New here, so hello to all. Struggling with the forum a little...anyway...

I've been kiting for about twenty years, but very infrequently in the past 5-6. My favourite kiting is land boarding on the beach, but I don't get much opportunity these days.

I have a pair of ageing Peter Lynn C-quads (3.2 and 6.3 m). Both showing their age and need their leading edge carbon replacing. I am looking into replacing them with something equally engaging/fun to fly. And at a good price since I won't get to use it much.

I came across the Peter Lynn UniQ Quad line. Can anyone advise if these will be similar in performance/handling to the C-quads? I like the idea of being able to pack up small.

The largest size is only 4.5m. It's hard to gauge how that will compare to the 3.2 and 6.3 C-quad in power/wind speed needed.

Any advice or opinions greatly received. Cheers, Matt

welcome aboard 48K
can't wait to see who has flow both of these and could side by side
i would think just 2 entirely different 1le skins made by the same company...kinda funny
my Cquads are inch for inch my most powerful kites..i would not expect anything close out of the uniq when comparing sizes
the Cq's would also be the last ones id landboard with because they require some extra touch when so much else is going on
so really what do i know:dunno:...but always buy what you want or that itch don't get scratched
then you buy more

PL UniQ quad was the most disappointing kite I've ever owned.

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami

PL UniQ quad was the most disappointing kite I've ever owned.

I second that emotion. I'd listen to Tami, she's a world record holder! :karate:

All joking aside, I too owned the PL Uniq quad for a very short spell, hoping it would fill in a slot in an emerging quiver at the time. I found the kite a less than ideal workhorse as an engine for motive power in the buggy. It had an unusually small wind window and very sharp power curve. When flown statically the pull was full on hard downwind but dropped off sharply very quickly to the left or right of that, sort of a nothing-everything-nothing sort of feel. Contrasting it at the time to another SS FB kite (a Born-Kite NS3) it was a night and day difference both in terms of the width of the wind window and the power curve.

Lots and lots of good kites out there for creating power for pulling you around; I'd head in a different direction.

Thanks for the comments. I really enjoy the Cquads. They can be a bit of a handful, I suppose, but I love how the look and the power they generate in good wind. Lots of fun. I like the fact that there is lots to think about and that they take a decent amount of skill to fly, especially when trying to get moving on a board.

It sounds as if I will be disappointed by the UniQuads. Certainly the small wind-window sounds bad. I feel that the Cquads can fly hard into the window edges (would others agree?), but I don't have anything to compare them to. I like how the frame stops them folding up at the tips during gusts.

Hmm...the only things I dislike about the Cquads is their fragility and the pack size. Both are quite significant issues though.

So...

What would users suggest as good replacements for this pair of Cquads? I fly them either with handles or, more usually, on a cowhorn-shaped 4-line bar, hooked in on a flexible U-shaped harness line.

EDIT: How about a PL Reactor? I've spotted a good deal on an 8.6m, which I guess may be similar in power to a CQuad 6.3?

NOTHING really compares with the C-quads accept sort of Revolution Power Blast.

The stiff frame gives a unique feeling that you won't get with any foil kite. The Unique kite would have turned you off completely.

The Reactor is a good kite but you will need to get used to it. It will react to brake input much differently. The Old Dog will have to learn some new tricks.

C quads are SWEET if you don't crash them or break them trying to pack them up. Peter Lynn used to sell replacement spars. Not sure if they still do? Repairing your old kites just may be an option. Also put out some wanted adds and see if any surface.

You can buy mine at my Funeral!

I actually enjoy my Cquads and ATB. They have a form of depower that is very pronounced compared to Fixed Bridle ( even LEI ) . Awsome power boost with brake input when cruising! Never had the gutsto jump with mine,

You might post on the wanted pages for a C Quad or maybe just whatever spare parts you need. I did once and got some interest from a member with kites and some parts for sale.

Thanks again. I'm a little disappointed to learn that there hasn't been an evolution of the Cquad form. The comments on this board suggest they are in a class of their own and more-or-less irreplaceable

For sure one of the CQ (the 6.3 I think) has a snapped leading edge, and a couple of the connectors that join the spars to the LE are damaged on both. I do have at least one replacement LE carbon stored with the kites, and have fixed them a couple of times before (quite fiddly to remove a splintered carbon I seem to recall). A quick search on Gumtree and Ebay UK doesn't reveal much in terms of C-Quad sales or parts.

Questions about the PL Reactor 8.6m:
1. Does it luff easily?
2. How much power does it generate (Compared to a 6.3 m C-quad)?
3. Can it reverse fly easily?
4. Does it turn quickly? (i.e. can you pump them up and down the edge of the window to generate power? Or is this not needed with a foil of this size?)
5. Does it fly happily at zenith without needing much attention?
6. Could it be flown (effectively) on the cow-horn C-quad bar I have?
7. Would it suit landboarding/powerkiting in 5-15 mph?

EDIT: An alternative would be something like a 5m Hornet, 4.7m Flexi Rage, or possibly an Ozone octane 5m.
Similar questions would apply (in comparison to my existing CQuads).

Finally: the only foil kite I've flown was a Flexi Blade (III?) I think 4.9m. I thought it was rubbish...really hard to fly, and constantly luffing. But maybe the wind was just too light on that day...?

It sounds like you have your head around the differences. The foil kite won't feel anything like a sparred kite.

I had the 10.8 Reactor. Great low wind engine BUT i could end up overpowered by apparent wind. It is also the only kite that has lofted me 10+ feet . the 8.6 will be a better size.

It will turn faster than my 10.8 but you will still find it slow. If it will fly on a bar it will be a rag. Big foil kites like added brake input to speed up turns. You basically are flying on front lines only with a bar.

Brake input is much different. You can slow the kite and back it down on the brakes but not with anything like the control you feel with a stiff kite. Brake turns speed up the turns +tightens them dramatically.

The kite of choice for almost all serious board riders is depower. You are going to have to adjust your technique no matter what. Why not depower? It is the way I would go / went.

You sound like you have decent kite control. The stiff frame of an LEI kite is most likely to please. LEI can be found at some very good prices. Just avoid real old ones pre 99. LEI are not the most common kite here but folks can tell you if a model will suit your needs. Waroo / Bularoo and Switcblade are models to look out for.

Sorry to throw you a curve ball but depower really is the way to go on a board. Even for is old guys.

5m is a nice all round size for FB. It won't be for high wind. Small high wind FB kites kind of suck on a noard. Short yanky spurts of power.

Bah! This form is fighting worth my phone. I just wrote a long post and it has all got eaten agin like yesterday

This is frustrating. Text lost again.

I was discussing:1. Have you tried the cow horn bar on CQ, and would it work to keep the brakes active on a modern foil? The brakes are attached at the tips of the bar so lots of brake input during steering.

2. Depower seems like cheating... :-)

3. Still swaying between the 8.6m reactor and a 5m hornet. Or nothing...

I am not familiar with the longhorn bar. If it worked well it probably would have had a following. No bar works as well as handles and a strop for FB.

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

I am not familiar with the longhorn bar. If it worked well it probably would have had a following. No bar works as well as handles and a strop for FB.

Do you do anything special to keep the handles apart? I found that a strop line caused the handles to pull together really close making it hard to control comfortably. When the wind picks up the bar seems to come into its own for me on th CQs. I couldnt fly/ride without it. Sometimes hooked in sometimes not depending on how agile I need to be.

Strop line should not hinder your control much . Just use the right length.

I think of the different ways to ride- sitting in buggy , standing on land board, standing on rollerblades(Coyote for sand, dirt , Regular rollerblades for asphalt) ....and standing on a board w/ toe straps is more vulnerable to getting jerked off your board or 'thrown' down than all others on the list.... which is why Depow gust eaters are recommended.

Depows are cheating...?....hmmnnn

:smug::smug:

longhorn bar is pretty cool...kinda bent like older bicycle handlebars
PL collectors item

Reactor 8.6 ordered...I'll report back after the trip!

Does anyone else have problems with this forum? I tried three different devices, and most of the time my post gets eaten.

My thoughts so far: surprisingly slow to climb to zenith upon launching, slow to turn, and hard to turn once at window edges. Does this suggest too much/too little brake?

Kite is here and flying in the Welsh coast. Any tips on how to fly this beauty?

Quote: Originally posted by 48K

Does anyone else have problems with this forum? I tried three different devices, and most of the time my post gets eaten.

If you are trying to make entries from an Apple product (iPhone, iPad, etc) then go into your settings, select General, then Keyboards, then scroll down to the All Keyboard settings and turn off Smart Punctuation.

Thanks for the tip! Finally my posts post!

Quote: Originally posted by 48K

Thanks for the tip! Finally my posts post!

No worries, I'm glad that worked. This has thrown many people, including me.

Quote: Originally posted by 48K

My thoughts so far: surprisingly slow to climb to zenith upon launching, slow to turn, and hard to turn once at window edges. Does this suggest too much/too little brake?

It sounds like you are on track. Yes. The bigger the foil the slower it will fly. Brake input on launch will slow the zenith + hold it back on the edge. The difference is foils generally don't need constant brake like you are used to.
Brake input is very different and is no doubt disapointing. You likely have a habit of keeping on the brakes when these kites fly on front lines. Adding brake input will take some re-learning.

Foil kites can all be flown as 2 line by using the push pull method. This is how some folks end up flying that way. Braking actually only effects the back edge of the wing. Different than a stiff frame.

I hoped to prepare you for the difference. The foils won out for a reason. If you are willing to adjust your style they are rewarding.

GOING DEPOWER IS NOT CHEATING!

It IS the weapon of choice for almost all board riders the world over.
An LEI depower kite IS the kite closest to C quad feel.

Thanks for the tips! Last night I spent a couple of hours replacing the spar in my CQ 3.2, so if the winds are favourable I can try to compare - obviously large difference in size between the 3.2 and the 8m Reactor!

When you say, there is a reason why foils won out, what do you mean exactly? Because they are easier to pack and transport? The reactor doesn't seem as easy to fly or as stable as a CQ...the Reactor seems much much more sensitive to luffing in the unstable winds at the edge of the window. I will try to learn and adapt. It is a very nice looking, and well made, kite though.

One reason for flying with extra brake on was that on pure power the reactor seemed prone to overfly. Is that normal? I was finding it hard to apply enough brake through the handles, so I shortened the brakes by 3 inch (the closest knots the handles came with).

I may go LEI one day...but that is a lot to invest in when I may only get out on a beach trip once a year...

Which kite(s) do you fly with your landboard?

I expect that you are right about pack up and durability are the main reasons foils won out.

I use my arc kites mostly with my board. Mostly since that is what I have. I have only ridden atb with an LEI once and it was sweet!

Really it is all about taking the power through my core with the harness. I don't like being hooked in to a strop and handles when pushing it. Flying unhooked changes the center of gravity + tires me out. I feel much safer hooked in to a depower when pushing it. Also, I always struggled with my timing and jumping with FB . depower is more forgiving of my mistakes.

Fixing or replacing your C quads seems like the one choice that will please you most. You should try contacting Peter Lynn and maybe posting a wanted post on here?
Check on shipping. The odd size may = an odd price?

Quick question: when flying a foil like the reactor, what is the expected effect of pulling in on one of the brakes? (Whilst the kite is powered up).

Quote: Originally posted by 48K

Quick question: when flying a foil like the reactor, what is the expected effect of pulling in on one of the brakes? (Whilst the kite is powered up).

That is called a " brake turn ".

The trailing edge should warp and the kite should turn to that side.

Adding brake to both sides will slow / stall the kite. A good method to avoid over fly. Do it while cruising with the kite at the edge for a power boost but NOTHING like when doing the same with the C quads.

Other considerations for you might be any of the Peak series of kites. All depower, but great kites, ...or any of the BIG Revolution kites, called the Revolution Power Blast. They likely fly very differently from the CQ, but they are a rigid frame similar to them.

I used to fly an 8.6m Reactor 2... it was one of my favorites for a while.... Good luck