SS Machine 17,5

[panchito]

So I bought this kite with my own money and to replace my 17 Fuel 04 kite

My Weight : 72 kg and all tests performed with an SS SX 132 board

Light wind : 9-11 knots

Just a little better than a fuel, turns a bit faster, better upwind , but nothing more

( Till now so so )

Med. wind : 14-16 knots

I would say the same , but the sheeting works far way better on gusts, nice lofty jumps with a better hang time

( ok, better but.....not much better )

Upper med winds: 18-20 knots

For me here starts the really improvements of this kite against the fuel 17

1) I was overpowered on my 17 Fuel and had to depower the kite with the result that the back lines hang and turning was bad

2) very hard to control the board on the edge and sheeting did not really helped a lot , had to put all my weight till my bud on the water to slow down

3) It was better to change to my 13 Diesel

But on the Machine nothing of above happened , the 5th line and the depower works really insame playing around with the 5th line makes a lot of difference , the kite turns even better overpowered , jumps even better and riding this kite is a lot of fun

( now I am impressed )

High end : tested up to 25 knots

Not a problem just trim the 5th line a bit more and depower also a bit more.

Handling , jumping even better, amazing the wind range of this kite, actually I wanted it for light winds but now my 13 Diesel remains in the trunk of my car

( now I am really impressed )

I havent tested this kite with my light wind board because it is a LFT 167 ( vey big and heavy ) I guess I need a Glide or a Door....

[surfz]

25 knots and out there with a 17.5? Woow, I am out there with a Fuel 9 in 25 knots, I am 94 kilo and I always have the biggest kite on the water

Enjoy paradise!

[panchito]

this is a revised review of my 1rst review

After sorting the problem with the lenght of the 5th line pigtail attachement which I had to extend 36 cm

Now I have to tell that the low end of this kite is awesome / against my Fuel 17 04 ....much, much better, now I just need a better lightwind board.

Was riding with 8-10 knots and my LFT 167 board and had to trim the 5th line and depower a bit also jumping was possible ( but board to heavy )

So my note ; 4,5 out of 5

[cayuquero]

25 knots dressing your 17.5?

what a kite!

this really sounds like a real improvement.
it seems that the Hellfish has not achieved one of its aims: to make your kite an obsolete cloth.

lucky man

[The Right Stuff]

I agree with the 25ish upper end - this kite can handle an incredible amount of wind.

Panchito - wondering what you're doing about your leading edge pressure on your bladder. I was told 6-6.5 psi as measured by the SS pump was about right. I find that makes it rock solid and - I think - interferes with flipping and rolling the kite around for relaunching.

Looking for suggestions if you've got 'em. Despite the great stability of this kite, I've been hit with a number of dropouts and need some help for when the kite hits the water.

Thanks

[panchito]

Yeap....mine too , the first time I thought my pump was wrong cause at 5psi the LE was hard like a rock, but I think better hard than to soft....???

I pull the 5th line for about 3 meters until the kite flips over....than release the 5th line and finish....starts by it self.....but it takes 1-2 minutes till you can do all this and put the 5th line back into place.....you have to stay stable on the water with your board in front of you with out sink in


Regards