Finally broke 30 mph. Been riding all day topped out at 26.4 mph. That's always been the case with this kite. Finally wringged out 28 something. Then I was thinking 29.5 was all I was going to be able to get. Finally zinged it hard and got 31 mph even out of it.

I have a bunch of kites I haven't got more then 30 mph out of and this was one of them.


I know a bunch of you have got out of handle kites. But if you ever want to warm back up to them. This Quattro, the HQ Alpha and new Beamer and the Pansh Flux and even the Flexifoil Sting are all good kites.

In light wind for me they are dogs. But when they are lit up they really shine. All great kites for gusty conditions.

The conditions:

I'm curious about all sizes of the Cross Kites Quattro. If anyone has any size; how much wind have you had it out in and how much speed have you gotten out of it?

Would be fascinating to know if one of these could do 40 or 50 mph. Kite is sold RTF so it's a good deal.

http://www.crosskites.com/cross-quattro


I also put this 4.5 on 25 meter lines to really be able to throw it around.

Quote: Originally posted by rtz

I know a bunch of you have got out of handle kites. But if you ever want to warm back up to them. This Quattro, the HQ Alpha and new Beamer and the Pansh Flux and even the Flexifoil Sting are all good kites. In light wind for me they are dogs. But when they are lit up they really shine. All great kites for gusty conditions.

I've switched back for the moment. I'm really enjoying the hornet and soulfly pro. While I don't find fb as successful for my conditions, they are a joy to fly and flying is what drew me to this in the first place.

Those are both excellent kites and will run 30+.

Congrats on your new personal best!!! Awesome.

You should give the Cross Kites Sonic a spin. Very impressive.

Dude -

30 mph is fast. FAST!

It's fast on the sand - but that's insane on dirt.

Congratulations on a new PB.

Congrats on the new PB speed!:D

I didn't think any kite had a limit to how fast it could go? I always figured conditions played the biggest part. I routinely see low aspect kites go faster than race kites simply because that particular person had better conditions. Am I wrong on this? Just thinking out loud

My non-scientific understanding is that a number of factors can reduce the true top speed a kite can reach.
Drag can be created by the bridle lines. Fly lines as well. The number and size of those lines adds up. How the bridle is set up for AOA will dictate how far ahead it will run in the window.
The shape of the kite will also dictate top speed. The more it cuts the wind like a " blade " the higher the top end. How fat the nose is and how the intakes are placed also will effect drag.

In reality I find the combination of kite , surface, pilot skillz and weight of ride all play a much greater part in any given kites top speed in any given wind. I often find that on a slight side on shore wind I can go faster than the race kites with my inefficient arcs in one direction but can not hold the ( upwind? ) power run with my light weight and small buggy. I end up scrubbing down wind and losing forward momentum.

Congrats on the new PB rtz,... I am wondering why you aren't going faster, personally. Not intending to poo poo you at all, but I've always been under the impression that the kite can double the windspeed. Seeing the windspeed report you posted, with winds over 20 mph, I'm wondering why you aren't hitting closer to 40mph?... Must be some of the drag issues, or surface issues like BR mentioned above. But seriously not belittling you PB, but can't help wondering why you aren't going faster.... Congrats are indeed in order.

My PB is just 1.5mph shy of 30, in 14-15 mph wind, with a Nasa Star, but I was on the concrete style hardpacked beach of GA's Golden Isles.

Gusty winds plus short riding area. 42 mph has been my highest using a 1.7 Sting on a day it was blowing in the 30's. I just don't have a long enough area to top out a kite. It's more of a sprint type situation.

Quote:

It's more of a sprint type situation.

Getting up to speed is the easy bit, stopping or turning at the end of your run is the harder bit, nothing like a ditch at the end of the field to hone your turning skills :D

you said;

Quote:

Finally broke 30 mph..Finally zinged it hard and got 31...

But then:

Quote:

..42 mph has been my highest using a 1.7 Sting..

?? mis-type on the '42 mph'...?

Anyway ..welome to the over 30 club!



:bigok:

No; it was a while back with the Sting. Yesterday I only rode using the 4.5m Quattro.

ahh so you keep track of your highest speed P.B. with each kite?

I don't think all kites have an unlimited top end - if you have the room to veer off and go straight downwind in a hurricane then maybe they do. Quite often if you are restricted to a narrow line of travel along this strip of hard pack beach - you definitely see some kites get maxed out in the forward speed and as you go faster they sit further back in the wind window and start to get more and more side pull.

Yes I should have been more clear. Different speeds for different kites. Some kites will easily run 30+. Octane, Hornet, Soulfy. Others spend a lot of time in the 20 range.

That 9 meter JOJO for instance. I don't think I can hold down any more then 20 mph buggy speed with it. I have other larger kites and when the power picks up; I just can't make it happen.

Tomorrow I venture out to the "...concrete style hardpacked beach of GA's Golden Isles..." and see what Matthew hath wrought on Jekyll.

Haven't seen East Beach or Gould's Inlet at low tide yet, either - hope there's some sand left!

Winds are forecast for 18 kts ENE - so maybe a new PB? Or, at least, a report.