Untitled - KiteLife

MODEL: JACANAFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz. ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE: 5-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (100 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $199 .95MANUFACTURER : KITEMASTERS INT'L (Tori Tako)The Jacana, re-introduced at theyear's KTA convention, is the" Big Boy"of Tori Tako's three kite line . With awingspan of 100" and a spine lengthof 38", it's a big kite in anyone'sbook. New sail graphics and someconstruction changes have made iteven more appealing . In a stunt kiteworld in which we are constantlybombarded with mid-size products,the Jacana is a like a pleasant triphome .We first flew the kite in a low windsetting (3-5 MPH) on 90' of 80lb Spectra . Its line performance was lessthan stellar . There was a noticeableamount of oversteer which we eventuallycorrected by shortening thecenter portion of the bridle lines .Obviously, we were not working witha light-wind product . It flew, butplainly we were at the bottom limitsof the acceptable wind range .About two week's later, we unsleevedthe Jacana in 18 MPH windsand hooked it to the end of two 120'lengths of 3001b . Spectra . . . BIG difference!If you've been resting on yourbackside all winter, this is one kitethat will quickly identify all of thosesagging muscle groups .The Jacana scored above averagein all categories and exceptionallywell in a couple of them .Evidence of low-wind oversteer wasreduced to a slight bobble at theend of the turns . The kite trackedsmoothly with slightly more zip thanone might expect from a full-sizeproduct .One of the more enjoyable pointswas the Jacana's enlarged flightwindow . We were able to work iteasily through 170 degrees and insome cases, further. Performanceoff wind was notable, with wing tiptouches, landings, and relaunchesall handled in very stable fashion .In spite of the fact that the Jacanautilizes two standoff spars on eachside of the wing, and employs wingbattens to boot, it still generates a lotof noise . True, it's fairly resonant noise,but folks are still going to hear thisone from waaaay down the beach!There are a number of ideas employedin the making of the Jacanathat we liked . The leading edges arethree part systems, the ferrules ofwhich fall beneath the spreader vinyls. These ferrules are cut into threepieces and the vinyls are glued directlyto the center portion . Slippageof the vinyls is virtually impossibleplus, if an exchange needs bemade to replace the occasionalbroken rod, the vinyls/ferrules comeoff without a struggle . . . nifty!Reinforcement has been added atall the proper stress points . The trail ing edge of the Jacana has beensingle stitched and zig-zagged . Allkite graphics save one front panelare rolled seams . The arrow nocks onthe ends of the standoff spars havebeen heated and flattened aroundthe bunji cord to prevent them frombeing accidentally jettisoned duringflight . Wing battens are secured byVelcro tabs and are made ofgraphite .The only item that we might questionis construction of the vinyl T-fitting. Rather that drilling the vinylstraight through to accommodatethe spine, the rod is inserted throughone end then out through a hole inthe side . . . an arrangement moreconventionally used in leading edgetreatment . The fitting then protrudesthrough a 1" diamond-shaped holein the sail . The problem arises as theupper part of this hole rides up overthe vinyl fitting . As pressure on the sailincreases in high wind, the tendencyis for it (the sail) to ride down on thefitting . This could lead to tears in thefabric rather quickly . A crash on thenose and the resultant forwardmovement of the spine could acceleratethe situation .As an overview, the Jacana wasa delight to fly . On the particular daythat we chose to test it in the windsthat it was designed to handle, itproved a runaway favorite for everyonethat flew it . It's a large, powerfulkite with the wherewithal to handleturns and groundwork easily . It is aloud kite . . . it is a brassy kite . . .and whenthe conditions are right, it's gotenough in the performance departmentto back it up!CB/SB