Slingshot ghost 4m buckling under high winds starting loads.

[cglazier]

The reason kite designers add struts to kites is so that they maintain their shape under high load. Kites with less struts are more prone to buckling under high loads. Zero strut and one strut kites do not perform well when overpowered.. it's that simple.

[airsail]

Had the same with my 4 mtr Uno, single and no strut kites really don’t like to be used outside their wind range. 25 knots I’d definitely the maximum I would use my current 3.7 in, above that you need a smaller if foiling or fully strutted kite for TT.

[oregonkiter]

I’m no engineer, but how do struts that run perpendicular to the LE prevent tip to tip buckling? My 5m strutless, granted 5 m > 4 m, has a large LE and does not buckle and I’m a big guy. Every 4 m I’ve owned—all three strut——buckled under high load like water starting on a directional, if I sheeted in to equal line length.

[jakemoore]

Ghost struck me as a relatively robust one strut e.g. compared to Ozone Uno. It has a pretty thick leading edge and deep arc.

I can't say I've seen anybody take one out in 35 knots on a twin tip.

[Herman]

I’m no engineer, but how do struts that run perpendicular to the LE prevent tip to tip buckling? My 5m strutless, granted 5 m > 4 m, has a large LE and does not buckle and I’m a big guy. Every 4 m I’ve owned—all three strut——buckled under high load like water starting on a directional, if I sheeted in to equal line length.

I am not a kite designer and this is just off the top of my head. To buckle the kite with line tension you have to distort the airframe enough to overcome the stiffness of the LE. With more struts the the airframe is better supported by the extra struts and resultant aerodynamic forces. Just another variable in the equation along with pressure and thickness of LE.........A good question!

[simcoloco]

I've had the exact same problem with the Ghost. The 2 times I've tried the 2.5M Ghost, the wingtips fold on water start, and loose all power. Complete turn off.
I've also flown the 3M UFO a few times, and this kite does not have this issue.
The reason the Ghost has the problem, is the wing tips are very small diameter and just cant take the loading. The UFO has larger diameter wingtips, so they don't fold.
I pump my kites rock hard(until they don't inflate anymore), ~15PSI(have 2 gauges on my pump). So with the Ghost at ~15PSI, I fold the wingtips.
The no strut Cloud kites have large diameter wingtips, and I have never folded them either.

[trod27]

I have 4,6,8,10 Ghost. Yes the 4 and 6 will buckle if you send them to hard. I think all small kites will? My SSTs did the same thing.
Now I pump the 4 and 6 hard (real hard). I also am aware when I send kites to send them more horizontally to not overload them and work myself up on foil (not in one stroke).
I also try and not fall much:)
I love my Ghost. I think they are a great foil kite.

[granit02]

I have a 4m Ghost that I use for 20+ knot foiling only, probably ridden it in these conditions at least 10 times.
Recently I ran it with a 20 inch bar and noticed the tips buckled under starting loads. I have in the past only run the 17" bar on this kite and have never had it buckle on me.
They say size dosent matter but the extra 3 inches made a big difference.

sure pump it up as hard as possible, but also try a shorter bar.

Grant

[purdyd]

I have a 4m Ghost that I use for 20+ knot foiling only, probably ridden it in these conditions at least 10 times.
Recently I ran it with a 20 inch bar and noticed the tips buckled under starting loads. I have in the past only run the 17" bar on this kite and have never had it buckle on me.
They say size dosent matter but the extra 3 inches made a big difference.

sure pump it up as hard as possible, but also try a shorter bar.

Grant

That is interesting because I’m using a low vee duotone bar with my ghosts and ufos. That would be like having a smaller bar.

I’m just too lazy to change the vee and frankly the ufo and ghost seem to fly fine with it, I actually sort of prefer the feel.

Granted I’ve never flown these kites in 30 knots but you should see how I work them, especially the 3m ufo. I’ve never seen buckling hmmm.

[Foil]

I would do two things as this bending the kite in the sky can be scary and frustrating in high winds,
first, once the kite is inflated but still attached to the pump forget the ping thing just grab the kite with two hands on the main tube above the inflation point and force the lower part of the main front tube against your leg and try to bend the kite in half, if you can then it will do the same in the sky when you exert the same forces through the bar, so keep pumping!! until the kite will not bend.(still able to bend it gat a better pump, or ask some heavyweight to pump some more air in)

then secondly try not to strangle the kite (pulling too hard on the bar) when power stroking through the window, let the kite flow through deeper and faster, there is a point that feels like you are pulling the kite out of the sky, and its at that point the kite may fold or badly distort dumping any power created, feel for this point as you dive the kite and ease the bar out if you feel it starting to disform, its better to double downloop the kite for enough power or triple downloop the kite with speed developing the power required to get up, not just pulling in on the bar which may not have the desired effect due to kite distortion,
it is a skill you develop over time with practice, and as with all these things once you are dialed in to getting it right then its easy to replicate, even more fast looping, multiple deep loops will create that power when you get good at it.
don't forget to bear away whilst looping that kite for power, then harden back upwind when your arse is clear of the water to prevent the power spilling away to much as you move along gaining speed.
bigger board will help as well