Hi,

Just picked up my new Fuel 13m. Waiting on the 9m. It looks great! It is colour scheme F30 below.

I am busting to get it out on the water so will give an update when I do and post pics.

Also picked up a 132 Lunacy today! This board looks nice. The extra width will be nice for low end and at first glance the rocker looks similar to the old 129, but the extra length gives the tips more lift.

Mmmmmm.

Hopefully people will mistake me for you Dave!

Kite: 2009 Fuel 13m (crap pics below)
Rider: 76kg, Level advanced (or I like to think)
Style: All
Weather: 12 picking up to 20 knots (board - lunacy 129)
Disclosure: (shop/team rider)

Build Quality: Excellent.

Satisfaction: So far very satisfied

My Comments:
Gold Logos are pretty bling. Last Fuels to have gold were the '03's.

Only ridden it once last Friday.
Most notable changes to me on a quick inspection are curved LE wingtip, no split strut and and LE appears fatter than previous years. Also, the '08's had 3 options on front lines and this has 2. Ships on 4 line bar with below the bar clip for safety to a front line like the Rev. I will most likely use this for launch and land and ride suicide most of the time. Running out the lines the fronts are thicker than the backs - 800lb. One front line appears longer than the other but this is due to the safety having a bungee at the bar. Pumped to 8PSI on the gauge but don't trust the readings. Felt OK up on the grass but when I got it on the beach thought I should have pumped it up a bit harder.

I have flown with below the bar depower for 2 yrs so no issues with it. Just sometimes need to do a quick turn downwind to pull it on. The grip felt harder than last seasons, but is comfy and looks like the letters won't come off so easily.

The struts either side of the centre strut appear to have been moved out toward the tips. In the air the frame looked and felt more rigid in the centre section than 07/08 despite being 4 line.

Thought I'd try an "SLE" style beach launch (sand the tip of my Fuels usually). This worked very well - kite turned onto it's side and launched easily (did fold over slightly but a pump on the bar opened it up and it was OK. Wind was light and I was going downwind until it picked up a bit. I rigged using the 2nd pigtail on the front, same knots front and back out of the bag. Kite felt great, was well balanced and had good power for the wind strength. Felt good unhooked and I didn't need any trim to unhook in the light stuff - no stalling.

I changed to the front pigtail as the wind picked up and the turning is faster on the front pigtail. Not sure how much more power there is on the rear pigtail - will test more. I expect it to be a bit more power with less depower and slower turning. I will likely end up riding on the front for the faster turning. On '07 and '08 Fuels I always rode the 2nd attachment as I found the front a bit gutless (good for the waves). By the end of the session I was pretty powered, could have gone to a 9m.

Relaunch: I didn't put it in the water and will test next session and report back.

More to come as I get out on it more - and when I get the 9m (I think it's on it's way). Also still need to get out on the new Lunacy.

James

I didn't get a choice in colour, but did ask not to get the same as 2 other guys in Melb. Get F1 or F10!!!

I had an '07 black & white that looked sick.

I'll do some relaunch testing from the front line safety (will be interesting as there is no stopper) and from suicide this week.

James

Ok, had 2 more sessions on the 13m. Not massively powered at first. I'd say from under 15 knots up to 18 or so today. Was on the Lunacy 132 (that is another thread to come).

Had a ball. I really like this kite. With the 132 I think I'll get as good if not better low end than my '07 15m.

Was riding suicide. Tried a few tricks that ended up with me and kite in the water. So I got to try the relaunch. Easy as. Pull on a rear leader and the kite lifts a tip out of the water and sits on the other tip - steer it up and you are off. It was that easy. In fact a couple of times it turned over ready to relaunch as soon as I'd grabbed the bar and hadn't hooked in.

See link below - it was that easy. Not sure how little wind it will do this in....

Still haven't tried releasing to the front line reride and relaunching from that. Will also try reverse.



James

So far upwind is good. The 13 likes to be edged against and depending on the conditions can take a bit of technique. Haven't got my 9m yet but from watching a mate with one the 9 rips upwind just like previous years.

HAven't tried the pro bar but it is essentially like the '04 bar set up with 20m 800lb lines - so less depower, locked adjustable stopper, above the bar depower cleat.

I have an '04 bar set up on 20m lines and it is heaps of fun - but I don't ride it much.

Hector said...

Whats the 09 13m Fuel like for riding waves?

Don't know but I'd think you'd be better off with a smaller kite. The low end on the 9m appears great (I kite with a guy who has one) and the 13m is pretty grunty. To ride waves I'd be on something smaller.

Fuel is really great main thing you have to learn in goign to a c is the water relaunch.. Totally different..
But not that hard if your a confidnet rider and knwo what your doing..
I manged on the weekend to relaunch my fuel really easily repeated when there was almost no wind, and gusty with out the fifth line as new one deosn't come with it..
just pull in front line and then the opposite outside line and I had my kite in the air faster then Andy yates on his 08's in 5 liine..

Depower is good - won't be what you are used to on a switchblade, but if you get the right size for your conditions you'll be OK. The 13 m has a lot of power - think I've had it out to about 20 knots so far. You need to also use your edging and board speed to control the power.

I have never been too good at riding bow style kites as I tend to power them up and edge too hard stalling then and making them really heavy on the bar.

Just might take some getting used to.

Got my 9m yesterday - same colour as my 13m (sorry Dave). Looks good. Here are some pics:

So - who has these in stock? I'm in Sydney and would love to get my hands on an 11m...

Thanks Axis. I ordered an 11m today which should arrive by the end of the week

Axis - what knots do you use for your outside and center lines for the Fuel? My 11m is oversheeting horribly - i put it on the 2nd knot on the pigtail for all 4 lines.

Thanx

jimmyck said...

Axis - what knots do you use for your outside and center lines for the Fuel? My 11m is oversheeting horribly - i put it on the 2nd knot on the pigtail for all 4 lines.

Thanx

Hi Jimmy,

I use the same knot front and back (usually the shortest). I haven't had issues with oversheeting on the 13m or 9m. Set like this I still need to pull a touch of trim in to unhook even if it is light. If it is nuking like yesterday's northerly I rig the front lines a knot or two shorter than the back. Didn't need to adjust anything out of the bag. Are your lines perfectly even?

I also use the front attachment on the kite. Have used the rear attachment on the 13m but haven't played with it too much.

Hey Matt, F21 would be nice. Just dry the kite out or don't leave it packed up wet for long as I find the black can discolour the rest of the kite, and white is most susceptible.

I am so impressed with the relaunch. Downed my 13m last Sat a lot trying a new move and often by the time I pulled the bar in the kite was up on its side ready to go. I am riding suicide. Still haven't tried relaunching from the front line below the bar safety. Can anyone report on this?

See ya,
James

HowieD said...

Just a quick note to anyone considering the Fuel. The relaunch is friggen amazing.

relaunch on 13m and 9m is awesome too. Had 1 issue relaunching the 9m underpowered, ended up trying to put it on its back and it flipped and folded on itself. A mate kited by a few times and unfolded it, then it relaunched.

Are you riding suicide? I am, and still haven't tried the CSS safety on the water - I use it for landing.

Am thinking about getting this year's fuel but have heard that people are constantly replacing the trim rope that goes through the bar. Havent seen any forum comments on this but now they have been out for a while - what do the fuel owners think about the wear? I know some have even switched back to last year's bar and made other mods?

Hey I'll remember this next time you loose your board ...

Yeah you don't kite enough with me

And yeah i found my chicken loop rope wearing really quick as i found the rope was too thick going through the hole, so i have modded it to the old style chicken loop with depower above the bar, good times now