USER GUIDE. approved ntents

Transcription

1 approved ntents 07 USER GUIDE

2 .2 All content of this document, including text, images and graphics, is the exclusive property of STARKITES and is protected by international copyright and other intellectual property laws. All rights not expressly granted are reserved. You may not reproduce, copy, or redistribute the design or layout.

3 Contents Introduction p. 4 Warnings p. 5 Know your Bow p. 6-7 Kite set-up: Down-wind p. 8 Up-wind p. 9 Tuning: Power Adjustment p.10 Lines Adjustment p Safety: Safety Leash p Emergency Release p Practice: Assisted Launching p.16 Self-Launching p Water re-launching p Self Rescue p SLS Spin Lock Stopper p.27 Safety fundamentals p.28 Warranty p

4 Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Starkites S-Bow. Your S-Bow kite sets the standard in safety, performances and usability for the next generation of water and snow kites: - features: Genuine 100% de-power. Just let go Safety system. Super easy, super reliable no swim re-launch. SLS Spin Lock Stopper. Pull-pull power trim. 360 degree emergency chicken loop release. Tough & durable construction. A.B.S. (Advanced Bridal System). Ergonomic bar, knots free (easy tunning)..4 Before you use your S-Bow, read this user-guide carefully, even if you are an experienced kiteboarder; it contains important information about your kite and the techniques you should use to maximize your fun and safety.

5 Warnings Maintenance: Always store your kite dry to increase lifespan and avoid colour run. Always pre-flight check your lines; keep them clear and untangled. Safety: Always take a lesson from an approved instructor before using any kite. Always wear a helmet and floatation vest when using kiteboarding equipment. Always connect the safety leash before flying this product. Be aware of the generic safety rules and crossing procedures. Practise the safety release and rescue procedure to ensure confidence. Take care with the lines and bridles; they can be very sharp and cause serious injury or death. Keep in mind that you are not alone, so respect the people around you. Never use this product in a crowded area; near trees, roads, power lines, rocks... Kiting can be very dangerous. Starkites cannot be held responsible for personal or third party injury. Location: The location must be evaluated in order to make sure the wind strength and stability is safe to use this product. To see if there are potential obstacles and to verify that there is a secure area to launch and land your kite. The location in which you learn is usually different from the one you will practise in. Therefore, make sure you have the necessary knowledge to be able to kite in different spots. Never practise alone, do not kite further than from the shore you are able or willing to swim back from. Almost all accidents occur on land so before going out on your own, make sure that your abilities to determine kite size, prepare your equipment and land your kite alone have been evaluated according to the IKO kiteboarder certification standards

6 Know your Bow Leading edge 2. Trailing edge 3. Wing tip 4. Strut 5. Back or steering lines 6. Front lines 7. Power adjustment straps 8. Ergonomic bar 9. Chicken loop (with quick release).

7 A. Leash part 1 (connects to harness) B. Leash part 2 (connects to kite) C. Dual action pump D. Bladder repair kit Know your Bow Accessories Inflation This image shows the center of the leading edge and the top surface of the kite. To prevent bridles tangling use the inflation valve access to inflate your kite and connect the pump leash to the leading edge. Note: Beneath the circular patch is the leading edge inflation valve. On the underside of the leading edge you will find the leading edge deflation valve. Remember to seel the deflation valve before attempting to pump up the leading edge. Unlike C shaped kites, the leading edge should be pumped when the kite is in the safe position (facing into wind, leading edge down)

8 Kite Set-Up The first time you set-up your S-Bow, it is strongly recommended that you have an expert go through the process with you. Before you attach your lines to the kite, ensure that the 4 lines are the same length by attaching the ends to the same point (to a pole or, a tree). Be sure that the bridles are not twisted, and that everything on the bar is untangled and running freely. Down-wind D. C. B. A. Down-wind: The kite should be placed in the normal safe position (leading edge down/facing into wind). You should then attach the lines corresponding to the diagram above. Lines B and C are the front lines, lines A and D are the rear or steering lines. Remember when setting up down-wind that everything is upside down. If you don t understand this section you MUST take a lesson from a Certified Instructor who can explain everything clearly..8

9 Kite Set-Up Up-wind A. D. B. C. Up-wind: Ensure that the bridles are untangled and running freely, and that nothing on your bar is twisted.your kite should be secured in the normal safe position (leading edge down/facing into wind). Lay out your lines upwind and attach the lines according to the diagram above. Lines B and C are the front lines, lines A and D are the rear or steering lines. If you do not understand this section you MUST take a lesson from a Certified Instructor who will explain how to set up your kite correctly

10 Tuning Power Adjustment This images shows the power trim adjustment straps. To de-power your S-Bow you pull down (towards you) on the red handle. To increase the power of your S-Bow you pull towards you on the black handle..10 Lines Adjustment It is possible to tune your kite according to your riding style and the conditions. In particular, you might want to fine tune the oversheet point of your kite. If you find that your kite is flying backwards or stalling earlier than you would like, you need to make the rear lines slightly longer. For more advanced riders who are riding unhooked it is reccommended that you carry out this simple procedure:

11 Tuning The image shows the rear line attachment point (inside the neoprene rubber at the top of your de-power straps). There are three knots you can attach the lines to, (shown as A, B, C). To LENGTHEN the rear lines (to avoid over-sheeting) move the lines to attachment point A on both sides (shown in the image below). To make the kite more over-sheeted SHORTEN the rear lines; you would move the lines to knot C (usually not necessary). Look closely at the third image and be sure your knots are set up in the same way. You can also prevent the kite from over-sheeting by applying some de-power (pulling down about 5-10cm on the red handle). Standard Bar: B. A. C. Pulley Bar: A. A. B. B. C. C. A. A. B. B. A. For more infomations about pulley System, download specific manual on

12 Safety Safety Leash 2. Your safety leash comes in two parts: Part 1 attached to your harness. Part 2 attached to your kite. The two parts are linked in the middle by a quick-release system. 1. The following explanation shows how to attach your leash to the reccommended position (for beginner - intermediate riders). You should have a leash attachment point on your harness: Attach part 1 to this attachment point by using a standard loop-through-loop connection or Lark s head knot. If you don t have a D-ring, use your spreader bar as an attachment point For highly advanced riders it is also possible to attach the leash in a handle-pass configuration. Starkites do not recommend this setting and it should only be done by extremely competent experts.

13 Safety Attaching parts of the quick-release system: The metal bar at the end of part 2 should be passed through the loop at the end of part The bar should be folded back onto part 2. The sleeve should then be pushed firmly over the metal bar. Finally, the sleeve is completely pulled over the metal bar and should look like the image on the right. Should you need to release the leash in an emergency, the black arrow printed on the sleeve fabric shows the direction to pull. Just like the chicken loop, you pull away from you and the leash will release, completely separating you from the kite

14 Safety A. Most riders (who do not need a spinning leash) should attach the leash to ring A. Your leash should run from your harness, clear and untangled, BEHIND your bar to the attachment ring. If you are unfamiliar with kite leashes or do not understand this section, you must take a lesson with a Certified Instructor who will clearly explain how to attach your leash. Emergency Release This image shows the emergency release handle on your chicken loop..14 To release in an emergency, grab the red handle and firmly push it away from your body, in the direction of the red arrow, towards the bar. This action will disconnect you completely from your chicken loop and you will be attached only by your kite leash.

15 Safety Reset Emergency Release To reset your chicken loop: Place the loop over the metal bar as shown. Push the bar underneath the flap Pull the release sleeve over the top of the whole assembly. Before you fly the kite, make sure you have an expert check that you have reset the chicken loop correctly

16 Practice Assisted Launching As with any kite it is better to have an assistant to help you to launch. To launch your S-Bow with an assistant, use the same method as you would use to launch a standard C shaped kite. Remember, always launch towards the water and be sure you are clear of people, obstacles or any other apparant dangers..16

17 Practice Self-Launching Warning: DO NOT USE THIS PROCEDURE WITH STANDARD C-SHAPED KITES OR IN STRONG WIND. Always double check the lines settings before launching your kite. Train first in light winds (max 15 knots) and do not disable any safety system. Make sure the SLS Spin Lock Stopper stoper is not activate during this procedure. To secure your kite: Position your kite facing into the wind. Place enough sand on your kite so it won t be lifted by a gust. Your lines are set. Position your bar so the lines have an angle of 45 degrees to the wind. Note: If you leave your kite unattended for more than a few minutes, always disconnect the lines. If you have a stopper system on your center line release it fully. If the wind is strong, apply some depower before you launch. Your kite is inflated and secured and you are ready to go in the water

18 Practice The kite is facing towards the wind, put sand close to the middle strut on the bar side canopy. Pull the front and back lines of the opposite side you have put the sand on, until half of the kite you are pulling on catches the wind. Put sand on the other half of the kite (close to the middle strut). The kite is now at 45 degrees to the wind. Your bridles should be laid out on the ground, completely untangled and not passing over any struts..18

19 Practice Go to your bar, connect your leash and chicken loop. Start walking backwards and upwind. Until the kite takes the wind, rotates upside down and launches. In light wind pull the line to help the kite launching. If you do not feel comfortable; then pushing the bar away from you should be enough to completely depower the kite

20 Water Re-launching First part The new S-Bow kite water re-launch procedure makes re-launching much easier with a S-Bow kite than with a standard C-Shape kite (granted you follow the key points step by step). If you learned on a C-Shape, your first reaction when you crash your kite is to swim towards your kite or to pull on the fifth line. With a bow kite, the procedure starts differently and you should not swim at all. Lets have a look at each step in detail: The kite is on the water; leading edge face down. Do not swim towards the lines, swim upwind to tense the lines if needed. Prepare for re-launching. Pull the bar towards you has much as possible holding that position until the kite starts re-launching. This will help the kite to pick up the wind and make the next step easier..20 Note: if you want the kite to re-launch to the right side you will have to pull the left leader line and vice versa. Having the kite inflated with maximum pressure makes re-launching faster and easier.

21 Water Re-launching Bend forward and grab the leader line as far as possible from the bar. Pull on the leader line until the kite rotates on its side and starts to rise off the water. Sheet out (push the bar away from you) during take off and put both hands back on the bar to control your kite. Note: Do not twist the line around your fingers or hand at any time. In case the kite lines become tangled (if the kite gets washed in the waves) and the situation becomes dangerous for you or another person; let go of the bar immediately using the chicken loop emergency release system. Never take a chance to re-launch a kite when you are close to any points of danger. Remember: with a S-Bow kite, do not swim towards the kite when it lands on the water, it will make re-launching much more difficult

22 Water Re-launching Second part In case your kite ends upside down with the leading edge facing toward you. It will be necessary to rotate the kite 180 degrees on the surface of the water before you are able to follow the previously mentioned procedure. Start by pulling on the left side of the kite to bring the kite tip upwind to the other end. This can be done by swimming in the opposite direction from the side you are pulling. You will need to pull on the back line corresponding to the tip you want to bring up wind (in the example it s the left tip). In the example the rider pulls on the left tip, therefore he is swimming to the right. Once the tip you are pulling on is totally upwind to the other tip, grab the second back line and start to pull on it as you let go of the backline. At the same time gradually start swimming to the other side (in this case left)..22

23 Water Re-launching This will cause the kite to finish turning so you are ready to re-launch by following the previously explained procedure (first part). Note: Be careful never to tangle or wrap the lines around any body part. If you do not train in light wind, you should let go of the bar or wait for the kite to re-launch itself. In some wind and water conditions, you may not have to apply this procedure as the kite can sometimes re-launch itself, in which case you should de-power the kite by pushing the bar away (sheeting out). Remember at all times safety first and fun will follow

24 Self Rescue Self Rescue/ Pack Down in the water By Eric Beaudonnat, IKO Co-Founder and Training Master. If the wind dies or one of your lines breaks, you will need to land your kite in the water (landing on the shore in this situation is virtually impossible). In this case you will have to swim to your kite so you can wind up the lines while you are still in the water before a boat recovers you or before you swim to the shore. Warning: in strong wind conditions or if you have not trained in very light winds, you should never attempt to self recover the kite. The most important thing is to stay connected to the kite with the kite leash and to never wrap the lines around any part of your body. If you are fairly close to the shore you can wait to drift towards the beach instead of recovering you kite. The following procedure applies to 4 and 5 lines whether they are Bow or Arc kites. The self pack down procedure must be used after having trained in light winds and when no boat recovery is available or before boat recovery in medium winds. 1/ Let go of the bar by releasing the chicken loop and wait for the kite to stabilize in the water. Your leash must be connected to one of the flying lines at the beginning of your session..24 DO NOT wrap the lines around your hand or fingers. Note that if the leash is connected to your chicken loop (for a handle pass for example) it will not work.

25 Self Rescue 2/ Grab the leash and swim toward the bar keeping tension on the remaining lines. You can even swim to one side to keep the lines away from you. For safety reasons, it must be possible to release the lines at any time. 3/ Once you reach the bar, secure the line you have in your hand around the bar, so you will not lose the bar if you let go. This will keep the kite secure. It s no problem if the kite goes back in the air, just wait for it to go down again. If the kite takes off and is still powered, you probably let go of the leash line or it was not secured to the bar. In this case you should let go of the bar

26 Self Rescue 4/ Grab all the lines together and securely wind them up on the bar, until you reach the kite. Tie the lines with a knot so they will not come undone, the bar has a system to keep the lines attached to the bar. (Small bugee cord at the end). 5/ Use the kite as a sail to go back to shore by taking hold of the handle on the kites tips (by grabbing one strut and the bar as in picture). Stay connected to your kite leash at all times, make sure your leash has a quick release system..26

27 Spin Lock Stopper The «SLS» Spin Lock Stopper is easy to handle and adjust to any height on the central line. Adjustment (Pict.1): Pull down on the blue release wheel to unlock, then slide up or down, depending on where you would like to position it. Locking (Pict. 2 & Pict.3): Lock it by rolling the wheel upwards and slightly pushing up on the Spin Lock Stopper body. The stopper will self release when the kite passes through the wind window power area if the rider stops applying pressure to the bar Unlocking (Pict.4): To unlock the SLS pull the red part down toward you. This will disengage the blue wheel and loosen the SLS body. SLS can only be setup on 2007 bars and will only release when your lines are under significant tension. For more information on the SLS setting and assembly please download the pdf file on

28 Safety Fundamentals 1/ Letting go of the bar, but staying hooked will completely de-power the kite. 2/ Releasing the chicken loop will completely depower your kite. 3/ Releasing the leash will separate you completely from your kite (providing you are not in the chicken loop). Remember, maximum fun comes from maximum confidence, maximum confidence comes from maximum safety. To enjoy your kiteboarding as much as possible. BE SAFE: Get lessons from a Certified Instructor. Wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear. Know your limits. Know your equipment. Know the spot. Know the weather. For all the latest info on Starkites, including new products, press releases, safety announcements and the latest photos, check out Enjoy your Starkites S-Bow!.28

29 Warranty Starkites warrants this product to be free of major defects, for a minimum guarantee period of 90 days. If any of our products fail as a result of defective workmanship or faulty materials, we will replace them. This warranty is subject to the following limitations: For safety reasons, Starkites products should be used on water only. The warranty covers the repair or replacement of the defective part only. This warranty does not cover damage caused by misuse, abuse, impact on any surface, neglect, or normal wear and tear including, but not limited to, colour fading due to excess sun exposure, blader punctures or excess inflation, damage caused by improper handling and storage, damage caused by use in waves or shore break, and damage caused by anything other than defects in material and workmanship. Damage from rigging with other products than Starkites lines or bars are not covered by warranty. Damage from natural causes, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and storms are not covered. This warranty is voided if any modification has been made to any part of the equipment. The warranty is valid only when this product is used in a normal way. The original purchase receipt from the authorized Starkites dealer must accompany all warranty claims. The name of the retailer and date of purchase must be clear and legible. This claims should be made through the retailer. There are no warranties, which extend beyond the warranty specified herein. If necessary, Starkites may request photos of the defective product. If the product needs to be returned to Starkites, the customer is responsible for the cost of shipping. All warranty claims must be accompanied by the purchase receipt. Please follow Starkites recommendations about safety. STARKITES WARRANTY POLICY