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First flight


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I flew my 4m foil, bought a couple of months back, for the first time last night. After realising that I couldn't get enough power line on, or enough brake off, for it to fly I ended up wrapping the leaders and part of the power lines round the handle tops and we were off. I have to say it was a great larf! I'm 16.5 stone and it would pick me up from lying down no problemo All I've got to do now is get some cord to make new leaders and I'll be hunting for a mountainboard

As a p.s., I found I preferred the handles I'd made to the ones I bought off the internet. The homemade stainless ones are slightly shorter and don't oversteer the kite as much, so I'll probably get shot of the others.

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Hey Browser...

Good to hear you got the kite going. I had the same problem with my 4 line foil when I first started flying it. I actually used the same temporary solution, too. I added length to the pigtails for the brake lines, and it's worked right since. 4 line kites are a pain in the butt when the lines aren't right.

You can see that ANY wheels on your feet will allow you to move forward. I use a MBS mountain board, it seems to be well made.

http://www.mbs.com/

What makes your handles different/better than the stock handles ? I find my handles uncomfortable after a while, and think they could use improvement. Interested to see a picture if you have one...

~Rob.

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Hi Rob, sorry it's taken me so long to reply, I've been ridiculously busy lately!

PICT0002.jpg

This is both handle sets, the placcy ones on the left and mine on the right.

PICT0005.jpg

This is a closeup of the bottom showing the stake loops and heat shrink sleeving.

PICT0006.jpg

This is the top leaders, showing the slight damage to the Duplon grips because I wrapped the leaders and some line around them to shorten the power lines so the ruddy kite'd fly!

PICT0003.jpg

Final one of the finished articles, 12mm x 1.5mm wall stainless tube, machi8ned ali end caps and Duplon fishing rod-grip. They felt nice and seemed to control the kite better. :gathering:

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Hey Browser,

Awesome looking handles ! They certainly look nicer than the stock handles, If you didn't tell me that you built them, I would've believed you dropped big $$$ for them. Now you need to figure out how to attach them to a harness, unless you're going to use a bar.

I've had trouble getting used to a bar, and have never used the bar with the mountain board. I think the handles feel more natural.

~Rob.

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  • 1 month later...

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