Soul v1 tips folding

[downunder]

Hi,

my old S10m tips are folding like crazy. So, got this trim checker which have no idea how to use. Kite was tuned by very good kiter and it was tested with the FS distributer, no issues they say. Not sure how they tested it.

Still, using the same bar on new v2 and no tips folding. Only v1 issue.

Thoughts what to do?

thx

[edt]

You have a leaky kite. No pressure. Next step is to decide how you want to seal the kite. Lots of different advice on how to do it.

[Jyoder]

Hi,

my old S10m tips are folding like crazy. So, got this trim checker which have no idea how to use. Kite was tuned by very good kiter and it was tested with the FS distributer, no issues they say. Not sure how they tested it.

Still, using the same bar on new v2 and no tips folding. Only v1 issue.

Thoughts what to do?

thx

Find out what they tuned and checked. Long mixer, short mixer?? Are pulley lines shrunk?

[Smeagle]

Did they fly it? That would be the only way to say "no issues" in my opinion.

Try do to a video showing the problem.

How much experience do you have with Foil Kites / Soul?

[deniska]

Interesting topic..
My soul 10 was flying ok until one of yellow pulley lines broke. I changed all 4 pulleys and yellow pulley lines with replacements from flysurfer shop. The lines were slightly different in length from original ones but I figured that this is due to stretching or shrinking. They were obviously matching in length by a pair. I did a long mixer test and adjustment. All like the video says. Now the kite flies but often tries to collapse the wing tips on any gust.
What gives?
I doubt it’s porosity of the wing.
Does the pulley length matter to the millis ?
I though that the mixer adjustment should compensate.

[edt]

The bridle tends to shrink about the same on all the riser abc and z. When you replace the pulley lines this will make both the long and short tests not work quite right as your adding some length to b and c by replacing the lines. You will want to shorten your b's for sure and maybe the c's a little even though this won't match your mixer tests.

For the original post I'm sure it's leaky. All foil kites get old and leaky. Tube kites the valves delaminate so after a few years you know a tube kite will require a major valve replacement. Even though foil kites look perfectly fine after a few years they age just as fast as tube kites except they get leaky. When you land your foil kite it should stay inflated and full of air for a while. If it goes flat as soon as you land it you know it's leaking. Once the pulley lines fail it's a good idea to keep an eye on the porosity of the kite as it's usually not to far behind that first pulley line replacement.

The videos flysurfer gives are great if your kite is one of two years old but as your kite continues to age you have to adjust them more by feel instead of the mixer test

Foil kites really aren't too different from tube kites. Brand new they are the best and there are problems as they age. It's taken a lot of hard earned experience for me to learn how much foil kites age. I can remember measuring every single line on my kite right and left putting them in a spreadsheet, then correcting everything back to factory with hundreds of pigtails, watching my wingtips fold before I figured out my kite was leaky.

[Jyoder]

Leaky kites can fly fine with no tip tucking. Tips folding is a line problem most likely.

Flysurfer publishes their bridle line lengths and mixer line lengths.

The kite mixer and the kite bridle should be considered separately at first.

Checking the short mixer first is not that hard, stretch or replace shrunken sections and more often than not the old kite will fly fine with a fresh mixer. The long mixer test should only be plan B if there’s issues after mixer is brought back to stock.

It should not be called the Long mixer test, as it’s not testing the mixer but the kite bridle and then using mixer adjustments to compensate for bridle changes.

People think “oh, long mixer must be better than short mixer test” without understanding that they are not interchangeable and have different functions.

[Jyoder]

So, step by step for OP:
1. Measure the mixer sections, especially the A and Z sections and pulley lines, against the Flysurfer line plan and try to stretch or adjust the mixer pieces and pulley line back to spec. You probably will need to replace the pulley line.
2. Do the short mixer test and fine tune with B and C adjustments until it is perfect.
3. Fly the kite and realize it’s fine after all.

[downunder]

Thanks all

If the kite leaks it would not be so sudden. But something happened to a kite and tips started tucking some time ago. Hence went to a shop, they "tested" it, and reported no issues.

Mixer was tuned after replacing a pulley lines. It was ok back then, like a year ago.

Re. getting old. The kite has max 100hrs on water. But sure, on sewing it might leak. But how just so sudden?

I compared Z lines with V2 Soul. All longer by 1 or 2 cm on v1. Will check the rest.

The problem with sealing is that in AUS it is not easy to find products used elsewhere. The formula might be different due to AUS strict environment laws.
Edt, on the thread I was folowing I see no such product here, Im afraid.

Btw, I like v1 more than v2. But thats another issue...

Thx

[edt]

Btw, I like v1 more than v2. But thats another issue...

Thx

the v1 just looks more durable