Measured 10 to 20 knots at the shoreline with the anemometer in the few minutes I stood there. A few whitecaps around...
Plan was to pump up both kites but... dang! I guess I been flying the Speeds too much cos pumping up SUCKS. So I only inflated the Fly.
Especially sucky are the 'regular' sized valves and no one-pump—forgot how tricky it can be to get those valves plugged—only 2 struts though... there's a LOT of ripstop in the center of the kite, between them. Was surprised at how fat the leading edge is! Noted the little spar at the center of the leading edge too. Nice simple bridle, Ronstan Orbit pulleys... nice! Bar looks a little narrow though! Have always liked the clean, simple-looking Naish bars... works good! Mutiny swivel needs a lube though.
Tether-launched the Fly. Didn't go up as easy as the Xbow so I decide then and there to NOT test the water relaunch!
Good static pull, very stable - I'm impressed. When the wind dropped, it'd just float back down, rather than stalling and diving like the XB.
Was a bit shocked at how light the bar pressure was. Seemed a bit vague & unresponsive too... I thought about landing the kite and resetting the rear leaders but I'm oddly lazy about that kind of thing—can't be bothered with the whole landing/relaunching thing. If it was a joystick, I'd think that the response curve had been meddled with—fish-poling the bar got it moving.
The Fly is fast, but not too fast. Suitably agile? Be a good kite for a beginner to advance on.
Kite worked ok but was really good to just park'n'ride. Using the stopper, I could just park the kite and take my hands off the bar :o very stable! More downwind pull than the XBs, harder to work it upwind—gonna feel it in the legs tomorrow. Loops and redirects pull more downwind too.
Jumps are good - when the wind is good, it goes up fine, hangs nice and floats good on the way down.
Rotations are fun; good lift when the kite is overhead makes them easy and the agility of the kite makes them fun. Rotation transitions are working again!
Only issue... when turning hard-ish, the unloaded tip—the material on that side—flaps around and feels like it creates drag. Oh and the bar was a tad rough on chilly hands...
Basically, I like the kite—and bar!—and enjoyed a 2-hour session in crappy wind on it. Wished it was bigger though... I think I wouldn't be really excited until closer to 20 knots. Wonder how the Flite 17.5 is?
Noticed a 4 inch slash on the LE when I was packing up—wasn't me, cos the kite only touched the ground on launch and landing. Hope that doesn't bite me in the ass.
Miyachi supposedly has photos of today too... there was a brilliant, 180˚ rainbow when I got in the water too.
EDIT: Miyachi delivers! Doot-doo-doot-dee-doot-de-doo-doo...
Weather was reported as 9-12-9 knots—with gusts to 34 ROFL again! I think the weather station is broken. 11°C at 73%.
Wind felt like 10% having fun, 70% just barely powered but still having fun, 20% underpowered.
Moment of the day was throwing a bit fat backroll... transition!
Mood of the session was intrigued amused happy.
Song stuck in my head was the theme from Rainbow.
It sucks when you can't remember the lyrics except for Doot-doot-doot-dee-doot-de-doo-doot over and over again.
What I learned today...
• Naish have good product.
• Really digging the stopper. Thinking about using my Charger just to use the stopper!
• And really want a Flite. Better email Ned.
• Cold enough that I needed gloves. Hands were a bit shut down at end of session.
• Arms were chilly. Need something to block wind.
• Realized that ALL my Flysurfers are out of commission, even if only very temporarily.
• I love rotation transitions.
• CTBs legs up rolls are tough to do.
• Wonder what the Park is like...
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