Any Pulsion 18M Flyers Who Can Help Me With Mine?

[Kiterdoug]

I have a Pulsion 12M and 18M. Love my 12M but really struggling with the 18M. Thought it should have a bit more power and it does when it comes to lift but not a lot more consistent pull when it is the riding position. I also get a lot of wing folding. Have tried multiple knot positions. Ready to sell it as the 12M flies better for me. Wanted it for under 10 foiling. Would appreciate any help as I am hoping it is me and not the kite.

[Tomlutz]

Thought it should have a bit more power and it does when it comes to lift but not a lot more consistent pull when it is the riding position. I also get a lot of wing folding. ...

I have also the Pulsion 18. It is not a high AR kite so I think it is normal that it doesn't have the same pull like Sonic. But it is probably more stable, even though I also get wingfolding, but it doesn't affect the fying behaviour much. Sorry not to prvide any solution, just confirming in general what you experience, however not a big issue to me. You can't have it all, the big plus is its lightwheight and that it stays in the air in nearly no wind. Turning speed is goot, better than Soul. - Tom

[Regis-de-giens]

I have or had the 12m, then 15m, then 18m ; difference in pull is ...huge ! maybe it is a setting issue.
I remember once where i struggled and failed to water start with the 12m, launching several loops and despite pumping ... then I launched the 18m and foiled the first trial without loops ...

And not speaking of when you are riding in 6 knots : doable with the 12m, ok, "easy", but such low pull ... while you are full speed and can jump with the 18m (which has a slightly higher ratio); When I tried a 12m again (i have no more pulsion 12m since 2 years now), i was a bit frustrated by the lack of power in 5-6 knots, certainly too much "used to "my 18m, but ok 12m is easier and more stable, definitelly true.

I do not have wingfoldings with the 18m, unless light one followimg a big mistake or irregular wind. Wingfoilding can sometime arrive when cloth has wear, say after 70 hours of use, time to test a recoating

So I strongly encourage you to try other setting knots ("A" 1 or 2 knots closer to the kite for example). I remember a feeling of lack of power on my first 18m in 4-5 knots, as I had set it to "very very stable" to allow swimming backward without touching the bar ; i sold it , then later on, by frustration, I bought another one and set it on "more grunt", but less stable, difference was huge and i loved it "at first ride" ; love story for 2.5 years now ...

[Kiterdoug]

So I strongly encourage you to try other setting knots ("A" 1 or 2 knots closer to the kite for example). I remember a feeling of lack of power on my first 18m in 4-5 knots, as I had set it to "very very stable" to allow swimming backward without touching the bar ; i sold it , then later on, by frustration, I bought another one and set it on "more grunt", but less stable, difference was huge and i loved it "at first ride" ; love story for 2.5 years now ...

So for the most pulll... I don't care about stability as much as I do pulling power.. Picture #1.. or the picture to the far left where the attachment point is by the yellow line?

Or if you have a picture of an attachment point that is better i would love to see it. What about the other line? I think there are only 2 attachment points... Is there a preference...?

The kite is relatively new.. You mentioned recoating. What is involved there?

I want to fall in love with the kite too... I am in love with the 12M

[Kiterdoug]

I bought another one and set it on "more grunt", but less stable, difference was huge and i loved it "at first ride" ; love story for 2.5 years now ...

Regis, did I read somewhere where you suggested longer line than stock lines? I have the blue/green bar that ben sells...

Also... is it odd that I don't feel a major difference when i pull in alot on the depower rope?

[Regis-de-giens]

What sets the camber is the distance between the attachement points of red and the yellow lines.Red line closer to the bar = more camber = more grunt, more agility, less stability , less speed in medium wind, lower high end.

I have set mine like the picture in the middle ; putting the yellow line at such lowest point opens the most possibilities to add camber and the most possible distance available for the redline ; and then you only touch at the red line to play with settings depending on wind force and turbulences; so, the picture in the middle is the most (and a bit exagerated ) camber, which I like for marginal ride : more power at low speed, and more agility and also lowest wind to keep the kite in the air, provided that you work the kite a little bit. but less higher end and less stability as said above.

from this setting, you just need to change the red line to reach almost all setting except the second from the left (which is IMO exaggerated on stability, no power during water start, higher high end but i do not care since i swap to 11m kite as soon as I can). From this setting, if you put the red line down , closer to the yellow = less power, more speed, less agility, more stability. I would suggest that you copy this middle picture but just relocate the red line 1 or 2 knot closer to the yellow line as a starter (since this one can be too extreme if the kite is a bit different than mine). and if still ok, you copy the picture in the middle exactly.

take a photo before you change to be able to come back to your current setting if something goes wrong.

I do my own bar and never tried the Ben's bar ; for the 18m in marginal wind, I recommend between 25m and 35m lines; I have 29m lines. for depower, such big kites need long stroke trims (proportional to the surface like for all kites) ; do not hesitate to trim frankly in very light wind.

[Kiterdoug]

; do not hesitate to trim frankly in very light wind.

I am not sure what it means to trim frankly. In very low winds should I have the depower all the way out?
When should i be pulling the rope in? If the wind becomes stronger?

Thanks for all your help Regis. I think you have the most knowledge of this kite in the world.

Also I had asked about recoating. What is involved in that?

[Kiterdoug]

I would suggest that you copy this middle picture, but just relocate the red line 1 or 2 knots closer to the yellow line as a starter (since this one can be too extreme if the kite is a bit different from mine). And if still ok, you copy the picture in the middle exactly.

Regis!! I attached a couple of photos of where I set the knots. It was like a totally different kite!! And surprisingly super stable in low wind tonight, which I didn't expect.

I wasn't sure where to put it on the outside lines, so I put it on the knot furthest from the kite, as shown in the picture.

I am super happy with the results and want to keep the kite now!!

Based on the photos, should i make any other changes?

thanks again!!!!!!!

[Regis-de-giens]

Thank you for tour gentle words...

I am the happiest if you're happy with the change. And i hope this will motivate other user to test this very easy change even for non-setting-experts. And give feedback to us.

Your setting on the last photo is now like my own 18m. In your case both lines are red unfortunetelly (Benoît dors not use a regular color code unfortunetelly), but it is the same as mine from what I guess on the photo. To confirm my guess, you can just coutercheck that your red line in the middle directly goes to the kite without pulleys to the briddles of the leading edge (A briddles), while the upper red Line on your photo goes to the pulley (B briddles).

If you want to play further around this prefered setting, you just need to relocate a bit the red line that you have set in the middle currently, as follows:
- if further away from the kite (downward on your picture): more grunt/ agility / less backstall in very low wind: so a good setting for lower wind.

- if Closer to the kite (= Closer to the other red Line , upward in your photo), then you get more stability in turbulences, less frontstall/ hidenburg collapse, also more stable if you let the bar go fully depowered, better high end = for higher winds.

It is a "5 seconds change" si I change it regulary personally depending on wind speed).

About the trim on your bar , you should :
- in high wind, say 9-12 knots on hydrofoil: pull the trim completelly, like for all kites including LEI, to reduce the power (lowest Angle of attack)

- in low or medium wind, Say 6-8 knots: release the trim (full power, max AOA)

- in very low wind , say 4-6 knots: pull approx half of the trim to ease the kite flying without backstall. It is not intuitive but true for most foilkites (medium AoA) .
Half is an estimation and you should "feel" it : trim more if the kite hardly flies and fall slowly backward to the water , in ordre to improve its gliding. You loose a bit of max power / speed , but your kite flies better to keep in the air. Oppositely, Release a bit the trim liké for medium winds if your kites fly easily in the air gain, and feel the Optimum trim stroke for your arm comfort.

Pulsion is so light that thin lines are very interesting in marginal wind: better stability at Zenith, and better agility/ accuracy and depower as well.

I use 1mm lines for front lines and 0.8 mm for backlines (dyneema sk99)

Ps: is your first photo the connection to rear lines ? Not sûre if what I see

[Kiterdoug]

PS: is your first photo the connection to rear lines ? Not sure if what I see

Thank you for the added clarity on knot positions. I understand it a lot better now

Yes I wasn't sure if changing where I connected it on the rear lines would make a difference or not.

Would love your feedback on rear line knot positions if you don't mind.

I agree with you that others should take your advice and try where you suggested. It truly changed this kite. I still can't believe how such a small change made such a large improvement to the kite. I was going to sell it for $800 because I was so frustrated. You changed that for me, and I am forever in your debt. Thank you for being such a knowledgeable advocate for this kite. I look forward to many rewarding low wind sessions now.

PS I took your advice and added 7M extensions but ran out of sunlight to test the difference, but I am sure since you said it would make it better that it will.