You are rising a good point, albeit in a somewhat complicated fashion... That being said, you're coming for an extreme, while we're mainly talking about the average. Where I live - I'm mostly drooling about catching some real waves and if I'm lucky, I actually get to stand on my surf a couple days per seasons... so nuances of kite turning in surf with one or another type of bars are really the least of my worries altogether. I'm only there to ride and have fun - and the only bar that has prevented me from doing so to this date - was that piece of rubbish that Epic used to sell.Matteo V wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:41 pmIf you started out with coated centerlines or had certain kites that did not force you to sheet while turning, then you may think this.
If you started out your depower kiting experience on foil kites like some kiters (and me), you know how sheeting (in or out) on a turn/loop optimizes the kite turn rate vs power. And it can allow you to turn/carve at higher or lower rates according to the desired result. If you only have inflatable experience, or started out on them, you may not have that tool available to you, and the entire concept of sheeting while turning may be somewhat foggy to you.
Ideal sheeting angle is variable (1) according to placement in the window, (2) the apparent wind window as you turn upwind or downwind, and (3) the speed of the wing through the window. All of these factors change throughout the turn and especially with a loop. Having control of "sheeting in" to stall the kite and place it further back in the window allows you to store energy when you do not want to use it, then use it when you do. But sometimes you do not want to sheet fully in at the initiation of the kite turn or downloop. Sometimes there is a gust that you need to compensate for mid jibe, loop, or after a lull while trying to keep the kite in the air (hard turn to save from a Hindenburg). All of these scenearios work only if you know how to sheet the bar while turning, and can use that technique. If you have a PU coated depower line, you cannot sheet (in and out) with the bar fully turned.
A large bar on most kites will allow you to stall one half or at least the tip of the kite so you actually loose power on the initiation of a kiteloop. However, if you have to reduce the turning input of the bar to sheet to another place on the depowerline, you can re-attach flow over that stalled half or tip. This results in increased pull that is typically not desired. It also negates the potential to store the energy of a stall by ending that stall before you are ready and able to use the power.
For the rest, I fly my kites quite aggressively and again - to this date - I haven't noticed any difference between naked or PU-covered bars, besides the rope-induced burns and the wear on the rope.
... great points, but most riders are just happy to be out there and ride without being that technical. Your experience and your background (surfing using kites that are too small for the conditions and your weight) are waaaay too specific and what works best in your case, isn't necessarily what would be "the best" across the board. Besides - there isn't such thing as "the best", there's only what works best for you. 