Advantages and Disadvantages of C-kites
Advantages and Disadvantages of C-kites
The C- kite is considered as the original kite used for kiteboarding. Until today, it is the sole inflatable kite available on the market. It consists of square corners; it forms a deep C-shaped arc in the course of flying. Its lines which are attached at the four corners of the kite give its unique characteristic.
This type of kite has advantages and disadvantages.
Some of its advantages include a ‘direct’ feel when riding. C-kites constantly pull and put pressure on the rider enabling him to feel more attached with the kite. C-kites also turn faster than the bowkites and they tend to turn around a pivot instead of an arc which is the case for the bowkites. Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage can be discussed, but the fact that the c-kites turn faster make them easier and safer to loop and they do not generate as much power in the loops as the bowkites. Bowkites can’t be looped as quickly as the c-kites, the result is more power in the loop and at the same time more likely to crash in the water (since they need a bigger looping radius).
C-kites also offer more performance for their specific wind range. They can only fly well in their hardly specified wind range; thus, prepared to be fine-tuned for a precise range.
These are very specialized kites completing a higher performance kite. These kites are also great for unhooked riding; it means that the kite doesn’t need to be slipped in and out more often.
The shape of the C-kite also maximizes SLED boosting; thus, improving jumping performance.
C kites also have some disadvantages. First of its disadvantages include having a very specific wind range. It means that more kites are needed to cover all possible winds which can be very expensive. To cover all wind conditions, around three to five kites are needed. But even purchasing five of the cheapest kites is also expensive.
A smaller wind range also means that you will need to put together kites more frequently. It also involves water re-launch. To be able to re-launch, these kites need to be spanned onto their back and directed to the rim of the wind window. With the limited sheeting ability, C-Kites can be unsafe for beginners. It means that they can’t be de-powered just like bow kites.
To fly the kite, there should be more power to control it. It is very disadvantageous for beginners because they do not have enough experience.
C kites consist of safety releases; however, they don’t have the ability to plunk a lot of power by sheeting out.
Kites continue to evolve, so the pros and cons will keep on shifting. But one thing remains; these kites are outstanding performers. Not many kite manufacturers design pure c-kites nowadays. Most of them try to design kites that benefits of the advantages both from c-kites and bow-kites. These kites go under names such as Hybrid-C, Delta-kite, SLC-concept kites etc…
However, Slingshot still design pure c-kites to please a small but faithful band of kitesurfers have realized that c-kites is the only way to go! The Slingshot Fuel is also known as the c-kite’s c-kite!
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LEN10 MEGALOOP CHALLENGE
A nice video from the Len10 Megaloop Challenge. As you can see not all riders are using Slingshot kites. North, RRD, Naish, Best. Alberto Rondino shows that it´s even possible to make kiteloops with Cabrinha. However as we all know Lewis Crathern won this challenge and what is he riding with… Slingshot Fuel! Maybe a coincident that the riders choose Slingshot, maybe not… 😉
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The History Of Slingshot
Slingshot was founded 1999 by the Logosz brothers, Jeff and Tony. In 1998 One of Jeff’s friends was calling him to talk about a guy he had seen riding upwind with a kite and wakeboard, something no one ever had done before! The name of this guy was Lou Wainman and he is probably the main reason to why kiteboarding began to evolution to what it is today.
By this time Tony Logosz already had a company that were designing kiteboards so taking the step into designing kiteboarding gears became natural. The two brothers didn’t want to interfere with Tony´s own company, so they decided to form a new company solely aimed for kiteboarding gear, the name was Slingshot!
Many of the windsurfing companies saw the potential in kiteboarding why they also started to manufacture kitesurfing kites. These windsurfing companies already had an image and a legacy reputation that they had to honor. Slingshot was formed solely as a kiteboarding brand that could do whatever they wanted since they had nothing to lose and they had the freedom to create their own image.
Slingshot became an innovative and creative company that wasn’t afraid of doing any mistakes that could hurt their brand. For example they were the first company that actually put some graphic on their kites in the form of flames, suddenly some sort of coolness was added to kites.
The first kite that Slingshot designed was the “Stealth” kite, a full size kite that literally sucked which they also were honest about. Stealth was a megaflop, but Slingshot learned a ton on this lesson and from that time sort of become obsessed with the quality of their products. They started doing massive changes to their kites and the R&D team were constantly testing prototypes. If something wasn’t top notch then they had to fix it!
The company grew from zero to one of the global kite companies and Slingshot has definitely helped the sport to develop to what it is today! With the popular C-kite “Fuel” Slingshot targeted a new small group of extreme hardcore freestylers. The Fuel is a kite that makes it possible for riders such as Ruben Lenten to go crazy with insane kiteloops, he simply needs this super high performance kite that it is.
After Fuel came RPM, a kite that once more made Slingshot the emperer on the market!
Slingshot has always had a drive for making the kiteboarding sport better, safer and still more extreme! The technology behind many sports such as golf, tennis, bicycling etc. have been developed so that perfomers have been able to achive better results. This was not really the case for kiteboarding gear. The wakeboards that were released on the market around year 2000 were the same old crap that were designed 15 years earlier, just in a new costume. Slingshot was the first company that started to design boards with flexibility which added pop and made landings softer. The same drive to improve their products also mirror the kites. Slingshot has released some great products year 2012, but don’t think they have reached some kind of plateu. Kitesurfing is a sport with endless of opportunities and it will continue to grow. Slingshot will keep pushing the limits and bring safety to the equipment!
Stay tuned for the 2013 products that soon will come!
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Slingshot goes to Nitrocity
Some lucky guys from the Slingshot team have recently been to Nitrocity in Panama to test some of Slingshot’s new products, among them the Slingshot Turbine light wind kite. Anyway, check out this cool video and book a flight to Panama!
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New Slingshot Video
The Slingshot team has made a new movie in Panama. A great edited video with some kick-ass shots, just like we’re used to see productions from Slingshot!
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Slingshot Product Catalog 2012
Looking for eye-candy? Look no further! Because it´s here, the Slingshot Catalog stuffed with great products! Enjoy!
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2012 Slingshot Z
Slingshot Z is the first “Spherical-C” profile kite on the market. This is a versatile kite that gives constant pull with controlled power yet very stable and predictable in all types of wind conditions. The Z-kite is easy to relaunch and can generate huge power for those massive jumps!
The Z kite comes with all the latest features that we already see in the RPM and Fuel, but also with some brand new features, such as the “plug and play” feature. This include a pulley free bridle for a more direct feel and for enhanced responsiveness. Compared to RPM and Fuel, the Z-kite sits slighty further in the wind window, which gives it unmatched upwind performances. The Spherical-C Profile in combination with the axis wing tips make the kite more or less relaunch by itself, since it wants to roll up off the water. Z is a kite from Slingshot that has been optimized for a maximum range to fit all kinds of riding conditions.
The Z kite comes in sizes: 6m, 9m, 11m, 13m
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LEN10 Megaloop Challenge 2012
A great competition is coming up in just 2 weeks! Forget the unhooked double hand passes that you´ve seen hundred times in kiteboarding competitions, it´s time for some real action!
The Len10 Megaloop Challenge is a competition for all mega kitelooping maniacs! Ruben Lenten has challenged 24 “amateur” kiteboarders. The bigger and higher jumps equals higher scores!
The competition will take place in Cape Town the 16th to the 26th February. The competition requires a minimum wind speed of 15 knots per second, so that´s why the competition is being held for 10 days, just to be sure that there will be at least one windy day!
The judges will not only measure high and length of the mega loops, but also style, enthusiams and speed of the kite loops.
The winner will take home $10.000 and also get an exclusive photo shoot by Red Bull’s photographer Craig Kolesky.
A second price will to go the kiteboarder that makes the biggest crash, so the one that breakes his legs or wreck his knees might at least get some money for operations at the hospital 🙂
If you want to challenge Ruben Lenten, then simply post a video of your best kite loop on Ruben Lentens Facebook Page or register yourself for trials on Red Bulls homepage. if the wind conditions are right, these trials will take place the 11th or 12th of February at Blouberg Beach.
Personally I think it will be very interesting to see what kite brands the other kiteboarders are using. Would be nice to not only see Slingshot Fuels! This challenge is great opportunity for all kite manufactures to show us what they go for!
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2012 Slingshot RPM
Slingshot’s RPM has was a great kite already when it was released year 2009. The RPM is now released in its 4th version, tuned to perfection! You´re probably familiar with Ruben Lenten and Youri Zoon. Ruben is the guy’s that make insane kiteloops, Youri is the world’s kiteboarder champion. Perhaps is it a coincident that they both ride with Slingshot or perhaps do other kite manufacturers simply not produce kites that are good enough for those who requires top performance?
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Ruben Lenten – the Master of Extreme
Ruben Lenten
Through the years, sports have evolved into many different kinds. In addition to the regular sports that we all know (such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, etc.), extreme sports are slowly becoming more and more popular among sports and adventure enthusiasts. Sports enthusiasts try out the latest trends in sports to broaden their experiences as far as sports are concerned. One such extreme sport that is slowly increasing in its number of followers is kitesurfing.
Extreme water sports are fun and exhilarating. Kitesurfing is an example of an extreme surface water sport. This extreme water sport is a combination of other water sports such as wavesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, and paragliding. Kiteboarding, as it is alternatively called, is a sport that allows a rider to propel through the water using a surfboard, known as a kiteboard that is similar to the function of a wakeboard.
Kitesurfers or kiteboarders utilize kiteboards (with or without foot straps) and large controllable kites to propel themselves across the water. Before engaging into such an extreme water sports, those who are interested to experience kitesurfing should first be educated of the basic techniques of kitesurfing or kiteboarding. Turning is a pertinent technique every kiteboarder should know. Another technique is controlled flying and jumping. Lastly, every kitesurfer should know the different types of board grabs in order to smoothly perform board tricks.
One well-known kitesurfing enthusiast is Ruben Lenten. Ruben Lenten is a young kitesurfer born on March 29, 1988. Because of his excellence in performing stunts and tricks with his board and kite, he has been labeled as the Master of Extreme. He is well-known for his enthusiasm in pushing his limits when going kiteboarding. For Ruben, kiteboarding is more fun the higher, the faster, and the more extreme it gets. He has been competing and conquering the kiteboarding scene for quite some time. However, he left the international scene in kitesurfing competition.
Ruben Lenten has stopped from joining international kitesurfing competitions because he was unsatisfied with the way kitesurfers were being evaluated during such competitions. At a very young age, Lenten is quite unaccepting of the boundaries being set forward for this fast growing extreme water sport.
Being dubbed as the Master of Extreme, Lenten continuously pushes his limits as far as kitesurfing is concerned. His ultimate goal is to push his limits and to involve all kitesurfers out there in this endeavor. Together with other young kitesurfers all over the world, Lenten visits different kitesurfing spots and discover new tricks and new styles.
Ruben is sponsored by Mystic, Slingshot, Red bull and On The Loose
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