Finally get a day with decent wind ... maybe I won't have to swim this time! Good chance to break out the 16m Xbow ...
Get to the lake after a LONG day and everyone tells me how awesome it was an hour before I got there :-/ nice one guys. Still looks good but I know it's forecast to be dropping. And everyone is riding 10m kites ... I think I'll try the Speed3 12 ... would prefer to use the 15 but the bridle line I need to replace is a whole lot more intricately connected than I thought it would be, so that's still awaiting repair. Take only the Mako over to the beach cos I don't think this is going to work and bet I'll be heading back to the car soon.
Hmm, maybe not - the 12 is lifting me good and the whee! boing! warm-up is impressive! On the water it's a bit different though ... tough to get the kite making power - keeps wanting to back-stall. I try to adapt my style but the wind is lulling so much that I end up walking back up the beach :( man, that kite can jump though!!! Just time the redirect correctly :o
Stand around scratching my head ... oh well, I'll try the 16m Xbow after all. Find 4 holes in the canopy setting up :-/ not so happy. Once it's in the air though - oh yes, it feels better than the 2010! On the water ... it's faster, more responsive and less bar pressure. Jumps really well too!
Spend the rest of the session on the 16 and Flyradical - swap once back to the Mako but I can't yet go upwind as well on it and nearly have to walk. Have a great time jumping, then start doing rotations. Oh my, easy! And even better - I start doing sent front-rolls! Getting some nice height on them (feels like anyway) and using the kite redirect to pull me out of the spin.
Everyone else packs up but the wind is ju-uuust ok so I keep riding till after sunset ... I been waiting for a good session all week! Pack up in the dark and hump 2 kites and 3 boards back over the road ... phew!
Mood of the session was frustrated satisfied stoked.
Moment of the Day was the first front-roll that I went up, had enough hang time to go "Hey! I'm doing a good front-roll!" then redirect out of it and ride away ... awesome!
Weather was reported as 8 knots 17°C 52% from 4pm, falling to 4 knots by 7 but that just aint right either. Gusts of 20 knots at midnight ... huh.
Wind felt like I was almost over-powered with fully trimmed kite but lulling to walking!
What I learned today ...
• Speed3 12 ... needs really good technique or nukin' steady wind. It might be an ok land kite for me, cos once you get speed up it hauls nicely but it's a mare to get to that stage.
• Above kite was very back-stall-y especially during turns near the water. Huh? How you supposed to work it, if it won't turn without stalling?
• 2011 16m Crossbow is an improvement on the 2010 for sure - new bridle design I bet is the answer.
• The blue actually looks really nice IRL although it looks lame in pictures.
• 60cm is a lo-ooong bar ... maybe I need a 48cm for my 13 after all ...
• Using the kite for rotations is fun. I'm getting ok at it :D
• Jumps are no problem it seems - with the Xbows. I think I only screwed one landing and I even rode away from the splash down!
• Need to spend some time in the hols this week doing maintenance :(
• Switching from the Flyradical to the Mako - the 'radical feels more slicey when riding but the Mako feels more carvey when turning.
• Mako pops of its edge easier when jumping when is, in the chop, a bad thing.
• I can't go upwind as easy on the Mako ... yet.
• Mako certainly is a nicer ride through the chop.
• Both boards feel light on the feet; the 'radical feeling a little more mobile, especially when in the air. It IS shorter though ...
• Feel like I'm riding more on top of the Mako too. FWIW
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Wot - again? Seriously???
Forecast looked ok - as good as the last time I was out there anyway - so I hit the lake.
Got on the water about 5 I think, nicely powered on the Flyradical and the 21 ... doing jumps and rotations, trying to stick the ball under the guidance block again but the wind is dropping. Having to concentrate on the riding to hold ground so I give up on the 'radical and get the 'door.
Still easily riding upwind, but the jumps are getting lame and I'm only just getting around on the back-rolls. Then my jumps are all turning into down-loop transitions cos there's just no wind to ride the landing out, without looping the kite.
By now, there's only me and a couple of directional riders on the water and I'm the only one not going downwind. I'm feeling pretty impressed with myself and my gear ... I should have known better :D
Fall over being silly bugger and lose the board, so I drag back to it. Not really paying attention, just enjoying the cool water and the warm evening, the glow of the sun behind the fog when ... the wind just DIES.
The kite stalls at the edge, and I wait for it to drop so I can pull a steering line but instead, it flies FORWARDS and almost lands on me. I swim backwards from it but there's literally NO WIND to relaunch it. I float around for a bit, check the horizon 'upwind' but there's nothing coming ... sigh, another swim I guess 0_o
I wrap my lines up carefully this time, properly at the bar, a hitch near the kite then wind on as much of the bridle as I dare and hitch that too. Swim to the board - it's not gone far - and head for the shore ...
Of course, I'm way the hell down the other end again and have set myself up for the longest possible swim. Again. Murphy screws me again.
Drag the kite in, push the board ahead of me ... probably a 30-minute-swim but it feels like an hour. The kite has got water in it again, but cos I've wrapped the lines and bridles up well, it's easier to deal with on the beach, soggy. Drains easily and I roll it up, start walking out ... then Miyachi turns up with the van! I get a nice ride back to the club house and someones brought my bag and other board back :) that's nice!
Lay the kite out, shake off the sand. There's only one inconsequential tangle in the bridle that's soon shaken out so otherwise, I'm good! There has to be a better way of getting the kite in though ...
It'll all learn me for crowing over everyone else's having to walk upwind eh!
Mood of the Session is happy, smug, humble-pie.
Moment of the Day was popping a big jump right in front of Mr Fujii, turning around to look down at him and STILL riding further upwind :D
Weather was recorded as 8 knots, 19°C (ZOMG!) 61% at 5pm falling to ... 1 knot LOL gusts to 14 knots at 4pm. Water was nice and flat again too.
What I learned today...
• If the wind is dropping and you don't want to quit riding, taking a long-ass tack all the way out towards Otsu is not the best idea - stay closer to shore with shorter tacks. Better to walk than swim!!!
• The Speed3 21 is a dangerous kite because it WILL fly in sweet-fuck-all wind ... so I've become overly cocky about just how little wind I will actually try to ride in, and how far away from the beach I'll push it.
• And if you're up and moving with apparent wind, you don't notice if you're scarily out of wind ... so you don't stay on top of keeping the kite loading and - well, you know the rest.
• Wrapping the lines up properly AND as far up to the bridle as you can is the way to do it.
• Get the kite over onto it's trailing edge while it's still full of air.
• I'm gonna have fun trying to dry this big white monster ...
Got on the water about 5 I think, nicely powered on the Flyradical and the 21 ... doing jumps and rotations, trying to stick the ball under the guidance block again but the wind is dropping. Having to concentrate on the riding to hold ground so I give up on the 'radical and get the 'door.
Still easily riding upwind, but the jumps are getting lame and I'm only just getting around on the back-rolls. Then my jumps are all turning into down-loop transitions cos there's just no wind to ride the landing out, without looping the kite.
By now, there's only me and a couple of directional riders on the water and I'm the only one not going downwind. I'm feeling pretty impressed with myself and my gear ... I should have known better :D
Fall over being silly bugger and lose the board, so I drag back to it. Not really paying attention, just enjoying the cool water and the warm evening, the glow of the sun behind the fog when ... the wind just DIES.
The kite stalls at the edge, and I wait for it to drop so I can pull a steering line but instead, it flies FORWARDS and almost lands on me. I swim backwards from it but there's literally NO WIND to relaunch it. I float around for a bit, check the horizon 'upwind' but there's nothing coming ... sigh, another swim I guess 0_o
I wrap my lines up carefully this time, properly at the bar, a hitch near the kite then wind on as much of the bridle as I dare and hitch that too. Swim to the board - it's not gone far - and head for the shore ...
Of course, I'm way the hell down the other end again and have set myself up for the longest possible swim. Again. Murphy screws me again.
Drag the kite in, push the board ahead of me ... probably a 30-minute-swim but it feels like an hour. The kite has got water in it again, but cos I've wrapped the lines and bridles up well, it's easier to deal with on the beach, soggy. Drains easily and I roll it up, start walking out ... then Miyachi turns up with the van! I get a nice ride back to the club house and someones brought my bag and other board back :) that's nice!
Lay the kite out, shake off the sand. There's only one inconsequential tangle in the bridle that's soon shaken out so otherwise, I'm good! There has to be a better way of getting the kite in though ...
It'll all learn me for crowing over everyone else's having to walk upwind eh!
Mood of the Session is happy, smug, humble-pie.
Moment of the Day was popping a big jump right in front of Mr Fujii, turning around to look down at him and STILL riding further upwind :D
Weather was recorded as 8 knots, 19°C (ZOMG!) 61% at 5pm falling to ... 1 knot LOL gusts to 14 knots at 4pm. Water was nice and flat again too.
What I learned today...
• If the wind is dropping and you don't want to quit riding, taking a long-ass tack all the way out towards Otsu is not the best idea - stay closer to shore with shorter tacks. Better to walk than swim!!!
• The Speed3 21 is a dangerous kite because it WILL fly in sweet-fuck-all wind ... so I've become overly cocky about just how little wind I will actually try to ride in, and how far away from the beach I'll push it.
• And if you're up and moving with apparent wind, you don't notice if you're scarily out of wind ... so you don't stay on top of keeping the kite loading and - well, you know the rest.
• Wrapping the lines up properly AND as far up to the bridle as you can is the way to do it.
• Get the kite over onto it's trailing edge while it's still full of air.
• I'm gonna have fun trying to dry this big white monster ...
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Grr... bah humbug.
It all started so well...
Wind was forecast to be a bit on the light side then die off as the evening wore on. I got to the lake around 4:30 and everyone was setting up big kites... well, big kites for them - 12m and 14m kites :o
I thought it'd be a good session on the 21 so I hauled that out (been a while!) and got out onto the water with the Flyradical...
Oh yeah! I would have to say that I'm perfectly powered! Absolutely in the sweet spot - lots of power for speed, big floaty jumps and easy rotations but not so much that I can't edge up and load'n'pop perfectly! Loving the flat water too - best it's been in M-O-N-T-H-S!!! I'm happy! For maybe 30 minutes...
Then... coming out of a front roll, the lines are of course twisted but I look up and see a ball on the steering line is wedged in under guidance block and the kite is diving to right, picking up speed... I struggle with the line, pulling and yanking but it won't release the ball. In the second before the kite slams into the water I decide the smart thing to do is to pull the safety. Kite releases fine but flaps around in the air... hmm.
I swim up the fifth line and reassemble the QR (easy) and hook back in, but by this time the kite has managed to invert itself, bowtie and wrap a bridle through the middle of the bow-tie, effectively sealing the bow-tie in place. I struggle with the kite for a bit but I can't get even a tip up into the air and it looks like I'm pumping water into the inverted LE.
I think about swimming to the kite and manually untangling but it looks like I would drift into the marina wall. So I decide to self-rescue. Wind up the lines, swim to the kite (yup, pumped water into a tip) and begin my swim to the marina beach.
Oh so I wasn't actually that close to the beach :( I finally arrive after an epic cross-current swim, struggle to drain the water out of the kite then struggle with the tangled lines I've created by badly wrapping them around the bar. I think about relaunching it from the marina beach, but it's not big enough to lay out the whole kite - even though it was big enough and clear enough of junk to get onto safely. Actually pretty lucky where I ended up...
So I hump it back up to beach Locus. Phew, weighs a ton wet and sandy . . . lay it out, untangle the bridle - all this actually takes less time than it took to swim in :-/ shake the sand off and relaunch - takes a while to get air into it, but it flies ok and everything looks fine . . . will check it thoroughly in the daylight.
In the mean time - my board has dissapeared. We are not amused.
UPDATE 19/4: Mr Miyachi took the boat out today for an hour and found the board! Ahoy!
Moment of the Day was realizing I was perfectly powered and this was going to be a totally epic session. O cruel fates!
Mood was stoked baffled annoyed.
Weather was reported as 13 knots (16°C at 62%) falling and gusts of 20 just as I got on the water. I could believe 13, but not the gusts...
Wind felt like I was 100% perfectly powered!
What I learned today...
• The guidance block has GOT to go.
• Pulling the QR is not a good solution.
• People who worry about dangling bridles and getting tangled up underwater are wrong.
• The fifth line, on the other hand... tricky bugger.
• Even full of water, the kite floats.
• Wet and sandy, it weighs a ton.
• When self-rescuing, wrap the lines properly - don't figure-8 them over the bar. That leads to the bar putting itself through the bridles etc and compounding the mess.
• I've learned a great deal of patience in this sport - I didn't swear and curse or throw a tantrum at all.
Wind was forecast to be a bit on the light side then die off as the evening wore on. I got to the lake around 4:30 and everyone was setting up big kites... well, big kites for them - 12m and 14m kites :o
I thought it'd be a good session on the 21 so I hauled that out (been a while!) and got out onto the water with the Flyradical...
Oh yeah! I would have to say that I'm perfectly powered! Absolutely in the sweet spot - lots of power for speed, big floaty jumps and easy rotations but not so much that I can't edge up and load'n'pop perfectly! Loving the flat water too - best it's been in M-O-N-T-H-S!!! I'm happy! For maybe 30 minutes...
Then... coming out of a front roll, the lines are of course twisted but I look up and see a ball on the steering line is wedged in under guidance block and the kite is diving to right, picking up speed... I struggle with the line, pulling and yanking but it won't release the ball. In the second before the kite slams into the water I decide the smart thing to do is to pull the safety. Kite releases fine but flaps around in the air... hmm.
I swim up the fifth line and reassemble the QR (easy) and hook back in, but by this time the kite has managed to invert itself, bowtie and wrap a bridle through the middle of the bow-tie, effectively sealing the bow-tie in place. I struggle with the kite for a bit but I can't get even a tip up into the air and it looks like I'm pumping water into the inverted LE.
I think about swimming to the kite and manually untangling but it looks like I would drift into the marina wall. So I decide to self-rescue. Wind up the lines, swim to the kite (yup, pumped water into a tip) and begin my swim to the marina beach.
Oh so I wasn't actually that close to the beach :( I finally arrive after an epic cross-current swim, struggle to drain the water out of the kite then struggle with the tangled lines I've created by badly wrapping them around the bar. I think about relaunching it from the marina beach, but it's not big enough to lay out the whole kite - even though it was big enough and clear enough of junk to get onto safely. Actually pretty lucky where I ended up...
So I hump it back up to beach Locus. Phew, weighs a ton wet and sandy . . . lay it out, untangle the bridle - all this actually takes less time than it took to swim in :-/ shake the sand off and relaunch - takes a while to get air into it, but it flies ok and everything looks fine . . . will check it thoroughly in the daylight.
In the mean time - my board has dissapeared. We are not amused.
UPDATE 19/4: Mr Miyachi took the boat out today for an hour and found the board! Ahoy!
Moment of the Day was realizing I was perfectly powered and this was going to be a totally epic session. O cruel fates!
Mood was stoked baffled annoyed.
Weather was reported as 13 knots (16°C at 62%) falling and gusts of 20 just as I got on the water. I could believe 13, but not the gusts...
Wind felt like I was 100% perfectly powered!
What I learned today...
• The guidance block has GOT to go.
• Pulling the QR is not a good solution.
• People who worry about dangling bridles and getting tangled up underwater are wrong.
• The fifth line, on the other hand... tricky bugger.
• Even full of water, the kite floats.
• Wet and sandy, it weighs a ton.
• When self-rescuing, wrap the lines properly - don't figure-8 them over the bar. That leads to the bar putting itself through the bridles etc and compounding the mess.
• I've learned a great deal of patience in this sport - I didn't swear and curse or throw a tantrum at all.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Another good one
But a bit chilly...
After a drive from my new work location - way the hell out the other side of the state highway :-/ I finally arrived at the lake around 4:45. Wind looked great! Got dressed and decided to leave off the boots and gloves... took the Flyboards and 13m Xbow over to the lake.
Kickin'! Boosting big, pretty much at the limits of the kite I reckon. It started misbehaving in the gusts but not badly. I did, however, have to trim it all the way at one time - got difficult to hold the edge while riding.
It was pretty awesome being able to boost big jumps time after time on a single tack and still be making ground upwind :)
I kept riding till the sun started getting close to the hills and thought about packing up, then Soh showed up so I didn't stop :D we were the last two on the water as it got dark... the wind had died by then so I packed up, feeling satisfied.
Mood was mellow satisfied bemused.
Moment of the Day was another front roll, that went up up up and round and down oh so smooth. Just like I meant to do it that way ;)
Weather was supposed to be only 6 to 8 knots :o but I'd pull the trim strap all the way in on the 13. 11°C at 78% and gusts of only 20 knots... you're letting me down, JMA.
Wind felt like I was 30% powered but not riding upwind, 65% over-powered but loving and 5% over-powered: check my shorts!
What I learned today...
• 15°C is enough to go without gloves and boots. Right about the time the cherry trees blossom ;)
• Water is still too cold to be trying to do rotations and getting dunked... brain freeze!
• I should probably have put up my 10.
• Or the 12m Speed3...
• If there's waves on the water like there was tonight, probably a good idea to use the Mako.
After a drive from my new work location - way the hell out the other side of the state highway :-/ I finally arrived at the lake around 4:45. Wind looked great! Got dressed and decided to leave off the boots and gloves... took the Flyboards and 13m Xbow over to the lake.
Kickin'! Boosting big, pretty much at the limits of the kite I reckon. It started misbehaving in the gusts but not badly. I did, however, have to trim it all the way at one time - got difficult to hold the edge while riding.
It was pretty awesome being able to boost big jumps time after time on a single tack and still be making ground upwind :)
I kept riding till the sun started getting close to the hills and thought about packing up, then Soh showed up so I didn't stop :D we were the last two on the water as it got dark... the wind had died by then so I packed up, feeling satisfied.
Mood was mellow satisfied bemused.
Moment of the Day was another front roll, that went up up up and round and down oh so smooth. Just like I meant to do it that way ;)
Weather was supposed to be only 6 to 8 knots :o but I'd pull the trim strap all the way in on the 13. 11°C at 78% and gusts of only 20 knots... you're letting me down, JMA.
Wind felt like I was 30% powered but not riding upwind, 65% over-powered but loving and 5% over-powered: check my shorts!
What I learned today...
• 15°C is enough to go without gloves and boots. Right about the time the cherry trees blossom ;)
• Water is still too cold to be trying to do rotations and getting dunked... brain freeze!
• I should probably have put up my 10.
• Or the 12m Speed3...
• If there's waves on the water like there was tonight, probably a good idea to use the Mako.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Now we talkin'
Well it's about goddamn time. Good afternoon forecast... I tried to weasel out of working a full shift but it didn't happen. So when work let out at 4:45 I headed straight down the lake... got there about 5:20-ish. Straight into the wetsuit, quick look at the wind and other kites up - 13m day! hopefully on the Flyradical - and hauled ass over the road, pump the kite (quick relax and check my shit is wired right) then jump in the water...
... just as everyone is getting off :D so for a while it's me, Soh and Hironobu, then just me and Hironobu till dark.
Wind is great, I'm psyched so I go at it as big as I can. Some really good jumps, and I only foul up the landing of one. I even start doing some backrolls, trying to go big (double to splash down) and front rolls...
I rode until dark and when Hironobu got off the water, I decided it was time to pack it in... the wind was dying, anyway.
Mood of the session was amped.
Moment of the Day was that front roll that straight up, around and back down to land almost where I took off... not sure if that's how they should be done, but it felt really good :D
Weather was recorded as 18 to 14 knots, 11°C 76%. It was gusty, and there was one occasion when the kite started twitching so I'm betting the peak gust of 28 knots was pretty accurate.
What I learned today...
• Don't need gloves and boots any more.
• I can get to the lake after Saturday work and still have enough time to wear myself out - HOO rah!
• You can survive pretty much any ugly send or takeoff so long as you get the kite back over your head and time the redirect properly.
• I still hold my breath when jumping :-/
• And I'm still pussying out when the gusts come through and I could really boost huge!
• My excuse for the above is that it's tough to hold the edge to pop properly. Honest.
... just as everyone is getting off :D so for a while it's me, Soh and Hironobu, then just me and Hironobu till dark.
Wind is great, I'm psyched so I go at it as big as I can. Some really good jumps, and I only foul up the landing of one. I even start doing some backrolls, trying to go big (double to splash down) and front rolls...
I rode until dark and when Hironobu got off the water, I decided it was time to pack it in... the wind was dying, anyway.
Mood of the session was amped.
Moment of the Day was that front roll that straight up, around and back down to land almost where I took off... not sure if that's how they should be done, but it felt really good :D
Weather was recorded as 18 to 14 knots, 11°C 76%. It was gusty, and there was one occasion when the kite started twitching so I'm betting the peak gust of 28 knots was pretty accurate.
What I learned today...
• Don't need gloves and boots any more.
• I can get to the lake after Saturday work and still have enough time to wear myself out - HOO rah!
• You can survive pretty much any ugly send or takeoff so long as you get the kite back over your head and time the redirect properly.
• I still hold my breath when jumping :-/
• And I'm still pussying out when the gusts come through and I could really boost huge!
• My excuse for the above is that it's tough to hold the edge to pop properly. Honest.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Better...
but still not Epic.
Forecast looked awesome all day, so I headed to the lake at 12:30pm-ish to make the most of the sunny afternoon... and there was frickin' NO WIND.
Stood around shooting the shit with Miyachi and after moaning about the bar pressure on my Xbow 16 (am I turning into a limp-wristed sissy?!?!) he offered me his 14m RPM. I was actually hoping for the 15m Naish Charger but oh well :D
During the standing around, the wind picked up and we got white-caps on the lake - suit up! Rush the beach! Hump the gear!
Pah, no need... even after setting up the kite and diddling around going back to the car for gloves, it still wasn't that windy. I got on the water anyway with the new kite...
So what's it like, mister?
First thoughts on the RPM were "Wow, this is just like my arcs! But without all the power through the turns!" As the day went on, that feeling was reinforced as the kite jelly-fished, twitched and vibrated just like the arcs do. It IS a very nice kite though, don't get me wrong!
Heavier on the steering that the sheeting; likes to be worked to make power but doesn't really feel like it's powered; fast in turns but not so fast that it'll spank you... where I enjoy riding it the most though is no doubt out near it's top-end... and it gets twitchy and punchy up there, jerking and behaving badly.
Directly connected rear lines give good feedback - but too much in my opinion... you feel every twitch and vibration of the lines; I prefer the 'damping' of systems with pulleys. For now...
I was surprised at how little power it made in loops... and it needed a lot of wind for me to park'n'ride. I never got off the Flydoor and never though about trimming it either - much to Miyachi's surprise.
Also, really didn't want to turn with the bar right out - I dunked it once (and only once!) when it just wouldn't turn and I dragged a wing-tip... relaunch was fine, maybe just a tad more difficult than the Xbow but that may have been cos the kite was heading towards a buoy and I was getting worried...!
Over all, a really nice kite but I'm happier with my 2011 Crossbows!
(Was on a big bar - 65cm probably, with 27m lines too... FYI)
... wind was up and down all session - we spent a lot of time trying to get moving in the lulls and then having fun in the gusts. Soh changed his kite several times and I either kept working the hell out of the kite, jumping like a loon or standing on the beach :(
Got some nice jumps in, really nice float with the RPM - there was even one magic moment when I just hovered there, like a helicopter :) one hard landing really gave my gammy ankle grief though and I thought I'd have to quit... but I didn't!
As I was giving up for the day, I was trying to catch Miyachi's eye to get him to land the kite - I don't want to self-launch or -land borrowed kites! - the kite got hit by a gust and front-stalled, falling to the ground :o I watched in horror as it rolled over on to the L.E. and I sheeted out so it flipped on then just waited as Miyachi was dashing over to secure it... phew!
Nice session, despite all the underpoweredness and it was really interesting to try a modern, different kite system to those I'm familiar with.
Mood of the Session was relaxing enjoyable.
Moment of the Day was the back-spin that used the kite nicely and was more what I think they should be rather than an overly quick whip-around... it was up, float, rotate, redirect then pull out of it :)
Weather was all over the place... it's recorded as between 12 and 14 knots with gusts no more than 29 (5am) but it was above and below that all day. Temperature was between 7 & 8°C at 45%. I felt cold when I got off the water and stood around doing nothing.
What I learned today...
• JMA forecasts, especially the hourly ones... if the wind is NW then it's an hour ahead, if the with is N to NE then the wind is an hour behind. So if JMA said the wind was 6m/s at 1pm from the NW then it hit Locus at 6m/s around 12; 2pm at Locus if the wind is N.
• I should be happy with my 2011 Crossbows cos they are really great, stable, and well-behaved kites.
• Where I like to ride kites is out the top-end of their design limits.
• So the heavier, more stable kites give me more fun and peace of mind. See point one.
• I'm still of the opinion that behaviour of the kite when over-powered is related to the number of struts... I'm thinking 5 might be a magic number for a balance of light weight (my god the RPM was light!!!) and stability...
• My jumping 'skills' are transferable between kites.
• I prefer riding my S3 15 in winds like we had today - and I would have been jumping much higher :D
Forecast looked awesome all day, so I headed to the lake at 12:30pm-ish to make the most of the sunny afternoon... and there was frickin' NO WIND.
Stood around shooting the shit with Miyachi and after moaning about the bar pressure on my Xbow 16 (am I turning into a limp-wristed sissy?!?!) he offered me his 14m RPM. I was actually hoping for the 15m Naish Charger but oh well :D
During the standing around, the wind picked up and we got white-caps on the lake - suit up! Rush the beach! Hump the gear!
Pah, no need... even after setting up the kite and diddling around going back to the car for gloves, it still wasn't that windy. I got on the water anyway with the new kite...
So what's it like, mister?
First thoughts on the RPM were "Wow, this is just like my arcs! But without all the power through the turns!" As the day went on, that feeling was reinforced as the kite jelly-fished, twitched and vibrated just like the arcs do. It IS a very nice kite though, don't get me wrong!
Heavier on the steering that the sheeting; likes to be worked to make power but doesn't really feel like it's powered; fast in turns but not so fast that it'll spank you... where I enjoy riding it the most though is no doubt out near it's top-end... and it gets twitchy and punchy up there, jerking and behaving badly.
Directly connected rear lines give good feedback - but too much in my opinion... you feel every twitch and vibration of the lines; I prefer the 'damping' of systems with pulleys. For now...
I was surprised at how little power it made in loops... and it needed a lot of wind for me to park'n'ride. I never got off the Flydoor and never though about trimming it either - much to Miyachi's surprise.
Also, really didn't want to turn with the bar right out - I dunked it once (and only once!) when it just wouldn't turn and I dragged a wing-tip... relaunch was fine, maybe just a tad more difficult than the Xbow but that may have been cos the kite was heading towards a buoy and I was getting worried...!
Over all, a really nice kite but I'm happier with my 2011 Crossbows!
(Was on a big bar - 65cm probably, with 27m lines too... FYI)
... wind was up and down all session - we spent a lot of time trying to get moving in the lulls and then having fun in the gusts. Soh changed his kite several times and I either kept working the hell out of the kite, jumping like a loon or standing on the beach :(
Got some nice jumps in, really nice float with the RPM - there was even one magic moment when I just hovered there, like a helicopter :) one hard landing really gave my gammy ankle grief though and I thought I'd have to quit... but I didn't!
As I was giving up for the day, I was trying to catch Miyachi's eye to get him to land the kite - I don't want to self-launch or -land borrowed kites! - the kite got hit by a gust and front-stalled, falling to the ground :o I watched in horror as it rolled over on to the L.E. and I sheeted out so it flipped on then just waited as Miyachi was dashing over to secure it... phew!
Nice session, despite all the underpoweredness and it was really interesting to try a modern, different kite system to those I'm familiar with.
Mood of the Session was relaxing enjoyable.
Moment of the Day was the back-spin that used the kite nicely and was more what I think they should be rather than an overly quick whip-around... it was up, float, rotate, redirect then pull out of it :)
Weather was all over the place... it's recorded as between 12 and 14 knots with gusts no more than 29 (5am) but it was above and below that all day. Temperature was between 7 & 8°C at 45%. I felt cold when I got off the water and stood around doing nothing.
What I learned today...
• JMA forecasts, especially the hourly ones... if the wind is NW then it's an hour ahead, if the with is N to NE then the wind is an hour behind. So if JMA said the wind was 6m/s at 1pm from the NW then it hit Locus at 6m/s around 12; 2pm at Locus if the wind is N.
• I should be happy with my 2011 Crossbows cos they are really great, stable, and well-behaved kites.
• Where I like to ride kites is out the top-end of their design limits.
• So the heavier, more stable kites give me more fun and peace of mind. See point one.
• I'm still of the opinion that behaviour of the kite when over-powered is related to the number of struts... I'm thinking 5 might be a magic number for a balance of light weight (my god the RPM was light!!!) and stability...
• My jumping 'skills' are transferable between kites.
• I prefer riding my S3 15 in winds like we had today - and I would have been jumping much higher :D
Friday, April 6, 2012
Light-wind workout
Forecast looked good so I tripped down the lake at 12 and had a look. Mmm, looks bloody cold out there... I'll shoot off to Immigration and wait for it to warm up a bit.
Got back about 3 and Taki was out on the water. Miyachi reckoned it would be ok and the sun was out so it was warmish. Took the 16 Xbow and Flydoor over to the lake again...
The 'bow is mostly dry from yesterday's horror show so I only need to flick the sand off. I lay the bag out on a stump to dry out...
Onto the water, I'm feeling as powered as yesterday but am going upwind, which is nice. Bar pressure still feels massive though! Some tiny jumps and some half-assed rotations but the wind is dropping.
I unpack and launch the Speed3 21 but now the wind has totally dropped, so I land it and pack everything up. Le sigh again.
WagonR Guy got stuck down past the marina when the wind dropped... he had a good ol' walk back to the launch spot. So it could have been worse!
Moment of the Day was not having to walk.
Weather was reported as 10 knots, falling to 6 at 6.1°C 66%. It was cold enough that you could see your own breath! Yet my body was warm. Weird.
What I learned today...
• I need a big inflatable kite with less bar pressure!!!
• A good load'n'pop is essential to jumping bigger. I knew that already in my head, but seeing it work on the water set it in stone. Ok not seeing - feeling.
• Should have gone with the S3 21 straight away... that would have made it a gravy session :(
Got back about 3 and Taki was out on the water. Miyachi reckoned it would be ok and the sun was out so it was warmish. Took the 16 Xbow and Flydoor over to the lake again...
The 'bow is mostly dry from yesterday's horror show so I only need to flick the sand off. I lay the bag out on a stump to dry out...
Onto the water, I'm feeling as powered as yesterday but am going upwind, which is nice. Bar pressure still feels massive though! Some tiny jumps and some half-assed rotations but the wind is dropping.
I unpack and launch the Speed3 21 but now the wind has totally dropped, so I land it and pack everything up. Le sigh again.
WagonR Guy got stuck down past the marina when the wind dropped... he had a good ol' walk back to the launch spot. So it could have been worse!
Moment of the Day was not having to walk.
Weather was reported as 10 knots, falling to 6 at 6.1°C 66%. It was cold enough that you could see your own breath! Yet my body was warm. Weird.
What I learned today...
• I need a big inflatable kite with less bar pressure!!!
• A good load'n'pop is essential to jumping bigger. I knew that already in my head, but seeing it work on the water set it in stone. Ok not seeing - feeling.
• Should have gone with the S3 21 straight away... that would have made it a gravy session :(
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Riding in the rain...
... sucks.
Forecast was for the rain to come through then stop - which it did - not for it to start raining again :( I wanted to try out the 16m Xbow again so set that up and got into the water with Miyachi and Taki.
Man, what a gyp. At first, the wind was fine and there was no rain so it was ok, but I'm not really enjoying the kite - too much bar pressure and I'm not getting good drive. Then the rain starts and the wind (apparently) is all shifty cos although I'm feeling powered, I can't actually get upwind.
Keep riding for a while but give up in disgust - about 15 minutes before it stops raining :-/ now my kite is soggy, my gear is soggy, the kite bags are soggy... le sigh.
Moment of the Day was the nice warming vodka shot when I got home.
Weather was reported as 14 knots, falling to... 3 :o at 8.7°C 80%. Gusts no more than 20 knots.
What I learned today...
• Not even worth trying to ride in the rain.
• You can't wait it out.
• Xbow 16 has too much bar pressure for me now - I've been spoilt by the smaller kites and more technically effective Flysurfers.
• Of course, it might be the 5mm gloves causing the forearm pump :o
Forecast was for the rain to come through then stop - which it did - not for it to start raining again :( I wanted to try out the 16m Xbow again so set that up and got into the water with Miyachi and Taki.
Man, what a gyp. At first, the wind was fine and there was no rain so it was ok, but I'm not really enjoying the kite - too much bar pressure and I'm not getting good drive. Then the rain starts and the wind (apparently) is all shifty cos although I'm feeling powered, I can't actually get upwind.
Keep riding for a while but give up in disgust - about 15 minutes before it stops raining :-/ now my kite is soggy, my gear is soggy, the kite bags are soggy... le sigh.
Moment of the Day was the nice warming vodka shot when I got home.
Weather was reported as 14 knots, falling to... 3 :o at 8.7°C 80%. Gusts no more than 20 knots.
What I learned today...
• Not even worth trying to ride in the rain.
• You can't wait it out.
• Xbow 16 has too much bar pressure for me now - I've been spoilt by the smaller kites and more technically effective Flysurfers.
• Of course, it might be the 5mm gloves causing the forearm pump :o
Sunday, April 1, 2012
More like it!
Forecast for today was less than yesterday, but the fronts weren't rolling through, so I was betting that the wind would be more stable. Loaded up the car and headed down at 1pm.
The course racing kooks were at it again, and the carpark was crowded, the beach was crowded, the water was... you get the picture. Junkie Sensei and I stood around looking at the far banks of the lake, humming and harring. He decided on his 9, I decided on my Xbow 13. I had my 16 with me too but when the blow-line arrived, I thought it wouldn't be needed so when I went back to the car to change and get my boards, I brought my 10 with me...
Laid out my lines to set up and go to launch but - the Flysurfer distributor has laid his lines out over the top of mine. Derp. And not the last time today he'll annoy me - he turns in front of me hard, without looking behind him and nearly wears my kite. Good thing I was watching him... kook.
At first, the 13 is great and I switch to the Flyradical and have some fun. The wind dies off again so I'm back on the Flydoor. So continues the theme for the day, repeating 3 times until...
Must be about 4pm - big front comes through and it's all on like Donkey Kong! I'm over-powered on the 13 and have to trim it a bit, and it's gusty and punchy, but I'm having great fun, boosting as big as I can and - best of all - I'm landing all but maybe one or two! As the wind starts to stabilize, it drops off a bit and while I'm getting some great boosts, the wind drops off while I'm up and I get plonked a few times.
After maybe 30 minutes or more, the wind finally falls away consistently but I'm weary and a bit cold so I call it a day. And what a great day it was!!!
Poor old Flysurfer Guy had another kitemare - dunno what happened yet but when I left the beach, he was unpacking a Pulse 2 and when I looked back a few minutes later, it was wrapped around the top of a tree :o
The Mistress of Disaster is obviously feeling threatened by ability to ride upwind when she can't, land big jumps and do back-rolls - she had the bloody cheek to ask if I'd put weight on. Shame my Japanese isn't good enough to say "Actually, bitch, I gone down 2 sizes in pants. You, however, look like you need a bigger harness and wetsuit." Oh ok - I can say that in Japanese but I'm just too polite.
Moment of the Day was surviving the gusts and boosting huge and riding away with feather-soft landings!
Weather was reported as 8 knots falling to 4, back up to 16 then dropping to 10 with peak gusts of 24 knots; about 8°C at 68%.
What I learned today...
• Why people like fast kites.
• It cos when you do jumps and stuff, you can use the kite to rescue your cock-ups with timing, sending etc.
• And it's easier to control what's actually happening.
• Everyone is someone else's kook.
• Freakin' course racing numpties riding downwind through the middle of everyone else trying to tack, flailing around in the launch zone trying to get on a plane, dropping kites while trying to man-handle their gigantic boards, not giving way and pushing through the riding pattern... dicks.
• Ok so I can handle more power with the Crossbow 13... but on flat water. With the big chop and waves and whatnot on the lake, you bounce around so much that you can't edge up against the kite and drive it to the edge...
• Glad I didn't have my S3 21 out!
• S3 15 wouldn't have been totally mental!
• Started playing with using the kite to 'pull' me out of backrolls... mixed results.
• Sometimes it's just fun to edge up a kicker-wave not so hard, send the kite back and rotate around to downwind :D
• And some other times it's fun to ride in fast, edge up hard and send the kite - BIIIIIIIIG jumps!!!
The course racing kooks were at it again, and the carpark was crowded, the beach was crowded, the water was... you get the picture. Junkie Sensei and I stood around looking at the far banks of the lake, humming and harring. He decided on his 9, I decided on my Xbow 13. I had my 16 with me too but when the blow-line arrived, I thought it wouldn't be needed so when I went back to the car to change and get my boards, I brought my 10 with me...
Laid out my lines to set up and go to launch but - the Flysurfer distributor has laid his lines out over the top of mine. Derp. And not the last time today he'll annoy me - he turns in front of me hard, without looking behind him and nearly wears my kite. Good thing I was watching him... kook.
At first, the 13 is great and I switch to the Flyradical and have some fun. The wind dies off again so I'm back on the Flydoor. So continues the theme for the day, repeating 3 times until...
Must be about 4pm - big front comes through and it's all on like Donkey Kong! I'm over-powered on the 13 and have to trim it a bit, and it's gusty and punchy, but I'm having great fun, boosting as big as I can and - best of all - I'm landing all but maybe one or two! As the wind starts to stabilize, it drops off a bit and while I'm getting some great boosts, the wind drops off while I'm up and I get plonked a few times.
After maybe 30 minutes or more, the wind finally falls away consistently but I'm weary and a bit cold so I call it a day. And what a great day it was!!!
Poor old Flysurfer Guy had another kitemare - dunno what happened yet but when I left the beach, he was unpacking a Pulse 2 and when I looked back a few minutes later, it was wrapped around the top of a tree :o
The Mistress of Disaster is obviously feeling threatened by ability to ride upwind when she can't, land big jumps and do back-rolls - she had the bloody cheek to ask if I'd put weight on. Shame my Japanese isn't good enough to say "Actually, bitch, I gone down 2 sizes in pants. You, however, look like you need a bigger harness and wetsuit." Oh ok - I can say that in Japanese but I'm just too polite.
Moment of the Day was surviving the gusts and boosting huge and riding away with feather-soft landings!
Weather was reported as 8 knots falling to 4, back up to 16 then dropping to 10 with peak gusts of 24 knots; about 8°C at 68%.
What I learned today...
• Why people like fast kites.
• It cos when you do jumps and stuff, you can use the kite to rescue your cock-ups with timing, sending etc.
• And it's easier to control what's actually happening.
• Everyone is someone else's kook.
• Freakin' course racing numpties riding downwind through the middle of everyone else trying to tack, flailing around in the launch zone trying to get on a plane, dropping kites while trying to man-handle their gigantic boards, not giving way and pushing through the riding pattern... dicks.
• Ok so I can handle more power with the Crossbow 13... but on flat water. With the big chop and waves and whatnot on the lake, you bounce around so much that you can't edge up against the kite and drive it to the edge...
• Glad I didn't have my S3 21 out!
• S3 15 wouldn't have been totally mental!
• Started playing with using the kite to 'pull' me out of backrolls... mixed results.
• Sometimes it's just fun to edge up a kicker-wave not so hard, send the kite back and rotate around to downwind :D
• And some other times it's fun to ride in fast, edge up hard and send the kite - BIIIIIIIIG jumps!!!
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