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Geo-tech is not the material, its the shape of the kite

Does anyone know if there will be any change in the Torch this year?

Also, any news on the new boards?

Geotech is not the material , its the constant tension between the struts from panel to panel.
Meaning the kite maintains a constant shape whether you are sheeting in or out.

With a conventional kite when you sheet out you will see canopy flutter , with the sigma there is no canopy flutter , you will really appreciate this in high winds and it makes for a smoother ride.

As for the alliance I'm glad they got rid off it and kept the torch.
The torch will never have geotech as its a c kite , this can only happen with the sigma shape.

skiddz wrote:Geo-tech is not the material, its the shape of the kite

Does anyone know if there will be any change in the Torch this year?

Also, any news on the new boards?

So I read on a dutch forum from that the torch has gotten quite an update. I am not sure exactly what that consists of though. I'd ike to have a go on the kite...there just wasn't time for me...

For the boards, there are a lot of news. I tried the Thorn in full carbon. Super light and a lot stiffer...actually riding made me realize a lot of the arguments I've not quite believed...the board is for the same length slightly more narrow, I took some pics. I also rode the haze in 132. It felt a little more like this years thorn...a little looser, and softer ride. The thorn is back to its roots. The footpads are not as soft as last year, but with a more pronounced toe grip. I did not ride the SOL.

The Surfboard lineup is also very different. The boards seems to have been beefed up in terms of strength. There are two really nice boards with a wood finish, a fish I think it was 5'7'' or so, and a gun (which is the nicest looking board I have seen). The fish is a quad, simple, classic shape, with less nose rocker than the older fish. The 6'1 is now a 6'0 with a small squash tail instead of the pin tail...with a quad setup. It rode really nice...but alas no waves to test it it. As far as I could see there was about 7 or 8 surfboards...most were very different from the current lineup as far as I could see.

The gun looks like a board for big waves and or a little more powered riding, and I'd really like to give it a go.

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RE:Geotech.....My Bad.

JRT wrote:Geotech is not the material , its the constant tension between the struts from panel to panel.
Meaning the kite maintains a constant shape whether you are sheeting in or out.

With a conventional kite when you sheet out you will see canopy flutter , with the sigma there is no canopy flutter , you will really appreciate this in high winds and it makes for a smoother ride.

As for the alliance I'm glad they got rid off it and kept the torch.
The torch will never have geotech as its a c kite , this can only happen with the sigma shape.

Wrong: see FAQ #4 on the naish site http://www.naishkites.com/sigma/cult/cult_home.html

JRT wrote: As for the alliance I'm glad they got rid off it and kept the torch.
The torch will never have geotech as its a c kite , this can only happen with the sigma shape.

are you quite sure? I am not saying they will make the jump for the torch, but why would it not work.

I also think it would be a bad move to get rid of the torch. It seems to have a quite a following....

I you look at the new Helix, it is way more "c" shaped than it has been before. The Alliance looked pretty flat...but using the geo tech on the new helix worked for sure..so why wouldn't it work on something that is even more c shaped? I wouldn't know either way, but intuitively it could work...you might have to put a span line or a mini bridle (which the 5th line is anyway).

Anyhoo...
a

The torch is a conventional C kite which has a round sort of leading edge its for this reason geotech cant happen on a C kite.But then again Naish claim it can happen but Im not sure how it can without the sigma shape.I know other kite companies use battons but I still see the canopy flutter on these kites when sheeted out.

The sigma shape, the leading edge runs straight from strut to strut their for you can have the canopy under constant tension giving you geotech.

I'm glad they did not get rid of the torch , the Alliance never really took off.They did not even bring the 08 torch to Australia hoping the alliance would eventually replace it.So I hope they bring the 09 torch out and don't make the same mistake.

wow these kites look wicked i dont see again how the torch could use geotech technology without sigma, Its the amount of vertical stiched pannels on the torch that makes it fly so well. Ifg the pannels were stiched horizonatly ity would not keep the clasic c shape as well all know and love

it would be cool to see the skulls back on the Naish...that's what I saw when I started...always sooo cool to look up there!

but what about bringing back the turtles!!!

I am getting all misty eyed thinking of my beloved 9m AR3.5