Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Forum for kitesurfers
User avatar
Flyingseb
Frequent Poster
Posts: 292
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:12 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Local Beach: La Torche, France
Style: Jumps, curves, speed
Gear: Flysurfer Sonic2 15/11m, North Dyno 17m, Duotone Rebel 15/12/10m, OR Mako board, Homemade TT and Tiki
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Bretagne
Has thanked: 99 times
Been thanked: 69 times

Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby Flyingseb » Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:55 pm

Since I’ve checked my old kites, some of those I have had so much good times with, I’m thinking to give them a second chance, or even life.

My question: Is there’s a way of simply modifying kites from before 2007 (pure C kites), in order to obtain more déposer, more safety? Without the hassle of a 5th line?

Pulleys, extra bridles,...?

User avatar
Toby
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 50346
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 95 kg
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
Favorite Beaches: same
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Rebel 2015 18
Brand Affiliation: None.
Location: World (KF Admin)
Has thanked: 832 times
Been thanked: 2365 times
Contact:

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby Toby » Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:59 pm

Use a longer depower 😉

User avatar
edt
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 7316
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:27 am
Kiting since: 2010
Local Beach: Michigan
Gear: ride hard, no regrets
Has thanked: 530 times
Been thanked: 664 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby edt » Sat Mar 21, 2020 5:00 pm

No.

If you look at what Singshot did to the fuel in hmm around 2018? They added a bridle but it actually made it fly worse. A C kite can't really be moded so that it has more depower other than using a 5th line. 5th line works pretty well but it's still a C kite. Use a modern control bar the original control bars on those kites aren't safe.

SENDIT!
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 922
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Local Beach: Okaloosa Island
Favorite Beaches: In no particular order; Kailua Beach, Oahu; Lake Nitinaht, BC; OBX
Gear: Ocean Rodeo Flite 17 Aluula, North Reach 12, Ocean Rodeo Rise 10, Reach 9, Prodigy 7, Litewave Carbon Wing 165, Ocean Rodeo Mako 150, Poptart 139, Litewave Carbon Kick S 139, North Scoop/Sonar Surf Foil
Brand Affiliation: Mojo Actionsports
Location: Mojo Actionsports.com
Has thanked: 534 times
Been thanked: 61 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby SENDIT! » Sat Mar 21, 2020 5:49 pm

Back a few years ago, against the advice of pretty much anyone that I talked to, I completely rebuilt my 2004 Naish X4's (12 and 16). I took them out for a couple of passes and came in super disappointed. It was sort of like seeing your old hot girlfriend from high school gained a ton of weight! :cry: :lol:

SENDIT!

BWD
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3848
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:37 am
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby BWD » Sat Mar 21, 2020 5:55 pm

The old fuels did very well with 5th compared to without it. Really extended range and helped upwind a bit. Spaghetti potential in wipeouts was not fun though.
Some old C kites did well with 5th, some not. If you have one that could benefit it is cheap and easy to see if you like it. Running the lines is a pain, though. They can braid themselves much more.
These users thanked the author BWD for the post:
edt (Sat Mar 21, 2020 5:57 pm)
Rating: 3.03%

User avatar
marlboroughman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3368
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:12 pm
Style: Oldschool
Gear: Naish
Brand Affiliation: Make Kiting Great Again!
Location: CubaKiteLessons.com
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Contact:

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby marlboroughman » Sat Mar 21, 2020 7:37 pm

Don't take fifth line off. Make sure it is adjusted properly. Kite at 12 pull the bar all the way in. The fifth should have just a hair more slack than fronts, then it works like a bridle or even better than some early ones. By doing this you will get the most out of them and once that's perfect you could play with more depower.

caduo
Medium Poster
Posts: 78
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:15 am
Kiting since: 2000
Gear: cabrinha
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby caduo » Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:00 pm

i really doubt that you can modified any of these old c kite,it s all about the shape of the kite

User avatar
Flyingseb
Frequent Poster
Posts: 292
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:12 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Local Beach: La Torche, France
Style: Jumps, curves, speed
Gear: Flysurfer Sonic2 15/11m, North Dyno 17m, Duotone Rebel 15/12/10m, OR Mako board, Homemade TT and Tiki
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Bretagne
Has thanked: 99 times
Been thanked: 69 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby Flyingseb » Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:11 pm

Toby wrote:
Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:59 pm
Use a longer depower 😉
Unfortunately, that would have been too easy
These kites had a very limited depower throw, adding any longer has no effect at all.
Surprising is also to see how short the trim range is, compared to now

User avatar
Flyingseb
Frequent Poster
Posts: 292
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:12 pm
Kiting since: 1999
Local Beach: La Torche, France
Style: Jumps, curves, speed
Gear: Flysurfer Sonic2 15/11m, North Dyno 17m, Duotone Rebel 15/12/10m, OR Mako board, Homemade TT and Tiki
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Bretagne
Has thanked: 99 times
Been thanked: 69 times

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby Flyingseb » Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:23 pm

caduo wrote:
Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:00 pm
i really doubt that you can modified any of these old c kite,it s all about the shape of the kite
That is partly true, their design were not meant to accommodate any bridle modification.
But knowledge was also much less then.

Back then, I think depower efficiency was like 30%: from 70% to 100%
Nowadays, probably close or bigger than 80% for most kites: from 20% to 100%

If I could get 50% efficiency with my old kites, I would be happy

Using their original bars is out of question, off course

User avatar
Toby
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 50346
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 95 kg
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
Favorite Beaches: same
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Rebel 2015 18
Brand Affiliation: None.
Location: World (KF Admin)
Has thanked: 832 times
Been thanked: 2365 times
Contact:

Re: Question to kite experts: pimping old kites

Postby Toby » Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:50 pm

Flyingseb wrote:
Sat Mar 21, 2020 9:11 pm
Toby wrote:
Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:59 pm
Use a longer depower 😉
Unfortunately, that would have been too easy
These kites had a very limited depower throw, adding any longer has no effect at all.
Surprising is also to see how short the trim range is, compared to now
I always used a long depower...and therefore always had a bigger range than others...


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aleza, Bing [Bot], blu, cglazier, Cheoz0r86, chet, Enclume, Gonzavala, Google [Bot], max, Vivo3d, voodoospirit, Xtream, Yahoo [Bot] and 382 guests