I have been sold the fuse " an ideal option" apparently, for my 40kg 10 yr old son. The kite is all quality and flies like nothing else in stronger winds but in 15-18kn winds it flies like a pig. It back stalls is unresponsive to any steering input and in general very hard work. I have been kiting for 5 yrs and have sailed all my life (40 long hard taxing yrs) so I am fairly fluent with any tuning technics. We have tried the different settings but I feel that this may not be the right kite for the lighter winds especially for a learner. Anyone, any advice would be gratefully received.
try a north buzz .i have had my 12 year old daughter out on a 7.5 and she ways in at 35kgs wet .kite flys in 15knts and get the 20mtr bar an lines.or a north neo in 5 or 7 mtr.she is up and riding///fuses in that size dont fly in under 20knts
Thanks rhinoman
I was starting to doubt myself. But you have said exactly what several others have, including a former freestyle world champ.
What frigging pisses me off the most is I bought this kite, brand new, with my son at my side and all relevent info on his skills expessed in full. All aspects of the kite are faultless probably the best quality kite I have seen but I shelled out more then I originally had planed, on the supposed expert advice of the store owner. Makes me wonder what his motivation was. $$$$ maybe. Could be wrong, maybe.
Take it back to the shop & swap it for a kite that,s more suitable, I think most reputable shop,s would do this if they have any better options.
I love the rebels but would you want a learner with a 5 th line. Not matter what they say they can cause problems if not used properly. Go the north buzz mate it is designed for what you are trying to do. The rebel is very powerful. Yeh go the buzz.
why are people suggesting the rebel? the small rebel will fly the same as the fuse.. in my experience with rebels and fuse's they are heavy kites most likely due to the build quality (even more so the fuse with an extra 2 seems in the LE (and even more so the 2011 with all the zips n crap on the struts)) they are built strong for wave riding and the small kites are just that.. for wave riding, not for young-ens in light breeze.
I am 48kgs and have a 2011 4m and 2010 6m evo and both still fly nicely below their stated wind range. I can ride comfortably at 20knots on the 4 and 17knots on the 6. There is a 4m for sale in Margaret river - I spoke to the guy who is selling it and he told me so many great things about it, I bought a brand new one. His son has been using it and is now the national junior wave champion I think! You probably should consider a 5-6m for the wind range you mentioned, but the 4m does have a lot of power for it's size. Might be worth a call to him to check how much wind he uses it in - he also said he can ship it anywhere. I had my 4m evo out the other day and it was still flying when the wind died and my boyfriends 7m rebel was dropping out of the sky. They have left out the heavy stuff like battens and one pump system so it will fly in lighter wind than you would think. It is very difficult to back stall the evo, is way more forgiving than the rebel if you oversheet and relaunch is super easy. Can't speak for fuse as I haven't tried, but probably very similar to rebel? You can use 4 or 5 lines on the evo.
Yes the evo would be a good choice to. Designed by their best engineer as well. Very easy relaunch as well.
Hi guys my son is 40 kgs now, and has been kiting for 3 years ( had a 5 mtr fuse last year with 5th line), the fuse works better for kids becuase its slower than the rebell and i preferr a 5th line for kids because its safer ,but a 7 or 9 would be better for his weight (my sons riding a 9 neo now with 5th line and hes had it up in 20knots )
Main thing is to take him out some where with lots of room, in shallow water and in the right wind ( not in dodgey wind when its to light for you to kite ) We go out to lake weyba or DI unsually.
Have fun
George
