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18M lines - thoughts?

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:22 pm
by Ron
About a year or so ago, I reduced the lenght of my lines to 20M. It took a few minor adjustments but I would not go back as i really enjoy this set up. At the time I reduced the lenght, I thought the kite was WAY faster, going from 10 AM to 2PM in no time and that it is really helpful to position the kite where I want to ride waves. I need to change my lines again ahead of the upcoming season...

Is anyone riding 18M lines or has tried riding small kites (6-9M) with short lines? I can only see benefits riding shorter lines for wave riding as long as you're powered up and don't care so much for jumps and hang time. Any thoughts or personall experience with 18M lines (or shorter)?

Happy new year folks,
Ron

Re: 18M lines - thoughts?

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:28 pm
by WindMuch
One of the guys in the crew I ride with frequently at the coast is into riding with short lines. I'm not sure exactly how short, but I know they're less than 20m.

He typically uses them as a method of adjusting the power of his kites when the wind is in between kite sizes for his quiver.

For example, if we're going out on 8's, and he already has his 10 blown up, he might use short lines on the 10m, rather than blowing up a different kite.

I'll see if I can get him to chime in on this topic...

Kirk out

Re: 18M lines - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:27 am
by cleepa
I use 17m lines, with kites that are already very fast. I have 5, 6, 8 and 10m kites. It's a lot of fun! For wave riding with this setup, I often find myself having to slow the kite down. For that reason, I think short lines and a bar with long depower throw is a good combination for waves.

Also, I'd like to dispel some myths about what reducing line length really does. First, I've heard people describe it as "speeding the kite up". It does not increase turning speed at all. What it does mean is that the kite flies across the window quicker. So, it does not decrease the amount of time it takes the kite to turn, but it does mean that your turn on the board will be quicker. Second, I've heard people say that shorter lines reduces the power of the kite. The power of the kite when parked is unaffected. The pull the kite generates when it is in the wind window is also unaffected. But the time the kite spends in the wind window is reduced, because the kite takes less time to cross the window.

Re: 18M lines - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:46 am
by Aloha
Something also to consider might be wind shear. For example the inside at Crissy where windsurfers are swimming while kites are flying by or in light wind conditions how using extensions can get you access to those extra few knots of wind that makes riding possible vs. not.

Re: 18M lines - thoughts?

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:46 am
by Ron
Thanks for the feedback. 2014 will be the year of shorter lines and I'll get 3M or 5M extensions for the lighter days.