Waroo 20 vs Flysurfer Silver Arrow 17

[SkyScrab]

Hi fernmanus,

afak there will be an update-kit for the SPEEDs available to integrate the FDS from the PULSE.

So you'll be able to flag out the kite with way less pull than you have when you engage the normal safety.

cheers
Ferdinand

[fernmanus]

afak there will be an update-kit for the SPEEDs available to integrate the FDS from the PULSE.

So you'll be able to flag out the kite with way less pull than you have when you engage the normal safety.

Ferdinand,

How soon will it be available?

[Tom183]

Q: how good is the SilverArrow fabric at shedding water? The standard Speed 17m will dry out relatively quickly but it does tend to absorb more wetness than typical LEI fabric.

Also: if you have the time, can you do a sticky-sand test? Get the SA wet and lay it on some sand, shake it off and see if it can be relaunched - the 17m Speed tends to pick up a lot of sand when wet and often won't launch at all until it dries out and most of the sand is off.

I love the Speed 17m, but there are some minor details that leave room for improvement.

[fernmanus]

Q: how good is the SilverArrow fabric at shedding water? The standard Speed 17m will dry out relatively quickly but it does tend to absorb more wetness than typical LEI fabric.

Also: if you have the time, can you do a sticky-sand test? Get the SA wet and lay it on some sand, shake it off and see if it can be relaunched - the 17m Speed tends to pick up a lot of sand when wet and often won't launch at all until it dries out and most of the sand is off.

Tom, I haven't dropped it in the water yet.

I can't do the sticky-sand test for a while. I will try the sticky/sand test and get back to you.

[Pogibro]

"A Speed 17M kite including the bar, lines and kite weighs 4.2 kg compared to 2.7 kg for the Silver Arrow. "

"Travel - the Silver Arrow wins hands down as it packs down much smaller. It packs down as small as my 8M Aero. "

Those are two really good points for the Silverarrow. I had a Speed 17 but found that it was just too big and heavy for travel, unless I could get away with carrying it onto the airplane as a backback. The kite really flew well in light wind, and I loved the ease of self launching and landing... especially with such a big kite.

[skyseer]

while the Silver Arrow still generated a lot of power with the blue safety line pulled.

@Fernmanus

Thanks for the report.

Have you tried flagging it out using the PSS ? With my Speed13 it works very well. Worst case it turns around a couple of times, but I never had a problem walking up to the kite holding one of the back lines. I haven't tried it with a 17m though.

[Tom183]

while the Silver Arrow still generated a lot of power with the blue safety line pulled.

Have you tried flagging it out using the PSS ? With my Speed13 it works very well. Worst case it turns around a couple of times, but I never had a problem walking up to the kite holding one of the back lines. I haven't tried it with a 17m though.

In light winds, you can drop the S17 on the leash and still wind the lines without too much strain. In stronger winds, you definitely have to use the pull-stop to flag it out after dropping it to the leash, then walk up to it via that back line to sand it down (or wind several meters of that back line onto the bar and then wind all the lines to get to the kite). Haven't had to do this in super-overpowered conditions on a slippery/rocky beach, but normal-to-fully powered on a normal beach, it hasn't been a problem - it does have some pull, but not nearly as much as when it's actually flying.

In overpowered conditions it's best to drop the kite to the leash over water because a wet kite won't relaunch nearly as easily, and so that you can allow yourself to be dragged a bit as the kite comes down.

[johnmelton]

I was not real impressed with the FDS on the Pulse. Anywere close to the upper wind range and there is still a lot of pull and dancing around. It is an improvment no doubt but it's name is misleading. Also the manual for the Pulse suggests not using the PSS as it could damage the kite.

[fernmanus]

Have you tried flagging it out using the PSS ?

Yes, it works okay, but the kite still generates a fair amount of pull.

I went out this morning on the Waroo 20M. The wind was blowing 12 - 20 with spiky gusts to 25. I could have ridden a 16M with my glide, but I prefer riding a shorter board. The Waroo 20 was perfect. I tend to rig on the large size and in the past I would have gotten blasted on the gusts with a standard C. Even with the 20.5 SS Machine, I could not react fast enough sometimes. The Waroo made it easy, I didn't feel out of control and I was able to maintain a plane at all times without getting horsed around. Jumps were sweet and floaty. Not sure, how the Silver Arrow would have been in these conditions. I was all by myself without a helper, so I maximized riding time.[/code]

[Tom183]

The difference is the fabric that is used is much lighter in weight. A Speed 17M kite including the bar, lines and kite weighs 4.2 kg compared to 2.7 kg for the Silver Arrow.

Are you serious? If the bar/lines count for, say 1.5kg (just a guess), that would mean kite solo weight of 2.7kg Speed vs 1.2kg SA