No Bias Review of Cabrinha Apollo 16&14m

[droffats]

I deliberately tried to avoid opinions in this video. You can watch and decide for yourself. If you ask questions I'll try to answer but I'm not writing anything up front so you can see for yourself. We are a Cabrinha dealer and that is how I got my filthy paws on the kite already.


https://youtu.be/GTO0o1RgL2c

- Stafford
http://www.adventurekiteboarding.com
414-367-9283

[Mossy 757]

Have you tried any relaunch scenarios? Deepwater/shallow water?
Does it create huge amounts of power when moved around and looped like a foilkite?
How light can the wind be before you have to loop it to water start versus a normal "11 to 3" power stroke?
Does it self-launch easily or does the LE stick to the ground because of the flat/straight profile?

Can you compare this to any of the following:
-Ozone Edge
-Cabrinha Velocity
-Any foilkite you're familiar with in the 15-18sqm size range

[Tone]

No wind, yet kite is flying.
Flag flying, so there is wind?

While it may be a pretty cool kite, If you'd have had a 16m foil kite you would have been really rocking!

[droffats]

You got me Tone, there was some wind, I exaggerated.

It launched off the beach surprisingly easy, however, there may have been more wind on shore than on the water. I didn't dare try to water launch as there is a steel breakwall just downwind. If it didn't work the kite would be destroyed. I think the video shows the lower limit of when I needed to loop the kite to get started rather than just power dive. How windy was that exactly, I don't know. It felt like less than 10 mph for sure, but when I said "no wind", Tone busted me out. ha ha ha. I weight 190 lbs if that helps. I can say the kite has much more power when it is parked and moving forward on board speed and apparent wind. I didn't record it, but I went out with an Alias also which I am better at riding than the foil and I could go from barely being able to water start to fully sheeted out because the power just kept building with apparent wind. It was "gusting" to maybe 15mph then at most.

In terms of turning and apparent wind it felt to me a lot like a Chrono. Compared to the Edge the Apollo turns much slower but builds way more apparent wind. I never flew a Velocity.

- Stafford

www.adventurekiteboarding.com

[bigwave]

Have you tried any relaunch scenarios? Deepwater/shallow water?
Does it create huge amounts of power when moved around and looped like a foilkite?
How light can the wind be before you have to loop it to water start versus a normal "11 to 3" power stroke?
Does it self-launch easily or does the LE stick to the ground because of the flat/straight profile?

Can you compare this to any of the following:
-Ozone Edge
-Cabrinha Velocity
-Any foilkite you're familiar with in the 15-18sqm size range

I have had the opportunity to use the Apollo quite a bit over the last month. I've used the 10m and 14m primarily foil boarding but I did try it once on a TT and once on a Surfboard.
It realaunches just like any other kite by pulling the rear line if there is sufficient wind. In light wind I have reversed launched it with no problems but this is standing. I have dropped the 10m a couple times foiling but it relaunched normally with very little input.
It creates big lift as the kite climbs while letting the bar out. Same on the loop, lift is generated as the kite climbs. The turning speed is what you would expect in a high aspect kite. It's not fast but nor is it slow. It turns on the wing tip. I've always used a 60cm bar with 27m lines. It's a rocket upwind and that's on a TT & surfboard. On a Foil it's just butter smooth. Hands down best LEI for foiling I've used. Better than the Velocity which I thought was pretty impressive as well.
As for wind range, I have used the 10m Apollo with foil board when people were on 17m & TT. I have not used a foil kite for over 15yrs so I can't compare.

[tautologies]

Here is my take: Every review will be biased, because it is your experience you are trying to convey. Don't even try to say it is not biased, because some idiot will always complain so might as well appreciate that and just put your 5 cents out there.

Opinions are interesting and they are important tools in helping evaluating. I think it is totally fair to have an opinion.

[Faxie]

Looks like the highest projected AR inflatable yet?

[droffats]

I hear ya, Taut. Since we sell Cabrinha etc. no one will ever believe I'm completely unbiased and I'm not. (Maybe some god is.) I can say I have publicly criticized Cabrinha on this forum when they blew it on the Sector clone, the Alias (as one example). I can also say that I have some very different impressions of this kite than some of the posts, videos, and promo I've read on it. So I'm trying to let the video do the representing.

Thanks,
Stafford

[lodwik]

just purchased a 10 & 14 meter apolloy
they both fly great
However my problem is with light wind self launch & re-launch
the 14 for me is impossible to stand on it edge & get back to the bar to & launch , the only way was to put it nose up & hot launch
once it is in the water ,even standing in the shallows , spent a lot of time trying with limited success , & absolutely none in the water
the 10m I did have more success with but lots of problems & then is higher winds .
I have a range of rebels & 10m dyno that in the same condition re-launch in a heart beat .
Any suggestions welcome as I like the kites flying & it's range , but with no re-launch it is useless.
Ask the same question on the Cabrinha web site but no response in 3 weeks

[gbrungra]

I have relaunch issues with a different high-aspect 17m LEI kite. Sometimes I just can't get it to rotate up onto a wingtip when leading-edge-down in the water.

Two techniques I've tried:
1. Reverse launch. Grab both back lines and haul way in until the kite rises backwards off the water. Then let go of one back line and have the kite do a quick loop, until facing leading edge up, then let go of the second back line. Only works if the kite turns quickly. A little sketchy because you risk rope burn on the fingers.

2. Pull one back line and opposite front line. Only possible if your bar has a low Y-split on front lines. Also sketchy on the fingers.

I only mess around with these techniques in marginal wind (under 12knots).

Relauchability is definitely a limiting ability for high-aspect kites. Sorry to hear it isn't great with the Apollo.