Slingshot Link

[Still Air]

I have recently bought a 07 12m Link...after reading all the reports it seemed an ideal step on the water from years of landboarding with arcs. The first outing was Friday at Camber Sand, the wind was full on shore and about 10 mph...the kite was on the four line set up and did not fly well and stalled on several occasions nose first and was not nice to fly. The second outing was today at Camber Sands, on shore wind at about 15 mph, which is in the middle of its wind range, the kite did the same thing, hard to launch, stalled nose first. After adjusting the stopper, so the kite was semi powered up all the time, it seemed to fly a little better, however the crowning glory was it stalled again nose first, slammed into the sea and would not relaunch.

 

Is it inherent problem with the kite or is the set up wrong...Can anyone help please.

[JohnDave]

sounds too little wind to me.

 

My 12m waroo will fly in 10mph but not pull really and needs to keep moving in the window to stop it stalling. In 15mph it will pull lightly but still not quite enough to be kitesurfing properly. 15 -20mph and it's getting going, 20 - 30 it's proper lit and 30 + it's just hanging on.

 

Try it in about 20mph and don't fly it overhead or out the side of the window.

[pierre]

there must be a problem with your set up.

Slingshot would not sale a kite that csna t fly properly, would they ?

 

tow points:

-check the line lenght

-is the kite inflated properly

 

Also, SLE need to breath when flying so you might want to push the bar a bit so that the kite speeds up.

 

I have seen quiet a few link at camber on saturday ask a guy flying one next time or an experience kiter that might be able to find the proiblem.

[s29feb]

Is the bridle red?

[paulie_amoose]

Is the bridle red?

 

Yup, that is most important question....

 

Orignal black bridle had some incorrect lenght lines causing the kite to have some serious stability issues.

 

Red bridle was ment to have solved these issue's but it still not a light wind kite.

[alastairy2k]

Slingshot would not sale a kite that csna t fly properly, would they ?

 

Yes, the Link

[Still Air]

The bridel is the new red style and have been fly Blades, Frenzy,s, Venoms for the past 5 years so I think I can fly most kites...However Alastairy2K what can you tell me.

 

PS, After giving up with my Link I had a good outing on a friends North 12m Rebel...Im thinking I may have to change?

[paulie_amoose]

Here is the original issue..

 

http://www.surf-sales.com/news_detail.asp?NewsID=30

 

Speak to those guys...

 

Surf Sales are the Slingshot UK Importer, I think they are based in Kent so not far from you.

[Still Air]

Thanks for that Paulie_amoose, that bridel is a red type and set up as the diagram suggests...I just wonder if there is still a problem?

[paulie_amoose]

I know that some people have commented on it's stability in light winds, but other than that I dont know.

 

I would have word with the importer dude. You could PM a guy called GRF on kiteboarder.co.uk. He is actually the importer.

[alastairy2k]

Wind wasn't that light yesterday, I was lit on a 12.5m Ion2, other friends were out on 9m T2s, 9m Waroo and 11m Fuel.

 

Still Air - were you on the yellow & white Link?

[Still Air]

Yes I was...you proberly saw me slam the kite into the sea twice before giving up... After this I was up boarding on a friends 12m Rebel and then on my brothers 16m Venom...We had an absolute blast on Saturday with 10m Vortex's as the wind was 25-40mph. I hope this just shows I'm not a newbie and do know what I'm doing normaly.

[BristolBoy]

Mate - not sure why you're having these problems.... I have a 12m Link and it's probably one of the most stable kites I've ever used. The wind has been gusty of late, sure that this wasn't the problem?

 

I've found that my kite needs about 15 knots to keep it steady although I've flown in marginal 10/12 knots and not had a problem. Try to set it up and launch it on 'all standard' settings i.e. middle knot on all the pig tails (f & r) and the sheeting pulled halfway in. If it still stalling and falling down then there's possibly something wrong with your line lengths... maybe your front lines are too short. You can then go on the nearest (to you) setting on (kiteside) pigtails for the front lines and see if you get a bit more stability and grunt that way.

 

You don't want to get to a point where your rear lines are too slack. The kite is probably in it's least stable setting this way and your likely to get the wind hitting the top of the canopy and hence the 'falling out of the sky' scenario. I've found the kite works really well with back-lines tense - so you can still feel the pull of the kite and still steer it reasonably well. Don't be afraid to use the stopper gizmo as it's really a neat design - you will still have the safety of the CL release as well if you need it.

 

It's not a low wind kite but there again, it's not much different to any other kite. It does take a little while to get used to though. I found that if you sheet in nearly fully and work the kite (in low winds this is) until you're up on the plane and beginning to edge the kite has loads of power. Once you've started edging, you can then let the bar out and the kite will then really start to work and take you upwind.

 

Also, the other thing to check is the kite pressure. I'd recommend a minimum of 8 psi through the kite. Anything less and I've found the kite wobbles a bit and can get unstable.

 

Don't believe the cr@p on here about the Link being a rubbish kite, it isn't and I've certainly found what I consider to be a really good kite. Those people who like C kites just like C kites and that's that. The Link is about as close as you're going to get to a good depowerable C kite as long as you learn to use it.

[kiteingcolin]

the wind dropped to 2mph and this link stayed up high,

your right with the nose diving as this one looks like it's on a nose dive

very stable even with very slack back lines

 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m237/kiteingcolin/IMG_0029.jpg

[Still Air]

Thanks for that Bristolboy it has given me peace of mind and will hopefully meet with another Link flyer in the area who can give it the once over. As I said at the start, after reading all the info on it seemed the kite me. So prehaps I need a different style of flying to what I have previously been use to.

[BristolBoy]

S'funny isn't it that it's the Best kite owners who always end up slating other brands /everyone else... it's as though they need to justify things... to themselves. Still each to their own.

 

@Still Air... glad I could help a fellow kitesurfer... stick with it and you'll reap the benefits.

[kiteingcolin]

oi!! chill, i am not slating the link, never used one, intresting to read about it, and i wonder if the como guy had the same problem when his kite backed into the trees at como? i was a few seconds to late to see how it fell back into the tree, just turned around to see it catch, the owner was 20 ft away from the tree when it first dropped back into the branches,

but ask me if i would now buy a cheap one??

[BristolBoy]

By the way KC - how are you finding the 666? I've been looking at this board to replace my old Cyclone - they say the 132 is the one to get as a good all rounder with lots of range. Do you find it easy to get on the plane with?

 

I'm just a bit worried about my weight (@90kgs) on this board. Mind you, having said that, my Cyclone is a 130 x 40 with less flex and I don't have too much of an issue with it. It's just a bit damaged and taking on water.

 

Would appreciate any feedback....cheers....

[kiteingcolin]

i have never kept a board for so long, and realy don't intentd to change it, i have found it up to the job in all conditions, even the biggest waves(well 16 ft rossi ones) the harshest wind chop that would rattle you fillings out, through to the lightest of winds on a 13 mtr (the warm winds are turning my needs to a 15 mtr later this year) and the board was very very happy in 50 mph winds and wild water and tiny kites a few months back, hard landings are softish and fast, the upsides are too many to list,

and i weigh more than you

mine is the 132 and i have owned the full 07 range from the 126-666, the 132 is for me much better as the upwind qualities are the best,

the only gripes i have are 2

1-the board is fast but not as fast as the old school narrow boards, and sometimes i miss the pure thrill of very fast off wind speed

2-at times the fins feel to big, sticking the board to the water too well and preventing simple spins on the surface to spin around quickly on fast kite transitions

but overall a brilliant forgiving board that never throws you off even when you legs are tired,