I have been battling with my 7m Octane all summer. I bought 7, 9 & 11m Octanes in October and have had no real issues with the 9 or 11.

In stronger winds the 7m is falling out of the sky a lot. I had Rev's previously and did not have these problems in any winds. I kited Witsands in Cape Town yesterday and wrestled the kite the entire session. It got to the point where I had to land my kite before I seriously hurt myself or one of the other kiters in the waves. I have avoided using my 7m all summer because of this problem and it is not the first time the issue has been raised by a kiter:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=58804

Firstly I want to know if other people are experiencing similar problems especially in strong and/or gusty winds and what solutions, if any they have come up with?
Secondly I would like to know what Slingshot are doing about it. I know the issue has been raised with various slingshot reps in Australia.

I am getting to the point where I am considering selling my quiver and jumping ship to another brand.

A few similar quotes:

Select to expand quote

Bushpig said...

Ummmmmmm. I just changed kites and bought a 7M and 9M Octane 2010. I seem to be having the same issues with the 7m, bloody thing falls out the sky at the most inapproriate moment ,and seems to jump all over the place even when parked . Ive been kiting for atleast 8 years and never had any problems with other kites. It does'nt
fill you with confidence when trying to get out through the shore break or near people on the beach The one positive thing about these kites is that they relaunch really well maybe thats a bonus after they drop out

Select to expand quote

GranG said...

Need some tuning advice for my 7m Octane.

In stronger winds (25knots) the kite seems to fall out of the sky a lot more than I would subscribe to user error...

Behavior: in a gust, the kite lurches forward and then changes the angle of attack slightly at the edge of th e window, stalls and starts flying backwards (that impossible angle where the kite just hangs in the sky slowly traveling backwards)... very frustrating. based on 3 separate sessions in stronger wind.

I am an intermediate kiter (many years). Had a 7m Rev and did not have this problem. Also have 9m Octane; don't have the problem (although I don't ride it in stronger winds, as I logically tend to take out the 7m).

Any tuning advice would be appreciated. In the WA redkite downwinder today, I had 7 or 8 unexpected kite stalls -- one close to the city beach groin which is not where you want to have it happen!

Thx

(Pigtail extensions still on kite, but I don't recon that to be the issue as I did not de-power on bar at all)

Hey Mate

Have you conteacted the Slingshot distributor about this problem.

If not, then I would urge you to do that first before switching brands. The kites have had really good feedback and I don't know of any problems with the 7m Octane that I have heard of.

That is not to say you have not got a problem with yours that can be sorted.

PM me if you need the details for the Rep.

Hi Roroy
I've only sailed the 7m prototype, circulated just prior to the decision to go to 5 struts. I've found no problems with the kite's stability.
Maybe you could try an experiment & inflate the kite with the centre strut clamped shut so you'll be flying it as a 4 strut. It may allow the LE to luff freely without pushing the LE down.
Good luck
Col

Check out Kiteforum, saw a topic on same issue.

Concur - I continue to have the same problems with my 7m (even after removing extensions).

Very frustrating when the wind is gusty. I'm not kiting with the same level of confidence in my equipment - particularly at a place such as Marg's where a kite drop can really hurt. Dangerous to the beachgoers too.

It is a bit Jeykel and Hyde - only happens in gusty wind... the time you need to DEPEND on your kite

A few people on the beach here have mentioned similar problems. I spoke to SS at Kitestock and he said he was not aware of any issues...

Links to KiteForum: kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2362742&p=637875
Other post on gear reviews: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=61016 (the user is blamed, but I don't think it is him)...

Some credible people having no issues.... maybe it is a specific batch of kites?
My Octanes was one of the first batches to land in AU, so not sure if there was changes made since then.

I'm not a happy kiter (when it is gusty). I guess I know what those brand faithful kiters felt like who bought Links way back when...

Select to expand quote

gruezi said...

Gear section please.

Why does it bother you that this is not in the gear section? Serious issues with kites should be in all sections for all to see. Did you have your forum admin application refused again?

I agree with you 100% Paul, my bad. We all make some mistakes some times, don't we?

hi mate. i had similar issues with my kites. i contacted slingshot who got back to me saying that there were a batch of kites with some issues and that if your kite falls in that serial number range then it will be replaced no problem.just had 3 kites replaced.

i have a 7m octane. got it back in sept last year from the first batch that came to oz and havent had a problem i actually prefer the 7m octane to the rev2 7m i had last year. havent had any issues with mine falling out of the sky.

Select to expand quote

hotballs said...

hi mate. i had similar issues with my kites. i contacted slingshot who got back to me saying that there were a batch of kites with some issues and that if your kite falls in that serial number range then it will be replaced no problem.just had 3 kites replaced.

This must be true because I flew one and it was awful, but heaps of great riders are using them and love them.

Select to expand quote

hotballs said...

hi mate. i had similar issues with my kites. i contacted slingshot who got back to me saying that there were a batch of kites with some issues and that if your kite falls in that serial number range then it will be replaced no problem.just had 3 kites replaced.

I am still awaiting a reply to my email.

Why - if there is a known issue with a certain batch - does slingshot not publicly disclose this information so riders are better off (check your serial number here) -- we only have so many summers to kite and a bad kite can really ruin your summer...

I am a strong believer that open and honest communication with customers enhances the brand...

I had 7m and 11m, this issue together with some others made me change brands back to Cabrinha Nomad , I find them a more stable kite that is almost impossible to stall, but still has the turning and flying ability of the octane.

Select to expand quote

hotballs said...

hi mate. i had similar issues with my kites. i contacted slingshot who got back to me saying that there were a batch of kites with some issues and that if your kite falls in that serial number range then it will be replaced no problem.just had 3 kites replaced.

That's great that SS have realised there may be a design prob with a batch of kites. I emailed all my serial numbers away only last week to the Oz SS rep, but still no reply. As mentioned above, and open policy would help sustain and even grow some SS brand loyalty.
Perhaps Ryland you can test some of the faulty kites in question and compare them to how your 7m Octane. It would definitely speed things along to have your expert opinion when dealing with SS. I know GranG would be more than happy lend you his 7m.

yeah im more than happy to have a fly to see what the issue is, curious also, pretty sure mine and Grang's are from the same batch as we got ours in the first shipment within a day or 2 of each other. weird- grang next time we do a downwinder we will swap kites and see if the behave the same.

Select to expand quote

Roroy said...

hotballs said...

hi mate. i had similar issues with my kites. i contacted slingshot who got back to me saying that there were a batch of kites with some issues and that if your kite falls in that serial number range then it will be replaced no problem.just had 3 kites replaced.

That's great that SS have realised there may be a design prob with a batch of kites. I emailed all my serial numbers away only last week to the Oz SS rep, but still no reply. As mentioned above, and open policy would help sustain and even grow some SS brand loyalty.
Perhaps Ryland you can test some of the faulty kites in question and compare them to how your 7m Octane. It would definitely speed things along to have your expert opinion when dealing with SS. I know GranG would be more than happy lend you his 7m.

Sounds like a "duty of care" issue to me, under Australian law anyway.
If a manufacturer has known issues they have a duty to recall and repair / replace said faulty equipment - if someone was hurt they'd be liable for negligence.

Select to expand quote

Ryland said...

yeah im more than happy to have a fly to see what the issue is, curious also, pretty sure mine and Grang's are from the same batch as we got ours in the first shipment within a day or 2 of each other. weird- grang next time we do a downwinder we will swap kites and see if the behave the same.

Mate - happy to do that, but I expect to have a reply from ss by then... flying to RSA pretty soon and I have already had a disruptive season on my new kit...