New Switch kite pulls to the right?

[edt]

doubt a bladder twist I have flown kites with the bladder twisted 180 degrees (or more), all it does is twist the leading edge, but there is so much pressure on the lines and bridle that it doesn't affect how the kite flies, it won't pull the kite left or right.

My advice is grab one of your own personal bars and fly the kite. This will eliminate completely the bar as a problem.

I really think you have a bridle problem. Like someone else said, fold the kite in half and lay the left and right bridles next to each other.

Another possibility is that a seam ripped somewhere in the kite. Inspect carefully all of the attachment points, maybe you got a rip on one of the attachment points so that the left and right don't match up anymore.

[markchatwin]

We're in a "live" status now... I'm working and he's on the water. I instructed him to attach the red to the blue thereby reversing the steering lines. He called me and with wind blowing he said, "The red line appears slacker than the blue". Yesterday the blue appeared slacker than the red...

He did not test whether the kite is leaning to the left now... He'll call me in a few...

Even though the "appearance" of the lines being of different tensions leads one to think the lines are of different lengths I did try to measure them and they appeared to be equal. The front lines as well.

If the bar is the culprit what could be wrong with it?

[edt]

If the bar is the culprit what could be wrong with it?

this bar is simple it's not a cabrinha if lines are equal that's all there is to it.

You said he flipped the bar so the red is on the right instead of left like usual. And he says the red line (right) seems slack, when yesterday the blue (right) seemed slack.

So you have slack somewhere up in the kite not the bar. Probably a knot on the left hand side somewhere in the bridle.

Good idea by the way flipping the bar over.

[naishdude]

We're in a "live" status now... I'm working and he's on the water. I instructed him to attach the red to the blue thereby reversing the steering lines. He called me and with wind blowing he said, "The red line appears slacker than the blue". Yesterday the blue appeared slacker than the red...

He did not test whether the kite is leaning to the left now... He'll call me in a few...

Even though the "appearance" of the lines being of different tensions leads one to think the lines are of different lengths I did try to measure them and they appeared to be equal. The front lines as well.

If the bar is the culprit what could be wrong with it?

@ markchatwin,

Please have him check the steeringline connections under the floaters from the bar, check if the lines are conected to the same knots?
Good luck
Dude

[Timop]

I normally measure all the bridal lines and connection points to see if the left and right sides are the same. Hope you get to the bottom of the problem.

[markchatwin]

My buddy called and didn't get a chance to fly the 2nd time so I don't know if it pulled to the left. He said the wind became very gusty and he called it in the interest of safety. I think he's going to contact Switch directly and have them check it out. I think I could have helped him fix it but I think since he's a beginner he needs to know with 100% certainty that it flies like it's supposed too.

[naishdude]

My buddy called and didn't get a chance to fly the 2nd time so I don't know if it pulled to the left. He said the wind became very gusty and he called it in the interest of safety. I think he's going to contact Switch directly and have them check it out. I think I could have helped him fix it but I think since he's a beginner he needs to know with 100% certainty that it flies like it's supposed too.

[rocktor]

Thanks for putting the word out Mark. I am the guy with the E 13. So here's the rest of the story. As I was self Launching after I got off the phone with Mark, a sudden gust lofted the kite off the edge of the wind window and pulled the ground stake off. Fortunately the kite flew right past two trees, the lines tangled on electric cable but not a scratch on the kite. I cut off the lines, retrieved the kite unharmed and the bar too. Right now I am a little shook up.
Ok some of you might think, self launch is not a good idea as a beginner, I agree 100%. But I have self launched before many times and I know all you experienced kiters out there have. So my take on this is that since the lines were unequal in the first place, the kite was being pulled to one side or other and did not stay neutral at the edge of the wind window and lofted off.
As Mark already mentioned, the lines were equal in length to our gross measurements, and the knots on the bridles on both sides of the kite were equal distance.
I am planning to contact the switch team, but now I am kind of scared to take out my Element 13. I am going to stick to my Airrush DNA in the mean time and see what response I get from Switch. I am ready to pay shipping if I need to, so Switch experts can take a look at my kite and bar.
I will post updates.
Regards,
Pujan

[markchatwin]

Alright good Rocktor! Naish - yeh I did check under the floaters and they were on the same knot, same length...

[felixp]

Sorry to hear about your issues.
There are some very simple solutions.
Can you please contact Switch Kites directly to resolve this issue.
warranty@switchkites.com or felix@switchkites.com

Thanks
Felix