Reverse Downloop to Build Power and Apparent Wind (Low Wind Technique)
So I've been recently doing this thing that works famously to build power in low/no wind and I figured I'd share. It's a bit dicey, depending on wind
conditions but it works like a champ to get moving and build apparent wind when nothing else seems to.
Normally, to get going in low wind, I'll downloop at the edge of the window and steer back upwind while the kite is climbing back up at a low angle.
When the wind is too low, this is where you start slowing down. So what I've been doing to overcome this is to dive the kite into another, opposite,
downloop before ever reaching the apex. The kite picks up speed from the dive and is going very quickly one way while I'm going the other. The lines
get super tight and I steer against it hard so the kite comes out high, fast, and the same direction I'm headed. It seems to work really well but,
like I said, I can be a little dicey in gusty winds because you are purposely flying the kite behind you, so be careful.
I'll see if I can get some video. I assume others have been doing this for years, but I never saw a post on it. It works AMAZINGLY on the speed, but
also works pretty damn good on bigger, slower kites.
Very good, glad to see others stepping out of the box.
it is possible to down loop twice while going the opposite direction.
Keep up the good work, your expanding your skill level.
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Sounds interesting, but for me a bit hard to visualize. Please do a video, or maybe just a drawing or something.
This is what they are trying to say:
As the kite gets to the edge of the window ( far left or right) you complete a downward loop. As the kite comes back up from that loop you keep
letting it rise. When it gets high enough, you complete another downward loop to pick up speed and let it rise again.
Hope that helps.
I must be getting the hang of things as I understood that post
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Sounds interesting, but for me a bit hard to visualize. Please do a video, or maybe just a drawing or something.
This is what they are trying to say:
As the kite gets to the edge of the window ( far left or right) you complete a downward loop. As the kite comes back up from that loop you keep
letting it rise. When it gets high enough, you complete another downward loop to pick up speed and let it rise again.
Hope that helps.
I must be getting the hang of things as I understood that post
I think what Dave is describing is flying the shape of an Infinity symbol (figure 8 turned horizontal) so you start with a forward downturn and as the
kite comes up you then do a downturn the opposite direction heading away from you then turning down coming around following your direction again.
With the first downturn the kite is forward at the edge of the window and in light wind it's slowing down so you need to do the downturn to get kite
speed to be able to bring it back to the centre of the window and doing this downturn gives power which can pull you across or slightly downwind but
gets you rolling. As the kite comes around and climbs and you now edge further upwind you are slowing down so right away make the kite down loop again
but the other direction and you get power but it's a bit of angle finesse to take advantage of the power rather than let it get behind and stop you.
This means the kite doesn't need to climb as high in the middle waiting to start the next loop. You could keep doing forward loops but you eventually
would need to untwist. By doing the infinity pattern you cross and uncross the lines.
Mark Groshens NAPKA KC 13
WindSpeed kites & design - Canada
Peter Lynn Arcs: Charger2 22.5 +18 + 15 + 6.5, Charger I 6, Scorpion 16 + 10, Phantom II 12 + 9, Orig Phantom 9 + 6, Synergy 10 + 8, F 1200, S 840
Ocean Rodeo: Flite 17 + 12, Rise 13 + 10 + 7, Razor 9 + 6
Foils: PL Leopards and Lynx, Airea Raptors, some PL Reactor IIs + IIIs, Libre Spirits, Cross Kite Sonics, Ozone Flow
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Another thing I do when it's light wind (and therefore a narrower wind window) or when heading more downwind and I don't want to overrun the kite is
to change the stroke of the kite: When sitting in the buggy and looking at the kite we usually fly a forward sine wave with a constant up and down
looking like peaks and valleys. In light wind or heading downwind I fly what looks more like a figure 8 so the kite doesn't get too far ahead and out
of power. I'll dive more downward than forward and at the bottom turn up and slightly back as it climbs so the whole pattern keeps the kite from
getting too far ahead and stalling. The pattern changes once speed is built up but the goal is to maximize power strokes and minimize any time when
the kite is without power either slowly climbing or recovering from a near stall.
Mark Groshens NAPKA KC 13
WindSpeed kites & design - Canada
Peter Lynn Arcs: Charger2 22.5 +18 + 15 + 6.5, Charger I 6, Scorpion 16 + 10, Phantom II 12 + 9, Orig Phantom 9 + 6, Synergy 10 + 8, F 1200, S 840
Ocean Rodeo: Flite 17 + 12, Rise 13 + 10 + 7, Razor 9 + 6
Foils: PL Leopards and Lynx, Airea Raptors, some PL Reactor IIs + IIIs, Libre Spirits, Cross Kite Sonics, Ozone Flow
Peter Lynn Kite Cat for cruising the lakes
buggies: PL XR+, Cameleon Pagona, custom bigfoot, PL Bigfoot, custom ice buggy
Boards: 2 custom directionals, O.R Surf series 6-3 and 5-11, Mako Duke, Mako Skinny, Mako 140 Wide, Mako 150 Wide, Mako King, Brunotti
lots of old school skis, snowboard
Here... check 1:02 here. It's a downloop into the kite going right and me going left and when I come out of it, I'm moving along at a pretty good
clip (with virtually no wind).
[youtube]v=aG2DmmP-aRw[/youtube]
I did it again at 1:23, but I think this was the first day I started doing that, because I've learned to load up those lines a little more -- so much
so that at the peak pull, it basically pulls me straight downwind about 10 yards or so before coming out hot.
1:58 is a crappy execution of the same loop.
I was getting more comfortable with the maneuver at 2:40 and so that looks more solid.
It look like I was finally figuring it out by 3:25, where I actually got some juice by doing this.
I love that move on my 7m nasa in light wind. They can execute that maneuver in a very tight pattern or a larger pattern for more power. Also, since
I can't spin my bar, I stumbled across that move pretty quickly by default.
Sounds interesting, but for me a bit hard to visualize. Please do a video, or maybe just a drawing or something.
I have WAY too much time on my hands.
I hope I have Proletariat's idea correct. I've borrowed Popeye for this illustration but I'll put him back once I'm done.
Try Proetariat's idea, he's finding that flying the kite in an infinity loop requires very little wind to achieve traction. If you have the downwind
room then you can capitalize on the apparent wind effect by keeping the kite in motion. The secret is keeping a constant airflow over the wing, how
you achieve this is up to you. This is low wind flying.
Although in his example you might fair better travelling in a more efficient slightly downwind or even broad reach direction especially when first
setting off otherwise the kite can act like a brake. You can then regain lost ground once you're up to speed. The process can then be repeated. You'll
notice that the tracks you leave in sand are in a sine wave.
Actually, RedSky, im talking about when you come out of the right loop, you keep looping up and to the right so so the kite come out high and fast
and both you and the kite are moving the same direction. Then if you extend the bottom part of your loop on the right side of the infinity loop
whilst carving upwind, you REALLY load up those lines and when you come out, it's like a slinghot. Thanks for the pic to help visualize the technique.