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eppo said..

What else did you find out Steve???

Haha, lots! I've seen new colors, and models from several brands, but more importantly, from Ozone. The main thing though is that Mauritius is an awesome kiting location, particularly for waveriders. My favourite spot was Manawa, can hold big swell and gets easier and more predictable when its 1.5-2 times overhead, and its a left! One Eye is a really amazing wave, has to be seen to be appreciated, not for the faint hearted and it eats everyone at some stage or another!! Best way to do Mauritius is to do a tour or two with the Kitethrills team, they have it sussed.

Saw some pics of the new prototype ozone bar. Hard to tell from pics but it looks very functional, simple and elegant like ozone know how. Nice bar ends with a fairly shallow line storage curve at the ends and soft, so the freestylers won't have leash tangling worries for all their fancy pancy moves and surf riders will have less dings in their boards!

Typical bungee running through the core, push away etc etc. depower cleat looks like its had some design work, simple and functional again. Quite honestly though I'm stoked with the simplicity of the current bar but I know there are those that want a more industry standard push away quick release. Well it will be here soon.

I know that there has been many hours of collaborative testing done. Unlike some brands, the R and D it seems will be done by ozone not by the unfortunate public who make suggestions on forums like this, then they change it and leave everyone with an inferior system. Have to say that is one thing that shts me. ...or you could go down the f one road and just keep looking up your own ass and never see the light of day.

Same answer as the other post Eppo.

My only problem with the ozone bar is lack of adjustable throw. I find the reach a little too far after a period on the kite and can tend to over pull when tired thus killing the kite.

I guess i am used to North where you can make quite specific adjustment to the throw

Nah don't find that. I think they have the throw just right so no need for adjustments. I don't tend to 'pull' the bar. Rather the pull comes from straight arms that are levered from straight legs and the amount of edging I engage threw leaning into the rail. Conserves energy. Only need subtle shifts of movement, I use very little throw on a bar. The only time I reef in is when jumping.

but each to their own. Not sure if the new cleat is adjustable, hope not, keep it simple and elegant rather than the over engineered bars I see form north, the crescendo being that cabrinha bar, my god that thing has some serious engineering committees designed it. But a good system mind you. The metal swivel thingy that you connects your leash is amazing hey!

I hope ozone as usual keep it simple and without gimmicks.

thinking of upgrading my 2011 7m c4 for a 2013 7m. My old 7 is just way too quick when unhooking. Does the 2013 7m have more float when boosting? Is it slower than the 2011 7m? I just want to park and ride. Not interested in loops

What's the feedback on the free ride / wake style settings - people noticed much of a difference - advantages / drawbacks or is it just what it says on the tin?
Had a crack on one for the first time this weekend - gusty as hell so hard to get a good feel for it but impressed. Only used it on free ride setting still generated some good pop & slack

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eddiemorgs said..

Same answer as the other post Eppo.

My only problem with the ozone bar is lack of adjustable throw. I find the reach a little too far after a period on the kite and can tend to over pull when tired thus killing the kite.

If the reach is too far use the trimmer, pull in some trim. If you can kill the kite when you pull all the way in then your front lines have stretched. You should never be able to stall (unless you want it that way for some reason) the kite, and there are adjustments under the floats to deal with most of the line stretch you could ever get from ozone lines, pigtails are the next option but I've never heard of anyone having to use them.

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I guess i am used to North where you can make quite specific adjustment to the throw

2013 Ozone bars have a much shorter throw. The adjustable cleat position comes at the price of a covered center line and then having to replace the center line fairly frequently and then having to re-tune, there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems, most people never adjust the cleat position. Covered center line that lasts the life of the kite is my preference.

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EnglishCraig said...
What's the feedback on the free ride / wake style settings - people noticed much of a difference - advantages / drawbacks or is it just what it says on the tin?
Had a crack on one for the first time this weekend - gusty as hell so hard to get a good feel for it but impressed. Only used it on free ride setting still generated some good pop & slack

Blatantly bumping my own question...

... I know this is an Ozone love fest so I don't wanna upset anyone so chill out please,,,, but I'm with Eddiemorgs on this one,,,, it would be nice if you could adjust the bar throw!

Why you ask, well, I sometimes share my kites with the missus and since she's 5'3" and I'm 6'4" with a long reach, she just can't ride with my bar with the throw I like. All I do is adjust the throw with a simple move of the cleat and pass the bar over to the missus,,, when she's done, I just shove it back to suit myself. No big deal and easy peasy.

Anyway, as I said, it would be nice if Ozone had some sort of on the fly adjustment.

Cool,

Robbie

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EnglishCraig said..

EnglishCraig said...
What's the feedback on the free ride / wake style settings - people noticed much of a difference - advantages / drawbacks or is it just what it says on the tin?
Had a crack on one for the first time this weekend - gusty as hell so hard to get a good feel for it but impressed. Only used it on free ride setting still generated some good pop & slack

Blatantly bumping my own question...

Never really tried the freeride setting. Pop and slack is just fine the wake style setting. i'd recommend moving the knots under the bar floats to the knot closest to the bar for a bit more grunt. Love this kite, bar pressure can get a bit annoying though

Only the C4 2013 bar's has got a shorter depower throw, the others Ozone bars got more throw just because you need that on the Reo and the other kites.

I don't ever feel the need of depowering my C4 even in overpowerd conditions, if you really are too much overpowerd you should get a smaller kite size up.

The 7m 2013 C4 has really got more float and hangtime (not only the small sizes) which was something i really appreciated especially on the 7m, i think a 7m is always very fast but maybe a little slower.

Looking for a 2013 7m C4. Anyone looking to part with theirs?

New bar info via the facebook page..

ozonekites.com/products/water-kites

Looks nice.

Recently switched back to C4's "in-spite" of some of te stuff I've read

Have to say I think comments about then not being as user friendly for 2013 etc etc has been really overblown

I'm by no means a hardcore wake or even freestyler but this kite is fast, goes huge, loops, has a great range and when it all goes tits up is still pi55 easy to relaunch - what's not to like?!

^ I think you'll find people had no problem with the "user friendliness" of the 2013 (as the difference compared to older models is pretty much zip/zero in this department).. but more problems associated with the new bar pressure

Personally, this was the only negative I found with the model. Can only speak of the 13m however, as this is the only size I flew.. Apart from the bar pressure, I actually liked everything else more than what the previous models delivered. But unfortunately for me, low bar pressure is a high priority

yeap bar pressure is my only gripe with this kite. Too many free riders reviewed this kite when it's not a freeride kite, that was the problem.

Yeh but that's because it used to be. I have a question on the 2011C4 my bro has an 8m. What is the freeride setting knot closer to the leading edge or the one further away? He has it on the one further away?

2011 knot closest to the LE is the free ride setting, knot furthest away is the wake style setting.

yeah it used to be but i'm pretty sure it was advertised as a wakestyle kite predominately. anyhow...

I had never ridden any other c4 until 2013 and love them,

I did try the 2012 12m the other day and feels like 2013 on the freestyle setting, just a little less direct.


Just waiting to order 2014s :)

and on that note look what i found

text alongside image
The c4 new school freestyle kite is back. The 2014 model is designed without compromise to fulfil the top freesytlyer's needs,yet maintain an easy-to-ride feel, keeping the rider comfortable in all conditions.

So they changed the colour :)

Thanks big eezz I thought so. Just checking. Cheers.

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Kitepower Australia said..
Best way to do Mauritius is to do a tour or two with the Kitethrills team, they have it sussed.

Steve, would you recommend WorldSurfSafaris from Sydney?

Hey Guys,

Can the new chicken loop with push away release be retrofitted to the current bar?

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SpaceCoyote said..

Hey Guys,

Can the new chicken loop with push away release be retrofitted to the current bar?

yes it can