Started playing around with line lengths, and just wondering if there are advantages to racing downwind with longer or shorter lines? I am thinking with shorter lines, bigger kite, faster less powerfull loops and benifiting from apparrent wind at a lower angle?

Not quite your situation but I have gotten used to 15m lines with my 12m Hyperlink and recently I retried it with 20m lines and it was way different.
With longer lines the agility suffers alot and consequently the timing. I don't perceive any huge difference in power delivery between the two lengths... there may some but that would be offset by the increased apparent wind generated by the increased agility.
Suffice it to say with shorter lines you will no doubt get a faster looping kite but the power may not seem hugely different, if at all.
If your using 23 or 24m lines I would suggest trying 15-18m to get the full effect and benefit of shorter lines... just taking of 3 or 4m extensions may not seem very different, or at least different enough.

Shorter lines mean quicker turning kites dictating shorter reaction time. 15m is a bit of a nightmare in gusty winds. On the waves, responsive, quick turning kites are needed for the frequent turning, so we use shorter 15-22m lines. Long lines generate more power on their movement, so if you want to boost really high, you need longer lines. If you keep your kite steady the line length makes relatively small difference. I never got into speed, but, for aerodynamic reasons, I would use longer lines with big power strokes.
Cheers

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snalberski said..
Not quite your situation but I have gotten used to 15m lines with my 12m Hyperlink and recently I retried it with 20m lines and it was way different.
With longer lines the agility suffers alot and consequently the timing. I don't perceive any huge difference in power delivery between the two lengths... there may some but that would be offset by the increased apparent wind generated by the increased agility.
Suffice it to say with shorter lines you will no doubt get a faster looping kite but the power may not seem hugely different, if at all.
If your using 23 or 24m lines I would suggest trying 15-18m to get the full effect and benefit of shorter lines... just taking of 3 or 4m extensions may not seem very different, or at least different enough.

The only thing worse than doing a Downwinder with 15metre lines would be doing a downwinder with 15m lines and a foil kite, then crashing it and carrying a 45kg wet pig, 8km back to your car.

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wishy said..

snalberski said..
Not quite your situation but I have gotten used to 15m lines with my 12m Hyperlink and recently I retried it with 20m lines and it was way different.
With longer lines the agility suffers alot and consequently the timing. I don't perceive any huge difference in power delivery between the two lengths... there may some but that would be offset by the increased apparent wind generated by the increased agility.
Suffice it to say with shorter lines you will no doubt get a faster looping kite but the power may not seem hugely different, if at all.
If your using 23 or 24m lines I would suggest trying 15-18m to get the full effect and benefit of shorter lines... just taking of 3 or 4m extensions may not seem very different, or at least different enough.

The only thing worse than doing a Downwinder with 15metre lines would be doing a downwinder with 15m lines and a foil kite, then crashing it and carrying a 45kg wet pig, 8km back to your car.

Crashing kites?
Why would you do that?

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wishy said..

snalberski said..
Not quite your situation but I have gotten used to 15m lines with my 12m Hyperlink and recently I retried it with 20m lines and it was way different.
With longer lines the agility suffers alot and consequently the timing. I don't perceive any huge difference in power delivery between the two lengths... there may some but that would be offset by the increased apparent wind generated by the increased agility.
Suffice it to say with shorter lines you will no doubt get a faster looping kite but the power may not seem hugely different, if at all.
If your using 23 or 24m lines I would suggest trying 15-18m to get the full effect and benefit of shorter lines... just taking of 3 or 4m extensions may not seem very different, or at least different enough.

The only thing worse than doing a Downwinder with 15metre lines would be doing a downwinder with 15m lines and a foil kite, then crashing it and carrying a 45kg wet pig, 8km back to your car.

Clearly from first hand experience

What style of riding are you doing?
Theres racing style broad reach blasting high speed locked in and powered. No looping required. This is the fastest method downwind.

Or looping deeper downwind and going physically slower down wind but at a more direct angle. Typically done when riding waves.