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It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.....

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CFS
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It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.....

Postby CFS » Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:13 am

I'm a sold intermediate kiter, 6'4 225 lbs. Like many of you, I have work and family obligations that prohibit running to the beach every time the wind is on. Accordingly, when I can kite I want to have great sessions, and I want to get on the water no matter how light the wind is (not easy at my weight).

I've been intrigued by the new strutless Maui Boardriding Cloud kites. I have read and viewed everything online about them, most of which has been overwhelmingly positive. However, I wanted to try them before buying.

Two local kiters here in Jupiter were kind enough to loan me a 17M and 13M Cloud kite today. Conditions were light winds ranging from 10 – 15 mph at most. The fact that I could get up on my twintip was amazing, and the fact that I had a great day on the water that otherwise would have been a bust is priceless.

Some characteristics of the Cloud kites:

-Light and Stable in the air

-Smooth Seamless Power

-Quick Turning (Yes, even the 17M)

-Light Bar pressure, much less fatiguing

-Extremely Efficient

I got going on my regular twintip board in winds far lighter than I have with any other kite. You can kite in lighter winds and/or ride smaller kites

I watched an advanced rider shredding on a surfboard with the 13M Cloud in 10-14 mph wind, carving turns I like a maniac.

Some people have commented on the occasional “luffing” the kite exhibits. This is true, and it is analogous to a sail. When a sail is luffing, it needs to be sheeted to return to the optimal aerodynamic shape. A quick sheet adjustment tightens up the kite and you know you are back to optimum aerodynamic performance. Also, this kite needs some power for steering, if the kite is fully depowered your steering is limited.

If you need kites, I strongly encourage you to consider the Cloud. The fact that it's much cheaper than other kites is just a bonus.

I have no vested interest in this or any other kite brands or products.

FarQueLot
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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby FarQueLot » Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:33 am

I'm still quite confused, still can't sync my phone with it.

it might be that my iPhone 3 os is not up to it, can you advise me on jail breaking?

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Hawaiis
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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby Hawaiis » Wed Jul 24, 2013 5:40 am

To sync your iPhone with cloud, you need an Apple bar, you can not use carrots.

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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby FarQueLot » Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:10 am

Ahhh thank you Hawaiis,

This may end my confusion, so if I remove the carrot (which is a little stuck) and replace with apple bar - will this also stop the mackeeper popup (as i only intend to surf not jump)

otoh the carrot feels good, is there some mod I can do?

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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby Westozzy » Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:39 am

You idiots. Lol!

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pmaggie
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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby pmaggie » Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:31 am

Synchronized my iPhone 3GS, than pulled hard the Apple bar. Had a crash. Can't find my iPhone any more (3GS does not support the "find my iPhone" function). Carrot still here.

Joking, thank for the feedback about the Cloud. It's an interesting product, I wonder when will it available for a test here in Italy.

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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby lobodomar » Thu Jul 25, 2013 3:23 pm

Disclaimer: not ridden a cloud yet, just trying to make some sense of the feedback from riders who have ridden it.
CFS wrote: I watched an advanced rider shredding on a surfboard with the 13M Cloud in 10-14 mph wind, carving turns I like a maniac.
Did he have to depower the kite so as to not be pulled off the pocket?
Was there a moving wall pushing him towards the kite while he linked his turns?

CFS wrote: Some people have commented on the occasional “luffing” the kite exhibits. This is true, and it is analogous to a sail. When a sail is luffing, it needs to be sheeted to return to the optimal aerodynamic shape. A quick sheet adjustment tightens up the kite and you know you are back to optimum aerodynamic performance. Also, this kite needs some power for steering, if the kite is fully depowered your steering is limited.
One of the most important characteristics of a surf kite is steering/reactiveness with slack lines.

There are two kinds of slack line scenarios: one is the slack of the backlines from depowering the kite (what you do in order to not pulled off the pocket), the other is the slack of all lines from riding towards the kite (which happens when turns are not tight enough and/or onshore wind components are involved). In the first, small angles of attack are involved. In the second, not necessarily.

Both kinds of slack (and usually a combination of the two) happen all the time in the surf. Which of the two happens the most will depend on style/conditions.

Am I wrong in assuming that a depowered slouch is also a slack line (in the riding towards the kite sense) slouch, or could it be that at higher angles of attack the kite behaves a bit better?

In other words: when you ride towards the kite and generate slack in the lines with the bar fully pulled in, how does it respond to steering? Does it also luff?

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lobodomar
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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby lobodomar » Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:03 pm

For the Cloud waveriders out there:

Decided to ressurect this thread, as I still haven't been able to try a Cloud (none around here!) even though this kite really intrigues me.

Almost all reviews say that it luffs (and thus creates a lot of drag) when depowered, and needs tight backlines in order get back on shape and react to steering.
Many reviews also say this is a great wave kite because of its drift characteristics (which I assume is because of its light weight + low AR + drag when it luffs making it "go with the wind").

I guess my main question is, when all your lines go slack in the surf (which will happen sooner or later, much sooner in side-on and later in side-off), how fast does the Cloud react to steering input?

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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby BWD » Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:30 pm

When all the lines are slack, my experience is that the cloud hangs in the air and drifts back until sheeting in can tighten the lines, and does this more easily than most because it has a shorter bar stroke from depowered to full power.
With 4 slack lines, I don't think any kite will steer much, but the cloud and other good wave kites at least will not hindenberg or backstall easily. If there is light wind and a big wave pushes you too fast under the kite though, no guarantees of a great result with any kite, to my knowledge.

It may seem that other kites turn better when depowered, but keep in mind, if you sheet them all the way out (meaning to full depower, not necessarily to limit of bar travel), do they still turn well?
The difference is that with the cloud, sheeting all the way out is only moving the bar foot or so, not a meter.
Another thing to consider: what will the cloud version 2 be like?
The website shows a shorter, no-pulley bridle and thinner LE.
To change the LE and bridle that much, a lot of work must have been done.
It will be interesting to see how the new ones are...

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downunder
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Re: It ain't hype if it's true - the Cloud is the real deal.

Postby downunder » Sun Jan 19, 2014 4:33 am

How does one relaunch a strutless kite in a surf? :wink:


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