2012 Switchblade Early Impressions w/Twilight GoPro Photos
 

I was able to get out for a while late yesterday to checkout a Cabrinha 14 m Switchblade. Winds were lighter than I expected but good enough to tool around and boost a few around sunset. Winds were around 10 to 16 kts. or so, favoring the lower end of the range. I had a GoPro HD on my helmet and another mounted on the kite.


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Mike a local lifeguard and kiter was there and helped me out with the launch.


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Let's get it unwrapped and check it out


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Inflated and ready to rig


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Mike sets me up with an assisted launch. Compare this shot to the one near the end with the kite in IDS mode.


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Brett is down there with some friends


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Heading out. There is Jared and a friend off the right, we went through a free diving course together with Martin Stepanek of FII a few years back. Jared is a champion free diver, late of the "teams" and former competitive windsurfer. He is thinking of getting into kiting work permitting.


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Having fun now!


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There's Dylan heading back out as Mike helps to land the kite. I went in to retrim the kite for more power on the pigtails when the wind ebbed shortly after launch. This increased the bar pressure as usual but nicely boosted the power. I also changed the kite camera to video mode.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album04/9jump.jpg
The wind was frequently on the lighter side, I was happy to pop any jumps at all. This one surprised me, you know when you get some extra unexpected height and distance overground. The kite felt fairly fast and steerable, even at 14 m which is what I was hoping for. It didn't want to overfly either, likely in part related to the size but also to how the wing is designed I would expect.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album04/11_sunset2.jpg
I like the new control bar, nice and clean.



http://www.fksa.org/albums/album04/ids_2.sized.jpg
I head in a while later, IDS the kite to solo land. It is just sitting there on the wing tip as is usually the case in lighter to moderate winds.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album04/ids.sized.jpg
A video capture from the kite camera of the wing in IDS mode.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album04/sunset_001.jpg
It was a good quick first session on this new kite. It has a light and lively feel in the air, provides nice floaty jumps with a smooth damped response to inputs (not sure how else to put it). Looking forward to spending more time with the kite particularly in sustained winds. The wind season is back, have fun out there!


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