you'd be the 1st person that has ever said I'm not bitchy!!!!! (I mean ever!! In my whole life)

Hey chook, I'm relatively new at this sport and have both a new bow-style SLE and some older (read: cheaper) c-kites.

As some others have said, particularly for learning, bows/SLE's are definitely safer due to the amount of depower they have on-tap. Take, for example, one time I ran aground in shallow water and ended up on my butt on a sand-bar. Thanks to the depower in my bowkite, i was able to turn the power off very quickly and save myself some pain. Had that happened with my c-kite I would have taken a serious spanking as pushing my arm out to depower the kite would have had much less effect and the energy would have been dissapated solely by my contact with the sand and water

The first time I flew my (2005 model) 9m c-kite was ~25kts and it was positively scary getting into the water as I didn't have the depower I was used to, and I would estimate I could have held my 11m bow a little more comfortably in the same conditions. Cliche'd images of people getting lofted inland were running through my head and I couldn't get into that water fast enough.

Bottom line: my bow takes less effort to fly, but I prefer the feeling and tend to have more fun on my c-kite (even though my body takes more punishment). Take it for what you think it's worth as I haven't been doing this for very long.
I reckon though that I'd have spent alot more time relaunching the kite as an absolute beginner if I was using a c-kite, and in hindsight may have got myself really hurt.

Hey chook, is your kite the 5 line version? If not, look into retrofitting a 5th line to it. It makes relaunching and safety release a lot more 'manageable'. I learned on 4-line high aspect C-kites. Relaunch was a royal PITA, until I put DIY 5th lines on them. What a difference that makes!! If you crash the kite, just haul on the 5th line until the kite rolls over. No need to knacker yourself swimming like crazy to get the kite to roll

If you use the 5th line as your safety, it's the same thing. Instead of the bar sliding up one line and the kite spiralling (and normally tangling your lines up), it slides up the 5th line (to a stopper) and the kite falls to the water in the relaunch position.

Give me a shout if you want me to elaborate on any of this.

thanks knickers. I can uderstand why ppl are so passionate about it, and I guess, "to each their own" like you say it's all about perceptions and preferences

What is a C kite, do you mean "sea".

NICE PICS cwamit!!!!! Now I am REALLY pumped!!!! If he can be like that in less than a season, can't see why I can't (except for the fact I may be just a little clumsy and unco-ordinated) But we all start somewhere and like I said b4, I can't wait to be going at it like the rest of you guys!!!!!

cwamit said...

mytchook said...

thanks knickers. I can uderstand why ppl are so passionate about it, and I guess, "to each their own" like you say it's all about perceptions and preferences

you'll be right mate on c's , might get spanked a little harder though but you will learn to hold a tight edge way faster than those learning on the high depower kites, will make you a better kiter faster - we have a local lad learnt last season down here on north busters C kite - its fun watching him ride these days - real powered up .

CHECK HIM OUT - He was out on his 14 meter buster in about an average 20 knot wind. Not bad for someone thats been kiting less than a season!







Back on topic...

C kites aren't more dangerous than any kite out there really - or let me put it another way - all kites can be lethal - its all about the person controlling the bar, looking after your gear and going out in the right conditions for the kite range and your level of progression.

So good on you for asking questions about safety of bows and c kites.

I learnt on bow kites - way easier because of the de-power and the larger wind range to ride in so I am not bashing one kite type or the other. Just adding my own personal perspective

Have fun bud - you too will get passionate about the sport once you're fully (un)hooked!

I totally agree, finally someone's getting the point of it. It doesn't matter if you have a C, bow or hybrid it's how you control it that makes it dangerous. I also don't agree when people say "Ohhh I was about to crash so I just let go of the bar and HOPED (because it was a bow or whatever) that the depower would do the job for me". Same with safety systems. Some people go to fast, get too close to the beach and they do what they've been told by so many, pull the quick-release... Why not actually learn how to control the kite properly and that way get yourself out of the jam.

And yes kitehard I did read you do help learners out on their eq... but did you read my thread? It said (like yours) after they have sufficient skills in flying kites (read: they have spent money on your lessons)

And chook, don't worry if you're bitchy or rude on this forum, it's all part of the fun and jargong here Also the fact that alot of guys here really really WANT to belive their newer kites are sooooo much safer/better/faster/more depower (for some reason, placebo?). I've only flown a hybrid for a few months now, before that only C-kites and I've never had any problems with depower, safety issues or anything like that... Funny huh... So don't be worried if you don't have the newest, latest, flashiest gear, you'll still be fine I assure you..

Same issue, different instructor.

I sold two "C" kites to a beginner a month or two ago. This included a 2006 13m Fuel with 5th line bar.

I only sold them on the basis of his assurances he would have lessons before he tried to fly the kite. Given he would be learning on the instructor's kites, I also offered to spend an hour or so with him to help set up the kite and go through safety/relaunch. (I have seen enough idiots end up in trees trying to fly kites with no idea).

Anyway, he has now completed the lessons and rang me to arrange my time to help set-up, etc. However, apparently he says the instructor told him that the kite is "unsafe"!

Now this has already been commented on above, but how on earth is a 2006 Fuel unsafe???? !!!!
Was it unsafe when released in 2006?
Does this mean the 2008 Fuel is unsafe?
Does this mean all 5th line C kites are unsafe?

pfft

Yeah no that's a REAL sweet deal. They'll give us 500 bucks off on a new vapor! That way i ONLY have to pay about 1500 bucks for a new vapor, what a fantastic deal.

And what's this with "However, on some older 'C' kites, the safety systems were not up to scratch or no longer in working order. These are the kites that you see sold super cheap or on Ebay that more often than not end up in the hands of a newbie trying to get a cheap entry point into the sport."

My kite is on ebay for 300 bucks and I still haven't been able to sell it even though it's in great shape, not a single repair or damage ever to it, comes complete with bar and fully working safety system! What does that mean not up to scratch? Doesn't that mean that they weren't as good as they could get back then? Cause you can't possible suggest we compare the safety system they had then with the ones that are implemented in todays (ridiculous) bars/kites.. It's like saying a car from before they had airbags, stability control, ABS brakes and all that is unsafe just because those features didn't exist back then...

Bottomline is that people got around fine in those cars/on those kites back in the day and it's not like people were dying left and right every other day. In fact I'm sure there are more injuries now with all these "super-safe" kites that basically fly/relaunch/depower themselves..

ta canuk!!!!!