Moving to C-Kites.

[jats2k9]

I've been riding for about a year now, and I can do backrolls, toeside, and small jumps. Looking to get into wake/freestyle, I thought of getting a C kite.
What skill must I master before making the step.

[Larse]

Bon specific. Just prepare to get a little more beat up. Now a days they relaunch easy and the have enough depower to make it an easy switch. Go for it...

[edt]

the only skill u need is the C kite relaunch. Every C kite except for Fuel typically comes with a 5th line with some of them tensioned some not. If it's a non-tensioned 5th line you can cut it if you want but if you flag out to the center 4 line C kite it will helicopter like crazy and you might not be able to relaunch and have to swim in after flagging. If it's a C kite with a tensioned 5th line you need a 5 line bar that keeps the 5th line in tension. C kites with 5th lines are also easier to re-ride if you flag them because they don't helicopter if you pull the safety. As for relaunch, there is a technique where you pull in the 5th line, the kite rolls on its back then you tug a rear line and it relaunches. 2009 or later Fuels relaunch with a rear line or if you want you can reverse launch them. Pre 2009 fuels require a C kite relaunch which is why typically pre-2009 fuels come with 5th line but 2009 and later are 4 lines. You can also learn to swim to the kite until it rolls on it's back or tug opposite center and rear line. I know some modern C kites claim easy relaunch but only the post 2009 fuel actually relaunches on a rear line.

It was pretty funny when I saw a friend of mine take out his brand new C kite and when the kite crashed he started tugging the rear line for five minutes nothing happened, lol. I kited up and showed him how to relaunch.

[jats2k9]

Personally, I rather 4 lines. A Fifth line seem to messy for me.

[Zalex820]

I have a few older C-kites I am willing to part with if your interested.

[jedi1]

I know some modern C kites claim easy relaunch but only the post 2009 fuel actually relaunches on a rear line.

Best GP also relaunches on a rear line, as well as North Vegas (this one not in all conditions though).

However, what matters most on a C kite is board control, not relaunch. If you are on a level of small jumps now, I'd stick with whatever you have, until you really get a feeling for what you want.

[jats2k9]

Cool you mentioned the Best GP because thats actually the kite I might buy if I make the change.

[edt]

I read that both best gp and vegas require you master the 5th line relaunch. Haven't seen a best gp at my launch yet, but I've seen the vegas half the time you need 5th line relaunch.

Best gp is a 5th line tensioned kite you MUST have a 5 line bar you can't cut the 5th line for this kite. Also if you don't already have a 5 line bar, be careful when you buy one it has to be able to use a tensioned (not slack) 5th line, like a north trust 5 line or best gp bar (which is different from the best redline bar).

One more thing . . . if it matters to you, 5 line tensioned C kites go upwind better than 4 line C kites. That's because the 5th line sort of acts like a bridle and gives you a better angle (and more depower), while 4 line C kites always pull downwind pretty hard.

[jats2k9]

Thanks everyone for the useful info. it really matters to me the upwind ability cuz I'm always trying new tricks and end up downwind for not paying atention to my position.

[dyyylan]

I know some modern C kites claim easy relaunch but only the post 2009 fuel actually relaunches on a rear line.

Best GP also relaunches on a rear line, as well as North Vegas (this one not in all conditions though).

However, what matters most on a C kite is board control, not relaunch. If you are on a level of small jumps now, I'd stick with whatever you have, until you really get a feeling for what you want.

This is the advice worth listening to, don't worry about the relaunch, i've never seen a modern c kite not relaunch just by pulling a rear line like a bow kite. it just take slightly longer, IE they don't roll over in the middle of the window like a bow/delta does

c kite is nothing to be afraid of, if anything it makes your skills better, becuase you have to learn to apply the right amount of pressure on each foot and use your weight in the correct way in order to go upwind, it takes more technique than just edging hard with a bridled kite. also learning how to use your board edge to push the kite forward in the window to depower, rather than just sheeting out. these things only take a session or two to get the feel for, and only a few sessions to get your muscle memory going for the proper technique. if you ever go back to riding bridled kites, all of this transfers back too.

as far as learning tricks i found it slightly more difficult to get the right pop, again its more technique than with a bridled kite, unhooking and edging really hard... you have to pay more attention to timing in order to get just the right amount of pop. but when you do it right, you are rewarded with monster pop, and lots of slack on your lines

i went back to riding bridled kites (LF envy) because the choppy mess we have here is annoying to ride with a c kite, the wind is often too light and the chop forces you to work the kite the entire session, so i settled for a kite that still gives great pop, and has slack, and is also great for when i ride a surfboard. instant relaunch and 4 lines were icing on the cake

if you have any questions on what the transition is like hit me up, I was in exactly your position, I could jump and do backrolls when I switched over