bow kites

yojimbo · Post by **yojimbo** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:17 pm

I own 2 c-kites, both with 5 line systems. I understand that a bow kite has a different shape, and mostly comes with only 4 lines.

Correct me if I am wrong, the leading edge of a bow kite looks like it has a bridle, or a whole mess of strings that all eventually end up as the 2 leading edge strings at your bar. So you don't need a 5th line on bow kites. To depower you just move the bar toward you?

Can you depower a bow kite on the fly, like you can with a 5th line c-kite? I am so confused, please explain how these kites work.

Apparently bow kites have a larger wind range, what can I expect to experience if I get a bow kite? It looks like bow kites can hot launch without any danger, yes?

elli · Post by **elli** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:48 pm

Sorry, the only thing I can say about posts like this is smart ass comments, so I better shut up. Yuri, take over from here :)

adamrod · Post by **adamrod** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:58 am

there is nothing fundamentally different about a bow kite vs a c-kite. a 5th line C is essentially a rudimentary bridle. Most bows just have a slightly more complicated bridle.

to depower? you move the bar AWAY from you . .
and hot launching a bow kite? just as dangerous as with a C...
as for wind range, yeah, compared to OLD c kites, it's about double, but compared to new c kites, it's just slightly bigger.

turtle · Post by **turtle** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:34 pm

Hey Adam Rod you must never have hot launched a good 5th line kite. Hot launching a 5th line kite is safer than a normal launch if you know what you are doing. Because the launch is done with the 5th line only there is no pull. The 5th line is not released until the kite is over head, then the kite powers up.

Turtle

adamrod · Post by **adamrod** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:48 pm

maybe I'm misunderstanding the meaning of a "hot launch" ? In my understanding, a hot launch is launching the kite dead downwind. I don't really know why you would ever do this. The only kites I've ever seen successfully hot launched are foils...

even with a bow self launch, you use the back line to rotate the kite, but it's never dead downwind, it's always at the edge of the window...

turtle · Post by **turtle** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:28 pm

adam rod your understanding of a hot launch is correct. If you put enough time on the water kiting you would find yourself in the hot launch situation. This is one of the reason a 5th line kite is the way to go. And to correct you the 5th line is not a bridle it has nothing to do with the steering of the kite. The 5th line is a safety system and a means for relaunching. Some people claim it depowers the kite which is true if you want to lose your steering ability. Edgeing, sheeting in and out, and knowing how to fly a kite is what determines depower. If you take one of these away it doesn't matter what kind of kite your on. If you really want to learn how to kite in all conditions own one kite and use it in all conditions. For the bay area that would be a 12m. Make sure it's a good 12m kite.

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:40 pm

Turtle, I can assure you that Adam does not need a lesson on the anatomy of a 5 line kite nor what a hot launch is.

turtle · Post by **turtle** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:54 pm

windyhorny, it must be that i am a product of public schools. English comprehension I quess is not my strong point. It sounds like you must be an english major because you were able to comprehend what adam was trying to say and I was wrong. Thanks for correcting me.

KillaHz · Post by **KillaHz** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:30 pm

I hot launch my bow/sle/hybrid whatever the hell it is dead down wind all the time...it's pretty much why I ride them...

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:39 am

My mom rides a bow. She loves it. She has full depower, never has to use edge control with her board, and never really had to learn how to fly a kite!

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