Thought you guys might enjoy this review by a Cabrinha rider from SA.
Found on Ikiteboarding.com
the reality of the crossbow
Started by greg thijsse at 07-21-2005 6:09 AM. Topic has 0 replies.
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Today, 6:09 AM
greg thijsse
Joined on 04-18-2005
Posts 12 the reality of the crossbow
Hey Guys
Its this time of the year again. All the dealers trying to promote their new toys and why it is so fantastic.
I don’t want to start a fight as all those types of posts end up, and nothing is accomplished but arguments.
So this post is just a write up from myself on the raw stats of the crossbow.
I had the opportunity to put the crossbow to the real test when I was recently in the Dominican republic to compete in the pkra leg 3
After the competition finished Cabrinha sent over some crossbows for the international team. Myself, Damien Le Roy and Susi Mai were flying them in many conditions.
So here it is:
The first 2 days I flew them were in the waiting period of the competition. Those 2 days were too light to compete, but if everyone had crossbows you would be able to compete.
It was un real most of the riders were going downwind on 16’s and I was staying upwind on a 12m crossbow no jokes!
From the time the crossbow was pumped up it had crowds around it! People looking and asking to fly it. So we pumped them up and let the top riders rip it up!
Everyone came off the water with a look on their face and just saying jeez that kite insane! What a wind range!
It has unreal windrange, so the only kites on the water for those 2 light wind days were the two 12m crossbows with most of the tour riders waiting for their go.
When the compo was over myself and Damien went to a lagoon to do just plain freestyle and put it to the real freestyle test.
Sure the kite is real different to the kites most of us kite on but it is easy to get use to and once you have it you going to be so stoked.
By the end of our session Damien was doing from kiteloop handlepasses to straight up sick handle passes. The kite is fast and turns almost on itself so kiteloops are a breeze you can even control how much power you want to have in your kiteloop. I.e. if you hold the bar on one side the kite loops with hardly any power and if you want the bigger juicier kitelooops you just shift your hands wider apart.
As for learning new freestyle moves you can take your kite out and decide how much power you want for the move adjust the bar settings and just throw it !
There is also no need to worry about dropping your kite anymore because you wont be able to keep the kite in the water for more than 30seconds if you try. I was trying to crash it and it would just bounce off the water and fly again.
If you manage to get it face down all it takes is a turn of the bar to your desired side and boom it is up. instant
So say good bye to 7 kites cause these kites have so much range it is truelly unbelievable!
Just to give you an idea. Damein held the crossbow 12m directly downwind of me and I launched it in a solid 20 knots and all I did was sheet out and I litrelly moved about 3 feet and the kite went straight up through the power zone!!!
You are going to be getting away with less kites and you can get your favourite kite and use it most of the time.
This brings me to my next point! For beginners it is even better. What was the one thing we all could have done without when learning….getting dragged
All you need to do is let go the bar and whoooom no power no dragging. Cabrinha have really taken the safetly to the next level so if you beginning think no futher!
This brings me to my last test….waves….what can I say.
I was absolutely blown away! This is in my opinion by far the best waveriding kite to hit market!
When is the best time to wave ride in general…a big realing point and howling cross offshore???? I would say
Well if you guys are big in wave riding then you will know the feeling of skipping down the face of a monster out of controle cause you cant hold your 5m on 20m lines down…right
Well feel free to take your 7m crossbow standard and use the juice to get out of trouble weather it be running a monster or jumping a few sets!
And when you on the wave its up to you use the juice for power waveriding or sheet out and litrelly surf the wave!
I can now do a cutback a proper cut back cause on my old kites the power and upwind ability restricted me from throwing a proper cutback. But I know sheet out my crossbow and litrelly drag the kite upwind with me to hit the section!!!!
I am so excited for those big downwinds with big swell…..
There is also one more aspect I think the crossbow could tap into the future with.
Speed and coarse racing! Its flat its streamline and you can take a 14 in 35knots for sure
I am no speed freak but I know coarse racing and this is going to tap boundries!
So take your kite poward jump over the moon or sheet it out and throw a kiteloop or just go rip up those lines reeling in on a howling offshore reef!
I believe the crossbow is going to break boundries in all aspects
I hope you guys are as excited as I am! If you guys are keen to try them out hed down to a local Cabrinha shop and ask to get a demo!
Enjoy be safe
greg