Forums > Kitesurfing General

Kite Stalling

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Created by saffieboy > 9 months ago, 4 Jan 2008
saffieboy
SA, 222 posts
4 Jan 2008 9:38PM
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Hi I am just learning and have recently got a 9 meter '07 North Rebel. The first time I flew it all was great, it pulled really well (in about 20 knot wind). But today in 13 to 14 it kept stalling. There were other kites about that were flying fine, so I don't think it is the wind. One time it fell down to the ground pretty much vertical from above my head. Other times it would fly ok for a while and then just stall.
I double checked the line and all was ok.
Is there something I missed???

Saffieboy

Charl dv
WA, 2485 posts
4 Jan 2008 8:42PM
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hey mate. kites are harder to stall in stronger winds than they are in lighter winds.. 13 - 14 is very light for a 9m. you might have the kite set up with too much back line tension, this means where you connect the lines on the kite, maybe move it one knot AWAY from the kite on the back lines or move it one knot closer to the kite on the front lines. this should sort the problem out.

poor relative
WA, 9105 posts
4 Jan 2008 8:44PM
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OK

The 9 07 out of the bag needed a bit of fine tuning to set it right.
If you follow this here in pics and words then you will find a whole new kite open up to you.
The difference is incredible

www.southcentralkiteboarders.com/rebeltune.html

A few threads from last year will help you as well

try here
http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2334343

here
www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2334259&highlight=

here
www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2333835&highlight=

If you live in Perth and are overwhelmed PM me and i can sort it all out for you with minimum of fuss.

saffieboy
SA, 222 posts
4 Jan 2008 10:33PM
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Thanks Guys, both make sense and I will try both! Thank you very much.
I did buy it second hand though poor relative.

And Charl Dv, I did think of the 'less wind thing' but there was another beginner also flying his 9 meter '07 Rebel just up the beach from me and his seemed fine.
Cheers

Charl dv
WA, 2485 posts
4 Jan 2008 9:22PM
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yeah then it might just be set up with too much back line tension. try moving aroudn the knots a bit and it should be alright, with the lighter winds its easier to back stall..

saffieboy
SA, 222 posts
4 Jan 2008 10:56PM
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thanks Charl

So basically I want the front of the kite a bit higher and the back of the kite lower in relation to each other. To catch more wind!

Will play around with it! Cheers!!

Charl dv
WA, 2485 posts
4 Jan 2008 9:31PM
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kinda.. you got the idea right btu it wont catch more wind.. itl just change the angle the sail is sitting in the wind.. with too much back line tension there comes a point where the air travels at equal speeds over both the top and bottom of the sail.. this is where the stalling begins. if you look at how a wing produces lift with air moving over it, and the different airspeeds traveling over both bottom and top surfaces creating positive or negative lift. wel basically too much backline pressure can create a negative lift which causes the ktie to fall out of the sky. even pulling a bit of depower in on the trim cleat can help sometimes.

kitecrazzzy
WA, 2184 posts
4 Jan 2008 10:30PM
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did it stall as in fly backwards or fall straight to the ground?

Slack
WA, 685 posts
4 Jan 2008 11:41PM
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PR,

I have just bought a 9m Rebel 07 kite too and I am looking at the tips from the southercentralkiteboarders. In effect it looks like you shorten the front lines by ~30mm via the extra pig tail knot to lengthen the 5th line and then also shorten the steering lines by 3.5knots which is say about 150mm. Then if I check the line lengths with the iron heart up to the bar and the cleat full power the steering lines will be ~150mm shorter. Is that correct?

Thanks
Slack

poor relative
WA, 9105 posts
4 Jan 2008 11:50PM
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Yeah i think so.
If you follow the instructions to the latter then you will be ok.
I did and my rebel went from mediocre to incredible

Everything the guy posts is how my rebel flew out of the bag.

saffieboy
SA, 222 posts
5 Jan 2008 3:38PM
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Hi Kitecrazzzy

It would sort of drop backwards a bit (with the lines still straight) then from there pretty much just drop down.

Saffieboy

dave......
WA, 2119 posts
5 Jan 2008 2:20PM
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I think the line lengths are probably fine. I say it's technique. In 13-14 knots on a 9m rebel it is easy to stall the kite by not letting the kite breathe. Pulling the bar in is not the answer in light winds. Try sheeting out a little when the kite is turning up and sheet all the way in on the down stroke. Kitespeed will compensate for the lack of square meters. Rebels fly fine in light winds if kept a little lower than normal with quick turns to generate kitespeed at around 9:30-10:45. Keeping the kite higher in the sky like you would on a bow style is not the sweet spot.

surfingboyo
QLD, 318 posts
5 Jan 2008 3:49PM
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dave, that makes two of us. i totally agree with ya

pintofpale
SA, 229 posts
6 Jan 2008 12:04PM
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if she starts to stall just remember push the bar away. If it looks like its going to drop out of the sky a bit of a tug on the front lines can sometimes save you..Try not to fly it vertically above your head or you might over fly the wind window. Keep it to one side.

saffieboy
SA, 222 posts
6 Jan 2008 3:40PM
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I Tried both. I Flew it at 10, and at 12 and kept moving around aswell.
I pushed the bar away when It stalled aswell. Will be out again later today and try all the tips and trick you all posted.

Thanks for the help.



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"Kite Stalling" started by saffieboy