I have a bit of an issue with a 13 Metre 2010 Best Waroo i have recently purchased. I am 93kg and an intermediate rider.
I purchased the Waroo because i wanted a light wind kite to get me on the water between 13 - 20 knots. What i have found however is that i really struggle to relaunch the kite (particularly out of standing depth) in below 15 knots. I normally ride a 10 metre Rebel and can quite easily relaunch in 13 -15 knots (although clearly it wouldn't pull me out of the water on a TT at that wind range). I don't know why i am struggling and was wondering if anyone has any experience, advice or tips they can share.
I find that i can get the Waroo standing on its tip and at the edge of the window, but it doesn't seem to have the power to launch into the air. When i pull on the outside lines, it seem to just fall back into the water. I have had some success hot launching it, but this can get sketchy with a 13m kite.
I have considered that the wind has been too light to fly it. However, the other issue i have found is that if i try and fly it at the 16 - 20 knot wind range the kite is so powered up that i need to ride fully depowered and the bar length is so long that it makes the riding position difficult (read poo stance).
So in summary, if i take it out in 13 - 15 knots i am scared i will drop it and wont be able to relaunch. If i take it out in 15 - 20 knots i am overpowered and ride poo stance. Overall, not very happy with my purchase.
Anyone got any suggestions?
Any 4 line kite is a bitch at sub 15 knots.
Check that your line lengths are even.
If you are poo man riding try lengthening your rear lines or adding some length to the rear leader lines at the kite.
(or shorten the fronts)
Under 15 knot kiting is sketchy at best and I would recommend a larger kite (especially for larger people)
bigwavedave :)
Yeah ... Sounds like your kite is over sheeting
either shorten your front lines or lengthen the back lines. ( should be pigtails ir similar so you just attach the rear ones further from the kite )
Kite trim must be close to perfect if you want to fly it in sub 15 knots.
At 93kg you should not be overpowered on a 13m in 15-20knots, thus suggests your kite trim is out. Front lines will have stretched overtime, kite will sit further back in the window with more torque making you overpowered.
I'm having the same problem with my 2010 11m Waroo; I'm 92kg.
Bit of background on my not extensive relaunching experience;
The school DNAs are beautiful for relaunch, they sit on their edge & relaunch like a dream.
The 2010 Switchblades (8 & 10m) I used in QLD were easy to relaunch as well, bit of a tug on the correct rear line & up they went.
The Waroo is new for me, so I understand there's a dialling in time required & I concede it's probably something I'm not doing right, but damn it's getting frustrating.
The last couple of times I've been out I just have not been able to relaunch the kite; it goes down and just doesn't want to get up.
It certainly doesn't automatically roll over on its edge, I pull on the appropriate rear line and it's like a tug of war.
I have gotten it onto its edge eventually, but like lortap says, it just doesn't seem to have enough power to lift off (sheeting in , sheeting out doesn't seem to make any difference); then it decides to roll over, sometimes on its leading edge, sometimes on its trailing edge, it also likes to do the half twist.
Pulling the front lines doesn't get it going, pulling the rear lines doesn't get it going; I believe I'm doing these things at the appropriate times.
I couldn't really swim towards the kite or around it, as it was still pulling me like a truck even though it was downed.
A bit of info on the trim state;
The kite sits nicely at 12, very stable and the bar is at a comfortable position when riding (for the short time I do anyway) and body dragging.
I pump the bladders up until I can't pump anymore- no leaks in the bladders either.
I really need to know what I'm doing wrong.
This problem is really cutting into my time on the water; just as I'm getting to hold a good edge & learning how to control the power of the kite- crash & game over for that arvo.
Last time it happened was yesterday arvo at Pinnaroo, I think it was blowing around 20+knots.
Advice would be greatly appreciated from anyone who flies this kite, any Best team riders or Best kite sellers.
Thanks in advance.
Light wind relaunching is always harder and it's often harder with bigger kites because they have more weight. one thing that has always worked for me is to reverse launch the kite. To do this, you pull hard on both back lines and hold them in, the kite generally reverses off the water and then if you let go of one side, the kite does a quick 180 and shoots up into the sky. In light wind, it's not an issue if it's slightly downwind because it won't really pull hard enough, but I usually get into my straps before launching this way to provide more resistance and so that if it pulls hard, it just pulls you straight up on the board.
I'd test this in light wind to start with so you get the hang of it.
Fine, make it look easy!
It's a bit harder in the water though.
And the new Waroos are meant to be 'super fast' at relaunching due to the delta shape.
supposedly they're meant to roll over like the family dog.
I suppose if was expecting a difficult relaunch capability with the kite I wouldn't get so frustrated, but all the marketing spiel & reviews I've read say how easy the water relaunch is.
Thinking of going down deliberately dumping the kite in the water & making a day of practicing the water relaunch.
I had the 2010 Waroo 9 & 11mt last season. This is only my own personal opinion but they are crap in there lower end wind range if you are a beginner / intermediate and can be totally frustrating . Always backstall and will not relaunch. Had to do 2 self rescues in 1 week . Got the V2 kahoonas this season and it was like a miracle , have never experienced these problems again.
lortap, don't give up!
It's just the technique you've got to work on; as I discovered.
I was out yesterday arvo at Pinnas, dropped the kite on one of my shaky runs, and taking into account the advice I've heard here and elsewhere on the net I was armed and ready for the battle.
So the kite went down, first thing I did was let go of the bar completely; so what happened?
The damn thing rolled over onto its wingtip straight away, I grabbed the bar and with minimal input from me, it sailed back up into the sky like a dream!
I couldn't believe it; it was like a different kite.
I think that if it crashes directly downwind of you, you probably need to get it across the window a bit more, not too sure about that as I didn't drop the kite much yesterday
It's gotta definitely be technique, well it seems it was for me, I think I was pulling on the bar too much in my previous relaunch attempts and choking the power out of it.
It could be stretched lines, for you, or it could be technique, but I guess the point is, don't give up man, it's a great kite, I'm really loving the power it has and more importantly, learning how to control the power.
As has been stated numerous times about kites, you've just gotta get dialled in to it.