Which kites for Racing

[Toby]

KF Wiki:

wiki/index.php?title=Which_kites_for_Racing

[moblvet]

Am looking at rrd addiction and cab xbows for this season of racing. Anyone has tried both and opinion?

[Toby]

for the board you want the latest shape on the market to get a better ranking...directional race board of course.

[moblvet]

UH, I have a 2009 Nils custom board.
The topic is what kite for racing, and I'm thinking of RRD Addiction and the Cabrinha Crossbow and was wondering if anyone has experience with the two KITES.

[thehand]

The Best, for me is Helix 2009 and The Hand Boards.

"The Helix continues to lead the revolutionary Sigma Series. For 2009, it has been totally redesigned to provide super fast turning, superior glide, great upwind ability, easier water relaunch, more direct bar feel, and a 5th line friendly option. These improvements have been achieved by reducing the number of struts, lowering the aspect ratio, developing a new bridle platform and reworking the arc; making it the first ever GeoTech generated C-shaped arc. We have also incorporated the Low Drag Wingtip and Direct Response Steering technologies into our new wingtip design. To complete the Helix line, we have added two new sizes. For intermediate to advanced riders who seek the highest all-terrain performance, and those looking to course race."

The kite that spawned the revolutionary Sigma series last season takes charge in 2009 as a totally redesigned kite. This year’s Naish Helix offers faster turning, superior glide, great upwind ability, easier relaunch and a more direct bar feel with a fifth-line-friendly option. With a lower aspect ratio and gruntier back-in-window feel than its Naish Cult counterpart, the Helix has many Naish Torch freestyle riders taking another look at the Sigma shape.

Bar setup and safety systems
The bar pulleys of last season have followed the industry trend of extinction on Naish’s new four-line SLE control system, which is used with both the Cult and the Helix models this year. Impressive new features include a new front-line attachment system with anti-twist line swivel. Also, rather than relying on the depower capability of both front lines, the leash is connected through a mini fifth-line leash to a single front line, ensuring complete single-line flagging. New bar ends have bar-size adjustment capability, a great feature for multiple-sized kites used with a single bar.

Key kite features
Naish’s attention to detail is always evident. Its industry-exclusive features include the Octopus inflation, an internal single-point inflation system, the Delta-cut two-ply trailing edge and internal Aramid leading-edge seam reinforcements. The easily identified Sigma shape has advanced for 2009 with new low-drag wingtips, Direct Response Steering and the Geo-Tech C shape that alters the kite’s stability and turning style.

On-water performance
The Helix is a completely different kite this year, with performance that appeals to what most advanced riders are looking for in an SLE kites. Whether it’s the lower aspect shape, fewer struts or the steering design features that were added, this year’s Helix feels much more like a C kite.

The testers were impressed by the smooth pull, quick and reactive steering, and excellent depower as well as the solid unhooked performance. Although it takes longer to find the sweet spot to boost some big air than its Cult counterpart, when you hit it right this kite has excellent lift and glide. The feedback you get from the Helix is the perfect balance between too much and not enough. Water relaunch has also been improved, with a simple steering-line pull that provides faster results. Like the Cult, the Helix pulls fast and smooth, and it’s quick to react to steering input at all levels of depower. Its fast pulling speed and good upwind capability make it a good kite for the racing crowd.

Reality check
This Helix may depower slightly less than last year’s model; however, the added stability, quicker turn reactivity and direct bar feel more than make up for it. If you need more instant depower, there’s always the Cult.

Bottom line
The Helix was a test favourite in both sound and ocean sessions for its great all-terrain performance, wind range and smooth unhooked capability, which was absent from last year’s Sigma. It more than satisfies the demands of the dedicated C-kite freestyle rider who has held out from using SLE’s in the past.

[FredBGG]

Flysurfer Speed 2
High aspect ratio foil.
They have a good winning record

[kakanala]

UH, I have a 2009 Nils custom board.
The topic is what kite for racing, and I'm thinking of RRD Addiction and the Cabrinha Crossbow and was wondering if anyone has experience with the two KITES.

Nils rides Cabrinha, your board is designed with a Cabrinha IDS kite in mind.
I'd stick to Cabrinha.

13, 10, 9 if you are under 85 kg
16, 11, 9 if you are a heavyweight.

trust me, I know what I say

[AndrewJMcGee]

ozone edge!

[kitezilla]

Here is something to think about in selecting a kite for the specific purpose of racing. I touched on this subject in this thread, discussing the establishment of rules pertaining to kiteboard racing:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2353358&start=0&hilit=kite+racing

What I am suggesting is that some kite models may not qualify for use in racing, once the rules have been promulgated, due to their lack of a qualifying safety system, as required by the rule book. This could come about as a result of a rule, requiring the kite to have a safety system that completely flags the kite onto ONE line.

Such a rule could be established, in the name of safety, because of the likelihood of (and resulting danger of) multiple kite tangles, due to the "close sailing", during the starts and the rounding of marks. It may be that the oversight organization will determine that using a safety system, deploying more than one line, or one rigged "suicide" style, will not qualify as a legitimate "complete-flagging" system.

This sort of "safety' issue may enter into the kiter's decision on what kite to buy for the purpose of racing. Because of the inherent design of the kite, some kites may not be able to be safely converted to a one-line kite "complete-flagging" system.

Just something to think about.... I have no idea, whether or not the kite-racing-governing-organization (whoever that ends up being) will include anything specific, concerning safety systems, in the rule book.

[AndrewJMcGee]

Its kinda funny you say that kitezilla. Just today on the beach, a guy flying an 08 cult was testing its QR. It was light winds, and perfect to check it all out. Anyway I was there next to him while he pulled the QR. It depowers the kite so to speak, but still looked like it could catch some air, and or have residual pull if the winds got out of control without warning. I don't fly naish and was interested to see what happend, and how he managed his lines and kite. I asked he could fully kill the kite on one line. He said yes but the ring was way out of arms reach with the depower rope at full power. I don't have experience with this kind of Safty system, and really didnt like the looks of it.

I am interested to know if anyone has had a sudden increase in wind mid session, and had no choice but to pull QR or get seriously hurt with safty system that doesn't flag to one line? I recently had to put my 13 onto one line. Even on one line fully flagged in 30-40 knot winds the kite was pulling me and slamming all around. I could only imagine what would have happened if i was flying a cult with this depower rope safty system, that doesnt flag to one line. SUPER SCARY. I had no choice but to pull the QR! Sorry its a little off topic but kitezilla makes a great point, about racing kites having a safty system that flags to one line!