Friendly kite for gusty conditions or when overpowered

[Séb]

I agrees with above comments. I have ridden the Crossbow, Swithblade and Nomad and they are amongst the most stable and safe kite in high gusty wind. And they have a huge amount of depower that is needed in theses situations. I have been in 40-45 knots with a 9m Nomad and 9m Crossbow and both did really well, SB 12m in 35knots gust and again feel safe and stable.

[wadoepotatoe]

in my local spots where it always seems to be gusty, i ride the OR rise and love them. most guys here are on the rise with the odd rebel or cab in the mix.

-wade.

[plummet]

the reason i state low aspect for gust conditions is that high aspect kites create more power with apparent wind. . . .so each time you get a gust it translates into a bigger power spike than the lower aspect brother. my ozone reo is a far superior gust muncher than my ozone edge.

[L0KI]

the reason i state low aspect for gust conditions is that high aspect kites create more power with apparent wind. . . .so each time you get a gust it translates into a bigger power spike than the lower aspect brother. my Ozone Reo is a far superior gust muncher than my Ozone Edge.

I agree completely.
My Triggers are much better than my Rises in gusts for the same reasons.

[acctx]

I agrees with above comments. I have ridden the Crossbow, Swithblade and Nomad and they are amongst the most stable and safe kite in high gusty wind. And they have a huge amount of depower that is needed in theses situations. I have been in 40-45 knots with a 9m Nomad and 9m Crossbow and both did really well, SB 12m in 35knots gust and again feel safe and stable.

I weigh 170 lbs and have a 10m 2010 crossbow that I have ridden in gusts up to 45mph averaging 30mph (stupid). I was extremely overpowered and couldnt really do much of anything. I tried keeping the kite at zenith and would occasionally get lofted by gusts. None of them pulled me past my waist being out of the water. The kite was extremely stable in the air and I never felt out of control. Eventually I held the kite at 3 oclock and body dragged back to shore. Someone on shore helped me to land my kite.

The crossbow is extremely stable in gusts, but as many people have posted is a pretty slow turning stable kite (but good for going fast upwind).

One thing I have experienced with the IDS "complete depower" system is that when you release the IDS in high winds, the kite will be flying in a U position. In this position in high winds the kite can still generate a lot of power. We have a lot of trees close to shore such that you cant stand before your kite is in the trees. I have had two situations where I am trying to pull the kite in while I am in deep water, by the center lines, the kite in the U position flying low straight downwind. The kite still has significant power. A gust hits and I have to let go of the lines, the sudden yank of the kite will cause the velcro of QR2 to release by itself (can only happen when QR1 is also released).
When QR2 releases the kite flies away.

I have been fortunate that both times the kite didnt fly far, once the bridle caught in a short tree and the kite was safely flying upside down. The other time it flipped over and landed leading edge down on the water (opposite of U) and then was just against the shore.

I love the IDS system but in really overpowered conditions it is challenging to self rescue. The time when the kite should be the safest (fully depowered) it is still very dangerous.

[ronnie]

One thing I have experienced with the IDS "complete depower" system is that when you release the IDS in high winds, the kite will be flying in a U position. In this position in high winds the kite can still generate a lot of power. We have a lot of trees close to shore such that you cant stand before your kite is in the trees. I have had two situations where I am trying to pull the kite in while I am in deep water, by the center lines, the kite in the U position flying low straight downwind. The kite still has significant power.

I love the IDS system but in really overpowered conditions it is challenging to self rescue. The time when the kite should be the safest (fully depowered) it is still very dangerous.

I always drop the Crossbow to one side of the window on the IDS (or just pull my way up to the bottom of the front lines) and it will almost always then flip over into the parked position on the surface.

[Séb]

A gust hits and I have to let go of the lines, the sudden yank of the kite will cause the velcro of QR2 to release by itself (can only happen when QR1 is also released).
When QR2 releases the kite flies away.

Don't use the Velcro to hold the QR2 in place, this is not safe for your kite as you can lose it! Instead, attach your leash directly to the end of the mini 5th line on the ring without using the Velcro and you will never have any problem.

[tautologies]

the reason i state low aspect for gust conditions is that high aspect kites create more power with apparent wind. . . .so each time you get a gust it translates into a bigger power spike than the lower aspect brother. my ozone reo is a far superior gust muncher than my ozone edge.

I think you have that wrong. The apparent wind is a function of wind and rider speed. The a high ar kite usually takes advantage of the apparent wind when the board speed increases and climes better into the wind, because it moves forward in the window. When a gust hits, your board speed does not necessarily change a lot.

Both these types of kites will be affected by the same gust and power spike.

The whole point of a low AR kite is to sit deep in the window, and it will therefor be more affected by a gust where the board speed does not change much. One of the reason a higher AR kite can handle the gusts is that it surges forward a little where the low ar sits deep and gets more power. In addition most high ar kites, also have a through going pulley system to the back, that supports a radical change in angle of attack, which helps it a lot with power surges hits.

Personally my comment was a relative to the low aspect preference early in the thread (thereof the higher aspect). You am not sure how familiar you are with the bolt, but even if it is a little higher aspect than last year, I don't think you can consider it a high aspect kite...so in all reality we might be speaking of the same AR for all I know.

When that is said, there are obviously other factors than AR involved in the design, and they will also determine the stability and gust handling..

[giowind]

Would have to agree with others on high aspect kites... best kite I ever owned for gusts was the EH Rippehr... that thing ate up gusts like no other... lower aspect kites sit back a bit more and pull a bit harder. Hard to access depower with just arm throw without trimming. Rippehr was so easy in gusty conditions... just don't let the lines go slack. My Helixes are not that great for gusts. Even the 8 Helix can be a bear in really gusty conditions. My EH ovando is terrible in gusts. I think higher aspect narrow kites are probably best.

[acctx]

A gust hits and I have to let go of the lines, the sudden yank of the kite will cause the velcro of QR2 to release by itself (can only happen when QR1 is also released).
When QR2 releases the kite flies away.

Don't use the Velcro to hold the QR2 in place, this is not safe for your kite as you can lose it! Instead, attach your leash directly to the end of the mini 5th line on the ring without using the Velcro and you will never have any problem.

There was another thread that indicated if you do that you have nothing attached to the chicken loop anymore so you can lose it (it is on the harness hook with the donkey dick).