The wait is over...2010 Slingshot Key due out soon.

[JRN]

I NOTICED THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE AIR, while my foil had dropped. Pretty impressive!

[drknap]

But Jim, your kites are usually on the ground or in a tree or on a roof etc.

[drknap]

[steveb]

I thought the only time any of Jims kites flew was when he was tangled up in them....
Side note...how are the fingers?.

[JRN]

I THINK THAT IS WHY they had me launch far away from shore, trees, buildings, porta potties, and the rest who knew me kept their distance. Please don't warn the folks in Florida that I'm heading down there. I did manage to land my kite atop Troy & Carl's Best flag, but that was minor, and no damage to kiters or kite. I may have to adopt another identity and move elsewhere to keep kiting. My rep as a "train wreck" has spread far and wide.

[seamonkey]

I did'nt know what bar pressure was until I got a T3 14. Is this another park & ride Minnesota kite? I love my Rev 13, though.

[Tighe]

Sorry you're "parking and riding" on your T3s Mike. I personally love the boost of the T3. They do jump a bit different from the Revs. Track me down next time we're out and I'll help you start boosting with that 14m. I usually have to take 20 minutes before I can adjust between the kites.

As far as bar pressure. If you feel it, you're choking the kite. I always ride right on the edge of the bar pressure, that way the kite is the most efficient and generating the most power.

Revs are sweet too. If you like the Rev you'll love the Octane.

[mdh01]

So, if i love the T3 for ease of use, depower and boosting, will I love the Key? Seems like it's the next generation of the T3.....

Mark

[Tighe]

All signs are pointing that way. I need to put it through it's paces a bit more before I can give a solid answer. I flew it in very light wind and it felt like the power band was very smooth. Looping the kite was real predictable. The 10 was amazingly efficient. Seemed like it flew better than the T3 unhooked.

I need to fly it in more wind to better understand, depower, range, gust handling, boost etc. Reviews that I've read have stated that it performs like a T3 but with improvements.

[seamonkey]

Thanks for the advice, Tighe. I do like the low end of the T3 14, but it turns slow and I don't like the bar pressure. I got the kite because I always watched you jump so smoothley & land so perfectly in the gusty winds. Practice makes perfect. I always chose to fly a small kite and fly it up & down. Maybe I should be a C kite flyer. what I like about Slingshot is below the bar safety. My Rev 13 is my favorite kite, next to my 13 Ozone Edge. Don't ever take me too seriously. I can't spell & I will surely die soon in the Keys from shark attack. I have taught 2 people to kite on ice & snow this winter without charging them. (to my detriment). What a pain in the ass.......If they want it, they will get it! No more free lessons!

Sorry for my antagonistic attitude. I'm a bricklayer, not a doctor....

[Tighe]

No problems Mike. I too love the Rev (and now Octane) series from SS. The edge looks like a similar kite, maybe even a bit zippier. I can also understand how the T3 14 may feel a bit slow in comparison to the Revs or the Edge. Completely difference kites. I'm fortunate enough to have both in my quiver. So many great options out there.

hopefully we'll share some wind soon.

[JimPat]

T3'ers: Play around with your bridle connections to address the bar pressure and bar position. I was having hot landings with my 14m T3 on a to often basis(very rarely on my 11m,9m,7m) so I cleated it in about two inches and the kite changed drastically. On my next 14m session I made the adjustment at the bridle connections. I kept my outside line connections at the longest possible hookup and put my inside line connections at the shortest possible attachment. It's like flying a different kite completely. It now flys more like my other T3's. It brought the bar down closer to the chicken loop so Im not reaching as far as I used to(that reduced the bar pressure feel). The other thing I have worked on is my front hand position. I need to have my front hand a couple inches out from center to get a quicker turn with my T3's while keeping my back hand at the center to minimize over sending it for my jumps. When the wind gets ultra light I have to put the connections all the same spot or the kite likes to roll back. Some of the guys down here on SPI that used to fly T3's say they are a slower turning kite compared to waroos etc.;but that bode's well for us rookies. They say you need a faster turning kite in the surf or when boosting really big(LOTS OF RPM's on the beach) and on the otherside there is a guy down here who boosts huge on his T3'(the shadow box mounted on his board read a 51 foot jump the other day) so I guess there is alot to be said for the riders ability to be factored in. I'm not a real Techy guy so I can't explain why my adjustment to the kite works since it would seem like it should move slower?

[Tighe]

Good advice Jim.
Yes what has happened is your front lines have stretched and you adjustments on your bridle attachments are making up for that stretch, (ie lengthening the back and shortening the front). I can give you a loop to loop pigtail to add to the rears to make them the same again.

Most kites have a zone where they fly the best (fastest turning, fastest flying etc.). This zone usually is only 2-4 inches of travel on your chicken loop line (ie the throw of the bar) even though you may have 18+ inches of travel. The zone will change slightly with wind conditions and that is why you have the adjustment cleat below the bar. When it's really windy and the zone is way up the CL line, either you pull the bar down and get out of the zone (sluggish kite, extreme bar pressure) or you pull your CL line in at the cleat and move the zone down so that you're at a comfortable riding stance (I like my arms at about about 110 degrees). Finding the zone and then adjusting your arm position leads to hours of joy.

Finding the zone on T3s is probably one of the easiest of kites, due to the bar pressure. Basically the zone begins when the rear lines are no longer slack. Then the zone extends for 3-4 inches along the line. At 4 inches beyond slack you'll be pulling in the back of the kite so much that you'll be slowing it down....and the bar pressure be getting heavy. A good rule of thumb is to remember if you feel bar pressure, you're applying the breaks. The kite flys the best with minimal tension on the rear lines...on the rear of the kite. The T3 does tolerate a fair bit of slop compared to other kites and so all this is really fine tweaking.

Good points Jim. Looking forward to getting down there.