Fractured Axel

I just can't crack these at all , I can manage 540's inconsistently, as far as I can make out they are all essentially the same....get the kite nose away the slack with one hand. tug and slack with the other.... I either end up back in a fade or with the kite wrapping it self up

any advise greatly appreciated...

Of course you know most of the slack is on one side giving you an out of balance flare (one wing higher than the other).

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I find that I often forget to give a little line with the off-hand before the pop which initiates the spin. It's only a little quick bit, right before you pop it. I think this bit of slack just before you spin the kite assures that you pop a floating kite.

To check your work, at bare minimum, you should have stepped forward with one hand fully extended and one hand at your side or even behind you, which you then pop to spin the kite.

The slot and taz are initiated in the same way as a half axel. One you cut short before the flare to spin (slot), and one you spin after the flare (taz).

All three essentially get a spin from an out of balance flare.

I don't know if this is clearly written. I tried.

obi

Thanks for the reply Obi, you obviously felt my frustration!

I knew the uneven flare bit, but hadn't considered about one wing being higher... something to think about and watch for.

Cheers, Yan

For the Taz let it over-flare too, let it go further than you would for a slot and give *much* more slack.
Roughly speaking, for a 540 I'll have the frame parallel to the ground, for a Taz let it go further so the back of the sail (from nose to end of standoff) is parallel.

Can you half axel?

You need to master the art of popping that flare, it's practise practise practise that's all. Once you have the flares (the setup for each of these tricks) then the other inputs will come easy.

Have a look at this, from about 6:40 onwards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKW5AElwTIU

Depending on the kite, the taz can be much much harder than the others. Start with the slot, then go to the 540 (in lower winds or at the edge). They are quite connected, but to me a taz is quite different...

Thanks for all the replies, lots to think about. I think its a set up and timing issue. It's obviously important not to go for the rotation untill the nose of the kite is past (or before for a taz) pointing directly away from you.

Yan wrote:

...or before for a taz) pointing directly away from you.

No, for the Taz it needs to go past pointing away from you, you almost want to see the back of the kite

Thanks for all the advice, I have had more success today with slots and 540's....

Standing so that you're at 45 degrees to the kite helps too for the 540's. So if you're going to be popping with the right hand, stand with your left shoulder nearer the kite when you flare, because one arm is now effectively longer than the other you will get the uneven flare that you need to help with the rotation.

'Kamikaze' Dave tought me the 540 by concentrating on the uneven flare, so a lunge forward with the left arm along with a long step forward with the left foot. Get the uneven flare with the kite stalled and then pop.