Kiteboarding Ireland Photos
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Lahinch - April 2005
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Photos of Kiteboarding action in Lahinch on 9th and 10th of April 2005
The Cloghane
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Images of Cloghane
Chia Sardinia
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Photos taken in June 2002 in Chia Sardinia
Inny Strand
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Images of Inny Strand near Waterville Co. Kerry
Spanish Point
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Images of Spanish Point Co. Clare Ireland
Famara Lanzarote
This photoset has 18 pictures
Images of Famara Beach Lanzarote in December 2004
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Naish V4 Review
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Introduction:
The Naish V4 is the next progression of the Aero range of kites. The
key difference between the Aero/Aero II and the V4 is that the V4
is targeted specifically at the intermediate/advanced rider with the
Naish Boxer now meeting the needs of the starter/intermediate kiteboarder.
Background:
The kite used in this review
is the Naish V4 10mtr in colors Blue/Black/White. First
impressions of the Naish V4 are that the build
quality is excellent.
Complete Package:
The completes package consists of the following
- 27m flying lines
- Tapered Carbon control bar
- Wristless safety system
- Pump
- Expandable kite bag
- Bladder repair kit
- Dacron repair kit
Kite Construction:
The kite has 5 inflated battens that are well reinforced including
Kevlar reinforcements on the ends of the battens. The battens are
segmented struts that match the canopy foil shape more efficiently. The
V4 does not have union strut connections from the battens to the
leading edge like the X3. Naish have opted for the more traditional connections. It
is claimed that his allows the kite to breath and flex giving the kite
better performance during marginal conditions.
Like the Aero II, an
integrated batten inflates with the leading edge, and supports and
stiffens the wingtip. This eliminated the need for rigid battens and
makes the kite easier to fold. Again, Kevlar reinforcements are
used to maintain the integrity of the vortex stabiliser battens. I have
to admit that I was concerned that folding the wingtip and batten onto
the foil and anchoring the kite with sand for self launching would
damage the vortex stabiliser or even the main bladder over time.
However, after five months of self launching on the Aero II which has
the same type of integrated batten, there has not been an issue to
date.
For inflating the kite, the leading edge has a similar configuration to
the leading Aero II with a separate
inflate and large deflate valve. The primary difference is that the
V4 valves allow a nozzle
to fit on the outside of them which allows the kite to inflate faster
and avoids stretching the nozzles. The leading edge also has a
connector to attach a bungee
leash located on the pump. This simple feature makes the process of
pumping in strong winds a lot easier. It also increases the life of
your pump handle as it eliminates having to pump the kite with one
hand, and reduces strain on your back.
The abrasion protectors
on the leading edge have been enhanced from the Aero and Aero II . The protectors on the original Aero were particularly thin and the not very ergonomic . The new protectors are a better design with more depth which should offer enhanced protection to the material in the leading edge
The Bag:
The bag that comes with
the V4 is considerable more compact that
the original Aero bag. It can be extended to allow the kite to be
packed with the battens inflated.
The Pump:
The Big Pump supplied with the V4 is
slightly modified from that with the Aero II. The plastic shaft on the pump has
been replaced with a metal one. This should will eliminate friction and wear on the shaft and seal and the increase in strength of the materials should make the pump shaft less prone to snapping. The pump comes with two nozzles that can be interchanged depending on the type of valve you are inflating. It also has the bungee connection
to hold the kite in position while pumping.
Kite Attachment Points:
The V4 has a number of attachment points that allow the
kite to be tuned for difference conditions and rider preference. There
are two front and two rear attachment points
on either side of the V4. The trailing edge comes with fool proof flying line
connectors which prevent inadvertently attaching the front line to the
trailing edge. It appears that the trailing connectors on the kite can
be easily modified so
that traditional Naish lines can be connected. One point to note is
that it would be recommended to secure the connectors that are not used
as it seems that they could become dislodged easily if not secured.
Both of the front line connectors on each side have one knot that is
marked in red. Attach the flying line just above this knot for the
normal power setting. Attach flying line higher for less power, and
lower for more power.
Bar, Lines and Leash:
The carbon bar shipped
with the V4 is very light and has a nicely tapered profile for a
comfortable grip. It has the usual end winders for lines. It comes with
a quick release trim loop that is easy to reload. A 28'' harness line that can be attached to the bar if required but the harness line has no quick release although one would
have to question if you would have much need to use a harness line on
the V4.
The color coded lines
with this kite are 27mtr lines as opposed to the typical Naish
20mtr + 7mtr extensions. The lines and safety system on the leash are
attached to the bar straight out of the bag which helps you
avoid attaching them incorrectly the first time you use the kite. One of the front lines has
a stopper located on it that will stop the bar from sliding too far
away from you, after you release the bar in an emergency. The red and blue rear flying
lines come with a spectra
line attachment that works with the line connectors on the trailing
edge of the kite.
The leash safety system
is similar to that of the Naish X3 system. The leash attaches to your
harness. Letting go of the bar will cause the bar to slide up the right
front flying line causing the kite to depower and fall out of the sky.
There is also a quick release on the safety leash that allows you to
disconnect the leash while it is under load.
The control bar has three
extension line knots on the rear connectors that can be used to set
the power setting of the kite. If the rear lines are attached to the
knot furthers away from the bar, the kite will be somewhat depowered
when your arms are outstretched. The nearer that you rig the lines to
the bar using the other knots, the more powered up the kite will be. On
the Aero II, the kite became very susceptible to oversheeting on the
knot nearest the bar to the extent that self launching was impossible
unless hooked in to the harness and depowered. First impressions with
the V4 are that the oversheeting issue has been eliminative.
Kite in Flight:
Review of the kite performance will be given in the coming weeks after detailed tests have been conducted but an initial run seem to confirm that the kite is a great performer.
Pictures of Naish V4
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