Three years ago a guy gave me a Flysurfer Mastair 12 because he was so frustrated with it and was going to throw it in the garbage. I gave this kite a try about a half-a-dozen times and NEVER had a good ride with it... always ended up downwind, unlanchable and tangled..
Today I took it out w/ the Glide for the first time ever and it worked well.... pain in the ass to setup and launch, turned dog slow.... but pulled like a truck and went upwind reasonably well... and better than that, it ended up dry, upwind, and not tangled....
Who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks...
Holy Oldschool
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andyandmarlys
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knyfe
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can you imagine that this kite is already more than 5 years old? At that time all tubes were still delaminating !!! Who can remember that time when you could throw every Naish in the bin after a season as they messed up the mylar...
But actually Andy, setting up a foil shouldnt be hard at all. Thats my biggest complain for the tubes (pumbing) but certaily not for foils.
Yesss, A TRUCK, thats the best description at all as it covers all aspects of this kite !!! Best, long year foil rider, G
But actually Andy, setting up a foil shouldnt be hard at all. Thats my biggest complain for the tubes (pumbing) but certaily not for foils.
Yesss, A TRUCK, thats the best description at all as it covers all aspects of this kite !!! Best, long year foil rider, G
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andyandmarlys
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windhorny
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A 12 in a foil kite would be the equivalent of what in bows? I have flown blades for years and I wouldnt even touch the 9 meter! Nice job blazing upwind yesterday. I am jealous. Next round of Glid's coming up soon. I got quite a few requests for the things. They will be the same size but have only 1/2"-3/4" rocker. I am also working on a slicker surface for the bottom. I think I am going to crank out 5 at once and just sell them at cost plus $100 just to help out the "Too light crew" here at Alameda.
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Greg
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Yuri,
Why dont you just build a SICK board rack, stock it with all sizes,shapes and colors of boards and leave it at the Shack for the whole summer like they do with bikes in some countrys...Maybe put a rack at the bird sancutury also for drop offs...
I guess that wouldnt work... I once screwed a BROKEN board to the wall with some guidlines printed on it, IT WAS STOLEN a day later....!
L.M.G.
Why dont you just build a SICK board rack, stock it with all sizes,shapes and colors of boards and leave it at the Shack for the whole summer like they do with bikes in some countrys...Maybe put a rack at the bird sancutury also for drop offs...
I guess that wouldnt work... I once screwed a BROKEN board to the wall with some guidlines printed on it, IT WAS STOLEN a day later....!
L.M.G.
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elli
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Hi Andi,
The old flysurfers donít turn fast for sure, and the depower is not huge either. But they pull like a truck stuck on first gear with no brakes.
As for size comparison: A modern Flysurfer pulls more or less like a bow, something like one size bigger C tube. Older flysurfers 3+ years old pull harder. How much exactly, I don't know. My wild guess is that the 12 mastair is equal to at least 15 meter tube and possible more.
Inflation ñ very slow on old models. New ones you can take off completely uninflated straight from the ground. Older ones I suggest that you prefill them with air:
First, sand the kite straight downwind from you TE facing the wind, sand on the TE.
Hold the LE vents into the wind and get some air inside.
Second step, hook in and pull the front lines a little, to raise the front of the kite and get more air in. Kite still on the ground. Be careful here, if you pull too much the nose can fall forward.
When you have enough air in the kite, take off. The kite will look like a nylon bag and probably not respond well. 12 meter nylon bag can be scary in stronger wind, so be brave.
To accelerate inflation in the air try to steer the kite right and left to get air speed.
I personally skip step 2 and even step 1 with my older flysurfers, you get used to it.
Setup can be quick if you packed the kite correctly. If not it can be a true mess.
A couple of tips for setup:
Sand the kite as mentioned above.
Open the bridles by pulling the front center line from about 10 meters from the kite. In most cases the mess will sort itself magically.
You can make the Mastair a much better kite:
Install a depower system on it. The WAC depower system found on newer Flysurfers can be easily installed on the older ones.
The result is better turning and significantly wider wind range. Tuning can be little tricky, and at 12 meter size little sketchy. The kite will also be more sensitive than the truck like stock setup.
The old flysurfers donít turn fast for sure, and the depower is not huge either. But they pull like a truck stuck on first gear with no brakes.
As for size comparison: A modern Flysurfer pulls more or less like a bow, something like one size bigger C tube. Older flysurfers 3+ years old pull harder. How much exactly, I don't know. My wild guess is that the 12 mastair is equal to at least 15 meter tube and possible more.
Inflation ñ very slow on old models. New ones you can take off completely uninflated straight from the ground. Older ones I suggest that you prefill them with air:
First, sand the kite straight downwind from you TE facing the wind, sand on the TE.
Hold the LE vents into the wind and get some air inside.
Second step, hook in and pull the front lines a little, to raise the front of the kite and get more air in. Kite still on the ground. Be careful here, if you pull too much the nose can fall forward.
When you have enough air in the kite, take off. The kite will look like a nylon bag and probably not respond well. 12 meter nylon bag can be scary in stronger wind, so be brave.
To accelerate inflation in the air try to steer the kite right and left to get air speed.
I personally skip step 2 and even step 1 with my older flysurfers, you get used to it.
Setup can be quick if you packed the kite correctly. If not it can be a true mess.
A couple of tips for setup:
Sand the kite as mentioned above.
Open the bridles by pulling the front center line from about 10 meters from the kite. In most cases the mess will sort itself magically.
You can make the Mastair a much better kite:
Install a depower system on it. The WAC depower system found on newer Flysurfers can be easily installed on the older ones.
The result is better turning and significantly wider wind range. Tuning can be little tricky, and at 12 meter size little sketchy. The kite will also be more sensitive than the truck like stock setup.
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pipedragon
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Yuri, hook my heavy a$$ up! Send me a PM if you got some!windhorny wrote:A 12 in a foil kite would be the equivalent of what in bows? I have flown blades for years and I wouldnt even touch the 9 meter! Nice job blazing upwind yesterday. I am jealous. Next round of Glid's coming up soon. I got quite a few requests for the things. They will be the same size but have only 1/2"-3/4" rocker. I am also working on a slicker surface for the bottom. I think I am going to crank out 5 at once and just sell them at cost plus $100 just to help out the "Too light crew" here at Alameda.
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D
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Re: Holy Oldschool
Try riding it with a McDonalds tray next time! (Don't forget to wax it up first)andyandmarlys wrote:Three years ago a guy gave me a Flysurfer Mastair 12 .... Who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks...
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windhorny
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knyfe
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NEVER, that easy ... It was even tricky in Alameda on the filled summer dayz.andyandmarlys wrote:Also, how would you launch a kite like this at Sherman Island?
But if I get a hand on a cheap Psycho 1 in 12 I will take it for the high wind days. So fun jumping like never again! I sold it too early and miss that part. But thats the only one thing I miss on it...
CU, G
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