Hmm, dont agree here.plummet wrote:Here's my 5 cents on kite trimming.
Sure trim your kite to get the optimin, line lengths, AOA and performance. Do that at bar and or kite pigtails.
If you have to trim to reduce power..... your overpowered. Thats the point to put up the next size down.
Sure trim and continue to ride mid session. But you should never put up a kite that you need to trim to reduce power before you start that session. Put up the right size kite kite for the conditions.
When my kites are fully powered, I can ride in light wind (relative to the kitesize).
This is where I have the most "power".
But the sweet spot is a tad higher - as when I depower the kite slightly on the trim, as the wind picks up a bit - then the kite rides with a higher L/D (which is NOT max power), and flies faster and way better to ride in waves now because of that.
Also, because a kite that is sligthly depowered when riding straight - will get a higher AOA when you ride with the waves down the line, so a more depowered trim is preferred here.
So in order to avoid the kite from stalling, and to get better control in the window, I find that kites has to be just a tad depowered on the trim when going straight, in order to be in the perfect sweetspot for their size, when riding waves
Although, to some degree this is self regulating - as when you go into your bottom turn where the higher AOA is most evident, you also lean forward and depower the kite so it matches.
More a problem in the cutback where you lean back, when you actually dont want too much power..
I find there are typical a few inches difference between max power (low end), versus the best sweet spot in waves
Having the trim set for too much depower is worse though, true and agree fully Plummet - as the kite will turn slower and slower now, and you can not position the kite, because all focus is on depower and control, instead of waveriding
So choosing the right kitesize, and not too big, is REALLY important in waves !
Peter