Having been sold a Best kite surfing package summer last year and been practising for 12-14months (wind & time permitting) I am starting to wonder if there is a problem with my set up. The package included 2010 11.5m kahoona and what i now know to be a 2009 redline bar (55cm). (also have a 7.5m kahoona a fly on the same bar)

Recently i was on a holiday with a group of friends and for the first time ever I let someone else fly my kite. He (same height and build) flies RRD kites and was not impressed with the distance the bar had to be away from him at full depower and the difficulty he had adjusting the depower straps. This has reinforced my doubts about the set up i have been struggling with for 12 months. My questions are:

1. when i'm riding i find it difficult to lean back in the harness without pulling back on the bar so the kite becomes over powered. I appreciate i can use the depower straps to adjust power from the kite but i feel far to often i have to reach forward to allow the bar out to control power and the effects of even small-moderate gusts.
2. I notice that to use the depower strap in it max depower position the strap has to be pulled almost to the chicken loop - which if the strap is attached with its velcro loop to the power lines means the bar has to be pulled with it thus 'powering' the kite at a the very time you are trying to depower it.
3. While on holiday my redline (safety) snapped which surprised me as I would have expected the other line to go first. Does this suggest a problem with the way the kite way rigged from new?

I appreciate I am a relative novice and may be making some basic kite tuning errors but some advice from someone out there would be much appreciated as I feel these issues are restriction the speed of my progressions.

Thanks all in advance

Hi

Sounds like your front lines have stretched, which happens. The safety line has probably just worn thin and snapped where it goes thru the bar, again this happens. -I bought a new bar and line set in Nov and I am on the third depower rope.

Check your line lengths by pegging the end of your lines into the ground (tent peg or screwdriver will go thru all the loops)

With you trim strap all the way out (ie fully powered) pull the bar all the way in towards you and all 4 lines should be taught or effectively the same length (however I prefer mine with the front lines a few inches longer cos I have long arms.(Can't buy shirts that fit either lol) you should be able to adjust your line lengths where they join in th Y shape or you could get them re-sleeved (shortened) at the ends. Another option would be to extend the back lines to compensate. You can buy little pig tails thingys of tinternet.

Hope that helps. If I'm about next time your out gis a shout and can show you.

Welcome to the 2009 Best redline bar!

I owned a quiver of 2009 kahoonas and this bar for 2 years and the bar does have a very long throw to it which is good in order to shut the power on and off when needed. This was not much of a problem for me but this is probably cause i am nearly 6ft 3. In order to find the sweet spot, as to where the bar sits within the throw when the power comes in you need to trim the kite accordingly using the power straps. The stronger the wind, the higher the bar will sit fo its sweet spot. In light winds, the bar will sit further down. In terms of fully depowering the kite i would always land the kite and move the back lines down a knot as there are two knots on the wing tips to counter the wind strength, one for high and one for light winds. This will help loads with you being overpowered and leaning back as it will adjust the sweet spot with the bar throw for sure. .

in terms of having troubling with the trim straps and leaning back, i did experience this to start. To overcome this, you need to pull either the power or depower strap as you have mentioned but then dive the kite hard to ensure the straps pull through to where you want them. Sounds weird but it defo works! Then you need to do the same again in order to reverse the process when you need less or more power. With the depower strap being pulled all way through when being fully depowered to the chicken loop, this will always be the case with any bar that incorperates the above the bar trim straps. Again, to solve this use the 2 knots on the wing tips to trim the kite according to the wind.. The knot nearest the kite should be used in light winds and the knot further away should be used in strong winds

Nothing to worry about the redline snapping as this is normal. When i had mine, i snapped mine after 3 hours of use from new! The depower line and the redline is wear and tear item, well according best when i highlighter my issue, but they will wear through. Just keep and eye on this.

As dan has highlighted, check your lines to make sure they are all same length when the bar is set at full power.

Hope this helps!

Cheers
Andrew

Thanks for the advice gents, that helps clear things up a lot!!
I'll check the line lengths again and have another go at the weekend...looks like it might be 7.5m weather over at Walney and less gusty so most likely will head there. I think I prefer the 7.5m to the 11.5m for its extra responsivenenss.
Anyway, thanks again and will chat in person next time i'm up NE way!
Cheers
Chris

No worries. Hope it helps.

The 7.5m is the best kite in all the kahoona sizes imo. I was sad to sell mine.