ozone bar throw and short arms?

[warbs]

Hello,

 

Was out at old hunny on Saturday afternoon teaching my daughter to board start. there wasn't a lot of wind, so she was using an 2012 11m edge.

 

I was intending to get her a catalyst so we could share bars, however now I've seen her flying the edge, she struggles to let the bar out very far without having to bend a long way. I'd say in a good stance she could maybe allow the bar out 6 inches or so.

 

Any ideas on how to deal with this? I'm not aware the bar is really adjustable.

 

 

cheers

 

Chris

[Andy-j]

by her a girls bar?

 

Overdrive 1X Siren - Cabrinha Kiteboarding 2014 Season

[yorkshireboy]

I can give you an informed answer here as I've been trying to teach my 12yo daughter on a 6m Catalyst.

 

There are 2 problems with this:

 

1. The bar throw is a real pain, there's no stopper so you can't shorten it. When her arms are fully strectched out the bar is still pretty much all the way in.

 

2. Small inflatable kites are generally designed for adults in stronger winds. In the light winds I felt safe for teaching, it's a pain to keep it in the air and relaunch it, needs a lot of bar input to keep it flying and it turns really fast (not ideal for a beginner).

 

So I ended up getting a 6m flysurfer Viron instead, which she can use until she cracks board starts. The thing practically flies itself, auto relaunch, shorter bar throw and pretty much indestructible. I'm already at the point where I'm confident to give her a board as it's very tame and not fast turning for a small kite, but has plenty of pull for a child body dragging or starting on the board.

 

I was confident enough to let her body drag around on her own with it (with the catalyst I was running about chasing after her in a panic every time she got aggressive with the kite). In about an hour of flying she only crashed it once, and it went straight back up on it's own

 

And a final plus is that it flies in about 6 knots!

 

Edit: Just realized you didn't say how old your daughter was. If she's 18 and already at board starts then the Viron probably isn't what you need

Edited July 9, 2014 by yorkshireboy

[warbs]

Thanks for that - it's interesting. She's nearly 15, and board starting.

 

I know exactly what you mean about trying to keep up with a body dragging child who's purposefully bouncing across the surface of the water! The first time it happened to me I thought the kite was out of control and was yelling "release", only for her to stop after 100m or so, stand up and turn round with a grin big enough to be mistaken for the entrance to the channel tunnel

 

Her kite skills are fine, I like ozone kites because they're so docile until you actually fly them purposefully. So I'm thinking an 8m cat will cover up to about 20 knots, much above which it's going to be too windy for a novice generally.

 

I also have JN kites, and the switchcraft bar allows you to adjust the throw at the expense of depower. I suppose with a bit of thought and education around trading bar travel with the amount of depower needing to be locked on via the cleat, that'd probably work better.

 

Hmmm, think I've answered my own question...

 

cheers

 

Chris

[kitesurfandy]

mmm ozone edge docile ! NOT ! they have have long depower so you can kill the power , when it becomes to aggressive

[warbs]

Was teaching board starts to a lightweight with an 11m edge, then went for a blast myself...

 

Could never have done both of those things in the same conditions on an 11m prima Donna (c kite)

 

The power delivery on every ozone I've ever flown is just so smooth and progressive....and they remain predictable when overpowered. Perhaps docile's the wrong word...

[yorkshireboy]

I know exactly what you mean about trying to keep up with a body dragging child who's purposefully bouncing across the surface of the water! The first time it happened to me I thought the kite was out of control and was yelling "release", only for her to stop after 100m or so, stand up and turn round with a grin big enough to be mistaken for the entrance to the channel tunnel

 

haha exactly. She's off wanging the kite around dragging downwind in huge jumps and I'm legging it up the beach in a fit of panic thinking she's out of control. Only to get there and she's grinning all over wanting to do it all again!

[yorkshireboy]

First try in light wind (was about 10mph)

 

[Andy-j]

so you can kill the power , when it becomes to aggressive

 

Thats like never then.

[StarKitesUK]

Ask Marc, but I think that Epic do a specific Kite and Bar for young guns.

[Andy-j]

EPIC Kites / Products / Junior Pro

[C00KIE]

I found that removing the chicken loop allows an extra 4 inches of bar throw. A cabin ha bar can clip straight on to hook and release as normal if you pull the safety. Worked well for my lad. Only needed for a few months till they can edge hard to kill power.

[vibro100]

My lad went out on the water for the first time when he was 12. He is now 14 and kiting with me.

He learnt on RRD as that's what i was flying at the time.

He had the same problem with the bar throw, myself and Lewis crathern, (mainly Lewis), modded a RRD bar for him.

 

We unsrewed the depower rope that was attached to the trimmer strap and shortened the throw.

What ever length you shorted it by then needs to be added at the kite, so we made up some longer pigtales.

 

Worked a treat. He is now using a standard adults RRD Global bar

[vibro100]

The new 2014 North trust bar can be adjusted in under a couple of seconds.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UiwwpDq2sU

 

4.23 shows you how.

[ichabod]

An interesting discussion even for adults with shorter reach. The North bar does allow adjustment but at the end of the day the total throw is always going to be limited i.e (arm reach - chicken loop length). What people with shorter arms need is a more compact chicken loop and release mechanism and the shortest possible harness hook.. Also making sure the harness is tight and lowish on the body will bring the whole thing closer.

[yorkshireboy]

We unsrewed the depower rope that was attached to the trimmer strap and shortened the throw.

What ever length you shorted it by then needs to be added at the kite, so we made up some longer pigtales.

 

It's probably obvious, but just in case anyone is going to do this.. Be aware the amount of depower available at the bar will be reduced by whatever length you shorten it by.

[vibro100]

True, having said that when i flew it i never noticed the difference.

[balugh]

 

We've started using this little React kite from OR and it's really nice. Very much a 'starter'. The bag turns into a waist harness. Well made. Flys in surprisingly light winds too. Could quite happily put it in the hands of a small person or child and pretty much let them get on wih it (within reason).

[ady]

Chris, can't remember was she using a waist harness? Seat harness connects lower so not so much of a stretch. And what about pulling the depower cleat in a little and fitting a stopper ball to reduce useable travel on the bar without giving her too much power?

Is she riding yet ? She must be close from seeing her last week.

[warbs]

Hello Ady,

 

She was using a waist harness. I've got an ozone race bar too, which has about 3 miles of depower, whereas the standard bar has about 6 inches! so I'll take a closer look at that and see if it's a better fit.

 

Even with all of that though, the size of the chicken loop and attachment combined with the spreader is probably where the best gain would be made.

 

We were at branny yesterday at low tide, it was supposed to be raining and still....it was sunny and windy enough and lagooney, she was riding 10-20m at a time on the 11m edge again and then I was riding it powered with a door, incredible kite! and we had the bay to ourselves too!

 

The only downside was relaunch, not that it wouldn't....just a bit too much of snatch for a small body in a 6 inches of water, but once the kite was flying, it was perfectly behaved

[ady]

That's good mate. Edges relaunch deeper in the window so if it's snatching she's probably peeling it of the water too early. Try letting wing tip stay on the water until it's right on the edge,,should be much more controllable.

Just bought my old kites back so will be out soon,,,,,,I hope !