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Switch Method 7m

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J-GAR
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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby J-GAR » Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:26 am

Kawika, I second what your are saying. When I first got my Method kite several months back, the Switch bars weren't ready yet, and I tried another brand bar and tuned it to have equal line lengths. The Y on the front lines was closer to the kite though. It didn't fly very well on this bar (didn't turn well and wasn't very stable). Once I got the Switch bar with the 23m lines (or even taking the extensions off for 20m lines), the kite flew perfectly (super stable, trimmed perfectly, and turns great) and has been awesome ever since. The Y on the front lines of the Switch bar is also much closer to the bar, which is great for self landings. Having a bar that works well with the kite can definitely make a huge difference in the way a kite flies. Of course there are other brand bars out there that would probably work fine on the Switch kites, but instead of experimenting and for only $275 USD, I went with the Switch bar as it is well built, lots of great features, and works perfect with their kites.
Last edited by J-GAR on Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:34 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby Kamikuza » Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:30 am

I'm selling my Switch bar for $225 with the 5th line kit if anyone's interested ... I want a wider bar for my my arcs and FSers ;)

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby Delmar78 » Sun Aug 07, 2011 9:19 am

So you think it will stop flapping with a Switch bar???

I must say it felt perfectly tuned with a SS 2011 bar.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby J-GAR » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:49 pm

I haven't noticed any abnormal flapping with my Method on the Switch bar. As long as it is pumped up well, struts clamped off, and bar tuned right, it should fly fine. As screwfootsc pointed out, most if not all kites to some extent will flap under certain conditions, but it doesn't necessarily affect the performance or stability. Sometimes if the wind is super gusty you will see flapping or is someone has the kite depowered all the way in high winds. Also, if you were looping the 7m in light winds, the wind may have not been solid enough to maintain the canopy shape perfectly during the loop. The Slingshot bar may work fine on the Switch kites.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby Hansen Design » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:42 pm

Some thoughts on the Method:

The Method is purposefully designed to fly forward which is the most critical part of the wind window. That means that in light, shifty or gusty winds, it can encounter large changes in wind direction and speed which will make it seem unstable if left overhead or unattended (which were not part of the design intention.) The design intention is a powerful, fast kite that drifts well, can be felt for position at all times and which will quickly get you back to the line-up for the next wave without a series of long tiring and time-consuming reaching tacks to get there.

The canopy distortion mentioned in the strapless video is due to it being sheeted out and de-powering - not 'flapping.' The Method has 70% projected area which means it is relatively flat. It also has minimal spanwise AOA for low drag which allows it to go very far forward in the window for excellent upwind performance. When it is flying near the edge, any slight sheeting out of the bar will result in the canopy 'backwinding' due to the large area of unsupported fabric in a 3-strut kite. This is normal and how de-powering actually happens. It is simply more obvious on the Method than on other kites with a more 'bucket-like' design. Also, if you kite loop any kite in low winds, the apparent wind goes very far forward and a similar 'backwinding' occurs on the outer wingtip side.

If you are looking for a 'park and ride' low bar pressure auto-zenith stable kite, the Method is likely not your best choice. But if you give it a chance and use it as intended, it will reward you as you unlock both your and the kite's potential.
Cheers! :thumb:

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby Tightlines » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:12 am

Well put H.A.

I have had a full quiver of Switch Methods for a several months now and I will say that on the first couple of occasions I used them I did have slight stability problems when parked directly overhead, with the bar out in light gusty conditions.
I learnt how deal with this within a couple of sessions by either using the sliding stopper ball (that actually works well) to keep a little tension on the rear lines when parked or by just not standing around on the beach with the bar fully out and the kite directly overhead.

In the water flying the kite I have absolutely no issue with stability.
I purchased the kites at pretty much the end of our summer season here in Western Australia so (except for a short stint in Mauritius) have mainly flown them in gusty frontal onshore type winds and the more I fly them the more I love them.
In these conditions (directly onshore) it can often be hard to get out through the shore break if there is a decent swell but I have found the Methods to be better than any other kite I have tried for this.
Also when wave riding in these conditions it is often difficult to stop being pulled off the face of the wave or to position yourself well on a wave and not lose line tension, but once again I have found the Methods to be very, very good.
You can de-power the kite almost completely with a fairly small movement of the bar so the kite just sits there to stay on the wave or if you find yourself in a tricky spot you can send the kite shooting across the window to get yourself out of trouble.
They may not be the easiest kite for an absolute beginner to get the most out of but for anyone with basic+ to intermediate and beyond flying skills you should love them and your wave riding almost definitely improve. For a start you are bound to get more waves.

On the bar pressure, as I have said before I find them perfect for me. If Switch do decide on a next generation model to try to please the few people that want lighter pressure, I hope they at least give us an option because I want them to stay just the way they are.

I have had several sessions lately on the 7 in gusty frontal winds that have gone from 20-35 knots within minutes and the kites have always been extremely stable and predictable, I can't wait till I go on my annual trip North and try them in some really good conditions. :D
Last edited by Tightlines on Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby screwfootsc » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:14 am

Bill could not have said it better. The kite (method) was designed to flyp forward in the window for upwind performance to get u back upwind with ease. These methods shoot upwind and do just as he mentioned. This is not a park n ride and smoke ur cigarette in the back of your tailgate kite. You actually have to have kite skills and fly the kite and when you do it is magical.

Challenge yourself and see how this kite performs best, in the surf with solid wind.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby billybob » Mon Aug 08, 2011 11:01 pm

I've got a 12 Method on order, but due to a work assignment I won't get to use it for a while. I'm putting my 7/9 order on hold until I get back. Reviews sound like what I am looking for, with bar pressure being the only issue up until now. The stability thing has got my attention, especially for a wave kite. I've been kiting since 2000, first kite was a Hansen designed SlingShot Stealth. I owned two kites with noticeable stability issues, 07 Caution Answer and a 07 RRD HyperType. Both were awesome kites for their time but if you weren't paying attention and keeping them moving, they were dropping out of the sky. So yeah, you had to have "kite skills" and "fly" the kite , but in no way was unstability a desirable trait . So tell me the Method isn't like this, if I want to park my kite over my head while I get back on my board while getting pounded by waves, I don't want to be worrying about it falling my head. Its 2011 and I wasnt even thinking stability was an issue anymore. I really want to like these kites, I've respected Hansen since the windsurfing days Whats the real deal on stability?
Last edited by billybob on Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby J-GAR » Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:47 am

Billybob, trust me on this one. The stability thing is not an issue on the Method and has been blown out of proportion. I would not be riding these kites if there were problems with them. There are many good kite choices out there, and if I didn't like the Method as much as I do, I would ride something else. These kites perform very well and have quickly raised my strapless skill level. I ride waves that are 2x to 3x overhead, and want a stable kite in these conditions. I have never once in many sessions on the Method in all kinds of wind conditions had it fall out if the sky, even when overhead getting on my board. Of course you need to be riding the kite in sufficient wind for the kite size, not 9mph on a 9m :). I owned the Answer and Hypertype kites several years ago, and yes, they were not stable, I sold them right away. I have let a few friends ride my Methods and they all said it was very stable.

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Re: Switch Method 7m

Postby overhead » Tue Aug 09, 2011 5:08 am

I can confirm J-Gar's statements. I have ridden the Method (7 & 9m) in double to triple overhead conditions (on-shore and side shore) and sometimes overpowered and these kites are stable. I have flown the Cautions and several other kites and the Methods are no doubt more stable with way better low end. I find it hard to believe someone can make a statement about the kite's stability when they have only flown it on the beach in light wind that is not within the kite's wind range.

Amen to Bill H....Reread his statements if you have to...


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