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
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