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how important is pre-inflation?

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neilhapgood
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how important is pre-inflation?

Postby neilhapgood » Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:47 pm

Hi all,

I am about 8 sessions in with a 12 soul in winds 8 - 14knots, first foil kite.

In terms of launching it I initially starting doing as youtube videos informed me with the kite 90 degress to wind and me about 30 degress upwind before pulling on the bar, however it always seemed? to end up dead downwind of me before it went up so now just launch dead downwind even if not super light, is that OK or a bit risky, I am on an empty ish beach with plenty of room

In terms of pre-inflation the first few sessions I spent some time on this as best I could but it took a while and the bridles needed shaking out again afterwards, so the last few sessions I haven't pre-inflated at all and its gone up OK, do other people do this or have I been lucky and its an accident waiting to happen?

thanks

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby Carlos_C » Thu Oct 04, 2018 4:10 pm

If you are perpendicular to the kite - you can gently raise the downwind tip....you can control the inflation ....you can then move more ito wind and the kite will inflate faster and lift off. I sometime sit down in high winds then to control downwind drag

Ensure the upwind tip is well sanded.

I always pre-inflate

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby neilhapgood » Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:51 pm

Great thanks Carlos, I think I haven't been putting enough sand on the tip so it's not been able to fill sufficiently to take off on edge of window and therefore skipped downwind.

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby Mossy 757 » Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:57 pm

I've found pre-inflation to be most beneficial in stronger winds. If you don't inflate, the wind hitting the bottom skin sort of just collapses the kite on itself, the vents don't get enough pressure to overcome this really, so the kite usually launches and then immediately wraps the wingtips. If you pre-inflate your wingtips, when you go to launch the internal pressure is high enough to get the thing in the air without collapsing.

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby jakemoore » Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:08 pm

More important for a high aspect kite that is likely to twist into a knot. Also it helps more for a side window launch. I usually pre inflate just enough to hold the valves open and do a straight downwind hot launch.

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby baxterbradford » Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:33 pm

I keep meaning to pre inflate my 18m Soul, but normally get too enthusiastic to be on water & just get it in the air without doing so. By nature of size, it is generally being used in lower wind speeds. If next to nothing then hot launch from dead downwind, if it's blowing a bit more then launch from side and as you say, it flies downwind to centre of window and then upwards where the tips soon sort themselves out and inflate.
I have a friend with Sonic Races and he uses a blower powered by drill battery to fully pre-inflate; this he says gives very easy launches. Without this process, he had a number of hassles. I've yet to try it.
Problem with Souls is landing and packing away because they hold the air so well!

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby evan » Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:40 pm

Pre inflation? Never, ever!

With the proper side launch technique I never need it, but that is more of a feeling you must master than something you can explain.
Most important things are properly securing the kite so it doesn't flap around, correct position in the window and always keep the bar close to stalling only let go when fully inflated.

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby plummet » Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:27 am

It's not. Launch and inflate. Hold bar press on while it's inflating.

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby rolfjoosten » Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:56 am

I like you recently bought a Soul 10m which was my first foil kite after the 1999 F-One ATK 2 line foil kite which I loved at the time...
Anyway, the Soul is a really easy to handle and forgiving kite. Just amazing how easy it launches, re launches and how stable it is. I never had it collapse on me yet. When underflying it it just drifts back without any front stall tendency.
The first few launches I pre inflated the kite and launched it from dead downwind as I always did in the old days. Now I don't pre inflate anymore at all. I just tug on the front lines and get the kite off the ground. Keep the bar pulled in to completely inflate it while in the air. This whole process takes only a few seconds. So I think the downwind launch is absolutely safe and no problem in light to medium winds which I use this kite in. In stronger winds I use my Neos....

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Re: how important is pre-inflation?

Postby Kamikuza » Fri Oct 05, 2018 3:06 am

It's not vital but it makes life easier, especially depending on the kite you got.


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