Hey guys,
I've had a chance to fly the 7.5m a fair bit in the surf and have been stoked with it, have been hanging out to try the 5.5m for ages.
Well I finally got a shot on Tim's 5.5m Generator up at Lancelin on Sundat just been. Wind was maybe 22 knots(just right for the 7m vapor and skim/surfboard at 80kg).
We decided to chuck it on the 38cm pulleybar just for ****s and giggles.
It actually worked really well, was super quick and smooth through the air but not twitchy, instant power delivery when turning. We only rode it on the skimboard with the pulleybar and it was surprisingly easy to stay upwind etc. even without any depower.
Would be an epic kite in the surf, always where you want it and no delay in power delivery.
Thanks
Matt
How much useable depower do the Generators have and what is the feel / feedback like on the bar ?
Hi Rick,
On the bar they have a similar depower throw to most c-kites but the way you ride them you are able to swing it through the power zone and sheet out like you would with a hybrid kite to receive very little depower.
The reason this is possible is most guys will ride a size smaller than usual, so that there is almost no pull at all when the kite is parked in one spot, they then use the kites ability to be sined and generate/make its own power while rideing a surfboard.
I don't think you can get anymore feedback from the bar than what you get on the generator. It's a c-kite with square tips and batterns in the wingtip, so max. feedback and instant response.
Definetly worth a shot if you enjoy moveing the kite around and are always chaseing a faster kite for the surf, but if you prefer to park and ride then a hybrid will better suit your needs.
Definately a killer kite and an awsome setup with the pulley bar. Just spent two days of wave riding with the 5.5 Generator and 6'4" Converse. In solid overhead and 20+ knots it was an awsome combo. The best things about this kite is that you can fly the kite (and I mean whip it across the window on top and bottom turns) with one hand, unhooked. There are not many out there that are sensitive enough, yet still have really managable power delivery to make this practical or possible.
Hey Simon what sort of pulley bar did you use and where did you get it?
Keen to not learn the mistakes of others and you seem to have it nailed!
Hey Lance,
Most shops probably still have some pulley bars kicking around.
You're best bet to start with would be to start unhooking in the surf and seeing how you go as that is what simonm is doing(the pulley bar just makes it easier).
BTW Simon how do you have your safety setup? Mines just on a single side line but its pretty dodgey,
Thanks
Matt
Howdy,
Firstly, as Vishy said, make sure that you are very comfortable with unhooked riding before launching with a pulley bar.
Mostly I use the 38cm Airush pulley bar or the Airush "da Best" pulley bar. The "da Best" bar is probably my preference, but standard Airush pulley bar is the better choice as a first foray into pulley bars. I have also tried a Liquid Force pulley bar (which was crap because the depower strap was on the pulley line) and have used the 40 or 42 cm Best pulley bar heaps as well. The Best bar is great, but maybe a bit twitchy on the 5.5m kite. Basically, I source the bars from anywhere I can find them for less than $50US. Real kiteboarding used to sell the Best bar complete for $20US which was an absolute steal. The Best bar comes with a fixed mono harness line. For the Airush bars I usually buy the Airush swivel mono harness line with the quick release. Unfortunately I don't have a current cheap source and have reconditioned a couple of older bars to keep me going. I know that Airbourne (or Auswind) in Perth has both the bars and harness lines in stock, but the price is not as competative as OS.
For safety I always rig a front line flag line using two stainless rings just above the depower strap. I know most would put the flat line on a rear line, however I prefer the front line as you can clip into the flag line and use the leash to help with the opposing front line/rear line relaunch method. The front flag line also works better for self landing (ie if you are unhooked you can basically fly the kite gently towards the ground then just let go of the bar to get it to drop nicely onto the ground). I always launch and land unhooked with the leash clipped into the flag line. If I am on or near land, I will clip into the flag line and unhook. When on the water I will usually switch to suicide. In big surf I will usually forgoe the leash as the kite is cactus if it goes down in front of a big wave. The unhooked flag line combo has worked really well as a safety system for me in the past. In fact only a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting on the beach with the kite in the air when I got buzzed by one of the lifesaving helicopters. I didn't really pay much notice to the helicopter until a few seconds after it passed the kite instantly went insane and got ripped out of my hands and flagged out on the safety line. Can't say that I would have been to keen to be hooked into any kite with that kind of surprise gust.
Good luck if you give it a go. It is a bloody fun setup on those small Generators.
Cheers,
Simon.
Yep, can't fault em myself. Great wave riding kite and top shelf for freestyle. The most stable "C" shape kite from Airush yet. Excellent in gusty conditions and handles high wind pretty well too (i.e good range)
check out the "buy sell section" to see how many are for sale. The notable absence of 2nd hand ones will tell you something.
Iv been riding the 7.5 the last few day and im in lov such a good kite i would recomend trying these kite they are just soo good for freestyle and waves!
