Kite falling in lulls

[Iworkdamnhard]

Hello,

another newbie question.
I have recently started riding my new LFK P1 10m, and it starts falling super easily in even slight lulls.
I notice how the kite starts dropping rapidly specially when there is a lull after a gust, if the lull is a little longer, I am unable to keep the kite in the air.
This happened to me a number of times, even when the wind was considerably strong (16-24knots).
This is my second season riding, so might be the rider problem, but my first season i was learning on an old (2009) cabrinha switchblade (10m), these situations were never so common, and I could usually fix it by pulling on my front lines.
With the LFK P1, nothing seems to help, pulling front lines doesn't work, as the kite goes down the lines go slack i tried pulling the bar and steering, but unless the wind picks up in time - it is down, and if it picks up when it is in front of me - I end up having some problems.

Would appreciate any advises.

[dice]

Other kiters at the spot don't have that issue with their own kites?

[Iworkdamnhard]

Did not notice that, as i said i didn't seem to have those issues with my old cabrinha as well.
It doesnt happen to me very often as well, usually like once in a 4-6hr day, but it bugs the hell out of me.

[Herman]

Goodbye

[magnusod]

It sounds like it backstalls. Check out this video to see if it's trimmed properly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5fiw8ptUj4

[vakiter]

hi, here are things i have learned.

* if it is a backstall, then you need to gain forward motion by increasing front line pressure (edging and sheeting out)
* if its going down, sometimes it is possible to downloop the kite and save it, especially if it is slowly falling on the side of the window
* if it is hindenburging, then the kite has overflown which usually happens with gusty wind, and exacerbated by heavy LE kites in my experience.

i have found line extensions help with these problems because you have more wind and time/space to correct. also lower aspect kite would be better for this condition, but as herman said, you sacrifice upwind.

[jumptheshark]

When you experience this are you actively moving the kite side to side in the window? As any kite gets down close to its low wind threshold for staying in the air you must maintain a bit of front line tension by moving it side to side in slow sweeps across the top of the window without letting it get too far to either side. Speed across the top enough to get some response out of the return steering line and repeat until the wind picks up. A static kite will fall much sooner than a moving one.

The P1 is going to fly closer to these of the window than your switchblade so it’s trickier at the low end to keep flying, but it also produces more lift so should respond better to keeping it moving.

[sewerrat]

Some really good advice so far. Assuming you (watched video and) checked your flying lines and they are set correctly, you should be able to reach over the bar and grab the depower cleat area while kite is falling from a lull or backstall, then yank on it (the front lines) and it will surge forward, immediately steer it back and forth across wind window to maintain forward drive. While standing on the beach in steady wind, you also should be able to do the same (grab trim cleat) with the kite overhead and not have it Hindenburg. If it is flying past the wind window (Hindenburg) then there's something wrong with the kite. Modern kites should not need back line pressure to keep from overflying. Have a buddy take it for a test. If you both concur that it's hopeless, Call Liquid force and ask for bridle line measurements and check against yours. I've flown a few stinkers over the years that did what you describe, so while unlikely, it may be the kite!

[bryony]

Some light foil kites have no problem falling from the air if the lines become slack.

[Delta99]

Iworkdamnhard, you're probably not doing anything doing. My P1s do the same what you describe. Very confusing. I have some 10 different kites, no one is so tricky and sensitive to fly as these P1s. I've asked LFK for advice and if there is some tuning I could do but there is no advice to get from them. And there bridle on this one is not designed to be tuned. It is set.

I suppose I'm not helping you so much, but it is perhaps some consolation anyway that you are not alone. I guess all P1 kiters are a bit puzzled what is going on.

If I figure this one out, I'll let you know.