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Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

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tyrant
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Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby tyrant » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:27 am

I have a 2009 Naish Torch and it flies to one side pretty badly. I still ride it but I is very noticeable when I have the kite overhead. I have a friend who has a SS Fuel that also seems to be twisted as well and turns faster to one side than the other.

I have ridden C kites for years and have had a few that have been twisted now. Have any other C-kite aficionados had any similar issues with their kites? I wonder if it is something in the production process that make s C's more susceptible than less C'd flatter kites.

Thanks,

C-man

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby RDM » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:38 am

Have you checked the bladders...

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby tyrant » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:53 am

RDM wrote:Have you checked the bladders...
Yep, bladders all good.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby tautologies » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:00 am

check your line lengths. Most common reason for this is that a line stretches. It can happen if you prefer jumping and looping one way over another.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby Kraimer » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:00 pm

I have not had this problem since Wipika Free airs. Did you check line lengths? Could one of the bladders be leaking air while you are riding? Worst case if your lines are even you can rig the lines a little unsemtrical on each side. Thats what i did back in the day with the free air. It wasnt a great fix but it worked.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby frankm1960 » Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:51 pm

Have you ever tuned your bar since you got it? If not, I would check that before I did anything else.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:01 pm

First off - how to test it :

(Line lengths has to be equal before you test - especially the rear ones are important - but this is clear to anyone, so the starting point and not worth using time on this one)

Set the kite up at 12 precisely, and depower so the rear lines are totally slack.

Do the kite fly straight now or not ?

If, it is not that bad no matter what.

If it flies a lot to one side, then :

1. Bladder twisted in the front tube.
I've seen this in some occasions, especially earlier when only C kites, and maybe the production process was a bit less "refined" :-?
I dont think it can happen in a one-pump kite, as here it will always be straightened out.
But if the bladder is twisted a lot inside the front tube, it can really get a kite to fly a lot to one side.

One sign of this can sometimes be if the valve wants to "slip inside" the tube when pumping up - as then the bladder is definitely "stressed".
It happened often with older single-pump C kites I remember.

If you pump the kite on a day without any wind, and get someone to hold the kite up in the air with the bladder up like a "U" - and you stand back and look at the bladder from the front, you will be able to see if it is twisted, and sometimes you can see the struts lifted more in one side than the other also.

This is how you can visually tell if the fronttube is twisted.

If it is, then you can take the bladder out, and reinsert it again, as this will usually relieve all stress if inserted correct again, and pumped up very gently so it dont rotate.
A good idea could be to pump it up only sligtly, and then deflate again, and "shake" the fronttube - pump up a bit more now, deflate, and shake it again.
If done a couple of times, the bladder will fall into place and not be twisted, and it will be stressed like it should :thumb:

If you just pump the kite up, maybe also with the front tube folded somewhere, you MIGHT get a stressed/twisted bladder.


If the kite still flies to one side, then there is #2 reason maybe -


2. Kite is sewn a bit "off" so it pulls to one side.

If it is a lot, it is a disclaimer of course.
If only a little, it is fine :thumb:

------------------------------------------------


If okay, you do the second test - Pull the bar slowly, so rear lines are tight, kite still at 12.

If it turns to one side, correct the rear line length (or pigtails or knots or whatever you like best) till it flies straight at 12 o'clock.


Now the thing is, that ALL kites, and all brands and all types (C, Flat, anything) - will most often pull a bit to one side or the other, and nothing wrong with this, happens more often than not in fact..

If only a few centimers or an inch to one side (meaning - if you make the left or right rear line a bit shorter/longer it flies straight), you just adjust your lines or pigtails at the kite and no big deal.


But if it is more than 5cm/2inch, then the kite is sewn badly, or repaired badly, or has got too many tough and hard slashes in the water or beach :cry:

Although, some kites will still be able to fly fine and turn okay to both sides, EVEN with a lot of rear line difference in length - so if you have an old kite and no refund/disclaimer option, you might be able to fly fine with different rear line lengths, instead of ditching the kite.
Other kites will NOT be able to turn equally well to both sides, if you correct by means of rear line adjustment to compensate for some misalignment in the kite.


This is how I always test and correct ANY kite I get in my hands (also other newbies kites, or if someone wants help, so thats why I got the same experience with other brands).
It only takes a few minutes in fact, to determine how a kite should be tuned, so very easy when used to this.

Personally, I just HATE flying with a kite, where one rear line is just a cm too short or long :o
So I always correct this.
But I know that is just me - most dont care or even notice if it is only a little bit...


Dont know if this helps anyone or not - but these are my personal thumb rules and way of setting any kite up and testing if something is wrong.

Kindly, Peter Frank

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby scklandl » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:22 pm

first thing to check is line lengths, done that?

if not the kite's fucked, its canopys stretched out because you or who ever rode the kite favored jumping on one side. So jump it on the opposite side till it stretches equally. correct line lengths in the meantime so it flies straight.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby pdkite » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:50 pm

ya def check the line lengths. i had a the same problem with my kite, and the stretch was so gradual that i didn't notice it until i had taken like 2 weeks off kiting. so i checked my lines and the one side was stretched out like 3 inches.

but since it's a 2009 i don't think the canopy fucked, unless you got a lemon (totally plausible). tune up yer lines. i do it every couple sessions. jumping and looping primarily one way will def stretch the lines unevenly.

if you have to replace lines make sure you replace either both front lines/back lines or all 4 at once.

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Re: Problems with C-kites being twisted...?

Postby dr. » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:43 pm

Hi,

I would guess it's a line length problem also.

I have never heard of the canopy itself becoming stretched especially localised to one side. Is the stress on the canopy not the same in both directions?

If the canopy is stretching on one side only, where would i see this?...Near the line connection points or closer to the apex?

I would have thought the bladder structure on any kite would be enough to hold everything in place preventing stretching.

Dara :)


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