Power Kite Forum

Longer Lines?

f0rgiv3n - 2-6-2008 at 07:40 AM

I've seen other topics about people using longer lines to test getting out of the dirty wind and I am really interested in doing so. I watch lots of videos and i see the kites seem like they are way further away than mine is to me. I realized i only have 20m lines and so i'm thinking about getting some longer lines. Maybe some extra long(longer than 25m) due to the places that i Fly. I fly a lot of places where there are trees about 50-100ft from me. I get a lot of wind that is stop/go so it is VERY difficult to board in this wind because i'm leaning back hard to compensate and then the wind dies and i fall off backwards, lol. So what do you think? Will longer lines get me out of this kind of wind? How long is too long?

dylanj423 - 2-6-2008 at 07:56 AM

My experience with this is a bit limited, but my spot is surrounded by trees also, and I have noticed a few things. First of all, the longest lines that I have found are 30m, mine are ozone lines. If I fly anything less than 20m in lighter winds, I notice the lack of performance, but 25 m seems to be fine, unless a tree is within about 50 feet- then I do notice that the longer lines help a little, but as soon as I bring it into any spot other that 11-1 oclock, the kite misbehaves. With 25 m lines at the same spot, the wind is so turbulent that I pack up the kite. I eventually abandoned that spot (50 ft from the treeline) in favor of something a little cleaner.

Are you flying your 3m? That could have something to do with it also, a bigger kite has a little more resistance to the varying winds (though when the winds pick up, the kite gets a bit more dangerous, too). By the way, that blade 4.9 may be a little frustrating in those winds, too. I weigh 190 and my favorite traction kite has actually become my 6m Rage. It gets packed up around 18mph, though.

In summary, the longer lines do help with getting some cleaner wind, but if you extend your lines by fifteen feet, you are only going to get the fifteen feet of benefits. When I fly in that crazy wind, I usually fly a bigger kite, and use caution when the gusts come. This HAS resulted in a couple of accidents, though.

Bladerunner - 2-6-2008 at 09:28 AM

Don't buy new lines just buy extensions !

f0rgiv3n - 2-6-2008 at 09:32 AM

hmmm thanks for the advice dylan. I am actually flying my 3m. I was thinking about the bigger kite as well and I also thought "yeah, well, it'd be nice but as soon as a big gust comes like i just had i'd be screwed". I don't know.. It's so tough flying in boise idaho "the city of trees" lol. I love flying so i push hard to find spots. The place where i fly also depends on where the wind is blowing, one side is trees the other side is clear for a ways.

So the rage? I have shunned away from the rage in spite of it being known as a "buggy" kite? I'm not sure, i have thought that since i ATB i would like something with a good amount of lift. I don't know but i guess if i can't even get going i'm not going to catch any air anyways lol. I might look into the 25m lines then, if you noticed a little benefit, it might be worth it. Thanks!

Nick

f0rgiv3n - 2-6-2008 at 09:48 AM

Oh? Extensions?! Where can i snag some o' those?

WolfeL - 2-6-2008 at 05:38 PM

I use these, and they're nice quality (actually a bit over-kill at 600-pound test)

http://www.awindofchange.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&am...

SCREWYFITS - 2-6-2008 at 06:01 PM

I started a post before on this and here is what I found I added two 20m line sets together (40m) its was more for fun than anything... the wind does get cleaner as you move up but its relevant to what is dirtying up the wind, if you have 40m trees the longer lines don't help much... moving further from those trees it starts to help more... some one stated that an object that is in the path of wind affects the wind to apx 7 times the height in length... Example; a 100 foot object will effect the wind for apx 700 feet down wind of it...:o

It seems that what you are looking for is a better location... if that not possible the extensions might be a lil help... and there might be a better 3m that can handle those nasty breezes your dealing with... and might end up being an only solution... :rolleyes:

Good luck, I have my fingers crossed for you...:saint:

Screwy...