Eh Ov (Ovando) - Update

[tswierkocki]

I'm flying the 7M OV with all 4 lines the same length when unhooked and fully powered. I have only flown it on 23M lines.

[FredBGG]

I can hardly hang on mine over 15 knots...

Marc

What's you low end?

[BiteMe]

I'm flying the 7M OV with all 4 lines the same length when unhooked and fully powered. I have only flown it on 23M lines.

Thanks. Which knots are you using at the kite?

[tswierkocki]

My 7M only has 2 knots per attachment with about 2" between the knots. I run all 4 lines on the knot nearest to the kite.

BTW - I use a Slingshot style bar with about 10" of adjustment on the trim strap.

In wind too light to ride the kite does behave a little strange. My 7M has really good lowend but when the wind is less 10 mph the kite really doesn't fly well and it seems as if the rear lines are too tight. Once the wind picks up a little the line setup is spot on.

My 7M gets me going on a surfboard long as there are small whitecaps on the ocean (15 mph?).

[knuthansen]

The 7m does not fly well in less than 10mph? I doubt that any inflatable 7m on the market would stay in the air in that wind..

[billybob]

Quick review I bought a 7 Ovando last month to replace my 08 9 Waroo. I weighed 208lbs and ride 135 Underground FLX. I used the kite in steady 18-25kt wind in Paracuru. While it was fun to fly in the upper range, it was underpowered in the lower. I back to back compared it to the Waroo for 4 days and ended up using the Waroo for the rest of the vacation. The Ovando was much faster and more fun to fly, but powerwise it did not replace the 9. My 185 lb friend used it one day when he was underpowered on his 8.5 Flexi Ion and he was real happy with it. Build quality is good and really no complaints, it is a fast, fun kite to fly. For me the kite came to life in the gusts and higher range of the wind, guessing 23-28 kt. I am planning on using the kite with a surfboard in lighter wind and in the 24-34kt range w/twintip. Eric had a disclaimer on the Ovando website that no Ovandos should be used in more than 30 kts, that disclaimer has since been removed. The 25+ kt days where I live are generally gusty frontal winds. Question for the heavier reviewers, how does the Ovando react in gusty conditions? Overall, happy with the kite, but for a heavier rider7 did not replace 9, 8 may have been a better choice.

[malden]

Quick review I bought a 7 Ovando last month to replace my 08 9 Waroo. I weighed 208lbs . I used the kite in steady 18-25kt wind in Paracuru. While it was fun to fly in the upper range, it was underpowered in the lower.
Eric had a disclaimer on the Ovando website that no Ovandos should be used in more than 30 kts, that disclaimer has since been removed.
The 25+ kt days where I live are generally gusty frontal winds. Question for the heavier reviewers, how does the Ovando react in gusty conditions? Overall, happy with the kite, but for a heavier rider7 did not replace 9, 8 may have been a better choice.

your weight is not in the wind chart.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/367 ... 3186_b.jpg
and my weight too.

[Maradentro]

How are you guys tuning the kite lines? What setting are you using for the lines and is it the same across all sizes? Should the rear lines be slack or tight for this kite? I flew a 13m, but couldn't really find a line setting I liked.

I use my 13M with factory trim right out of the bag and love it, after 5 or so sessions I needed to make some adjustments to compensate for the front line strech, there are 2 extra knots on the rear leaders that allow you to make up for the front line strech quickly.

Overall verry happy with my 13 .

Mark

[biggins]

At 90kg with the 7m I find I can go with a door board in 12-13knots(a few whitecaps on the outside, others on 12-15m kites) just staying upwind and cruising...not much fun, but I can stay upwind easily...surfboard would be more fun probably.

At 16knots on a smaller twin the kite comes alive! It really is different when the kite is on. More so than any other kite I've tried, you either sink, or your kite is set. Strange really, but it works.

I find the same thing under 10knots, the kite just isn't happy. Not sure why, but it doesn't bother me as I don't fly it ever in those winds. Kite is heavily built so that might have something to do with it? dunno.

That being said the kite is AWESOME in good wind. I fly it from about 16-32knots with a smaller twin and it is FAST turning AND flying. It flies upwind, jumps high, has descent depower to where I've never once touched the depower strap, but do need to edge in gusts a bit. I took it to the gorge as my only kite and it was VERY gusty...kite did great. I'd say for a guy my size the 9m would have been better for lighter winds, but the 7m is just so sweet and fast that I'd have missed it. Right now, it is my only kite, and I use it from 12-32knots with two boards...the large board is HUGE, so it's not much fun until I'm on the smaller twin at about 15-16knots, and above 20knots I FLY!

Fun kite, well built, fast, not expensive, and just does what I want...might want a light wind kite someday though...but I dread slow big kites, especially after using the 7m. However, while I believe the Ovandos are very powerful for their size I think they are a bit overbuilt to be uber light wind kites...just my opinion though.

I love the 7m though and won't be giving it up anytime soon...great kite!

j

[arghhh]

Check out this review on the 9m Ovando in Kitesurf Magazine

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eric_herts ... 2/sizes/o/