Interesting you backed Z off and countered the negatives with the Diablo line. I did much the same with the WAC on my A15. I have actually made a couple more posts about my use of a WAC line on my A15 in
viewtopic.php?f=197&t=2391108&start=160 here they all are I think
foilholio wrote:I tested out a wac line on my A15. I set it to engage at B 7cm longer than A. In the air I can see when A main goes slack, it seems about right but I will have to compare with my flysurfer one. The kite cambers quite extremely combined with my shortening of Z. I was quite enjoying it, and then random tip collapses started occurring. I landed the kite and lengthened Z 4cm moving it back to the knot, the tip collapsing disappeared . Much later on it returned though but lessened. Overall I quite like WAC on the A15 it gives it a lot more punch. Relaunch also seems much better with it. It can be quite hard getting large foils to accelerate thru waves but extra camber really does wonders.
foilholio wrote:I took it for another ride and left the WAC and Z adjustment as before, I am quite happy with it like this now. It only tip collapsed once on me. I noticed it happens when I shocked the bar in and out. Overall I think I prefer it like this as a bit of tip collapse is not an issue. The kite is very hard to stall, where I pull the bar in and I normally get back stall I now just get massive amounts of ballsy grunt. The kite now feels way more grunty than even the 22 aurora ever did. Bar pressure is increased sheeted in but so is the response and feeling. The kite seems to pivot nicely. With it more depowered the bar pressure is much the same as before and the kites profile is much the same too, so riding upwind is quite pleasant and fast. One negative with how I have the kite setup is I think the drift is better with less camber. I have notice a more reflex or slack Z gives better drift on my other foils. Having said that I think the drift on my A15 setup like this is probably untouched by any other kite. Reverse landing with a wac throws more pressure onto the rears but the kite back stalls much better and sits on the ground flatter with less pull. I am really impressed with the stability of the A15, quite often I just let go of the bar and ride hands free for upwards of 30seconds at a time. It definitely has a bit of autozenith, it holds almost still at the side of the window or over head. Really leaves me a bit shocked that the kite I almost had been dreaming about has arrived and it's so cheap and it didn't come from flysurfer :-0 wow how did this happen?
Yes I guess I am a few steps ahead. There is definitely relaunch and reverse landing issues with the diablo line. With relaunch and reverse landing benefits (with a negative) for the WAC. No definitely no, the WAC does not only effect B. I think it is a bit hard to quite understand exactly how it interacts with the mixer, may be someone will do a diagram, but it has much the same benefits of the diablo line, in fact more so I think ,and the two can be combined to double the effect. The WAC line locks A and B together. This then increases the ratio C and Z are pulled in relation to A and B. The effective ratio becomes A0 B0 C2 Z6 vs diablo line A0 B1 C2 Z6. The difference is Z is always at a higher ratio with the WAC line. With the diablo line eventually C and Z become locked in balance, Z becoming a lower ratio and C higher. There is one other large difference between them, diablo multiples Z more than the rear line pulled and WAC reduces it. The net effect is diablo has slightly better response and requires less bar throw. With R for rearline it can be represented with this ratio for WAC A1 B1 C2 Z4 R4 and for diablo line A0 B1 C2 Z6~ R4. The extra bar throw on a WAC could be looked as a benefit or a negative. It creates a wider stall point at the bar easier to feel and harder to stall. The other benefit is WAC pulls on A making the turns better. And just to reinforce it again at some point the diable line ratios reduce, you are effectively pulling on C and Z as if they were on a locked bridle on the rear of the kite. The WAC does not do this and you continue to get increases in camber till the kite reverses flight. The diablo could reduce the tendency to "backstall" more, but what is actually happening is the kite has lost some of it's ability to reverse and the associated performance near that point. WAC is also much simpler with just a line joining A to B, with even simpler sliding variations possible.
The ratio changes with a WAC are much the same as a diablo line, so combining it with a flatter or negative camber is just as possible. You should also able to combine both together with even more negative camber on the kite.
I have tested WAC with all the previous flysurfer models obviously, but recently with the pyscho4-6, genesis 6 and A15-18. Diablo line only with the pyscho4-6 and genesis, but I think it will work really well with the A15.
You are correct ,as we have discussed, the point were these things engage is interesting. I have found on my flysurfer the all even ABCZ is a critical point to maintain for performance like upwind. Though obviously variations could still be tried. The settings on the mixer are also something that can be adjusted with it as well, as you say change the Z length.
There is a third yet untried mod, I mentioned it before, run an extra set of front lines to connect to the front of the C pulley line independently. Setup on an independent trimmer or placed on a trim system that trims and mixes the two sets of front lines, many trim states on the kite become possible and this can even then still be combined with a WAC and or diablo line
wow. I see applications for racing particularly with this, the 4 front lines could be optimized in strength and drag to be much thinner than just using the regular front line material.