Just bought a 10.5 Blade III and tried to use it, and it does not fly. It pulls in the midde and top and sides flop backwards. The kite shop was selling it on consignment... as is. I think i just waisted $400

Has anyone had experiences like this. Should the shop take it back? I am thinking getting a new bridle for it but if the kite is stretched out that will be another $70 lost...

R

Flexifoil sent me a free "Bridle Stretch Kit" for my old 6.6 Blade III.

Email Matt Ferris (Flexifoil guru) at: matt@flexifoil.com

He will know if bridle stretch was a problem with the 10.5s.

The 10.5 is a beast. Once powered up (just above 10mph), she gives a ton of lift and float...

Sounds like there may be some bridle stretch (which was most common in the BIII 6.6) but also based on the bridle design, could occur in the 8.5 and 10.5.

Flexi provides a free bridle stretch fix to BIII 6.6 - 10.5 customers. I have one for my 8.5. Don't need it yet but wanted to have it so I can fix the kite quick if I have a problem.

Email Matt at flexifoil and he should set you up with the kit - its very simple to put on - however, if your problem isn't related to stretch, it will make the kite fly worse.

You may want to undo your towpoints on your powerline side of the bridle and sort out the A, B and C lines and make sure there is no twisting and the groupings look good. I've had to do that 2x now on my 8.5 as wingtuck can get the lines twisted and I'm anal about that.

Its too early to say you wasted your money. First make sure there are no twists in your bridle and that the lines seem to be coming off the pigtail correctly in proper groupings. If that seems OK get the stretch kit from Flexi. If that still doesn't work, talk to Matt about his thoughts (or do this when you get the repair kit) and then go from there - good luck.

thank you for the advise! just hoping the kite itself is not no good.. R

The more I think about your issue the less likely I think it is to be standard bridle stretch of the A lines. That typically presents as a horizontal crease in the kite. Whereas yours is folding back like a flapping bird, I think your bridle is fouled up. It would be a lot of work to have disconnected each connection point from the kite and switch the legs around so I think you should start by disconnecting the legs from the main tow point where your fly lines attach, getting out any twists and making sure one or more of your A-C lines isn't hung up on something and that the A, B, C lines in each grouping are of different lengths (meaing in each grouping of A, B, C lines there is a long, medium short line - if your lines in each grouping are all the same length - or the length of the groupings differs .from one side of the kite to the other - someone has changed things around on you)

From your description it sounds like the lines in the center of the bridle are shorter then the lines at the tips - that's not typical BIII stretch but the kite can take that appearance when a center line is fouled.

Good luck and as stated earlier, don't be afraid to contact flexi or post on their forum - maybe someone can measure up their bridle lines to help you know if yours is rigged correctly.

Yeah, I'm thinking either tangled up bridal lines or just too low of a wind. I have a few kites that do the floppy dog eared thing when right at the bottom of their windange.

Did you get it flying right yet?