I just got a 2007 7.5 Ozone Frenzy that I want to use for landboarding and snowkiting. I am used to flying SLE kites and this is my first foil. There are a couple of issues that I have:

1. When testing the "brake", it seems to send the kite into massive power loops. How do you use the brake?

2. If I want to ride unhooked, where would I attach a leash?

Thanks for the help

LEASH ? Doesn't sound like an Ozone bar to me ?

Just to make sure the set up is correct... (just asking based on the limited info you've stated):saint:

The front (power) lines should come to the middle leaders and through the bar to your chicken loop... (attaches to your harness)
The rear (break) lines should attach to the outer leaders of your bar... (for turning and power/depower)

Does this sound like your set up?

Outside of this I'm corn-fused why it would make power loops... Maybe the line lengths are way off...:puzzled:

I believe the leash should attach to a break line, but I'm unsure so double check and maybe some here will enlighten us...:puzzled: actually I think on the chicken loop or up the center leader their might be an attachment point if the safety is deployed...

Good luck...

There is a loop in the center of the short hand brake line that connects the two break lines.
I believe this is meant as an optional leash attachment point.

Yes it is. And it's really only intended if you're flying unhooked. You should see a little rope loop sewn into the middle of the strap joining the brake lines.

Now, for the looping. I've found that pulling the brake "handle" (the webbing strap mentioned above) causes the kite to pucker right in on the edges but have seen it stay quite inflated in the middle making it a bit of a "hold on and trust that it's coming down" thing. The Access still has a pretty good tug at first feel but you should feel that amount of tug being the same in light to heavy winds so believe in it and it'll come down. I do have to make sure I grab right in the middle of the brake strap and twist my wrist as it's coming down to keep it from looping and therefore "reverse launching" as it were. Twist your wrist to steer it down and it'll be fine.

One thing I LOVE about the setup are the loops out on the brake line leaders that you hook around the hooks on the bar to park the kite. Completely parks it on the ground and makes the process of hooking in and launching a snap. Took me a while to learn how they worked, until then I'd been reloading the primary safety thinking that was how you "parked" the kite.

Hope that helps.

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Yes it is. And it's really only intended if you're flying unhooked. You should see a little rope loop sewn into the middle of the strap joining the brake lines.

I would recommend using the leash anytime you're flying with something downwind that you really don't want your kite to end up in......like a road or powerlines or something. I've had my chicken loop come unhooked multiple times on accident.

That said it is nice to be free of the darn thing for looping the kite.

I guess in that case you would want to stay connected, true. Careful though - a leash would make a big mess on you if you were flying hooked in and started looping the kite or luffing and twisting up, wouldn't it? I recall as a beginner I'd find the kite dragging it's lower tip cuz I wasn't paying attention, slowing and cartwheeling on the ground, twisting the lines up. Had I had a leash, untwisting might have been a chore - far more than unspinning the bar.

The primary release is so effective on those bars you shouldn't need to worry about having to cut free completely. Whichever you do, just know how to get rid of it if need be and more importantly, know what the kite will do when you go to the primary or to the leash.

To answer some of the above questions:

Yes, it is an Ozone depower bar, with the brake lines on the outside and the center lines going through the bar just like the SLE kites that I have I normally ride.

Question: when I pull the brake that attaches to the brake lines, do I just need to pull it several inches or do I need to pull it further past the bar?

Macboy: You stated that you really liked using the loops on the brake line leaders to park your kite. Can you please explain more. I know what loops you are talking about however when you are using them do you use both or just one so the kite flags out?

Also, if I am going to use the kite unhooked, do I need to pull in to the power strap so that it doesnt overfly?

Any other tips on setup, flying or safety with this kite or foil kites in general would be appreciated.

Thanks

I pull the brake right to my side (as fully and completely as I can) - generally to or past the bar.

Re: Brake Loops (I can try to take pics if you think it'd help)
So, a good deal up the brake line leaders there are these odd loops built into them. If you pull these loops all the way back to bar you can hook them around the backside of the bar ends ("locking" them in place if you wish with the bungee loops on the bar). I pull them both in at the same time and the kite sits pretty on the ground, inflated enough to take great pictures to post here for us to see ; ) A kite stake to hook the chickenloop around and you're free to go round the kite and take said pics. When you're ready to fly, hook in, drop the loops off the bar ends, take a few steps backwards, pull on the center lines (ready to pull the primary if things go bad) and up she goes.

You'll have to trim the kite for the wind you're in and whether you're flying hooked in or not. Just remember that flying unhooked means the kite is full power so you'll want to pull all the way in on the cam cleat and let it out from there. And yes, make sure you've got the wrist leash attached if you're unhooked (should have got one with the kite). Keep your eye on the cam cleat - mine liked slipping out until the rope was more broken in - I hear it's a common thing.

I know I'm biased but I think you'll grow to love the ease of foil kites. I went out last winter with an LEI flier and he was stunned that I was unpacked, hooked in and flying in under 2 minutes - AND that I was able to launch right up through the powerzone without fear (I find the winds I fly in allow me to launch straight up as the foils don't REALLY power up until they are fully inflated which usually happens well past the powerzone.) Just familiarize yourself with the safeties (use them until you're used to them - they're easy to reload). If the wind is too hot you can lay the kite out at the edge of the window and carefully self launch up the edge like you would with the LEIs.

Stay safe, and ENJOY! You got a great kite there!

Quote:

Originally posted by Boardridesurf Question: when I pull the brake that attaches to the brake lines, do I just need to pull it several inches or do I need to pull it further past the bar?

This may have already been written, but in order to land the kite with the brake you also need to pull the bar in. This is a little bit counter intuitive, since you think of "pull bar = power". Pulling the handbrake without the bar causes the kite to go little bit crazy and it sounds like that may be the issue you're having.

Thanks for everyone's help and advice, it all was very helpful.

Macboy, thanks for taking the time to write such detailed replies. I really learned alot.

I feel like I should apologize - I ramble :bouncy:

If you didn't get a manual with your kite, you can download one from the Ozone site.

Here is the link for the Frenzy FX. In the manual it will show you where to connect your leash (pg 9 of the manual). (2.75 meg file download)

http://www.flyozone.com/snowkites/downloads/snowkites09/09_D...

The manual also explains the full safety features and also how to connect the leaders to your handle like mentioned above, with pictures.

Macboy, your info is awesome - don't stop the ramblin'

Hope this helps.

awindofchange,
I do have the 2007 manual but it doesn't show anything about the optional leash. Thank you so much for the link for the 2008 Frenzy, it is much more detailed and it is VERY helpful.
I had looked at earlier model manuals but hadn't seen the 2008 manual. Once again, thanks!

Pretty much agree with everything said above.

I have an ’06 Frenzy and two Access IIs.

A couple things I do that may be slightly different:

When landing the kite, I first fly it to zenith and then use both hands to grab the break strap, one at each end. This allows much greater steering control as you back the kite down. When you pull the strap in with only one hand it can be difficult to keep the kite from turning.

When securing the kite after landing or when setting up to launch, I just stake it down by the break strap. If the wind is light I’ll just put the strap behind the stake but if it’s blowing a little more I’ll put the stake through the little loop in the center of the strap (leash connection point) to make sure it stays centered. I only use the “re-load” loops at the end of the break line leaders after pulling the safety release and that is rare; and yes, you need to hook them both, they’re not really the same as oh-#@%$#! handles on an LEI. I don’t think using just one would be enough to flag the kite. They’re meant to keep the breaks on and the kite on the ground while you re-load the safety release while you’re still hooked in.

Be aware that if it’s REALLY blowing the kite with still have a fair amount of pull even after pulling the break all the way in or pulling the safety; in this case you need to grab one of the rear lines and pull it in a few yards to completely flag the kite.

When flying unhooked, you MAY need to pull in the trim strap some to keep the kite from back-stalling. You’ll essentially be at full power, over flying shouldn’t be an issue; just experiment as it will be different in different wind conditions.

@ kiteNH: I don’t understand what you’re saying about using both the bar and the break. As soon as the break strap is pulled in, the break leaders off the bar ends are completely slack; the bar does absolutely nothing at this point. ???

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave62 @ kiteNH: I don’t understand what you’re saying about using both the bar and the break. As soon as the break strap is pulled in, the break leaders off the bar ends are completely slack; the bar does absolutely nothing at this point. ???

I find that if I have the bar sheeted out and reach up and try to land the kite with the brake that it flaps and spins and is extremely difficult or impossible for me to land. If I pull the bar in first and then pull the hand brake then I feel like the kite remains more stable and dumps the power better and I'm able to pull the kite straight down through the window as long as I'm not overpowered.

I'm missing something here ?

The Ozone kites I have flown don't have a leash ?

You pop the mushroom by the trimmer and it depowers but you are still on your chicken loop ?

What is with the optional leash ? Is it for unhooked riding ? Why would you want it ?

Sorry my Ozone experience is limited !

eli is at the lake bed in southern oregon, he would be the man to ask.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I'm missing something here ? The Ozone kites I have flown don't have a leash ? You pop the mushroom by the trimmer and it depowers but you are still on your chicken loop ? What is with the optional leash ? Is it for unhooked riding ? Why would you want it ? Sorry my Ozone experience is limited !

I think the Access, Frenzy and Manta all come with a leash as of '09. The Access XC from last year came with a wrist leash. I'm not sure about past years. The wrist leash is meant to go to the brake handle on the kite and I think the idea is that since an Access could be used by a beginner, that they may want to learn unhooked at first.

On the Frenzy and Manta its more of a standard handle pass leash with clips and I I think they intend for it to be clipped to your chicken loop.

I've mostly ridden with the wrist leash so far because the first time out with my kite I was a bit overpowered, accidentally had the chicken loop slip out of the spreader bar, and nearly lost my kite across a field and into a barbed wire fence.:shocked2: I had it slip free one other time so I've always been nervous about having my kite slip free and fly into someone or something.

However I think I'm ready to ditch the think because it is a pain when looping the kite (and a pain in general). I have to fly the kite in equal loops to keep it from winding up. And if I like the Access Harness with the D-ring I won't have to worry about the CL ever slipping free.

Dave - thanks for the info on the "reload loops". I use them when setting up but didn't realize they were purpose built for reloading the primary. Makes perfect sense and is yet another one of those "Man, they think these things through" tidbits.

NH - I had the same frustration with my DD on the Guerilla Chickenloop. It's maddening to pull in to power up, continue flying and realize you've unhooked and are at full tilt :o

My ’06 Frenzy did not come with a leash.

Both of my Access IIs (bought in ’07?) came with wrist leashes. I never use them.

I keep saying that one of these days I’m going to try an unhooked session with the leash but I never have. When conditions are good for the direct constant power I fly either my Samurai II or my Blade IV.

So I figured out what was wrong with the brake and why I have had so many problems with this kite. This is my first foil kite so I assumed that the guy who owned the kite prior to me had it setup correctly-but I figured out today that it was setup wrong. One of the center lines had been setup going through the little red leash attachment on the brake handle (see the attached picture). So when the brake was pulled it also pulled on the center line that was through the leash attachment. Now the kite flys great and I am not scared of it anymore.

...I know, I'm an idiot.

:o

Wow - glad you got that figured. I can't image how that could have ever been a good thing if/when it all hit the fan.