 knots. Got to park the kite in the sky play with different power settings. Jumped a few times, almost bit the dust a few times. Oh and best of all, I got to practice relaunching the kite. Granted, its easier on land but I learned how to walk to one side of the window, flip her over and tug and wa la! Off she went!

It was blowing about 20 mph at the lake. Too much for me and this kite I believe. Or at least too much for me right now.

Anyways, loving this so far and its only getting better

Oh ya, and I got my water board today. This thing is HUGE! Im used to seeing wakeboards but this thing.....almost as tall as me! Brand new for $220 shipped :singing:

Quote:

Originally posted by AZKevin Yes a helmet....I really need to get one of those. Especially when I fly at the spot right next to my place. Its all dirt and rocks (sizes from pebbles to footballs).

Do it! I'm a huge helmet dork, couldn't go out without one. (Education is way to expensive to risk! :tumble

But good work being safe, practicing relaunching and taking it slow. To many people dive head first and get hurt. Keep it up!

Helmets are also really good places to mount a GoPro :D

Here is a more successful day of kiting, IMO.

Made some more adjustments to the knot placement and got to play in 8-12 knots of wind. Can't imagine flying this thing in any stronger winds.

As always I welcome tips, advice and criticism.

Below is the link to the video:

http://youtu.be/OoMG1HCcWEI

http://youtu.be/OoMG1HCcWEI?hd=1

Crappy footage is from a windy day 8-12 knots. This allowed me to try "jumping."
Clear footage is when it was blowing about 6-8 knots.

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OoMG1HCcWEI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I think both links go to the same video ?

Much better inflation this time !

Try and find the video examples online of the " Pendulam " jump. It is a much better way of setting up + landing. Supermaning like that rarely ends up with a smooth / safe finish.

Basically, run left, send kite to the right. At max load pull in the bar , pop and redirect to the direction you are running. Bring the kite overhead while in the air and then turn it in your direction of travel just before you touch down.

+1 for getting a helmet. You will be a role model to a bunch of those kids who are watching. Best to lead by example! A helmet is handy when learning the board. ( for me , hip pads as well )

Ya sorry bout that. They both go to the same video. That video has two different days of flying in it. One with little wind, other with better winds.

I was just playing around with the jumping b/c it happened once on accident and as you stated, the landing wasnt so smooth. I've tried the board a few times but need a better area and more time to practice. Using running outside on my hour lunch and flying and then running/limping back inside to work.

Got my new pump, HUGE difference. I can pump this kite up in 5 minutes (with a break in the middle). Can't wait to get to the lake and practice body dragging then jump on the board!

Mean while I'll look into the Pendulum jump

http://sites.google.com/site/chrismwhittaker/pendulumjump

Heres one ! OOPs it is old . You may not be able to view it.

I think the kite needs a little more inflation when the kite kinks (folds) in the middle when standing on end like at 6:00. If you flick the LE with your finger it should kind of ping and not so much a dull thud. Guys here seem to get that right and not blow the kite up.

Have you checked your line lengths yet?

The kite seemed to fly deep in the window and stall a lot even though you appeared to be flying it fully depowered. Could be the wind was way too light (less than 8 more often than 12??).

Instead of pulling on a line to steer, try to sheet in on the bar some first and pull the bar to steer, then sheet out a bit after it's turned so it can accellerate. The kite loses steering when flown completely depowered like you were (even worse in light winds).

Ya I found an old thread and more videos on youtube of how to and how not to jump....
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=14017&p...

Zero, I thought I put enough air into it. Granted I am still a lil hesistant on blowing it up TOO much but its pretty hard. Next time I go out I'll pump it up and take a video of it and you guys can let me know if more air is required and won't pop here.

The clips with the camera stationary, it was very little winds, probable less than 6 knots....kite kept stalling and I wasn't sure about the settings. I have since adjusted it and it flys much better. But those clips were in very light winds. I believe that was the main issue there.

I checked the line lengths and they are all equal.

Heres a question. I've been practicing keeping the kite park at different parts of the edge of the window. And for the most part it stays there with little to no correction. But when I try keeping the kite between 11-1 it feels as if it wants to pull me straight/vertically up. Making it difficult to keep it up there. I dont see this being an issue when I am on the water but for now, static flying what would be causing this. Im sure its due to my inexperience and not fully understanding the characteristics of the kite and the settings but might help if someone was able to explain it a little better.
I tried pushing the bar out, pulling it in and adjusting the sheeting. :dunno:

Thanks

about 2:00, what a properly inflated kite should look like...