zOMG the northerlies all wind stopped on Saturday but—praise Allah!—picked up with a vengeance on Sunday! I skip lunch and hit the beach at 12 …
Can't get a handle on the wind—looks fierce and we're supposed to get up to 20 knots. I take the Speed3 12 and Crossbow 16 to the lake beach, and of course both boards. Seems there's a Slingshot dealer here today—hauling a heap of kites and boards. I bet he doesn't ask if I'd like to try them :D
Set up the Speed3 12 and do some little jumps on the beach—easily powered! Get in the water … can't get up on a plane and worse, I can't hardly body-drag back to the beach :o WTF?!?!
Stand around a bit, glaring at the horizon … then pump up the 16. Rig it, get a launch from—I suspect—a newbie who, when I look down to walk around The Mistress of Disaster's kite, does something odd and I look back up to see him getting lobbed over my Speed3 :o he missed it and didn't hurt himself … a feat he repeated later in the day when I happened to see him ride into the beach and wipe-out on the sand!!!
So I get the kite in the air and check the trim—hmm, massively over-sheeting, the tips are bending in! I trim it out totally but it's still bad. I land the kite to reset it but now the wind is way back up so I give up and go out on the Speed3 12 and the Flydoor.
Better. Powered now and making jumps and giving myself a beat-down—can't time them right with this small, fast kite. There's massive chop on the lake and you have to ride out through it, almost directly into it—it's like riding the whoops in the moto-x :o Tough to do any tricks or jumps though cos the waves're short period but tall and there's not a lot of flat water around.
Man this kite is fast—and likes to back-stall :( tough job working it through the lulls … occasionally over-powered and I switch back to the Flyradical but it's too hard to keep it moving. After a big lull, I go back to the Flydoor for the rest of the session. Back-spins and jumps only!
Problems of the day (a new section?) are the fruits on directionals who carve and slash the waves—but never look behind them. I try to give them a wide berth but they make it difficult—and equally tough is when you're hurting for power! So that's annoying … worse is Uncle Never-Relaunch who rides directly at me with his kite at 45° and wont move it—if I stop and zenith my kite, he'll cut my lines; if i cut upwind, we'll probably bodily collide and fuck-knows what'll happen to the kites; if I cut downwind, I'll probably hit the beach cos I'll be super-powered with the kite near the water; and if we hold our courses and with kite raised or lowered, we'll probably still collide. Wanker.
So I send the kite back hard the other direction, can't ride it out and end up submarining for a bit. Uncle never noticed :-/ Solution? Dunno, I need to check the angles next time it happens :o
… at least The Mistress of Disaster stayed outa my hair—silly bitch couldn't get off the beach and spent all day walking back'n'forth :D
It was quite a long session but I (mostly) enjoyed it. Packing up 2 kites sucked though … I was the last one on the beach, in the dark.
Moment of the Day was—you guessed it—the jump that I popped a bit earlier than usual and then went all big and floaty … and under control.
Weather data got laid down thusly … at 12pm we had 15knots at 16°C/72% and it dropped to 13knots at 14°C/65% around 3 before coming back up to 15knots again. Peak gust was 32knots around 5pm … seems pretty close to me—I did measure it as 10m/s before I tried to ride the first time. I labelled the wind as 'crappy' cos it was up and down and spent a lot of time pissing me off—although I did get some riding in.
What I learned today …
• I'm leaving the water too late … I had to hurry things along in front of a wave and jumped before the kite had got to the top of the zenith and I went higher and longer and more controlled than ever. I guess "when you feel the upward pull" doesn't mean "leave the pop til the kite is overhead" … of course, it could have been a fluke :D I'll keep testing …
• I'm in dire need of a haircut … filthy hippie. Wet hair in the eyes sux0rz.
• Starting to prefer the 'radical over the 'door … more fun to ride and I'm adapting to the position better. Bouncing over chop is a bit tough though. Mako should be interesting!
• Speed3 12 is an interesting beast—you can work the ass off and not really get anything out of it. Seems to have to carefully milk it until it's really got some speed in it … or maybe I just need flat water!
• Dive the kite, gradually sheet in and hold it sheeted as you redirect it back up and gradually sheet out—seems to stop the tips from tucking and (with the right amount of bar pressure) you can keep power in a very flat kite. Hmm, wonder if it'll work on the LEIs …
• Forgot to add—I also think I'm edging too hard and killing the kite. I think I been watching too many wakestyle videos or something!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Frustrated? Not me!
Sunday means I've got all day to kite ... started out the morning with a quick blast on the newly repaired Duke - back to full power, smooth-running and no stalling! - and eyed up the webcam and forecast for the P.M. ... hmm, just enough time to nip out for a nice lunch. Hurried the wife up through desert when the wind picked up around 1pm and headed off to the lake.
We got white-caps! But there are guys on their big kites and they only just look powered ... both boards and Ol' Relentless go across to the beach. After I put on the new straps from Flysurfer ...
You'll remember the straps broke on the Flydoor? I took pics, sent them to FSer and 2 days later I got an email not from the guy I sent them to, but from someone else who explained he was on holiday. And I still got a response within 2 days! Gave them my address, and 2 days later they shipped out new straps. A few days after that, they arrived in Japan.
Customer service win! Good on you, Flysurfer!
A brief review ...
The new straps are the 2012 FSer design - still pulling a strap to adjust but there's a different buckle in there so it moves easily and freely. The older straps seem a bit more plush but the newer ones are MUCH easier to fit better against your foot ... in fact, when I took my feet out of the straps at the end of my session, they were dry - and warm!
Like I said, very easy to adjust, even on the move.
The only problem I had was the doohicky inside got flopped around the wrong way or something, and the strap wouldn't hold its position ... quick fiddle on the water and sorted. Hmm, better watch that ...
Anyway. Set up the 21 ... urk, looks a bit grubby :( laid it out for a side launch but bloody Soh has run his lines out right next to the kite - I can't unwind my lines until he launches. Him, or Uncle Junkie. I use the free time to pre-inflate the kite ... I get it so pre-inflated that I don't even remember waiting for it to completely fill :D when I finally get to launch, that is ...
Hit the water with the Flydoor although I think there's enough power to get 'radical. Oh wait no there's not ... enough to ride but I'm fighting to get upwind. Wind slowly picks up though and although it's lully, I'm jumping and having fun, in between working it upwind away from the beach.
A brief rant ...
Mistress of Disaster at it again. Why does she insist on riding a 9m kite and using a wake-style board in less than 10 knots? It's not like she can land the handle-passes she's trying to do within 2 feet of the shore anyway. So she rides out from the shore into me, forcing me to stop dead and zenith my kite. Later, I'm riding out 30m behind but maybe 10m upwind of her when just stops dead in the water - I turn downwind to ride under her kite but EVEN THOUGH SHE SEES MY KITE she still dives her kite to change direction - FFS you moronic bitch.
Denace the Menace is at it again. Drop that bloody kite on my Speed3 and I'll chop it up. If you can't fly a kite without being told when you need to sheet-out or -in, perhaps you need more lessons :o
Ok I'm done.
Wind still drops off so much that even I have to walk ... wait for the wind to come back as I can see the "blow line" off in the distance. I does, so I ride again. This time on the Flyradical cos the winds up. Then the winds down so I ride out the rest of the day on the 'door.
Legs are getting sore - I guess it's been a 3-hour ride! - body is getting tired so I call it a day, even though we got maybe another 30 minutes of day light ... I've had a great session! But when I bump into Soh in the carpark, he says that he was frustrated today.
Dude ... get yourself a Speed3 ;)
Moment of the Day is starting to fall into a pattern ... either the nice massive jump, totally under control and with perfect redirection for extended float with the super-smooth and totally controlled landing ... or riding past all the suckers walking back up the beach ;)
Weather data for the session has got to be total hogwash - 2 to 7 knots? No way. Peak gust of 15 knots at 6:30pm ... I'm betting it was 6 to 12 knots, average around 10 with the good wind at 14.
What I learned today ...
• Dunno if it's correct, but send the kite and, when you feel you've reached the peak of the jump, redirect with a slight sheet-out then hold the kite there at 1 or 11 - you'll feel extra float - then as you start to drop, redirect the kite to ride away smooth.
• Even Uncle Junkie on the Turbine and directional gives up a few knots of low-end to me and the 'door/21 combo ... nobody else comes close except for Uncle with the Slingshots ... man, he must weigh about 15kg - he's the light-wind master!
We got white-caps! But there are guys on their big kites and they only just look powered ... both boards and Ol' Relentless go across to the beach. After I put on the new straps from Flysurfer ...
You'll remember the straps broke on the Flydoor? I took pics, sent them to FSer and 2 days later I got an email not from the guy I sent them to, but from someone else who explained he was on holiday. And I still got a response within 2 days! Gave them my address, and 2 days later they shipped out new straps. A few days after that, they arrived in Japan.
Customer service win! Good on you, Flysurfer!
A brief review ...
The new straps are the 2012 FSer design - still pulling a strap to adjust but there's a different buckle in there so it moves easily and freely. The older straps seem a bit more plush but the newer ones are MUCH easier to fit better against your foot ... in fact, when I took my feet out of the straps at the end of my session, they were dry - and warm!
Like I said, very easy to adjust, even on the move.
The only problem I had was the doohicky inside got flopped around the wrong way or something, and the strap wouldn't hold its position ... quick fiddle on the water and sorted. Hmm, better watch that ...
Anyway. Set up the 21 ... urk, looks a bit grubby :( laid it out for a side launch but bloody Soh has run his lines out right next to the kite - I can't unwind my lines until he launches. Him, or Uncle Junkie. I use the free time to pre-inflate the kite ... I get it so pre-inflated that I don't even remember waiting for it to completely fill :D when I finally get to launch, that is ...
Hit the water with the Flydoor although I think there's enough power to get 'radical. Oh wait no there's not ... enough to ride but I'm fighting to get upwind. Wind slowly picks up though and although it's lully, I'm jumping and having fun, in between working it upwind away from the beach.
A brief rant ...
Mistress of Disaster at it again. Why does she insist on riding a 9m kite and using a wake-style board in less than 10 knots? It's not like she can land the handle-passes she's trying to do within 2 feet of the shore anyway. So she rides out from the shore into me, forcing me to stop dead and zenith my kite. Later, I'm riding out 30m behind but maybe 10m upwind of her when just stops dead in the water - I turn downwind to ride under her kite but EVEN THOUGH SHE SEES MY KITE she still dives her kite to change direction - FFS you moronic bitch.
Denace the Menace is at it again. Drop that bloody kite on my Speed3 and I'll chop it up. If you can't fly a kite without being told when you need to sheet-out or -in, perhaps you need more lessons :o
Ok I'm done.
Wind still drops off so much that even I have to walk ... wait for the wind to come back as I can see the "blow line" off in the distance. I does, so I ride again. This time on the Flyradical cos the winds up. Then the winds down so I ride out the rest of the day on the 'door.
Legs are getting sore - I guess it's been a 3-hour ride! - body is getting tired so I call it a day, even though we got maybe another 30 minutes of day light ... I've had a great session! But when I bump into Soh in the carpark, he says that he was frustrated today.
Dude ... get yourself a Speed3 ;)
Moment of the Day is starting to fall into a pattern ... either the nice massive jump, totally under control and with perfect redirection for extended float with the super-smooth and totally controlled landing ... or riding past all the suckers walking back up the beach ;)
Weather data for the session has got to be total hogwash - 2 to 7 knots? No way. Peak gust of 15 knots at 6:30pm ... I'm betting it was 6 to 12 knots, average around 10 with the good wind at 14.
What I learned today ...
• Dunno if it's correct, but send the kite and, when you feel you've reached the peak of the jump, redirect with a slight sheet-out then hold the kite there at 1 or 11 - you'll feel extra float - then as you start to drop, redirect the kite to ride away smooth.
• Even Uncle Junkie on the Turbine and directional gives up a few knots of low-end to me and the 'door/21 combo ... nobody else comes close except for Uncle with the Slingshots ... man, he must weigh about 15kg - he's the light-wind master!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Semi-skunked
Had to work right up until the buzzer today, but thought I'd hit the lake anyway to see if it's worth it any more - sun is setting really early now, winter is on its way.
Got to the lake about 4:30pm and ran across with the Speed3 21 and the 2 Flyboards ... sun was touching the hills when I'd finished setting up :( wind seemed ok, hit the water with the 'radical. A couple of tacks, but I don't have the power. Onto the 'door.
A little better, do some spins and jumps but the wind is dying right off ... wait a bit, ride a bit ... give up, pack up.
Moment of the Day was getting riding at all ... it was pretty light. The jumps and spins were the icing.
Weather data for the session was listed as 12 falling to 9 knots at 14°C and 60% humidity. Sounds about right, although I'd guess the wind lulled to around 6 knots ... a few slogs back into shore, barely on the water.
What I learned today ...
• Starting to get cold ... my feet were chilly for the first minute or so until I had to do some work.
• Probably still got enough light for an hour's worth of riding, packing up in the dark - if the wind co-operates.
• Thrust-bearing works fine on the 21 ... doesn't unspin as easily as the 12, guessing cos it's under more load - will keep a closer eye on it.
• Packing the big Speed up in the dark is annoying ... bloody thing likes to spit its bridles out all over the place. Wish the bag was longer too.
• I should be less anal-retentive about packing my gear up :D
Got to the lake about 4:30pm and ran across with the Speed3 21 and the 2 Flyboards ... sun was touching the hills when I'd finished setting up :( wind seemed ok, hit the water with the 'radical. A couple of tacks, but I don't have the power. Onto the 'door.
A little better, do some spins and jumps but the wind is dying right off ... wait a bit, ride a bit ... give up, pack up.
Moment of the Day was getting riding at all ... it was pretty light. The jumps and spins were the icing.
Weather data for the session was listed as 12 falling to 9 knots at 14°C and 60% humidity. Sounds about right, although I'd guess the wind lulled to around 6 knots ... a few slogs back into shore, barely on the water.
What I learned today ...
• Starting to get cold ... my feet were chilly for the first minute or so until I had to do some work.
• Probably still got enough light for an hour's worth of riding, packing up in the dark - if the wind co-operates.
• Thrust-bearing works fine on the 21 ... doesn't unspin as easily as the 12, guessing cos it's under more load - will keep a closer eye on it.
• Packing the big Speed up in the dark is annoying ... bloody thing likes to spit its bridles out all over the place. Wish the bag was longer too.
• I should be less anal-retentive about packing my gear up :D
Monday, November 7, 2011
Every day is a kite day!
Miyachi had promised after the skunkage on Sunday, that the weekdays would be great. And I have to work ... took an hour off work and headed down to the lake at 3pm. Wind looked good all the way down, I asked Grandpa what he thought I should ride, he said my biggest kite. I looked at the enthusiastically flapping flag and took my 16m Crossbow over to the beach.
Pumped up like a mad-man, jumped in the water and ... Precious! Walkies! Soh was barely riding upwind and Uncle No-relaunch was packing up and The Other Uncle on the surfboard was underpowered and Mr Too Cool for School was standing on the beach trying to keep his too cool teeny kite in the air. I stood around for a while, waiting for the gusts to come in but they never did.
It was sort of spitting, but it stopped so I checked the sun (couldn't see it behind the clouds) but figured I had another ½ hour or so ... Bring out ol' Relentless!
Oof, barely moving at first but after a few close encounters with the shore, the wind picks up just a tad and I'm off having fun! Throw some desperate back-spins to test out the thrust-bearing mod on the S3 21 bar - perfect again! - then I get a little more wind so I'm trying to jump. Neato! Bit of a lully patch, then as the sun starts to set, the wind really picks up and I'm having great fun! Is getting dark though ... better think about heading in ... try one last back-spin but land on the side of my face - schLAP! ow.
Packed up in the dark - 2 kites, that sucked - but the low clouds were glowing with the lights of the endless cities so I could actually see better than the nights that have been clear!
Moment of the Day was the big fat jump while the little guy with the 9m LEI couldn't even keep it in the air neener-neener ... the best thing about it was going up, swing in front of it, redirecting it and feeling it lift me again, then a perfectly timed dived when I came it to land ... but-tah!
Weather data for the session recorded the wind as 12 to 16 knots at 16°C and 77% humidity. Which is total horse-hockey cos I couldn't even get planing on the 21 at some points. It may have picked up to those in the gusts, but it was lulling to less. By the time I packed up, it was solidly 16 - but too dark to ride :(
What I learned today ...
• You can still back-spin in light wind if you REALLY put the effort into leaping and spinning.
• I'm getting better at feeling and timing my jumps. Maybe.
• Farting in a wetsuit is just as nasty as peeing in one. Perhaps nastier, cos it's an unpleasant surprise when you unzip the suit.
• Grandpa is pretty spot-on with his wind/kite observations for me ...
Pumped up like a mad-man, jumped in the water and ... Precious! Walkies! Soh was barely riding upwind and Uncle No-relaunch was packing up and The Other Uncle on the surfboard was underpowered and Mr Too Cool for School was standing on the beach trying to keep his too cool teeny kite in the air. I stood around for a while, waiting for the gusts to come in but they never did.
It was sort of spitting, but it stopped so I checked the sun (couldn't see it behind the clouds) but figured I had another ½ hour or so ... Bring out ol' Relentless!
Oof, barely moving at first but after a few close encounters with the shore, the wind picks up just a tad and I'm off having fun! Throw some desperate back-spins to test out the thrust-bearing mod on the S3 21 bar - perfect again! - then I get a little more wind so I'm trying to jump. Neato! Bit of a lully patch, then as the sun starts to set, the wind really picks up and I'm having great fun! Is getting dark though ... better think about heading in ... try one last back-spin but land on the side of my face - schLAP! ow.
Packed up in the dark - 2 kites, that sucked - but the low clouds were glowing with the lights of the endless cities so I could actually see better than the nights that have been clear!
Moment of the Day was the big fat jump while the little guy with the 9m LEI couldn't even keep it in the air neener-neener ... the best thing about it was going up, swing in front of it, redirecting it and feeling it lift me again, then a perfectly timed dived when I came it to land ... but-tah!
Weather data for the session recorded the wind as 12 to 16 knots at 16°C and 77% humidity. Which is total horse-hockey cos I couldn't even get planing on the 21 at some points. It may have picked up to those in the gusts, but it was lulling to less. By the time I packed up, it was solidly 16 - but too dark to ride :(
What I learned today ...
• You can still back-spin in light wind if you REALLY put the effort into leaping and spinning.
• I'm getting better at feeling and timing my jumps. Maybe.
• Farting in a wetsuit is just as nasty as peeing in one. Perhaps nastier, cos it's an unpleasant surprise when you unzip the suit.
• Grandpa is pretty spot-on with his wind/kite observations for me ...
Friday, November 4, 2011
A small update
Slow day at work - went through and added sizes to all the kites I've used in the tag cloud ... should prove to be more interesting. For me, at least.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Summer 2011 - The Movie!
And just in case YouTube screws my awesome soundtrack, here's the Vimeo link - http://vimeo.com/31545138
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
DIY - Infinity bar pimpin'
Also known as the thrust-bearing mod. The following video from 10 seconds on shows the goal of what we want to achieve ...
Stock bar uses a big brass washer (BBW) and then a jam nut on a nyloc nut to hold it all together. The problem with this is that it doesn't rotate very freely so although the bar is cleverly designed so that, after a rotation, you untwist the flying lines by spinning the bar then untwist the double depower rope when you sheet in. Unfortunately, the tension on the BBW et al is such that the depower rope gets chewed up - if you use it in the appropriate method. You can untwist by hand but that sucks.
Here's an exploded view of Holden's needle bearing mod. It shows the setup nicely. The CL is connected to the black thing, the red hat and spring go onto the T-tube that has the double depower line looped around it.
Melting candle wax into the line (more on that at a later date, perhaps) helps keep it slippery; grease or other gunk down there is an option too but washes away and perversely attracts gunk and grit. IMHO the best option is simply to make the bar spin more freely.
Various teflon washer, ceramic or needle-bearings have been suggested but the greatest results have been obtained from using thrust bearings such as the MTBS-816 from here http://torquetrans.com/thrust-bearings/ss-metric-thrust-bearings.mgi ... be aware that they ONLY use UPS and shipping 1lbs (454g) of 8 sets to Japan was going to cost me $85 :D For $12, I got them to ship to a buddy in the US (thanks stetson!) and he sent them here ... for $2.59.
The problem - kinda - comes in putting it all together ... I went a bit mad with my digital calipers trying to work it all out.
Originally, the BBW + jam nut + nyloc nut = very close to 15mm. Breaking it down, the BBW is 0.75mm, jam nut is 6mm and the nyloc nut is 7.5mm.
The thrust-bearing stack (washer-bearing-washer) is 5mm tall. If you try to use the original stainless steel nyloc nut, you have to find a 1.5mm jam nut! Obviously no good.
You can't ditch the BBW cos it covers the pin that holds in the CL. And it's an odd diameter, something like 23mm so if you wish to drop a washer from the bearing stack and use a big stainless washer, then you - or rather, I - have to grind down a big stainless steel washer (BSSW) of 25mm diameter and bore a hole in the middle for the M8 thread of the bar doohickey. I wrecked a drill bit and over-heated and warped the washer I was experimenting on ... oops. So that bit is possible, at any rate. That leaves you with having to find only a 4mm jam nut ... get busy with a vise and file!
Solution 1 : grind and drill your own BSSW, use bearing-washer, file down a stainless nut to 4mm and use the OEM nyloc nut.
Less demanding of elbow grease is the option I tested the other day ... I bought the only little bag of nyloc nuts I could find in hardware stores in Japan and simply bolted it onto the stack above the BBW. The nyloc nut though is not (or does not look like) stainless steel, maybe zinc coated or something. It's also taller than the OEM nyloc nut at 9mm and the lip at the top where the nylon ring is, is taller than the OEM nyloc nut - if you wanted to file this down, you'd end up with a very slim hex part.
Solution 2 : keep the BBW, use the full thrust-bearing stack, add the M8 non-stainless nyloc nut ... and some thread-locking compound.
Those are the two options that most appeal to me - you could also use 2 short M8 stainless nuts or file them down a bit ...
Solution 3 : BSSW, 2/3 thrust-bearing stack, 2x filed down M8 nuts.
I'm of the opinion that so long as the thrust-bearing is doing its job and spinning freely the torque on the solitary nyloc nut is minimal and easily secures the rig ... and some thread-lock for paranoia! So I'm of the opinion that for ease of install and use, Solution 2 is the best option. Only time will tell if the components hold up to the water and work-out ...
Also, I prefer a nyloc nut on the end of the stack because, as you can almost make out in the pictures below, tightening the T-tube doohickey so the end of the thread stays in the nylon ring should stop it eating up the FLS line. One other thing to note too is at the other end of the CL and QR gubbins ... with the original setup, there's a bit of slack in there - the black CL holder has free-play on the T-tube. I think this is necessary because the welds on the stopper for the spring stand proud, and if it was all tightened up snug the black CL holder couldn't spin freely. It's also handy because it'll let the holder move around and should enable grit to be washed out of the bearing stack.
Someone put a thrust bearing at the end of the black tube but that's totally necessary I reckon as when the CL is under load, it's pulling the CL holder down and the kite is pulling the T-tube up - the only stress will be ... exactly where the thrust bearing is!
Here are the pics of what I've got. Crappy cell phone cos I can't find memory cards/chargers/batteries for the cameras at home that can do a proper macro.
After all that I bet you want to know how it all works? Well, it's bloody sweet! Spins perfectly, very smooth. Easy to untwist lines - too easy in fact! My first few uses, the bar spun so easily that my reactions hadn't accounted for the smoothness and I'd grabbed the bar backwards ... PLOP drove the kite into the water!
What pretty much happens is that the depower line simply untwists itself when you spin the bar to untwist the lines. An added bonus is that the bits rotate with the bar, so the CL stays square on your harness while the bar moves around ... neato! Well worth all the hassle involved of getting the bits ...!
UPDATE : 10th of April, 2012
Should've gotten to this sooner...
When I got back from NZ (and using the 21 in the salt water) I had with me some stainless steel nyloc nuts. I got around to replacing the zinc ones finally...
Actually, that's not true at all. I bought some SS nylocs in NZ but couldn't find them. So I went to the excruciating process of ordering some here in Japan... When they arrived, they were taller again than the zinc ones (???) at about 12mm.
Eventually - after replacing all the zinc ones with the new Japan-bought SS nuts - I found the ones I bought in NZ... in a ziploc bag of camera chargers and cables :-/ Murphy, you bugger.
So again, I replaced all the Japan-SS nuts with the NZ-SS nuts - which were shorter than all the other ones :o more like the original FSer ones.
Le sigh.
So the big news was that the zinc nut corroded like crap in the salt water. It looked furry and nasty and left a rust stain on the SS washer and green gunk on the brass one. The rust and gunk all wiped off easily though and the bearing itself was still super-sweet!
Despite having only one nut, it hasn't shifted at all... and I don't expect it to - so long as the bearing spins :)
Stock bar uses a big brass washer (BBW) and then a jam nut on a nyloc nut to hold it all together. The problem with this is that it doesn't rotate very freely so although the bar is cleverly designed so that, after a rotation, you untwist the flying lines by spinning the bar then untwist the double depower rope when you sheet in. Unfortunately, the tension on the BBW et al is such that the depower rope gets chewed up - if you use it in the appropriate method. You can untwist by hand but that sucks.
Here's an exploded view of Holden's needle bearing mod. It shows the setup nicely. The CL is connected to the black thing, the red hat and spring go onto the T-tube that has the double depower line looped around it.
Melting candle wax into the line (more on that at a later date, perhaps) helps keep it slippery; grease or other gunk down there is an option too but washes away and perversely attracts gunk and grit. IMHO the best option is simply to make the bar spin more freely.
Various teflon washer, ceramic or needle-bearings have been suggested but the greatest results have been obtained from using thrust bearings such as the MTBS-816 from here http://torquetrans.com/thrust-bearings/ss-metric-thrust-bearings.mgi ... be aware that they ONLY use UPS and shipping 1lbs (454g) of 8 sets to Japan was going to cost me $85 :D For $12, I got them to ship to a buddy in the US (thanks stetson!) and he sent them here ... for $2.59.
The problem - kinda - comes in putting it all together ... I went a bit mad with my digital calipers trying to work it all out.
Originally, the BBW + jam nut + nyloc nut = very close to 15mm. Breaking it down, the BBW is 0.75mm, jam nut is 6mm and the nyloc nut is 7.5mm.
The thrust-bearing stack (washer-bearing-washer) is 5mm tall. If you try to use the original stainless steel nyloc nut, you have to find a 1.5mm jam nut! Obviously no good.
You can't ditch the BBW cos it covers the pin that holds in the CL. And it's an odd diameter, something like 23mm so if you wish to drop a washer from the bearing stack and use a big stainless washer, then you - or rather, I - have to grind down a big stainless steel washer (BSSW) of 25mm diameter and bore a hole in the middle for the M8 thread of the bar doohickey. I wrecked a drill bit and over-heated and warped the washer I was experimenting on ... oops. So that bit is possible, at any rate. That leaves you with having to find only a 4mm jam nut ... get busy with a vise and file!
Solution 1 : grind and drill your own BSSW, use bearing-washer, file down a stainless nut to 4mm and use the OEM nyloc nut.
Less demanding of elbow grease is the option I tested the other day ... I bought the only little bag of nyloc nuts I could find in hardware stores in Japan and simply bolted it onto the stack above the BBW. The nyloc nut though is not (or does not look like) stainless steel, maybe zinc coated or something. It's also taller than the OEM nyloc nut at 9mm and the lip at the top where the nylon ring is, is taller than the OEM nyloc nut - if you wanted to file this down, you'd end up with a very slim hex part.
Solution 2 : keep the BBW, use the full thrust-bearing stack, add the M8 non-stainless nyloc nut ... and some thread-locking compound.
Those are the two options that most appeal to me - you could also use 2 short M8 stainless nuts or file them down a bit ...
Solution 3 : BSSW, 2/3 thrust-bearing stack, 2x filed down M8 nuts.
I'm of the opinion that so long as the thrust-bearing is doing its job and spinning freely the torque on the solitary nyloc nut is minimal and easily secures the rig ... and some thread-lock for paranoia! So I'm of the opinion that for ease of install and use, Solution 2 is the best option. Only time will tell if the components hold up to the water and work-out ...
Also, I prefer a nyloc nut on the end of the stack because, as you can almost make out in the pictures below, tightening the T-tube doohickey so the end of the thread stays in the nylon ring should stop it eating up the FLS line. One other thing to note too is at the other end of the CL and QR gubbins ... with the original setup, there's a bit of slack in there - the black CL holder has free-play on the T-tube. I think this is necessary because the welds on the stopper for the spring stand proud, and if it was all tightened up snug the black CL holder couldn't spin freely. It's also handy because it'll let the holder move around and should enable grit to be washed out of the bearing stack.
Someone put a thrust bearing at the end of the black tube but that's totally necessary I reckon as when the CL is under load, it's pulling the CL holder down and the kite is pulling the T-tube up - the only stress will be ... exactly where the thrust bearing is!
Here are the pics of what I've got. Crappy cell phone cos I can't find memory cards/chargers/batteries for the cameras at home that can do a proper macro.
After all that I bet you want to know how it all works? Well, it's bloody sweet! Spins perfectly, very smooth. Easy to untwist lines - too easy in fact! My first few uses, the bar spun so easily that my reactions hadn't accounted for the smoothness and I'd grabbed the bar backwards ... PLOP drove the kite into the water!
What pretty much happens is that the depower line simply untwists itself when you spin the bar to untwist the lines. An added bonus is that the bits rotate with the bar, so the CL stays square on your harness while the bar moves around ... neato! Well worth all the hassle involved of getting the bits ...!
UPDATE : 10th of April, 2012
Should've gotten to this sooner...
When I got back from NZ (and using the 21 in the salt water) I had with me some stainless steel nyloc nuts. I got around to replacing the zinc ones finally...
Actually, that's not true at all. I bought some SS nylocs in NZ but couldn't find them. So I went to the excruciating process of ordering some here in Japan... When they arrived, they were taller again than the zinc ones (???) at about 12mm.
Eventually - after replacing all the zinc ones with the new Japan-bought SS nuts - I found the ones I bought in NZ... in a ziploc bag of camera chargers and cables :-/ Murphy, you bugger.
So again, I replaced all the Japan-SS nuts with the NZ-SS nuts - which were shorter than all the other ones :o more like the original FSer ones.
Le sigh.
So the big news was that the zinc nut corroded like crap in the salt water. It looked furry and nasty and left a rust stain on the SS washer and green gunk on the brass one. The rust and gunk all wiped off easily though and the bearing itself was still super-sweet!
Despite having only one nut, it hasn't shifted at all... and I don't expect it to - so long as the bearing spins :)
Monday, October 31, 2011
Showing off on Halloween
Winds up, I'm off to the lake - left work at 3pm. Forecast was good all day but the hourly data wasn't up to much. So it was a good thing I left early cos I got a half-hour of nicely powered riding, then maybe another 40 minutes of grabbing it in snatches ...
Started out on the Flyradical with the Speed3 12, partly because there was enough wind and primarily because I wanted to test out my thrust bearing mod. So I was having a great time. Still very back-stally, bit of trim sorted that ... must still be the bottom end of it's range. Having good fun though, works ok to keep planing.
There's a couple taking photos on the shore ... we all start hamming it up for them :D pity we won't get to see the pics!
Soh has arrived and coincedentally I'm sure, the wind has dropped off so I get onto the Flydoor. Have more success working the kite through the lulls but it's still not really enough wind. Soh keeps riding but he's not doing much either, even though he's on his Havoc 14 - he said afterwards that he bought his 7! I guess the weather didn't live up to it's promises at all ...!
I packed up just before sunset.
Moment of the Day was the first big jump on the Speed3 12! That didn't result in me being dropped like a stone :o
Weather data for the session; recorded wind strength was 18 knots at 19.5ºC & 68%, falling to 10 knots at 18.3ºC & 73% from the NNW. Gusts to 26 knots at 3:30pm.
What I learned today ...
• The 12 is a back-stalling ho when the wind drops. I'm thinking that cos the kite is small, it's easy to over-power it at the bar ... have to see if what I remember as being the same on the LEIs is accurate.
• Also, you need to be easy on the sheeting when riding and jumping - especially careful on the redirect or you get dropped like a rock.
• I think the S3 12 will start working for me from about 16 knots with the Flydoor and I'll be well powered by 20. So I'm guessing the range for me will be 16 to maybe 30 with a sweet spot at about 22.
• That means I DO need a 15!
• Bearing mod - works great! More later ...
• CrazyFly straps are ok but not as supremely comfortable as the FSer ones ... no reply yet on my moan to them.
• Keeping the kite moving rather than just sheeting in and hanging on make the best jumps - send it, redirect it properly, drop it hard for a touch-down.
• More wind needed. I think the Speed3 12 will do to replace my Crossbow 13 easily and is probably more akin to a 14m LEI ...
Started out on the Flyradical with the Speed3 12, partly because there was enough wind and primarily because I wanted to test out my thrust bearing mod. So I was having a great time. Still very back-stally, bit of trim sorted that ... must still be the bottom end of it's range. Having good fun though, works ok to keep planing.
There's a couple taking photos on the shore ... we all start hamming it up for them :D pity we won't get to see the pics!
Soh has arrived and coincedentally I'm sure, the wind has dropped off so I get onto the Flydoor. Have more success working the kite through the lulls but it's still not really enough wind. Soh keeps riding but he's not doing much either, even though he's on his Havoc 14 - he said afterwards that he bought his 7! I guess the weather didn't live up to it's promises at all ...!
I packed up just before sunset.
Moment of the Day was the first big jump on the Speed3 12! That didn't result in me being dropped like a stone :o
Weather data for the session; recorded wind strength was 18 knots at 19.5ºC & 68%, falling to 10 knots at 18.3ºC & 73% from the NNW. Gusts to 26 knots at 3:30pm.
What I learned today ...
• The 12 is a back-stalling ho when the wind drops. I'm thinking that cos the kite is small, it's easy to over-power it at the bar ... have to see if what I remember as being the same on the LEIs is accurate.
• Also, you need to be easy on the sheeting when riding and jumping - especially careful on the redirect or you get dropped like a rock.
• I think the S3 12 will start working for me from about 16 knots with the Flydoor and I'll be well powered by 20. So I'm guessing the range for me will be 16 to maybe 30 with a sweet spot at about 22.
• That means I DO need a 15!
• Bearing mod - works great! More later ...
• CrazyFly straps are ok but not as supremely comfortable as the FSer ones ... no reply yet on my moan to them.
• Keeping the kite moving rather than just sheeting in and hanging on make the best jumps - send it, redirect it properly, drop it hard for a touch-down.
• More wind needed. I think the Speed3 12 will do to replace my Crossbow 13 easily and is probably more akin to a 14m LEI ...
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Gusty again
Similar forecast as yesterday but it looked consistent all day, sitting at 8m/s ...
It's mah birthday so I left work early, at 3pm and hit the lake. Apparently, it wasn't early enough cos everyone told me that it was better before I arrived :(
Thought I'd play it safe and set up the Crossbow 13. Initially it was a good choice, I was having fun on the Flyradical but the big jumps were tiddlers and then the wind dropped so I got the Flydoor. Then the wind started gusting again like a mad man, up and down ...
And then I had to ride in strapless again o_0 goddam Flyboards footstrap broke again, this time permanently. I wasn't going to moan about the cosmetic breakages but this is becoming a trend! All I was doing was riding along when I felt it loosen up ... then when I went to tighten it, the buckle was already outside the cover :(
Got the Flyradical again and tried to go out, but it just wasn't working ... I might have had more luck with the Crossbow 16, I think :( oh well, next time.
Packed up early and came home before the sun had set :o not often that happens!
Moment of the Day was easily doing back-roll down-loop transistions. Of a sort ...
Wind strength was recorded as 15 falling to 12 knots ... yeah that explains it!
What I learned today ...
• If Fujii-san is powered on his 10, I need my 13. If he's not powered but still riding, I need my 16. If he's not riding, I need my 21. If he's doing all three in the same session, I need to give up and go home :D
• Buckle/pull straps on the Flyboards suck ... velcro is the only good idea IMHO. Because they're easier to adjust should be enough but as they require less force to do their thing, there's less option of being ripped off ...
EDIT : here's a pic of what happened to the strap. It could be fixed, but FSer is sending me a new one. Nice one!
It's mah birthday so I left work early, at 3pm and hit the lake. Apparently, it wasn't early enough cos everyone told me that it was better before I arrived :(
Thought I'd play it safe and set up the Crossbow 13. Initially it was a good choice, I was having fun on the Flyradical but the big jumps were tiddlers and then the wind dropped so I got the Flydoor. Then the wind started gusting again like a mad man, up and down ...
And then I had to ride in strapless again o_0 goddam Flyboards footstrap broke again, this time permanently. I wasn't going to moan about the cosmetic breakages but this is becoming a trend! All I was doing was riding along when I felt it loosen up ... then when I went to tighten it, the buckle was already outside the cover :(
Got the Flyradical again and tried to go out, but it just wasn't working ... I might have had more luck with the Crossbow 16, I think :( oh well, next time.
Packed up early and came home before the sun had set :o not often that happens!
Moment of the Day was easily doing back-roll down-loop transistions. Of a sort ...
Wind strength was recorded as 15 falling to 12 knots ... yeah that explains it!
What I learned today ...
• If Fujii-san is powered on his 10, I need my 13. If he's not powered but still riding, I need my 16. If he's not riding, I need my 21. If he's doing all three in the same session, I need to give up and go home :D
• Buckle/pull straps on the Flyboards suck ... velcro is the only good idea IMHO. Because they're easier to adjust should be enough but as they require less force to do their thing, there's less option of being ripped off ...
EDIT : here's a pic of what happened to the strap. It could be fixed, but FSer is sending me a new one. Nice one!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Ok lets not do that again!
Note to self ... pay more attention to weather maps.
Forecast looked groovy in the morning so I got to work early so I could leave early ... kinda have to this time of year. Got to the lake and it was borked - 6 knots. We're supposed to have 16. So I wait around to see if it picked up ... it didn't so I launched the 21.
Murphy's Law, it picked up right after that.
And how! It was gusty as hell too, from not enough for a fully powered Speed3 21 to too much for a fully depowered kite ... so basically, the whole wind range of the kite - and more! - in a single session!
I tried some jumps - they were massive ... but it was like the wind was playing with a kitten and a length of yarn, and I was on the end of the yarn - herky-jerky, up and down ... plop! Got to the stage where I could ride along barely moving, send the kite and go skyward like a rocket :D couldn't land them though ...
Didn't even bother with rotations or transitions. When I gave up on the jumps, I started riding the waves which was fun. Until one of them lobbed the board I had just fallen off into the back of my head :-/ saw it coming but couldn't do anything. CLONK!
Miyachi was on a lesson, so I waited till he was heading back up the beach and I went it to get him to land me ... fully trimmed, fully sheeted out and right at the edge of the window, I was fighting to keep the keep from dragging me down the beach.
Phew! Real "survival mode" riding!
Moment of the Day was making it back to shore alive and unbroken ... ok no it wasn't it was the MONSTER jump with 3 weeks of hang-time then the guy coming up to me afterwards and saying "Wow! Big jumps today!" \m/
Wind strength was recorded as 14 knots at 4pm, 20 knots at 5pm and 17 knots at 6pm ... with a peak gust to 30knots at 5:30 o_0
What I learned today ...
• The Speed3 has MOUNTAINS of depower!
• But it's best not to push your luck.
• However, it's good to know that I can survive almost anything the lake can throw at me.
• Board to the head hurts - wear a helmet.
• Current helmet doesn't fit so well - but a new helmet.
• Jumps need board speed to work properly.
Forecast looked groovy in the morning so I got to work early so I could leave early ... kinda have to this time of year. Got to the lake and it was borked - 6 knots. We're supposed to have 16. So I wait around to see if it picked up ... it didn't so I launched the 21.
Murphy's Law, it picked up right after that.
And how! It was gusty as hell too, from not enough for a fully powered Speed3 21 to too much for a fully depowered kite ... so basically, the whole wind range of the kite - and more! - in a single session!
I tried some jumps - they were massive ... but it was like the wind was playing with a kitten and a length of yarn, and I was on the end of the yarn - herky-jerky, up and down ... plop! Got to the stage where I could ride along barely moving, send the kite and go skyward like a rocket :D couldn't land them though ...
Didn't even bother with rotations or transitions. When I gave up on the jumps, I started riding the waves which was fun. Until one of them lobbed the board I had just fallen off into the back of my head :-/ saw it coming but couldn't do anything. CLONK!
Miyachi was on a lesson, so I waited till he was heading back up the beach and I went it to get him to land me ... fully trimmed, fully sheeted out and right at the edge of the window, I was fighting to keep the keep from dragging me down the beach.
Phew! Real "survival mode" riding!
Moment of the Day was making it back to shore alive and unbroken ... ok no it wasn't it was the MONSTER jump with 3 weeks of hang-time then the guy coming up to me afterwards and saying "Wow! Big jumps today!" \m/
Wind strength was recorded as 14 knots at 4pm, 20 knots at 5pm and 17 knots at 6pm ... with a peak gust to 30knots at 5:30 o_0
What I learned today ...
• The Speed3 has MOUNTAINS of depower!
• But it's best not to push your luck.
• However, it's good to know that I can survive almost anything the lake can throw at me.
• Board to the head hurts - wear a helmet.
• Current helmet doesn't fit so well - but a new helmet.
• Jumps need board speed to work properly.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
This one's for Marco
Noticed yesterday the forecast looked good so I thought I'd skip Mie and hold out for Locus today. Worked out fine! Wind was supposed to arrive at 3pm and it obliged for a change.
Took the 12 and 21 Speed3's across to the beach and started out with the 12 up ... wind was up and down right on the bottom end, so I could get up for a bit but couldn't get riding. I wasn't alone. Then it started raining so I kept the kite up to dry it out once it stopped raining but it didn't happen. I pulled out the 21 instead.
For about 15 minutes I'll nicely powered with the Flyradical then the wind picks up and I just have to depower the monster foil. I've done something to the tip bridle on the LHS (knot) so it looks a bit odd. I play with the trim a bit today but basically, I'm consistently over-powered :D not a bad thing!
Make out with some jumps and rotations, all easy and fine. Get comfy, try some big jumps ... leaving the kite behind me works better - you can feel the rotation around the kite and feel when you need to redirect better. I reckon. Still got dunked a lot though!
Repeat ad infinitum. Rode on till dark. Had to hang around waiting for Miyachi to land me cos the beach was full of kites (two of 'em) and the wind was well up - sheeting-in meant I'd go for a hover :o
Moment of the Day was boosting that "big" jump and feeling what's going on up there and doing the right thing at the right time.
Wind strength was recorded as only 10 to 12 knots. That's ain't right!
What I learned today ...
• You can't carry your Speed3 down the beach by a wing tip - now I have to untangle it :(
• Don't listen to anybody else - decide on your kite size on your own.
• Speed3 21 has fantastic wind range. For me, anyway.
• The 12 is very fast across the window and makes some easy jumps ... it's going to be a monster!
• I need a 15 :D
Took the 12 and 21 Speed3's across to the beach and started out with the 12 up ... wind was up and down right on the bottom end, so I could get up for a bit but couldn't get riding. I wasn't alone. Then it started raining so I kept the kite up to dry it out once it stopped raining but it didn't happen. I pulled out the 21 instead.
For about 15 minutes I'll nicely powered with the Flyradical then the wind picks up and I just have to depower the monster foil. I've done something to the tip bridle on the LHS (knot) so it looks a bit odd. I play with the trim a bit today but basically, I'm consistently over-powered :D not a bad thing!
Make out with some jumps and rotations, all easy and fine. Get comfy, try some big jumps ... leaving the kite behind me works better - you can feel the rotation around the kite and feel when you need to redirect better. I reckon. Still got dunked a lot though!
Repeat ad infinitum. Rode on till dark. Had to hang around waiting for Miyachi to land me cos the beach was full of kites (two of 'em) and the wind was well up - sheeting-in meant I'd go for a hover :o
Moment of the Day was boosting that "big" jump and feeling what's going on up there and doing the right thing at the right time.
Wind strength was recorded as only 10 to 12 knots. That's ain't right!
What I learned today ...
• You can't carry your Speed3 down the beach by a wing tip - now I have to untangle it :(
• Don't listen to anybody else - decide on your kite size on your own.
• Speed3 21 has fantastic wind range. For me, anyway.
• The 12 is very fast across the window and makes some easy jumps ... it's going to be a monster!
• I need a 15 :D
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
An experiment
Supposed to be pretty good wind tonight and when I got to the lake, it looked like it was cranking so I thought I'd try out the 19m Charger, figuring it'd be about like my 16m Crossbow. Kinda.
Naturally, the wind fell away just as I arrived at the beach 0_o Mr Fujii was on his 10m SB but he was floudering, same with Soh on his 12m Havoc. Nuts.
Inflate the Charger easily, then launch ... huh. No tip clapping but it lurks about halfway up the window until I trim the front lines. Guess it needs more then ...
I try to ride in what I know is too light wind ... I reckon it's maybe 10-12 knots. I struggle to get up, slog downwind and walk back. Repeat ...
Everyone else gives up. Gusts are getting more on and off, they come through stronger though and finally I'm riding them out, throwing a few jumps and even a couple of back-rolls.
Daylight is fading but the wind is right up and I'm riding upwind ok, parking and riding some too. Charger works real nice when it's powered but for a 19 and me, that seems to be 16 knots plus. I'm betting the butter zone will be 18 to 26 knots.
I had a nice time, got to try the Charger finally and was happy enough with that!
Thoughts on bar pressure ...
This has been coming for a while.
I find that my 2011 Crossbow 13m is just right - not too heavy, not too light and I don't have stiff elbows or forearms at the end of a big session. Taking that as a base line ... add in some arbitrary numbers! :D
Let's consider the 2010 Xbow 16m which is a frightful thing. Bar pressure for turning is very light compared to sheeting in - it always reminds me of balancing a broom upright in the palm of your hand ... as soon as it's off-center, it's going. The kite happily whips around a turn but doesn't take much bar pressure to do so. Sheeting in when riding though - sweet baby Jesus wrapped in bacon strips! Forearm pumps, blisters, callouses ... like a teenager boy's palms! Let's call it sheeting pressure +7 and turning pressure +1 versus the 13. I can ride it for hours but I'm hurting the follow the day/week.
The Charger 19 has only slightly higher pressure for sheeting in but is easily held with one hand when trimmed right; even when it's not trimmed well, it's still pretty easy to hold. There's more pressure when initiating turns (naturally), kind of a springy feel and the amount of time you need to hold it is short - Charger turns faster than my Crossbows - but it would wear on you, if you had to work it all day. Let's say sheeting pressure +2 and turning pressure +3, compared to the very comfy 13m Xbow. I seem to remember the 15 being the same ... but the Synergy series having say, sheeting pressure +2 and turning pressure +4.
Flysurfer Speed3 21 is a big kite with a big bar that pulls like a big bad thing. But it's surprisingly nippy unless you insist on muscling it around like a over-steroided post-lobotomy rugby-player (is there any other type of rubgy player?). Bar pressure for sheeting is not too bad and neither is turning, although you have to hold it in the turn longer which gets tiring ... I'll assign sheeting pressure +1 and turning pressure +2 so long as you don't fight the kite - and yes, both the Charger and the Speed can be flown one-handed while riding. Speed2 19 I remember being just a touch more than the Speed3 - say +0.5 for each. Unity 12 I found to be the same as the big Speed3.
Ok nerd-fest over ...
Moment of the Day was simply parking and riding then launching jumps. And not getting pissed when I had to walk ... guess I was just in the right mood!
Wind strength was recorded as 10 to 12 knots with gusts to 20 - I guess that was when I was having fun with the park'n'ride ...
What I learned today ...
• Charger needs a lot of wind to pull easily :(
• You can whip it around but it doesn't help much if you're sinking.
• You CAN whip it around really fast but it's better to be smoother with it.
• The tendency for arcs to "flare" at the bottom of a tight turn is reduced with the Charger and Navigator combo but still occurs. It's more exaggerated on the side with the safety on it too, as the line slips through the ring ...
• Makes best power on the down stroke, close to the water and with pressure on the rear lines. Flies most consistently when levered around on the stopper ball.
• Jumps are more floaty than I remember with the Synergy, but that might just be that my technique has improved. The first one dropped me but the rest I redirected sooner and the landings were feather like. Only a couple of meters though :o
Naturally, the wind fell away just as I arrived at the beach 0_o Mr Fujii was on his 10m SB but he was floudering, same with Soh on his 12m Havoc. Nuts.
Inflate the Charger easily, then launch ... huh. No tip clapping but it lurks about halfway up the window until I trim the front lines. Guess it needs more then ...
I try to ride in what I know is too light wind ... I reckon it's maybe 10-12 knots. I struggle to get up, slog downwind and walk back. Repeat ...
Everyone else gives up. Gusts are getting more on and off, they come through stronger though and finally I'm riding them out, throwing a few jumps and even a couple of back-rolls.
Daylight is fading but the wind is right up and I'm riding upwind ok, parking and riding some too. Charger works real nice when it's powered but for a 19 and me, that seems to be 16 knots plus. I'm betting the butter zone will be 18 to 26 knots.
I had a nice time, got to try the Charger finally and was happy enough with that!
Thoughts on bar pressure ...
This has been coming for a while.
I find that my 2011 Crossbow 13m is just right - not too heavy, not too light and I don't have stiff elbows or forearms at the end of a big session. Taking that as a base line ... add in some arbitrary numbers! :D
Let's consider the 2010 Xbow 16m which is a frightful thing. Bar pressure for turning is very light compared to sheeting in - it always reminds me of balancing a broom upright in the palm of your hand ... as soon as it's off-center, it's going. The kite happily whips around a turn but doesn't take much bar pressure to do so. Sheeting in when riding though - sweet baby Jesus wrapped in bacon strips! Forearm pumps, blisters, callouses ... like a teenager boy's palms! Let's call it sheeting pressure +7 and turning pressure +1 versus the 13. I can ride it for hours but I'm hurting the follow the day/week.
The Charger 19 has only slightly higher pressure for sheeting in but is easily held with one hand when trimmed right; even when it's not trimmed well, it's still pretty easy to hold. There's more pressure when initiating turns (naturally), kind of a springy feel and the amount of time you need to hold it is short - Charger turns faster than my Crossbows - but it would wear on you, if you had to work it all day. Let's say sheeting pressure +2 and turning pressure +3, compared to the very comfy 13m Xbow. I seem to remember the 15 being the same ... but the Synergy series having say, sheeting pressure +2 and turning pressure +4.
Flysurfer Speed3 21 is a big kite with a big bar that pulls like a big bad thing. But it's surprisingly nippy unless you insist on muscling it around like a over-steroided post-lobotomy rugby-player (is there any other type of rubgy player?). Bar pressure for sheeting is not too bad and neither is turning, although you have to hold it in the turn longer which gets tiring ... I'll assign sheeting pressure +1 and turning pressure +2 so long as you don't fight the kite - and yes, both the Charger and the Speed can be flown one-handed while riding. Speed2 19 I remember being just a touch more than the Speed3 - say +0.5 for each. Unity 12 I found to be the same as the big Speed3.
Ok nerd-fest over ...
Moment of the Day was simply parking and riding then launching jumps. And not getting pissed when I had to walk ... guess I was just in the right mood!
Wind strength was recorded as 10 to 12 knots with gusts to 20 - I guess that was when I was having fun with the park'n'ride ...
What I learned today ...
• Charger needs a lot of wind to pull easily :(
• You can whip it around but it doesn't help much if you're sinking.
• You CAN whip it around really fast but it's better to be smoother with it.
• The tendency for arcs to "flare" at the bottom of a tight turn is reduced with the Charger and Navigator combo but still occurs. It's more exaggerated on the side with the safety on it too, as the line slips through the ring ...
• Makes best power on the down stroke, close to the water and with pressure on the rear lines. Flies most consistently when levered around on the stopper ball.
• Jumps are more floaty than I remember with the Synergy, but that might just be that my technique has improved. The first one dropped me but the rest I redirected sooner and the landings were feather like. Only a couple of meters though :o
Monday, October 17, 2011
We are the Night Riders
We got skunked yesterday big time, so was dubious of the forecast today but headed down to the lake - even though it looked crappy all the way along the lake shore road ... looked better when I arrived, and Junkie Sensei was getting in the water so I suited up.
If the wind lived up to the forecast, we were going to get 16 knots ... I thought I'd risk the 21 and took both boards over the road. Wind was good when I launched, the kite pre-filled quickly and pulled well at the zenith. I jumped straight onto the Flyradical ...
Nicely powered! After a few minutes the wind picked up a little more and I was riding upwind just fine! Started trying out the tricks ... using the board more than the kite like Miyachi was talking about the other day. Nope, that sucks - can't land them except on my ribs or ass, or slam down so hard I tweak my knee and ankles - I like the way I do it much better :D
Try out his technique for jumps and realize that it's what the "How to go big" video was talking about - I was just being lazy or enjoying the air time and not thinking about what I was doing ...
Miyachi is out on the lake, riding strapless with his 14m RPM and Uncle No-Relaunch is warming up on the beach. Wind drops a bit and I'm still riding the Flyradical but not powered enough to do anything. I come in to grab the 'door but Uncle is having issues with his kite so I rejoin the pattern until he clears the beach. Ah, much better on the 'door!
When I try to throw a back-roll though DANG that board is heavy - have been spoiled by the 'radical! Further tries result in feet slipping out of the straps and messy things like that. I give up and go back to trying to jump as high as I can.
It's getting dark and I'm hoping to get Miyachi to land my kite again for me - he's getting so good at handling the foil now :D - so I keep riding until he heads in. Meantime, Uncle has dropped his kite and guess what - he can't relaunch it until it drifts onto the shore ... is it just that he's crap or the Naish kites he use simply don't relaunch? Yikes ...
Great session, packed up in the dark again - got about 90 minutes riding though!
Moment of the Day was popping to toeside then carving the transition back to heelside - I managed to time it all perfectly (accident!) and it was super-cool ... unfortunately, I couldn't repeat it :D
Wind strength (thanks Peter Frank) was measured at 5 to 12 to 7 knots from 4 to 6pm, with a gust of 16 knots at 5. 12 knots sounds about right; seems like then up is good for the Flyradical ...
What I learned today ...
• Still need to use the kite for front rolls, waiting until it's over-head to start the loop and don't forget - pull with the front hand when you spot your landing!!!
• Keeping the kite in the air when your head is underwater ... getting good at that. Pulling on the back hand to keep it up.
• Looping the big FSer is very possible and makes for some interesting transitions, jumps etc cos it builds monster speed through the turn! I am the Downwind Rocketship.
• Sending the kite at its own pace produces bigger jumps than trying to force it around.
If the wind lived up to the forecast, we were going to get 16 knots ... I thought I'd risk the 21 and took both boards over the road. Wind was good when I launched, the kite pre-filled quickly and pulled well at the zenith. I jumped straight onto the Flyradical ...
Nicely powered! After a few minutes the wind picked up a little more and I was riding upwind just fine! Started trying out the tricks ... using the board more than the kite like Miyachi was talking about the other day. Nope, that sucks - can't land them except on my ribs or ass, or slam down so hard I tweak my knee and ankles - I like the way I do it much better :D
Try out his technique for jumps and realize that it's what the "How to go big" video was talking about - I was just being lazy or enjoying the air time and not thinking about what I was doing ...
Miyachi is out on the lake, riding strapless with his 14m RPM and Uncle No-Relaunch is warming up on the beach. Wind drops a bit and I'm still riding the Flyradical but not powered enough to do anything. I come in to grab the 'door but Uncle is having issues with his kite so I rejoin the pattern until he clears the beach. Ah, much better on the 'door!
When I try to throw a back-roll though DANG that board is heavy - have been spoiled by the 'radical! Further tries result in feet slipping out of the straps and messy things like that. I give up and go back to trying to jump as high as I can.
It's getting dark and I'm hoping to get Miyachi to land my kite again for me - he's getting so good at handling the foil now :D - so I keep riding until he heads in. Meantime, Uncle has dropped his kite and guess what - he can't relaunch it until it drifts onto the shore ... is it just that he's crap or the Naish kites he use simply don't relaunch? Yikes ...
Great session, packed up in the dark again - got about 90 minutes riding though!
Moment of the Day was popping to toeside then carving the transition back to heelside - I managed to time it all perfectly (accident!) and it was super-cool ... unfortunately, I couldn't repeat it :D
Wind strength (thanks Peter Frank) was measured at 5 to 12 to 7 knots from 4 to 6pm, with a gust of 16 knots at 5. 12 knots sounds about right; seems like then up is good for the Flyradical ...
What I learned today ...
• Still need to use the kite for front rolls, waiting until it's over-head to start the loop and don't forget - pull with the front hand when you spot your landing!!!
• Keeping the kite in the air when your head is underwater ... getting good at that. Pulling on the back hand to keep it up.
• Looping the big FSer is very possible and makes for some interesting transitions, jumps etc cos it builds monster speed through the turn! I am the Downwind Rocketship.
• Sending the kite at its own pace produces bigger jumps than trying to force it around.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Full moon sailing
Forecast looked good, webcam looked good - I motored on down to the lake! Traffic is light, I make good time and get there just before 4:30pm. Wind looks borderline; everyone seems to be humming and harring. I waver for a moment then think ah fuck it why not. It's Speed3 time baby yeah! Suit up, load up, waddle over to the lake ...
Set up to hot launch the 21 but the wind has picked up a touch - we've white caps on the lake just ever so slightly. Pre-inflate ol' Relentless, grab the Flydoor and hit the water. Well powered!
Noodle around, lay some stuff down ... few slams till I warm up and get into the groove. I'm going upwind fine and wasting ground doing stuff - lovely!
I'm nicely powered on the 'door so I swap it out for the 'radical. Still rollin'! Throw some silly tricks down, boost some air - I'm getting really good at monster jumps now! - and am having a great time! It's a bit crowded near the shore, there's a newbie chick and Uncle Pyro and well, everyone else who's blocking the shore ... some close-calls with carefully placed kites to get through the jam.
Wind drops off a little more so I swap for the Flydoor. I got more board speed so I bust some big jumps ... I can feel the kite trying to drop me again occasionally on the smaller jumps so I'm controlling it with the sheeting in and out on the way down. I land a bunch toe-side and turn that into a down-loop turn the other way. Double-rotate a back-roll and loop the kite to stop a stall ... am I getting better or is the Speed3 just fucking awesome?
Sunset is coming but oh, it's a full moon! Nobody is getting off the water so hey - neither am I! We ride out till it's well dark and I can see the bar but can't tell which way around it is - can't see the colours!
Head in to shore, everyone has landed so I get Miyachi to help me - good man!
Awesome session! Wind was a little lully but the Speed3, he is a mean machine!
Moment of the Day was boosting a big ol' air, leaning back and looking down at the moon reflecting in the water!
Wind speed was recorded as 6 to 9 knots with gusts to 16 ... hmm, I reckon we had 10 to 12 fairly steady, with lulls to 8. I rode upwind without effort 90% of the time and only the utter wombles had to walk.
What I learned today ...
• Need to use more muscle or input from the board when the wind is light to do the rotations...
• In fact, it's easier to use the body to rotate than it is to use the kite - less over-rotation to contend with.
• Big jumps, mad hang-time - coming down is difficult! I just sorta hover over the water so 'reaching' down with my feet to land ends up dangling like a wally... bad style!
• Steer the kite more on the way down, control the drop with the bar. Be pro-active!
• Speed makes big jumps. Still working on whether it's better to send the kite sheeted out or in a bit...
• I'm getting spoiled with the ease of rotation of the Flyradical... but the Flydoor is still a great riding board!
• Oh yeah forgot to add - bats can see the lines and hear them when I came up behind them, even in the dark ... also pretty magic, riding along with the little bat-boys :)
Set up to hot launch the 21 but the wind has picked up a touch - we've white caps on the lake just ever so slightly. Pre-inflate ol' Relentless, grab the Flydoor and hit the water. Well powered!
Noodle around, lay some stuff down ... few slams till I warm up and get into the groove. I'm going upwind fine and wasting ground doing stuff - lovely!
I'm nicely powered on the 'door so I swap it out for the 'radical. Still rollin'! Throw some silly tricks down, boost some air - I'm getting really good at monster jumps now! - and am having a great time! It's a bit crowded near the shore, there's a newbie chick and Uncle Pyro and well, everyone else who's blocking the shore ... some close-calls with carefully placed kites to get through the jam.
Wind drops off a little more so I swap for the Flydoor. I got more board speed so I bust some big jumps ... I can feel the kite trying to drop me again occasionally on the smaller jumps so I'm controlling it with the sheeting in and out on the way down. I land a bunch toe-side and turn that into a down-loop turn the other way. Double-rotate a back-roll and loop the kite to stop a stall ... am I getting better or is the Speed3 just fucking awesome?
Sunset is coming but oh, it's a full moon! Nobody is getting off the water so hey - neither am I! We ride out till it's well dark and I can see the bar but can't tell which way around it is - can't see the colours!
Head in to shore, everyone has landed so I get Miyachi to help me - good man!
Awesome session! Wind was a little lully but the Speed3, he is a mean machine!
Moment of the Day was boosting a big ol' air, leaning back and looking down at the moon reflecting in the water!
Wind speed was recorded as 6 to 9 knots with gusts to 16 ... hmm, I reckon we had 10 to 12 fairly steady, with lulls to 8. I rode upwind without effort 90% of the time and only the utter wombles had to walk.
What I learned today ...
• Need to use more muscle or input from the board when the wind is light to do the rotations...
• In fact, it's easier to use the body to rotate than it is to use the kite - less over-rotation to contend with.
• Big jumps, mad hang-time - coming down is difficult! I just sorta hover over the water so 'reaching' down with my feet to land ends up dangling like a wally... bad style!
• Steer the kite more on the way down, control the drop with the bar. Be pro-active!
• Speed makes big jumps. Still working on whether it's better to send the kite sheeted out or in a bit...
• I'm getting spoiled with the ease of rotation of the Flyradical... but the Flydoor is still a great riding board!
• Oh yeah forgot to add - bats can see the lines and hear them when I came up behind them, even in the dark ... also pretty magic, riding along with the little bat-boys :)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Oh well
Forecast looked doable, after blowing well all day ... raced down to the lake. Erk, there's not much wind ... set up the monster Speed and try a ride ... mowing the lawn so I come back in and wait ... wind picks up so I jump out on the water again, then it REALLY picks up. Gusty norwesters in the house!
Was on the Flydoor but I quickly swapped it for the 'radical. Much better! Have a pretty manic time playing with the trim settings ... going from "Aw where is wind?" to "OH MY GOD!" so yeah, it was gusty. Couldn't get into a groove so it was pretty messy. Some good jumps though ... so the wind was up and down and just on sunset I gave it up and packed up.
Moment of the Day was the look on everyone's faces on the shore when I started riding in ... SFA.
Wind speed was recorded as 11 to 12 knots but we got gusts WAY over that I tell you what!
What I learned today ...
• I forgot. I'm sure it'll come back to me though ...
Was on the Flydoor but I quickly swapped it for the 'radical. Much better! Have a pretty manic time playing with the trim settings ... going from "Aw where is wind?" to "OH MY GOD!" so yeah, it was gusty. Couldn't get into a groove so it was pretty messy. Some good jumps though ... so the wind was up and down and just on sunset I gave it up and packed up.
Moment of the Day was the look on everyone's faces on the shore when I started riding in ... SFA.
Wind speed was recorded as 11 to 12 knots but we got gusts WAY over that I tell you what!
What I learned today ...
• I forgot. I'm sure it'll come back to me though ...
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Pretty much perfect!
Wind looked good in the forecast so I headed down the lake after work ... always start with the same thing don't I?
Got to the lake after being held up for only 3 minutes (felt like forever though) due to a car-crash on the Hamakaido ... now have total proof that traffic-jams are caused by fuckwits stopping to rubber-neck - the cop was getting quite aggravated by the people ahead of me who were slowing traffic on the now single lane road, by slowing down to have a good ol' gawp.
Got to the lake, checked the wind ... hmm, what to unpack? Check the kites up - the usual directional guys so that's no help. Ah! Fujii-san is on his 14 and Dennis the Menace is too - Speed3 21 it is then! I suit up and drag the Flysurfer and my Fly-boards over the road. Yikes, more wind than I thought ... I side-launch the big Speed and grab my Flyradical straight out the gates.
A little bit light, have to carefully build speed on 2 strokes to get moving but I'm away laughing! Laughing, like a maniac! The conditions are almost perfect - I'm not over-powered, not under-powered (too often) and am riding the Flyradical with ease ...
And so I break out my bag of tricks ... ok very small envelope of tricks. Easy back-rolls - too easy cos I'm over-rotating so I slow them right down ... long, lazy, hanging in the harness, head back looking around - back rolls. Front-rolls provide no problem today too, so I lob them right after the back-rolls to untangle my lines :D
Getting cocky with them now and am over-rotating front-rolls too - but I do end up landing and riding away from a couple of double rotations!!! Pretty cool feeling ...
I throw in some jumps too ZOMG air feels big but the hang-time is monster! So long that I'm reacting to my memory of the timing and not what the kite is doing. I pendulum under the kite a few times, send the kite too hard, too soon and get dunked many times but MAN is it fun!
A few back-roll transitions too ... and I work on making tight gybe's so I can really work the air gybe.
Getting more aggressive with the kite. Manage to stall it a few times and all but once (maybe twice) I recovered them in the air.
Definitely twice - I remember an easy reverse launch (the 21 pulls less down-wind while relaunching than the U12 does!) and the other time, the tips got tangled and the kite was a donut. A few moments of pulling rear lines got it to open up and fly fine though ...
I stay out until after the sun has slipped below the hills to the west. I back-stall landed the kite but as I was about to loop the rear-leaders into my spreader bar hook then sand the harness, some helpful chap tried to "land" the kite for me by grabbing the tip and pulling. The kite relaunches and as it shoots to the side of the window, I ride out the scud most of the way down the beach. We have a brief chat and he's surprised by how much power is still in the kite, even though it was 'parked' and he wonders why he couldn't just grab the tip like someone else did the other day. I try to explain :D then I land on the safety and Miyachi grabs the tip and sits on it ... I've trained him well!
Another odd thing ... as I'm packing up, Uncle Pyro asks if I can see (it's full dark but the moon is up) and then carries my board back to Locus - I get the feeling that some people want to try my foils ;)
The weather was perfect today! Enough wind to be nicely powered, warm enough to not get wind-chilled but the water was cool enough for refreshment! Happy :)
Moment of the Day was pretty much the whole day! The big jump I remember and just silent gliding was pretty magic though!
Wind speed was recorded as 11 to 13 knots with a gust of 20 an hour before I got there ... it was pretty steady the whole time I was there though!
What I learned today ...
• It's easier to pre-inflate the Cable Park In A Bag through the dump vents, which makes for a better launch and a faster in-the-air inflate but it only fills the downwind side - bit of a messy launch and what was the upwind tip didn't seem to want to fill.
• Getting used to the 'radical ... I'm starting to love it!
• Low-end with the 'radical is good because I felt powered today, not over-powered but there was plenty of juice in the kite - big boosts!
• Stay in the tuck as long as you can on the jumps ...
• The Flysurfers are generating buzz. People are talking about them, that's for sure.
Got to the lake after being held up for only 3 minutes (felt like forever though) due to a car-crash on the Hamakaido ... now have total proof that traffic-jams are caused by fuckwits stopping to rubber-neck - the cop was getting quite aggravated by the people ahead of me who were slowing traffic on the now single lane road, by slowing down to have a good ol' gawp.
Got to the lake, checked the wind ... hmm, what to unpack? Check the kites up - the usual directional guys so that's no help. Ah! Fujii-san is on his 14 and Dennis the Menace is too - Speed3 21 it is then! I suit up and drag the Flysurfer and my Fly-boards over the road. Yikes, more wind than I thought ... I side-launch the big Speed and grab my Flyradical straight out the gates.
A little bit light, have to carefully build speed on 2 strokes to get moving but I'm away laughing! Laughing, like a maniac! The conditions are almost perfect - I'm not over-powered, not under-powered (too often) and am riding the Flyradical with ease ...
And so I break out my bag of tricks ... ok very small envelope of tricks. Easy back-rolls - too easy cos I'm over-rotating so I slow them right down ... long, lazy, hanging in the harness, head back looking around - back rolls. Front-rolls provide no problem today too, so I lob them right after the back-rolls to untangle my lines :D
Getting cocky with them now and am over-rotating front-rolls too - but I do end up landing and riding away from a couple of double rotations!!! Pretty cool feeling ...
I throw in some jumps too ZOMG air feels big but the hang-time is monster! So long that I'm reacting to my memory of the timing and not what the kite is doing. I pendulum under the kite a few times, send the kite too hard, too soon and get dunked many times but MAN is it fun!
A few back-roll transitions too ... and I work on making tight gybe's so I can really work the air gybe.
Getting more aggressive with the kite. Manage to stall it a few times and all but once (maybe twice) I recovered them in the air.
Definitely twice - I remember an easy reverse launch (the 21 pulls less down-wind while relaunching than the U12 does!) and the other time, the tips got tangled and the kite was a donut. A few moments of pulling rear lines got it to open up and fly fine though ...
I stay out until after the sun has slipped below the hills to the west. I back-stall landed the kite but as I was about to loop the rear-leaders into my spreader bar hook then sand the harness, some helpful chap tried to "land" the kite for me by grabbing the tip and pulling. The kite relaunches and as it shoots to the side of the window, I ride out the scud most of the way down the beach. We have a brief chat and he's surprised by how much power is still in the kite, even though it was 'parked' and he wonders why he couldn't just grab the tip like someone else did the other day. I try to explain :D then I land on the safety and Miyachi grabs the tip and sits on it ... I've trained him well!
Another odd thing ... as I'm packing up, Uncle Pyro asks if I can see (it's full dark but the moon is up) and then carries my board back to Locus - I get the feeling that some people want to try my foils ;)
The weather was perfect today! Enough wind to be nicely powered, warm enough to not get wind-chilled but the water was cool enough for refreshment! Happy :)
Moment of the Day was pretty much the whole day! The big jump I remember and just silent gliding was pretty magic though!
Wind speed was recorded as 11 to 13 knots with a gust of 20 an hour before I got there ... it was pretty steady the whole time I was there though!
What I learned today ...
• It's easier to pre-inflate the Cable Park In A Bag through the dump vents, which makes for a better launch and a faster in-the-air inflate but it only fills the downwind side - bit of a messy launch and what was the upwind tip didn't seem to want to fill.
• Getting used to the 'radical ... I'm starting to love it!
• Low-end with the 'radical is good because I felt powered today, not over-powered but there was plenty of juice in the kite - big boosts!
• Stay in the tuck as long as you can on the jumps ...
• The Flysurfers are generating buzz. People are talking about them, that's for sure.
Monday, October 3, 2011
In which I give up in disgust
Good forecast today, better than yesterday's was ... I take an hour off work and head to the lake early.
Wind is up ... dunno what to use. Not the 21 that's for sure and not the 12. 13 &16m Xbow, Flydoor and Rip Plus go over to the lake. Soh put up his 14m Havoc and looks happy ... I decide on the 16.
A good enough choice ... but as the evening draws on and the difference in average wind speed between the gusts drops and the time the wind is off increases, it's getting sucky. I pack up before sunset in disgust but not before ...
I forget how, but I've dropped the kite right in the middle of the underwater weed garden. Usually it's not a problem but today the 'bow refuses to relaunch and - joy of joys! - flops onto its trailing edge. A wave washes a bunch of water over the kite and now it's stuck to the surface ... this is something the LEI-whores don't mention when they compare the "ease" of relaunch of LEIs versus foils! >:( struggle struggle swear swear ... after all sorts of retarded behavior (flying upsidedown, TE towards me - really?) I finally get the kite into the air - but now there's a bunch (literally) of weeds wrapped around the Y and the RH steering line. I fly the kite to shore, land, swear, pull the weeds off ...
I'm trying to get back onto the water ... working the kite to get moving but heading right at me and obviously intending to go between the shore and me - about 3m - is Taki :o
I park the kite at the zenith and try to avoid his - we're mere millimeters away from a very big mess and he obviously thinks it's no problem! He moves off to my right then drops it in the water. Now I got Uncle Pyro coming at me from the left and I'm sandwiched between the 2 worst kite-handlers on the beach. Uncle just stands in the water waiting for the wind so I can't move my kite left. Taki is trying to relaunch but he's so close if he loses control (like he usually does) he's going to wrap me up in the hurt-locker. Praise the lord! nothing happens as I walk backwards out into the lake and get riding again. Thinking back, I thought I was just being paranoid but Soh comes up to me later and is like "Dude WTF were those two thinking?" and so, I rename Taki as "Dennis the Menace."
Keep flying but there's no joy in it - no jumps, no rotations ... no power in the wind. And so I give up ...
Moments of the Day was the monster jump that started off as a regular jump but the gust yoinked me good ... I even rode away ;) the pendulum backrolls were pretty cool too.
Wind speed was recorded as 12 to 14 knots (ho ho ho!) with gusts to 24. Obvious to me now that that is average wind speed ... there were times when I was worried the 'bow was going to fall out of the sky. Oh wait - it did.
What I learned today ...
• The intersection of the seasons produces gusty shit wind.
• October & November are the best wind months at Biwako. According to Soh ...
• Bar pressure on the 16m 'bow is killing me ... I need a different mid-wind kite.
• And to that end, including the gusts, I'm putting the arcs back in the boot of the car!
• Oh yeah tried the Rip Plus again ... not my cup of tea. I like the Flyradical better so it's up for sale ... and sold!
Wind is up ... dunno what to use. Not the 21 that's for sure and not the 12. 13 &16m Xbow, Flydoor and Rip Plus go over to the lake. Soh put up his 14m Havoc and looks happy ... I decide on the 16.
A good enough choice ... but as the evening draws on and the difference in average wind speed between the gusts drops and the time the wind is off increases, it's getting sucky. I pack up before sunset in disgust but not before ...
I forget how, but I've dropped the kite right in the middle of the underwater weed garden. Usually it's not a problem but today the 'bow refuses to relaunch and - joy of joys! - flops onto its trailing edge. A wave washes a bunch of water over the kite and now it's stuck to the surface ... this is something the LEI-whores don't mention when they compare the "ease" of relaunch of LEIs versus foils! >:( struggle struggle swear swear ... after all sorts of retarded behavior (flying upsidedown, TE towards me - really?) I finally get the kite into the air - but now there's a bunch (literally) of weeds wrapped around the Y and the RH steering line. I fly the kite to shore, land, swear, pull the weeds off ...
I'm trying to get back onto the water ... working the kite to get moving but heading right at me and obviously intending to go between the shore and me - about 3m - is Taki :o
I park the kite at the zenith and try to avoid his - we're mere millimeters away from a very big mess and he obviously thinks it's no problem! He moves off to my right then drops it in the water. Now I got Uncle Pyro coming at me from the left and I'm sandwiched between the 2 worst kite-handlers on the beach. Uncle just stands in the water waiting for the wind so I can't move my kite left. Taki is trying to relaunch but he's so close if he loses control (like he usually does) he's going to wrap me up in the hurt-locker. Praise the lord! nothing happens as I walk backwards out into the lake and get riding again. Thinking back, I thought I was just being paranoid but Soh comes up to me later and is like "Dude WTF were those two thinking?" and so, I rename Taki as "Dennis the Menace."
Keep flying but there's no joy in it - no jumps, no rotations ... no power in the wind. And so I give up ...
Moments of the Day was the monster jump that started off as a regular jump but the gust yoinked me good ... I even rode away ;) the pendulum backrolls were pretty cool too.
Wind speed was recorded as 12 to 14 knots (ho ho ho!) with gusts to 24. Obvious to me now that that is average wind speed ... there were times when I was worried the 'bow was going to fall out of the sky. Oh wait - it did.
What I learned today ...
• The intersection of the seasons produces gusty shit wind.
• October & November are the best wind months at Biwako. According to Soh ...
• Bar pressure on the 16m 'bow is killing me ... I need a different mid-wind kite.
• And to that end, including the gusts, I'm putting the arcs back in the boot of the car!
• Oh yeah tried the Rip Plus again ... not my cup of tea. I like the Flyradical better so it's up for sale ... and sold!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Unity vs Speed
Sunday promised big wind and by happy chance, my Unity 12 had arrived Saturday from that guy in the US with the collection of odd names :D Let's just call him Stan.
Hit the lake about 1:30pm - dead calm. Not good, the forecast said there should have been wind by now ... wait begins. Wind picks up. We get a heap of it. I measure 9 to 10 m/s at the water's edge - good, cos I'm predicting a bottom end for me of 20 knots from the Unity.
I was right. At first, I'm powered enough as I struggle to get used to the odd feeling kite - it's no Speed! More like a lazy Psycho. Actually, at the bottom of the power-stroke it feels like an arc :o
Man, the wind is up'n'down like a frickin' yo-yo ... I get the hang of the kite eventually and manage to get enough out of it to make it through the lulls. I think maybe 16 knots IF I'm lucky for the bottom end. Much better up the top end.
All seems good with it - jumps nicely, hang-time is ok, power through the turns is pretty good, not too slow responding to the bar. Good'n'stable most of the time but I managed to get it out of shape and inverted, although the anti-inversion line stops that in it's tracks ... kite floats to the water surface then pops into shape with the right tug on the lines and is flying again - nice!
Infinity 2 bar is sweet, a few nice touches. Not sure about the bungies for the QR and the chicken stick - I can see them rotting away.
Wind dies right off and doesn't look like picking up. I pack up the Unity, and get the 21 out. A good play from then on, using the Flyradical but the winds dropping again and I'm on the 'door again. I ride till the sun has well and truly set ... not a bad day, despite the gusts!
Moment of the Day was probably the solitary awesome front roll I did ... I bet nobody saw it though :o
Wind speed was recorded as 14 to 10 knots (horse-puckey!) with gusts to 25 (probably true).
What I learned today ...
• Not enough over-lap between the Speed3 21 and the Unity 12 :( U12 is a great kite though!
• I've been spoiled by the Speed ... I hate working kites to make power!
• I'm getting better with the 'radical.
• I'm getting better with the front-rolls :D
Hit the lake about 1:30pm - dead calm. Not good, the forecast said there should have been wind by now ... wait begins. Wind picks up. We get a heap of it. I measure 9 to 10 m/s at the water's edge - good, cos I'm predicting a bottom end for me of 20 knots from the Unity.
I was right. At first, I'm powered enough as I struggle to get used to the odd feeling kite - it's no Speed! More like a lazy Psycho. Actually, at the bottom of the power-stroke it feels like an arc :o
Man, the wind is up'n'down like a frickin' yo-yo ... I get the hang of the kite eventually and manage to get enough out of it to make it through the lulls. I think maybe 16 knots IF I'm lucky for the bottom end. Much better up the top end.
All seems good with it - jumps nicely, hang-time is ok, power through the turns is pretty good, not too slow responding to the bar. Good'n'stable most of the time but I managed to get it out of shape and inverted, although the anti-inversion line stops that in it's tracks ... kite floats to the water surface then pops into shape with the right tug on the lines and is flying again - nice!
Infinity 2 bar is sweet, a few nice touches. Not sure about the bungies for the QR and the chicken stick - I can see them rotting away.
Wind dies right off and doesn't look like picking up. I pack up the Unity, and get the 21 out. A good play from then on, using the Flyradical but the winds dropping again and I'm on the 'door again. I ride till the sun has well and truly set ... not a bad day, despite the gusts!
Moment of the Day was probably the solitary awesome front roll I did ... I bet nobody saw it though :o
Wind speed was recorded as 14 to 10 knots (horse-puckey!) with gusts to 25 (probably true).
What I learned today ...
• Not enough over-lap between the Speed3 21 and the Unity 12 :( U12 is a great kite though!
• I've been spoiled by the Speed ... I hate working kites to make power!
• I'm getting better with the 'radical.
• I'm getting better with the front-rolls :D
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