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32
TUNNING UP YOUR KITE
Power management principles:
You should never sail with your arms fully extended, as you would have no further de-
powering ability in a gust. In this scenario you should shortening your front lines reduces the
power generated by your kite. You can:
Pull down on the red strap of the power adjuster for ideal setting and reengage the
line in the cleat.
On land, select a knot on the front leader line closer to your bar, (knot 2 or 3).
Extend the back lines.
To increase the power generated by your kite you should shortening the back lines.You
can:
Release (with the power adjuster) some line for ideal setting and reengage the line in
the cleat.
On land, select a knot on the front leader line further from your bar, (knot1).
Shorten the back lines.
Caution: these tuning techniques have limits – excessively shortening your centre lines will
render your kite hard to steer, and over-shortening your outer lines will overpower your kite
and ultimately make it fly backwards.
Refine backline settings :
You have the possibility to adjust the backlines (for power depower)
EN
GL
IS
H
Knot 1
Knot 2
Knot 3
- power
+ power
Shorten =
- power
Lenghten =
+ power
+ de power
- power
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33
LAUNCHING
Before launching
Make sure you don’t have any lines on top of yours.
Make sure your lines are free of knots, watch out because strong winds can tangle them up in a few
second.
Make sure your connectors are in good shape, on your kite and on your bar.
Check your safety systems.
Make sure your launching area is free of obstacles.
Make sure your lines are free of any twist, front and Life lines.
Make sure you are connected to the kite by the leash.
If you are concerned of being overpowered ask someone to hold you down using the handle on your
harness.
Launching
Launch your kite preferably with someone assisting you. You need to launch your kite in the edge of
the wind window, meaning that the wind needs to be coming from one side, move in a way that you
feel the power of your kite. Your lines need to be perpendicular to the direction of the wind.
Advise your assistant to let go of the kite only when instructed by you (for instance raise your hand).
Your assistant should hold the kite by the middle of the leading edge (near the valves). Under no cir-
cumstance should your assistant try to throw the kite (as if to gain speed) but just let go of the kite.
For your safety and the one of others choose someone competent enough to help you out in this ma-
neuver.
Always make sure that the lines do not cross each other or that they are misplaced. For that pull your
center leader line to one side to clearly disengage your front from your back lines. Even if you are
sure of your set up this last check up is necessary! Once the kite is air born it is too late and the kite
goes out of control perfect recipe for disaster.
The launching phase should happen in slow motion, bring your kite to the zenith slowly to avoid be-
ing carried out.
We do not recommended to launch without assistance. It is risky. The kite could take off on its own
while you walk back to the bar. You will not be able to check if your lines are untangled. That is why
we do not go over this maneuver in this manual.
