Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

sonic2 9m launch tips?

For all foil kite riders
coleman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 705
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:54 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: texas
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby coleman » Tue Jun 20, 2017 4:31 pm

I need some help with my launch technique. I'm flying a 9m sonic2 and in light wind its no problem, straight downwind launch and no real danger of getting lofted.

In 20kts+ its pretty scary. launching from side of window and preinflated pretty well, it will go up but then both wingtips fold in and it wants to go to zenith. then i alternate pulling on the back lines really hard from the leaders, after a few tugs the kite pops opens and sends me flying across the launch area.

i've got a leaf blower that im going to use to try to get the wingtips inflated better before launching, but i think my technique sucks and looking for tips. anybody have some good advice for launching this thing in high wind?

sedluk
Medium Poster
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 11:36 pm
Local Beach: Alum Creek - Ohio
Favorite Beaches: Turks and Caicos - Long Bay
Sail Bay - San Diego
Style: Freeriding
Gear: Flysurfer Speed 4, Boost2, Speed 5, Sonic 2 & Sonic Race
Nobile split boards, Ketos Foils and Boards, Mystic Supporter Harness
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby sedluk » Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:43 pm

I also agree that the Sonic2 kites take some experience when launching. I find that as soon as you launch, keep the steering lines pulled back in order to inflate the tips. You want to steer the kite but also want to keep tension on both lines so that the tips don't fold as much. Once the tips get folded in, when they open up again you get a boost of power.

I think the smaller Sonic2 inflate better than the bigger ones, the 18m take even more work. The smaller ones seem to inflate quickly but as you can see, the higher winds require more control.

coleman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 705
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:54 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: texas
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby coleman » Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:36 pm

i spoke to ted at flysurfer usa and he gave me some good tips as well. def need to keep bar sheeted in, but also can preinflate upwind tip by weighting the trailing edge and getting some air into those vents. I've been sheeting out when the kite launches and its causing the vents to stop taking in air.

windrider1
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 506
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:51 am
Gear: FLYSURFER, HQ KITES, OZONE KITES
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: NY
Has thanked: 44 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby windrider1 » Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:53 pm

The smaller Sonics definitely do takes some practise to launch in higher winds. you need to keep tension on the back lines by sometimes grabbing them during launch so that by the time it gets to the top of the wind window its 80% inflated and only needs a quick shake to fully inflate. You will have a small power surge regardless. It also helps alot to preinflate The kite before. no need for blower just stick your hand in the vents then face the kite downwind for 5 mins or so. ure also looking at a 2m increase in power on a regular day and 3m on a good one so keep tht in mind when others are flying 9m lei's.

socommk23
Frequent Poster
Posts: 499
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 10:05 pm
Local Beach: Hill head
Favorite Beaches: Brean. Uphill. Pembrey. Hill head. Meon shore
Style: Keeping the kite dry....hopefully
Gear: F.one diablo 15, 11 and 8m . Pansh aurora2 15m. Pansh sprints and firsts and Adams and flux .
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby socommk23 » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:12 pm

I've not seen this issue with just 20kts. I can fly a 15m comfortably up to 17kts then it's 11m weather. 9m at 20 kts or a little more shouldn't be an issue. Its a case of bar in, keep it semi stalled and slowly raise it to the top while it inflates keeping wingtips from folding In.

coleman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 705
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:54 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: texas
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby coleman » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:23 pm

thanks! yeah i've been doing it wrong for sure its user error. appreciate the feedback.

sedluk
Medium Poster
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 11:36 pm
Local Beach: Alum Creek - Ohio
Favorite Beaches: Turks and Caicos - Long Bay
Sail Bay - San Diego
Style: Freeriding
Gear: Flysurfer Speed 4, Boost2, Speed 5, Sonic 2 & Sonic Race
Nobile split boards, Ketos Foils and Boards, Mystic Supporter Harness
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby sedluk » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:41 pm

An additional idea is to fold the kite a few feet from the tip for several inches and place sand on the fold, then again on the folded tip. Also place the sand on the lower edge of the kite between the two folds. Now the tip of the kite is more securely held by sand. With your hands you can gently pull the other tip into the wind for pre inflation. When you launch, the tip that is held down will also be more secure and you will get more pre inflation before the kite is up in the air.

Skywalker7
Medium Poster
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed May 06, 2015 8:50 pm
Local Beach: Sostó
Favorite Beaches: Ulcinj
Style: Freeride
Gear: I have 14 kites, covering most of the major brands.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby Skywalker7 » Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:39 am

The best practice is to launch it from the side of the wind window with a launchman however it takes a very good understanding of the aerodynamics and the shape of a foil kite not only from the part of the kiter but also from the launch man.

Here are the additional tricks and important points:
The launcher needs to keep the kite untill it is fully inflated and stable, however this requires a perfect lunch.
-the first thing to understand that, the more filled the kite the more it wants to fly to the edge of the wind window. So this mean that you start the launch in a bit deeper in the windwindow and the kiter should start walking downind as the kite tries to fly to the very edge of the wind window. You should play also with the bar to keep the kite vertical.
-the second very important point that launcher should hold the kite more at the trailing edge as he is pulling too much the leading edge part of the kite it will make a front collapse of the kite.
-the third very important thing for the launcher that he "has to put the filling kite on the right place". This means that he should imagine the open kite and he should let/put the kite on the right place. The launcher should only pull/keep the kite down and should not pull in any other direction, and this can be achived if he walks there where the kite want to go and be opened. A common mistake that the launcher is pulling too much the down part of the kite (what he is grabbing) in the direction of the kiter and he is causing a side collapse by breaking the form of kite. For the kiter it is very hard to see that is launcher is 1 meter closer to him and by this he is deforming and side collapsing your kite. So most cases the launcher should usally make a few steps away from the kiter to let the kite on its place. The reason for this that the kiter dont really see if the launcher is too close to him or not, and it would be also very hard for him to go backwards while the kite is tries to pull him downwind so therefore the launcher has to move and he has to walk a bit with the kite to the correct place.

If you have an unexperienced person trying to launch than probably sand works better. The reason is sand or sand bag works better than unexperienced launchers that sand or sand bag is pulling mainly downwards (by their weight) and by pulling downwards they open your kite (they even tend to move a bit with your kite to the correct place) however "stupid" launchers pulling the kite towards you like hell, so they deform it and side and front collapsing your kite and dont move their body to put the kite on the right place.

If you and your launcher fully understand the above than high wind side launcing will be a piece of cake :)

User avatar
Adventure Logs
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1551
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:18 pm
Local Beach: South Padre Island, Texas
Punta del Diablo, Urugay
Gear: Flysurfer, Moses, Groove, Gin
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 85 times
Been thanked: 321 times
Contact:

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby Adventure Logs » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:45 pm

How are you trimmed when you launch? I always launch trim with full power and then depower once it's fully inflated.

sedluk
Medium Poster
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 11:36 pm
Local Beach: Alum Creek - Ohio
Favorite Beaches: Turks and Caicos - Long Bay
Sail Bay - San Diego
Style: Freeriding
Gear: Flysurfer Speed 4, Boost2, Speed 5, Sonic 2 & Sonic Race
Nobile split boards, Ketos Foils and Boards, Mystic Supporter Harness
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: sonic2 9m launch tips?

Postby sedluk » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:54 pm

Here is a video that shows folding the kite and placing sand on the fold. You can fold the kite even further from the tip so that it is even more securely held down for higher winds.

http://hanglos.net/news/339244/how-to-l ... -kite.html


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aleza and 60 guests