FD-12 transformed from great to spectacular: 4 to 5lines...

[Wetstuff]

It may not be the 5th line specifically .. but I kite alone 90% of the time, drift launch ..then land in the water. I much prefer a 5th line when reeling in a kite hand-over-hand.



I got this 12M, 'Unleashed' Freak Dog ... which may be an EH Ripper with a different, properly buried, name printed on it. I have Eric's line set and bar. I changed out his lines to thick fronts, added a Cabby stopper ball up the safety line ..but was, still, not totally happy. One thing; the bar is too low for me. I like to hang on the bar .. I enjoy bar pressure, so a low bar with light pressure is not to my taste.



So I took my trust North, 5-line bar and hooked it to the FD-12. It's not exactly that easy. It took me a couple of scary moments to find the right lengths for the pigtails added to the front lines and the 5th pigtail which is connected to the pump leash loop. First go I had about 35cm too much back line which made the kite a wild, back-flying weasel .. the second go about 15cm too much back line tension, gave full power at zenith with the North bar all the way up .. the third was the Charm. Wholey sh/t....

This kite was trans-fricking-formed. Winds were peaking into the mid-20kt range. The other two people out were on 9's. I've had lotsa of kites but never one that goes upwind as fast. I could ride comfortably with one arm 70% extended with the kite about 60degrees in these winds. With the ability to completely luff the kite - it was never scary .. not one second.

I have also found the perfect jumper. I was having trouble with the stock bar only coming to about shoulder height with my seat harness. You can see in the bar picture how much farther the North bar will come up. I find it best - for me - to extend my arms and do a pull up on the bar. I like to keep the bar overhead and then crank it. Back stalling is waiting in the wings, but at these winds, the bar rarely came down halfway. This is also not a kite for 10 knots...

The kite is fast: throw back to about 1 and allow it to luff at the top of the jump and then crank down on the bar for a Pillow landing. You can pick from a standing-still or speed landing. I have said it before; this kite makes me look a helluva lot better than I am.

Jim

If you have this kite and can borrow a recent North bar: add pigtails (strong ones!) with a couple of knots to the front lines at about 15 and 18cm. Then make a 3m/10cm 5th line pigtail... better if you color mark them ... especially the 5th line - Blue. .... then go find some wind.

Jim

[melky]

hi Jim,

aren't the north bar and lines set up so that the lines are equal length when pulled into the trim loop?

by the sounds of what you had to do, i would say not though . . .

if they had been, no backstall should have been evident . . .


anyway, i do get what you want, you like kiting with the bar setting the kite full powered as such about midway or so on the trim line not at the trim loop itself . . .so bar is further away . . .

as for the fifth line, i gather you should not have it under tension at any time. . . . a bit like the North Rhinos (5th is for safety only) as opposed to the North rebels that actively use the fifth for more than just safety . . . at a guess, the leash pump attachment point isn't really meant for 5th line especially under tension during flight . . . . and i would be careful causing the kite to flex hard against this midpoint . . .

i have access to a north bar so could try what you have done but i am really happy with the standard setup . . . . but then i have used the rippers for a long time now . . . i do though ocassionally connect to the pigtails so that i can ride with full power about 2" away from trim loop but that was because i felt i could squeeze a bit more bottom end . . .

interesting just the same . . . keep us informed . .

Mario

[Wetstuff]

Thanks Mario - you are quite correct about the tension on the 5th. I think it ended up at 'just slack'. The kite seems quite stiff - I do not see the typically jelly actions in gusty winds. The pump leash mount is not as strong as a bridle attachment point (I could make a 'Y') ..but fine for my use. In that heavy breeze the kite fliped over and begins to fly off the water, presenting little resistance, making it easy to bring in. ...I never got a chance to see if the 5th will help the relaunch. The bugger does not come off easily! I'm glad I am not a kite-crasher.

I am not sure about North's line lengths?! ...I just know I needed these pigtails to allow me to depower the kite. I think I will re-rig Eric's bar, again .. this time to make a long throw like the North's. In that good breeze, the kite did not look as if it wanted to fallout even when I had luffing along the whole L.E. It was flapping like hell at times, but hung in there, stable as can be.

I have had kites that were comfortable, like a Naish Shockwave, ones that were supposed to be great, like a RRD Hyper, ...good ones like the Royal Era ... and my Go-To Rhinos ... but this is truly special.

It's freaky - there's still an endorphin glow 24hrs later. I cannot wait for 9M winds again to pump up this 12! Cheers.

Jim