Takoon Nova VS Crossbow

[PrayFaWind27]

http://www.ikiteboarding.com/article_detail.aspx?id=166

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2320447&highlight=takoon+nova

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2318538&sid=d09d4e3313e938dda407a329d143bee8

[moylemuncha]

ok - had a go on 12m crossbow yesterday in gusty 15 to 20. The Moyle single market economy was once again bullish on AJ-kitehouse

FYI - These kites do have their peculiarities so I would definately try one before you buy one (not that I ever do). I can see some points that moaners would love to moan about especially if they don't like new things. They do handle differently from a 'C' kite especially the bigger 16m. the 12m not so much. You get less power in the turn but more in the stroke so you might prefer that or you might not. The bridle/controll bar system is very complicated and can occasionally get snagged. I haven't had it really get tangled but rather hooked around the kite tip - briefly - but has allways corrected itself - somehow? Self launch is a big question mark. I have also had both sizes jellyfish on occaisions when I inadvertently, completely overpowered them - which I would love some feedback on if anyone sees any info on. Again - the kites have ultimately corrected themselves and relaunched but a little dissconcerting.

On the plus side - I got into kite-surfing to FLY! and these things are definately my new wings. They go further upwind, faster than any kite I have ever tried and twice as high for twice as long. That's it! If you need any more plus side conviction than that - you're a pussy.

The new crossbow's are not perfect but the pro's far outweight the con's.

MM

[balloonboy]

Meow.

[mocean]

now thats the SH$t I'm talking about.
a fair honest account of flying the cabrinha cross bow.
I'm still sore from sundays secion and it's wednesday.
go hard master of spagetti.
see you out there.
aj

[PrayFaWind27]

From what Cabrinha said, to avoid the jelly fishing, you have to blow up the leading edge rock hard, My opinion on avoiding the bridle system from getting tangled around the tips of the bow when water re launching I think all you have to do is keep the tension on the lines so they wouldn’t drift around the tips and just activate the water re launch system, that’s why I think Cabrinha stress so much not to swim towards the kite.
Anywho! that’s my 5 cent.

[balloonboy]

And whats the deal on self-launching (land)?

[PrayFaWind27]

Land self launching, you have only 2 options and one of them is foolishness and dangerous, you launch the kite down wind, if there are rocks, sticks , etc you’ll put a hole in you kite while it drags along the sand over into the wind window to launch, If you make any mistake, things can go bad fast and can you imagine doing that folly on Goodman’s bay!. The only sensible, safe way is to set your kite up then roll the lines back up, walk into the water about a kite length or 2 from the beach then let the kite go and roll out the lines at the same time. You can pretty much launch anywhere safely except Goodman’s but you can always go to Go slow and launch from there and then ride down to Goodman’s.

[balloonboy]

Frankly I don't like the sound of either. In perfectly sideshore, side-off or offshore yer good- otherwise, wading 2 line lengths (60m) or even 1 into say Goodman's Bay is unthinkable for me. Pass. Have a buddy there or don't go.

AR is launching a bow kite soon- I hope they have addressed this, though I suspect it may just be inherent in the design.