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kite drift question

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jespin4845
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kite drift question

Postby jespin4845 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:49 pm

I have an old 2010 LTD screamer, great kite for what its meant for especially hang time, my only complaint is drift sucks

I dont really try to ride waves on it, but when its pumping at my spot 18+ knots, we have head high wind swell, the nasty kind that pop and break out of nowhere. So when I am riding back out to the ocean to keep myself from hitting a wall of water i have to send the kite back to shore and carve toeside down the wave

at that point when i am riding toward the kite it will hindenburg if i drift it too much, my guess is cause it is so forward in the wind window

anyone have tips to keep this from happening with this kite? has anyone tried the other two knots on the tip of the bridle? does it drift better?

ive thought about looping it but the kite is so powerful that i feel like it would just rip me downwind to face plant

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Re: kite drift question

Postby BWD » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:42 pm

Short answer:
Keep the lines tight.

Longer answer:
Maybe you whip the kite back and can't carve around fast enough to keep up with it?
Or the wave pushes you downwind too fast to keep lines tight?
If you can carve faster/tighter or start carve before sending kite back, timing may be better and allow board to be heading upwind before kite hits window edge. Tricky when a wave/chop stacks up suddenly...
You may have to stomp the tail to brake and make it more of a chicken wheelie turn than a surf carve?
Also, a hand drag can sometimes work wonders to adjust your position relative to wave and kite, before or after the carve.
Another question: can you stall the kite? Doing that may help in some situations, obviously not so much if much kite depowered...

Expensive answer: try smaller.different kite.

Anyway, sounds like side-on, can be a challenging set-up whatever kite is flying. And sometimes there is too much current...
Finally, if it's about to hindenberg, I don't think it will jerk you much on a downloop..
Last edited by BWD on Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: kite drift question

Postby Dr Makani » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:45 pm

I had to read your post a couple of times trying to understand your scenario - I think I get it, so bear with me:

I don't have experience with the Screamer, but I do have a similar kite which I love for cruising, but it's just not for waves. On the other hand where I live waves are just a given ( :lol: ) -
So, you try to get back out, run into a bigger-than-expected wave, hit the panic button and turn trying to surf it out and eventually take the next train ... Is that what's happening?

Ok, here my $.02 (actually $.04, since I have two thoughts)

Option 1: The moment you start turning toeside (the panic button, remember?) get your kite a bit higher and more into 12 - you don't need the pull anymore, the wave has the dynamic. If the kite is too low it will lose its aerodynamics and stall. By keeping the kite high and about 10% off your 12 o'clock it will travel with you (some restrictions apply ...). Now you can surf it out and once you turn back you just load up and go ...

Option 2: Why not go for the whole enchilada? Instead of heading direct into the swell pick a nice waterline, load up on speed and kite and pop? Just a thought ...

Hope I could help ...

peace

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Re: kite drift question

Postby alexeyga » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:55 pm

The bad news: This is what the whole "waves kites vs everything else" issue comes down to. Generally speaking, high-aspect kites like the 10ltd totally suck in waves and for going downwind as they sit way too forward in the window and choke up instead of simply drifting down along with you. Try looping it - with slack lines it shouldn't be that bad.


Worst news: 2012 (3G) 10m LTD is a LOT smoother and drifts a lot better despite the fact that it's still a boosting monster. :jump:

Cheers!

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Re: kite drift question

Postby jrfiol » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:01 pm

I've flown that kite, its pretty good. I did manage to stall it and had it drop.

face plants will happen man, but you should be able to handle a down loop in a few tries.

like the other poster stated, bring your kite up to 12 and then down loop it! Depending on how much wind...
If its real windy, then point your board down wind as you bring your kite up to 12
If its not real windy, keep your edge a little longer, the the kite powers up, follow it into your carve

face plant away!

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Re: kite drift question

Postby jespin4845 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:45 pm

cool thanks for all your tips, will try down loop next time right before the lines go slack, usually i do pop over them, but its that one wave that pops up and i know i am not gonna make it that i hit the panic button and carve

i learned on wainman's so i never thought about drift until i jumped on a high aspect kite, its weird and annoying, wish wainman's had more hang time...i will prob get the 3g when this one explodes in the waves

anyways thanks!

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Re: kite drift question

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri Apr 12, 2013 4:53 pm

Hmm - odd, I would do the exact opposite 8)

When and after turning around on the wave (the chicken jibe), I would keep the kite quite low !

This way it has line tension, and you can always MOVE the kite, if you need more tension, or can see slack lines getting closer.

If you fly the kite high, you have put yourself in a blind alley with no options but to pray :o

As then you got no line tension, so you will most likely force the kite to hindenburg yourself, when riding towards it.
And you can not change kite direction fast, or not at all, with slack lines :-?

So when you've turned around, keep the kite quite low and with some speed, then it will sit stable even if you go a bit towards it :naughty:

Bottom line is, its all about timing and experience - I dont think there is anything wrong with the kite at all, just lack of practice.

When you have the kite lower, EVERYTHING is possible, and you will soon learn how to move the kite around without thinking about it - and in superlight wind you'll just loop the kite when appropriate - on your backbone.

You can also try to head a bit more upwind, when going toeside away from the wave - as this will also solve the problem easily.
So could be a matter of practicing this too ?

Finally, like others wrote - it could be your timing, that you send the kite around too early, which is really bad of course.

Often the opposite happens - that you jibe on/before a huge wave, and the speed you get when going "down", will give you shitloads of power in the lines because of the apparent wind, so you have to go a bit more downwind to take the pressure away...

What wind direction are we talking about, almost sideshore or 45 degree ?
And when you write you "dont really try to ride waves on it" - what do you mean - are you on a TT or on a waveboard ?

:D Peter

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Re: kite drift question

Postby jespin4845 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:58 pm

yesterday was between side onshore and side shore, riding a twin tip, i have a surfboard (and suck at it) but am too busy trying to get hooked in kite loops this season

i do ride waves with the twin, but its more of a "i just wiped out and want to do another tack before i try to jump again"

current was strong yesterday so that didn't help

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Re: kite drift question

Postby leepasty » Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:20 pm

if you downloop when you chicken gybe then you will keep the lines tight and the kite wont fall out the sky . especially important on kites bigger than 9m :D

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Re: kite drift question

Postby plummet » Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:31 pm

loop it!.

If your driving towards the kite and getting slack lines it wont loop with insane power like when you have line tension.

it will loop like a baby.

that's typically what I do when going down the line with my big high aspect kites. 13m edge and 15m speed 3.

If your going too downwind and looping isn't working cut back to get line tension.


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