Hi all, im fairly new to the kiting world and just picked up a 5 meter Radsail from ebay. Its not my first kite, i did buy a 3 meter dual line which was not powerful at all but think got me addicted to flying.
Firstly, does any one know much about the 5 meter radsail?
im 75KG so about 11 stone which aint all that heavy, i took the kite out twice over the weekend and i couldnt belive how much power it had. it was like being attatched to a train. if im honest it scared me a bit lol. thank god for kite killers because id be dead with out them.
have i gone to big by getting this kite or not?i dont think id like to take it out in any stronger winds than i did but then i guess thats why people have more than one kite.
What are your thoughts on this?

Cheers Lee

buy the way it was 10-15 mph winds when i took the kite out.

static flying with a 5m is a handful
less wind.

the kite is a good one to have, but a bit to big. step down to a 3m for the learning aspect and get the feel of the 3m and it will become one of your high wind kites if you decide to get into the buggy. the 3m or a 2m are great for not getting into trouble until the winds pick up. the kS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s are good to learn with, also keeps you out of trouble.
stay out of high winds and learn the kite and it's limitations, then move up to the 5m and farther when you got things figured out. stay safe and have a little fun, hahaha.

well that is the plan. i surf already have done for years now. so thought fly a kite, get a board or buggy then progress onto the water.
what i dont under stand is how people can handle kites bigger than mine and look like they are having no trouble at all??i wouldnt even pick up the lines on anything bigger than a 5 now knowing what mine is like.
iv already had a 3meter although not sure how different a dual line kite is but was too tame for me so maybe get a 4 meter. maybe then my arms wont feel like iv been down the gym all day too ha ha.

Your 3-meter kite might not a power kite, or it might be something that has a really "fat" profile. Meaning, it does not generate very much power.

Try looking into the 3-meter Beamer, or any of the other commonly suggested 3-meter kites on the forum. They are all good kites to learn with. Unfortunately, a 3-meter 2-line kite just does not (necessarily) teach you the same kind of habits that having a 4-line kite will.

If you are thinking about heading into the water, you might want to consider lessons (once you have kite control ironed out).

a 2 line is different from a 4 line, brakes mean a lot when your upside down and or you want to shut down the kite. pick up a 4 line 3m, you will enjoy it more than the 2 line.

Yeah lessons will be a definate once i get to that stage. i think its fair to say then the 5 meter is not for some one fairly new to the sport unless the wind is really light. And i should prob get a better qud line 3 meter for the time being?

There is a ozone imp quad line with handles for sale in the sale section for dirt cheap, going to be hard to find a better one to learn on, especially at the price!

I suspect your 2 line kite is designed to be a friendly intro kite with most of the lift / pull tuned out. The Radsail is a full on Power Kite.

I know it sounds crazy after feeling that 1st pull but you WILL grow into this one.

Beginers are always in to flying the kite all over the place right away. Slamming the kite through the power zone and not knowing what to do with the power. This isn't what you want to do. Start out by just working on keeping the kite nice and steady at zenith. Only after a few minutes of keeping it calm should you try and start rocking it a bit while AVOIDING the power zone. Each time you get into trouble try and calm the kite by getting it to the edge of the window and back to zenith. Small purposeful motions are required. The 5m will be slower to turn so you must initiate early and wait for a reaction. Always keeping 1 step ahed of the kite.

Only once you can rock the kite a bit up top should you start dipping the kite farther into the power zone. Feel how it comes on in the middle and goes away ( mostly ) on the edges. Work the kite up and down both outsides of the window to see how it is just like being at zenith. Then go to figure 8s etc. and you will be flying !

2 reasons that you see folks handling kites that seem so big :

We keep the kite close to the edge and only dive into the power zone when it fits.
Folks on water are on depower kites. They don't produce power in a full on way like your Radsail does.

15mph is pushing the top end for anybody on that kite. If your winds are typically 10 - 15 then it will eventually serve up what you want. You just need to grow into it.

+1 for lessons and a smaller power kite if you can afford such things.

Wise advice above.

I had a 5m Radsail when I first started. IIRC it has a fairly high AR and hammers across the window. Good power and good speed. Definately a handful in the wind you described.

Blade is right, kite positioning is everything. It's your primary means for managing the kite's power.

Thanks for all your help and advice. im looking at getting somthing a little bit smaller but ill be keeping the radsail for the not so windy days. Iv been looking at land boards and buggies, i like the idea of a buggy but as a surfer im tied into getting a land board for now. i know there is prob a massive range a differenc in the boards so im unsure what to buy. price isent really an issue but id just like something to get me started

I think you have a lot of good options in you neck of the woods. Check the landboarding part of this forum and I'm sure you'll find plenty of help and info.

I got a new MBS board last summer and I'm still trying to get a feel for it. I gotta get it down to the coast where the winds are steadier.:dunno: But when I have gotten up and moving it's been a lot of fun.

Quote:

Originally posted by cyclomethicone Thanks for all your help and advice. im looking at getting somthing a little bit smaller but ill be keeping the radsail for the not so windy days. Iv been looking at land boards and buggies, i like the idea of a buggy but as a surfer im tied into getting a land board for now. i know there is prob a massive range a differenc in the boards so im unsure what to buy. price isent really an issue but id just like something to get me started

I just got a board used for 140 shipped, I'm pretty sure thats about the best you can do; I searched LOOONG and hard to save a penny lol. In retrospect it probably would have been worth the extra 60 bucks in time I wasted hunting/haggling, but for 200 you can get a NICE older board.

I know Van is selling one of his boards for 125+ shipping right now, you might wanna holla @ him

FYI you can probabaly get that kite goin as soon as the leaves start to shake.

if branches are dancing it might be a little too much until you get a feel for the power zone

this might help


watch for gusts! :wee::wee::wee:

ha ha at what iv experienced so far that is very true.

"get that kite goin as soon as the leaves start to shake. if branches are dancing it might be a little too much "

stay careful

I taken my kite out a few times now and i think the problem i first had was to much wind.
iv been out in sort of 5-10 mph which is perfect. i can now control the kite with ease and iv been doing a little bit of jumping. Just trying to perfect the redirect but learning fast. still watchin a few boards on ebay so by the summer i should be ready to go.
Thanks for all advise on here

Lee