Hi all,
I have recently bought a second hand fat lady without a bar. I have used it about 5 times now with my cabrinah bar and lines. It doesn't feel quite right? My cabrinah Middle lines has a Y quite high up and I think this is lots of the problem. Also are the correct blade lines equal length or are the Middle two shorter? I tried equal and no go so went back to the cabrina which are outside two longer.
Do you think the High Y is my issue? And are the blade lines unequal? Does anyone have a second hand or cheap bar and lines that would be perfect for my fat lady?
Jase
If its not luffing a heap or back stalling the lines are the right length.
your probably just aren't used to a different kite yet
Select to expand quoteRunjase said..
Hi all,
I have recently bought a second hand fat lady without a bar. I have used it about 5 times now with my cabrinah bar and lines. It doesn't feel quite right? My cabrinah Middle lines has a Y quite high up and I think this is lots of the problem. Also are the correct blade lines equal length or are the Middle two shorter? I tried equal and no go so went back to the cabrina which are outside two longer.
Do you think the High Y is my issue? And are the blade lines unequal? Does anyone have a second hand or cheap bar and lines that would be perfect for my fat lady?
Jase
... yes, putting the wrong bar will basically stuff it up!
I tried an Epic Infinity (which is very similar to Fatlady) on a north 4 line bar which has a high Y and it didn't work. Same in reverse, I tried a low Y bar on a North Juice which likes a high Y and it didn't feel right either, unless of course your after that sort of thing. With a high Y bar on the Infinity, it pivot turned much tighter but it also lost its upwind abilities, and weirdly the same results when I tried the low Y on the North Juice.
Do yourself a favour and chase up the right bar!
Robbie 
I bet you can tune that bar to work fine. You don't know how, find someone who does. It's easy. It aint rocket science, thats for sure.
Even if you think the "Y" effect is somehow mandatory (it aint) it's easy to remove the Y by making 2 extensions that make the leaders equal length to the steering lines. Piece a piss. Rig it up. Or just run the Y. It's all the same. People think theres magic involved. It's a kite. No one even runs the safety **** once you figure it out. 4 lines, suicide leash. Go.
Does anyone know if the blade fat lady lines are different or equal length?
Using my cabrinah bar the kite wants to drop slightly when u park it. And I find I have bar almost right out all time.
Help!
Yes I think the lines are correct however just doesn't sit there wants to drop slightly so I am always stealing up slightly.
I don't think making the lines equal is my answer. I think the high Y is pulling the kite in .
Check your lines if they are stretched.
You might not have noticed using normal kites in normal wind,
now that your using this in light wind any stretch will be far more noticeable
a Y in the lines will change the angle what, 0.5 degrees?
... I'll repeat myself here.
Yes the lines need to be equal and are equal on the original bar when set up correctly.
Yes the Y point will make a difference. The devil is in the details and what might look like 0.5 degrees to you can make all the difference to the kite in how it performs. If you don't care then use the wrong bar, and of course it will fly wrong. Try it for yourself and you'll see its night and day.
The Fatlady doesn't like a high Y bar, it likes a low Y bar.
Step 1, get a low Y bar, then step 2, check all lines are equal length, step 3 tune it to your preferred performances.
Oh and make sure it has the right safety that suits the kite ie get a new blade uni bar,,,,,, thats a great idea.
Simple!
I'm with Puetz, get a bar with the low Y, it makes a difference, the change of angle resulting from the high Y means a greater horizontal force component on the kite LE (via the bridle) changing the tension across the kite (in extreme cases will cause the canopy to significantly change shape making it even worse).
Another vote for a new Blade UniBar.
I fly my 2012 Fat Lady on my 2014 UniBar, no worries at all. Blade's previous bar, the one that came with the Fat Lady, is pretty average. The UniBar is a huge step up, and I use it on everything from Fat Lady to 7m. Yes, both bars have a deep V.
Select to expand quoteblueprint said..
I'm with Puetz, get a bar with the low Y, it makes a difference, the change of angle resulting from the high Y means a greater horizontal force component on the kite LE (via the bridle) changing the tension across the kite (in extreme cases will cause the canopy to significantly change shape making it even worse).
... yes exactly. A high Y on the wrong kite will kind of make the kite iceream cone and definetely fly badly.
I discovered this phenomenun back in 2005 when I got a factory 5 line conversion kits for my Naish bars while using X4's (20m, 16m and a 12m). The original bars had a deep V but the new kits had the Y point much higher and the kites flew like sh!t and I couldn't figure out why until I eventually did by experimenting and putting the Y point lower. Original performance came back so happy days.
The Fatlady was designed for a low V so a low V is whats required.
cheers,
Robbie :)
Select to expand quotePuetz said..
The Fatlady was designed for a low V so a low V is whats required.
cheers,
Robbie :)
And not only that, but a low V allows you to self land it far more easily than a high V.
Select to expand quotesamokta said..
buy a new blade uni bar. They are rad.
Pity the safety jams
Hey Jas,
Looked like your Fatty was going alright at The Big Red Barge kite spot today. I did not stop to ask you if you got your bar sorted out? It appears as though most were commenting here as i suggested to you the other day at kfcs, that the 'Y' on your old 2012/13 bar was to high up possibly for the Fatty. I
would be interested to hear your feedback on what you come up with for it. Cheers-n-winds Kurtis 
Select to expand quoteSTELLA01 said..samokta said..
buy a new blade uni bar. They are rad.
Pity the safety jams
Do you mean once you have released the safety sometimes its hard to pull the safety line back through as its gummed up with sand? I did see a thread somewhere that you can drill out the hole a little bigger.
Hi Curtis, Not sorted as yet but i think the best answer here is to get the uni bar! I think that is what i'll do as the review are very good...
Still i enjoy flying it as is but with the correct bar it should be awesome....
I stayed opt another hour at least when you left..
Select to expand quotesamokta said..STELLA01 said..samokta said..
buy a new blade uni bar. They are rad.
Pity the safety jams
Do you mean once you have released the safety sometimes its hard to pull the safety line back through as its gummed up with sand? I did see a thread somewhere that you can drill out the hole a little bigger.
I saw that thread as well, I actually emailed Blade who sent me their revised swivel, changed it over and still would not release, the flag out line seams to get jammed in the swivel not allowing the kite to flag out. Ended up getting rid of it for an Ozone Bar no problems since.
I haven't had any trouble with it. I have had issues pulling the line back through once released. But only when its covered in sand and im on the beach and self landing. Have released a few times at sea and had no problems resetting the safety.
