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Kitemare on my Diablo

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GCKiter
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby GCKiter » Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:48 am

I was riding my LF foil fish. At first I didn't stay with the board because i was trying to water launch the kite and I let the board get away drifting downwind. Now I'll try and keep the board close by to have more options should something like this happen again. Went back out today on a downwinder with the kite and had a great session carving thru turns and getting a feel how the kite performs running downwind in small swells.
On a different note, is there an easy way to get the sand out of the cells of the kite.Ive been folding the kite in-half long ways and shaking the sand down to the center where the Velcro flap is to get as much as possible out

mmeyers12
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby mmeyers12 » Tue May 23, 2017 3:45 am

Good questions. I am also a recent Diablo owner and have the same question. If it is the case that the Diablo crashes leading edge down in light wind and one cannot relaunch, what is the best method to self rescue? Can someone with more experience provide the steps/method they use? Would be greatly appreciated. I have also had the diablo fill with water when trying to self rescue and then the bridle and lines became a tangled mess as I tried to work the water-filled kite to shore.

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Horst Sergio
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby Horst Sergio » Tue May 23, 2017 8:46 am

Hi there,

never touched a fone Diablo but maybe one problem is similar to my Ozone Chrono and a Pansh Kite I have seen these days.

Both have a, lets say "race orientated drainage" as maybe also the race kite Diablo could have. Or plain-spoken: just bad constructed drainage. If you are really just trying to win races, there is no need for a good drainage, as the race is already lost when the kite hits the water and there will always be a boat close which can pick you up.

But if you use a Foil kite for freestyle, freeride, freerace and especially like me crusing around lakes with very low and inconstant winds, the relaunching capability is pretty important for fun factor.

That's how the drainage of the last cell looks turned inside out of a Flysurfer Lotus 15 m² and every Flysurfer since 2004 in this size:

Image

... and this is how it looks in my great (but not for difficult low wind) Ozone Chrono v1 15 m²(and also at Chrono v2 it is the same):

Image

Even into the drainage of the tiny last cell of my Sonic 6 m² there are fitting 2 fingers comfortably.

So have a look what it is like on your Diablo. With some effort it can be possible to stamp one or two extra holes beside on the last 10 cells.


The rest is as said:
If the wind drops below 5 knts and stays there, better roll your foil up as long there is not too much water inside.
But if you do this well and you have a kite with a good constructed drainage, you may reassemble your foil again, when the wind picks up beyond 8 knts as shown here:

viewtopic.php?f=197&t=2394369

Hope this reduces some swimming with foil kites which is never necessary as long there is just a bit of wind. :)

gl
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby gl » Tue May 23, 2017 12:25 pm

When I think I will not be able to relaunch my foils I do not wait long and start by winding a couple of loops of the rear lines on the bar then wind the rest up until I reach the kite. I do not pull on the lines but rather swim to the Kite. I then flip one tip onto the kite and then start rolling the bar up into the kite until there is pressure in the kite. I then start swimming dragging the kite. I regularly test to see if I can easily roll more of the kite on the bar. As long as I do this hardly any water gets into the kite and by the time I reach shore most of the time the kite is mostly rolled up and it is easy to carry it out of the water. By keeping pressure in the kite very little water gets in. It does not take much pressure.

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irwe
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby irwe » Tue May 23, 2017 2:41 pm

Now that I have been foiling the past 2 years I have done more swims then in the previous 10 years. I now bring a thin line with a clip (keep attached In my pocket) so that I can attach it to the foil board so the board doesn't get away while I deal with a downed (no wind) kite.

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Horst Sergio
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Re: Kitemare on my Diablo

Postby Horst Sergio » Tue May 23, 2017 3:26 pm

@irwe & GCKiter

As already davesails7 said:

After falling and dropping the kite. Very first action is always to take the board and sit on it (or put it on your feeds if a twintip).

If you are not in this position, but free swimming your chance of relaunching the kite is much much lower, but your chance of getting a heart attack and drowning is much much higher. :-?

Having the board attached to a line, additionally rises the risk of getting knocked out by your on board, when the kite relaunches and you and your board is pulled away by a short strong impulse. :o

Just take the time to learn to balance, sitting or standing (twintip) on your board while relaunching, your safety and health is worth to do it. :wink:


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