There's certain portion of kiting crowd who know how long lines can help in lightwind, getting kite more apparent speed and delivering more pull on initial dive. You get on plane right away and if there's wind gradient it kicks in too.
Eventually you can fly a smaller lightwind kite.
The question for the forum is - how long?
30m? 35m? 39m? At what length it becomes too long?
on long lines. How long?
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grigorib
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edt
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Re: on long lines. How long?
I've kited 100 meter lines before. I think the limit is somewhere around 300-400 meters at that point the lines sag so much they touch the water.
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Regis-de-giens
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Re: on long lines. How long?
If it is for marginal winds and with htdrofoil, my personnal conviction is that the optimum and max length will depend on ... the bar pressure of your kite...
30m to 40 m is a good compromise in general, but you can go higher with a LEI that has "hard " bar pressure...
30m to 40 m is a good compromise in general, but you can go higher with a LEI that has "hard " bar pressure...
Last edited by Regis-de-giens on Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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zerogee_ca
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Re: on long lines. How long?
I tried my wave kites with 4m extensions a few times for better low end in marginal light winds. It definately helped but I hated surfing with them. Ugh! Slowed the kite down just enough to blow my timing completely. The kite pulled harder in transitions to toeside too pulling me off the wave. It was harder to turn off the power. Kind of reminded me of surfing with my all around kites that way.
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Bruce Buffer
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grigorib
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Re: on long lines. How long?
Well, good old Peter Lynn ARC FAQ says every 3m of line extensions is equivalent to 1m of additional kite size. That is probably meant for regular lengths, not for crazy 50+ meters cases 
Slingshot has 27m long lines
Liquid Force has 30m long lines
Flysurfer has 27m long lines
I've been flying on 30m in lightwind and on 37m for extreme lightwind myself. But I'm still curious about others' preferences.
Slingshot has 27m long lines
Liquid Force has 30m long lines
Flysurfer has 27m long lines
I've been flying on 30m in lightwind and on 37m for extreme lightwind myself. But I'm still curious about others' preferences.
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Hugh2
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Re: on long lines. How long?
Need good eyesight to do that!Bruce Buffer wrote:https://vimeo.com/139274398
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Bille
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Re: on long lines. How long?
30m lines seamed LONG, and perfect, for my 13M Edge, in light wind, and 32m lines seamed
too long for that same kite ; but 32m lines were perfect for my 15M Ozone in light wind.
SO i think kite-size, has a lot to do with line length in light winds ?
Bille
too long for that same kite ; but 32m lines were perfect for my 15M Ozone in light wind.
SO i think kite-size, has a lot to do with line length in light winds ?
Bille