The Jellyfish Effect

[Peter_Frank]

Some says that it is only a matter of design, to avoid jellyfishing - but I dont agree here.
Design are the important factor yes - but you can not stop jellyfishing fully, in a really high aspect narrow thin kite.

Not true anymore Peter. North has figured it out. The design is based on an old expired patent. A tired and proven old concept in wing design. Ken was clever enough to apply it to inflatables. Soon you will see this design copied, because it really does work.

Design plays a major role, true. And companies are getting better at designing.
But still, I dont think you can fully avoid the jelly in a really high AR kite with a really thin front tube (without the cross line that is...).
North are not making kites this way (super thin and high AR), as I know of - so it will still stand to be proven if it is possible to avoid on these, which I really doubt.

But if it can be reduced - it is a good design, yes

[powerkiteaddict]

Agreed with the correlation between high AR kites (with the generally accompanying better 'edge of the window' 'upwind' behaviour).

My X3s are a great example-fantastic depower (even better with the UDS system) and upwind performance BUT a tendency to jellyfish-it's minor though and FAR outweighed by the benefits of the kite's positive characteristics.

Interested in the 04' Norths however.

Every year kites are getting incrementally better and better-my how we've come a LONG way in a short time.

PKA

[Thatspec]

The Rhino 4 is looking very solid in the air, no movement at all. However, only pros are riding it so far and pros are apt to be on the correct size kite for conditions thus riding with at least some tension on the rear lines.

Us po' folks are apt to make one kite cover the range of two compared to a pro thus spending 50% of time riding around totally sheeted out (possibly leading to excessive kite movement). I haven't really been paying attention to peoples line tension but will look more closely in the future.

Even the old 8.4 Airblast settles down pretty well with a reasonable amount of rear line tension.

MT

[luketheloony]

this only happens when the bladder it too small you will be suprised how much less jelly fishing u will have with a blader a cpouple of inches bigger

[Dwight]

this only happens when the bladder it too small you will be suprised how much less jelly fishing u will have with a blader a cpouple of inches bigger

Equally important is the shape in the tips. Think about some of the fat leading edge kites that jellyfish quite a lot. i.e. Cabrinha 02 kites. Pumping the kites up super hard is band-aide fix. You need the tips designed right too.