Flexifoil SKYTIGER Series User manual

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
Contents
Safety
Bag Contents
The Wind
Flying Lines
Kite set up overview
Setting up your SKYTIGER:
Contents
Flying your SKYTIGER:
- General points
- Launching (Self-launch in light winds)
- Launching (Self-launch in strong winds)
- Assisted launch
- Turning/steering
- Stopping or reversing
- Landing
- After landing
- Packing away
page 1
pages 2-3
page 4
page 5
pages 6-7
page 8
pages 9 - 11
page 12
page 12
page 13
page 14
page 15
page 16
page 16 - 17
page 17
page 18
pages 12 - 18
- Connecting the flying lines to the kite
- Connecting the flying lines to the handles
pages 9 - 10
page 11
Line length adjustment / Handle tuning tips
Care and Maintenance:
page 19
page 20

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
Thank you for purchasing your new Skytiger traction kite. If operated and looked after properly,
it will serve you well. Before flying your Skytiger, you MUST take time to read and understand
these instructions and safety warnings.
Skytiger kites have been designed as recreational traction kites for land based activities
including snow and ice. They are NOT designed to be used for water-based activities such as
Kiteboarding.
SAFETY FIRST:
Kite traction activities including kite buggying, kite skiing etc. are extreme sports that can be
both exhilarating and dangerous. You must read and abide by the following safety warnings to
ensure that you have a great traction kiting experience.
GENERAL:
Read all product instructions and safety guidelines before using Flexifoil products.
Use extreme caution when using kite traction equipment. Improper use of this equipment can
cause serious injury or death.
Kite traction kites are not parachutes or paragliders and must not be used as such.
Do not fly under the influence of alcohol or mind altering drugs.
LEARNING:
Always learn to fly with a smaller traction kite, such as a Flexifoil Power kite, before attempting
to fly a large and powerful traction kite.
Beginners should learn to fly traction kites in light winds.
WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Never fly traction kites in conditions that are too extreme or winds that are too strong for your
skill level.
Never fly your traction kite if you cannot safely handle its power (i.e. if you are “overpowered”).
Use a smaller kite or wait for lighter wind.
Do not fly in thunderstorms, lightning or at night.
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Safety

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Safety
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LOCATION:
Do not fly your kite near overhead power cables, roads, airports, cars, railways, people or
animals.
Always select safe launching and landing areas free of people and obstacles. Stay away from
other unsecured kites and lines on the ground as a kite can re-launch itself at any time. Disable
your kite and lines on the ground when not in use.
Always maintain plenty of space around you in all directions, especially downwind. A traction kite
can pull you downwind for a considerable distance.
EQUIPMENT:
Always check your equipment for wear and tear before flying. Do not fly with worn or damaged
equipment or flying lines. Repair or replace accordingly.
Always use the appropriate safety equipment - helmet, kneepads, elbow pads, protective
eyewear, gloves etc.
Never attach yourself permanently to the kite.
Kite lines and bridles under tension can cut like a knife and can cause injury or death. Always
keep your lines away from people and animals.
Never allow inexperienced kite flyers to use your equipment.
Remember, you are always responsible for the safe operation of your kite and equipment.
Use common sense.
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Bag Contents
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
Your Skytiger bag should contain the following items.
If your pack is not complete, please contact your dealer immediately.
1 x Instruction manual
1 x pair of 4-line Handles
1 x Product registration card
1 x Free repair voucher
1 x Folded Skytiger kite

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS The Wind
THE WIND:
Before using your kite, it is important that you have a basic understanding of the wind as well
as the terminology used in describing the different conditions. You will find that these terms
are frequently referred to in warnings and instructions, so please take some time to familiarise
yourself with them.
E
d
g
e
o
f
u
s
e
a
b
l
e
w
i
n
d
w
i
n
d
o
w
Minimum power
Maximum power
DOWNWIND
Wind direction
OFF WIND
LEFT
OFF WIND
RIGHT
Position
of flyer
Wind direction
Upwind
Upwind
Reach Reach
Downwind
Downwind
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
<1
1-3
4-7
8-12
13-18
19-24
25-31
32-38
39-46
47-54
55-63
<1
1-3
4-6
7-10
11-16
17-21
22-27
28-33
34-40
41-47
48-55
<1
1-5
6-11
12-19
20-29
30-38
39-50
51-61
62-74
75-86
87-101
Calm
Light
Air
Light
Breeze
Gentle
Wind
Fresh
Wind
Strong
Wind
Near
Gale
Gale
Strong
Gale
Storm
Calm; smoke rises vertically
Smoke drift indicates wind
direction; vanes do not move
Wind felt on face; leaves rustle;
vanes begin to move
Leaves & small twigs in
motion; light flags extended
Leaves & loose paper raised up;
flags flap; small branches move
Small trees begin to sway;
flags flap & ripple
Large branches in motion;
whistling heard in wires
Whole trees in motion; resistance
felt in walking against wind
Whole trees in motion; resistance
felt in walking against wind (again)
Slight structural damage occurs;
shingles blow from roofs
Trees broken/uprooted; considerable
structural damage occurs
Description
Force MPH Knots KPH On Land
0-0.2
0.3-1.5
1.6-3.3
3.4-5.4
5.5-7.9
8.0-10.7
10.8-13.8
13.9-17.1
17.2-20.7
20.8-24.4
24.5-28.4
Metres/
sec
Wind Speed Wind Speed Indicators (probable)
WIND WINDOW TERMINOLOGY

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Safety
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Flying lines
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
FLYING LINES:
Your choice of flying lines will depend on the following:
The type of traction activities you want to get involved in
Your body weight
Your skill level
The wind conditions.
If you need further help, please contact your dealer or Flexifoil International.
Please use the line table below to select the most suitable lines for you.
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26
Main Lines: 200 lb / 90 kg 300 lb / 135 kg
Brake Lines: 150 lb / 70 kg 200 lb / 90 kg
Main Lines: 300 lb / 135 kg 300 lb / 135 kg
Brake Lines: 200 lb / 90 kg 200 lb / 90 kg
Main Lines: 300 lb / 135 kg 500 lb / 225 kg
Brake Lines: 200 lb / 90 kg 300 lb / 135 kg
SIZE
RECREATIONAL
USE
HEAVY USE
40
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KEY FOR LINE TABLE:
Recreational Use - Sliding and skidding along under power, light wind buggying and flying for fun. (approx. Force 1-3)
Heavy Use - Getting air, body surfing, buggying, snowboarding and other traction activities. (approx. Force 3-6)
Please note : Line strength recommendations are for people of average weight (70-80 kg / 154-176 lb) and are valid for most
wind conditions. If you intend to use your kites for extreme activities in extreme conditions or you are above average weight,
please consult your dealer or Flexifoil International for further advice.

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Flying lines
LINE LENGTH:
Skytigers are designed to perform well on line lengths of between 25 and 40 metres. Your choice
will depend on the activity and the local conditions.
Inland sites are usually prone to gusty winds and turbulence caused by obstacles. In these
conditions it is advisable to use 40 metre lines to allow the kite to fly in ‘clean’ air.
Open unrestricted areas like beaches usually have ‘clean’ winds and shorter line lengths can
be used. We do not recommend using lines shorter than 25 metres.
The line length will influence the way the kite performs. Longer lines will slow the kite down (due
to increased drag), but can lead to greater power being generated by the kite (bigger power
band). Shorter lines will speed the kite up, but can lead to less power being generated by the
kite allowing the same size kite to be used in stronger winds.
FLYING LINE retail pack

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Safety
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Kite Set Up Overview
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
Trailing
edge
Brake bridle
left
Main bridle
left
Leading edge
KITE SET UP
Brake bridle
right
Main bridle right
Flying lines
Main bridle toggle
Main bridle
toggle
Brake bridle
toggle Brake bridle
toggle
Flying line
attachment knots
Sleeved flying
line loops
Ground stake
loop
Handle
Ground stake
loop
Handle
NOTE:
For illustration
purposes the kite
in the diagram is
a Skytiger 26.

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Setting Up Your SKYTIGER
SETTING UP YOUR SKYTIGER:
The Flexifoil Skytiger is a four-line traction kite. Four lines will give you much more control over the
kites performance than two lines, and therefore, they are more popular for traction activities.
CONNECTING THE FLYING LINES TO THE KITE:
It is important to understand that even pre-stretched lines will stretch further during initial use,
especially the main lines. As this will alter the performance of your kite, it is important that you
check your line lengths frequently and adjust if necessary.(see LINE LENGTH ADJUSTMENT on
page 19)
You will need a suitable set of four pre-
stretched flying lines of the same length. Use
the line table on page 6 as a guide to select
the correct lines.
First, read the safety label attached to
the kite, then tear off and dispose of
responsibly.
Spread the kite sail out on
the ground on its back with
the bridle facing up and the
trailing edge facing into the
wind. Place sand (or other
suitable objects) onto the
trailing edge to prevent it
being blown away. Do not
use sharp objects as these
can damage the kite sail.
Secure all four line loops
with a ground stake near
the trailing edge of the kite.
Unwind all of your lines
while walking into the wind
and away from your kite.
Then separate them on the
ground.
Ensure your main and brake
bridles are free of tangles.
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WIND
DIRECTION

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Setting Up Your SKYTIGER
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
(Please note: If you have purchased Flexifoil flying lines, the sleeving has been colour coded
for easy identification of the line breaking strain. If you have not purchased Flexifoil lines, it is
usually fairly easy to tell by eye, which lines to use as the main lines and which to use as the
brake lines. The main (stronger) lines are a little thicker than the brake lines in appearance).
Once you have connected all four flying lines to your kite, you are now ready to connect the
other ends of the flying line to the handles.
Connect the two strongest flying lines to the
main bridle toggles. Use larks-head knots as
shown above.
Connect the two remaining flying lines to the
brake bridle toggles, again using larks-head
knots.
MAKING A LARKS-HEAD KNOT:
CONNECTING THE FLYING LINES TO THE KITE: (cont.)
abc
67
All line to kite connections are made by using a larks-head knot. The pictures above show you
how to easily make one in the loops at the ends of your flying lines.

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Setting Up Your SKYTIGER
CONNECTING THE FLYING LINES TO THE HANDLES:
NOTE : The two handles supplied may have colour coded mouldings. You can use these colours to
identify which handle you want to use as left (usually red) and which you want to use as right.
TIP: We strongly recommend that you keep a set of lines permanently attached to each kite
you own. Having to go through the same set up procedure every time you want to fly on a windy
beach or field is difficult and time consuming.
Your Skytiger is now ready for its first flight, but before you go flying, you must read the rest of
these instructions.
When you are attaching a set of lines for the
first time, we recommend that you use these
knots.
You will notice that each handle has two
“leader” lines (main and brake) which both
have knots at the end.
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3
You can add more knots to these leader lines
to vary the lengths of your flying line to tune
your kite. (see TUNING TIPS on page 19)
4
Connect the left main and brake lines to the
leader lines on one of the handles, attaching
the main line (strongest line) to the top of the
handle and the brake line to the bottom of
the handle. Use larks-head knots. Repeat the
procedure for the right main and right brake
lines.

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Flying Your SKYTIGER
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
FLYING YOUR SKYTIGER:
GENERAL POINTS:
Before you attempt to fly your Skytiger ensure that your chosen flying site is of a suitable size
and free from obstructions and people (see “Safety First” on page 3).
We strongly recommend that you make your first flights in light and steady winds to get used to
the power and flying characteristics of the kite.
Make sure you launch your kite with
your back to the wind. As described
earlier on, your kite should still be
lying on its back on the ground with the
trailing edge secured.
Pull back gently on both handles until the Leading Edge
of the kite starts to lift off the ground and the kite begins
to inflate. The kite will now stand up on its trailing edge
in preparation for take-off.
A further sharp pull will fully inflate the kite and it will now start to lift off. Let the kite fly straight to the
top of the wind window, where it will stay in a stable minimum power position (above your head).
LAUNCHING: (Self launch in light winds)
You can launch your Skytiger kite on your own, as follows:
Hold your handles as shown, with the main flying line between your first and second finger and
your hand firmly gripped around the top part of the handle. Place your thumb on the top of the
handle. Make sure that your lines are not twisted and that your left handle is connected to the left
side of the bridle and vice versa.
12a2b
WIND
DIRECTION
WIND
DIRECTION
WIND
DIRECTION

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Flying Your SKYTIGER
LAUNCHING: (Self launch in strong winds)
This procedure is largely the same as self-launching in light winds but you must launch the kite
from the edge of the window, not the centre. The kite will be fully powered up in strong winds, so
make sure you keep the kite near to the edge of the Wind Window when launching.
Set the kite on the ground so that the wind is blowing across the kite from wingtip to wingtip as
shown. Secure the kite with sand or similar along the trailing edge.
Pull back gently on the downwind handle and allow the kite to rise into the air and inflate.
The kite will then launch and fly to the edge of the wind window.
WIND
DIRECTION
Carefully steer the kite from the edge of the wind window
to the overhead position, where it will stay with minimum
power.

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Flying Your SKYTIGER
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
Get your helper to stand BEHIND the
kite, holding it up so that the Leading
Edge is facing into the wind. Once the
kite inflates, the helper can release it.
It is important not to “throw” the kite
into the air as this will prevent a smooth
take-off.
ASSISTED LAUNCH:
If you have someone to help you launch, make sure that they understand what you want them to
do, before launching your kite. Initial launches are best done at the edge of the wind window.
Steer the kite up the edge of the wind
window to the top of the window (above
your head), where it will stay in a stable
minimum power position.

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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Flying Your SKYTIGER
Basic turns are made by pulling the right
handle towards you to turn right...
You can achieve better turns by rotating your wrist to pull the bottom of the handle towards you as
well as the top of the handle. This pulls the brake lines as well as the main lines which means the
kite will turn faster or even spin on its axis. Return the handles to the neutral position to stop turning.
Tip: Flying your kite in a flat figure of eight motion in the centre of the wind window will give you
the maximum power available.
TURNING/STEERING:
When learning, it is best to make gentle left and right turns at the top of the wind window to get
used to your kite. If you fly through the centre of the wind window, the power of the kite will increase
significantly and could cause you difficulties. Get confident first and then go for full power!
1 2
3 4
...and by pulling the left handle towards you
to turn left.
Fast left turn. Fast right turn.

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Flying Your SKYTIGER
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
You can stop the kite in mid air by pulling on both brake lines together. Do not pull on the main lines.
This action changes the aerodynamics of the kite and can also reverse the kite. Fine adjustments of
braking and reversing will enable you to put the kite just where you want it in the wind window.
STOPPING OR REVERSING:
LANDING:
Landing is a variation on stopping or de-powering the kite. This can be done anywhere in the wind
window as long as the leading edge of the kite is facing up towards the sky. Apply full brake by
rotating both your wrists to pull the brake lines only towards you. The kite will descend and land on
its trailing edge. This manoeuvre takes practice as you need to gently “play” the handles to keep
the kite steady and in position as it descends to the ground.
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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Flying Your SKYTIGER
LANDING: (cont.)
If the kite lands nose (Leading Edge) down, you can re-launch it by reversing it or flying it
“backwards”. Rotate your wrists to pull both brake lines towards you (pull back on the brake lines
only). This will make the Trailing Edge of the kite rise into the air. As this happens, push one of
the brake lines away from you and the kite will rotate on its axis and point upwards. You can now
fly away or attempt to land again.
AFTER LANDING:
1b
1a
NEVER leave your kite unattended. If you have finished flying, pack it away for safety.
When the kite is on the ground, keep the brake lines taut to stop the kite from taking off again.
Secure the handles to the ground by inserting a ground stake through the loops at the bottom of
the handles.
Walk over to the kite and secure it by putting
sand or heavy objects on the trailing edge.
Avoid using sharp objects as these can
damage the kite sail.

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Flying Your SKYTIGER
SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS
PACKING AWAY:
We recommend that you do not disconnect your lines!
With your kite secured on the ground remove the ground stake
and take both handles together in one hand. With your other
hand, wind all four lines together around the top (foam rubber
part) of your handles. Do not change hands and keep winding
while walking towards your kite.
When you reach the kite and
have wound the first part of the
bridle around your handles,
stop winding and place the
handles on the ground in front
of the kite.
Keep folding the kite
inwards on itself until you
have a neat package. Then
place the handles on the
kite, in the centre.
IMPORTANT: When you next fly, remember to unwind the lines from the handles from the same
side as they were wound on. Failure to do so will cause a lot of twists in the flying line and will
seriously reduce your flying time!
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5
Roll the kite up neatly with
the handles on the inside.
Make sure you roll the kite
up towards the Leading
Edge as this will allow any
excess air inside the kite to
be expelled.
Then fold your kite sail from the tips
towards the middle, keeping the loose
bridle inside the sail and leaving the
handles on the ground.
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SKYTIGER INSTRUCTIONS Adjustments and Tuning
LINE LENGTH ADJUSTMENT:
Flexifoil flying lines are made from low stretch Dyneema and should not stretch significantly
during use. Any stretch is most likely to happen when you stretch the lines in or during your first
few flights. Any difference in line length can easily be adjusted as follows:
Flexifoil Flying line: Untie the sleeved loop on the end of the longer line, slide the sleeving
down the line and re-tie to match the length of the shorter line. Any excess line can be cut off
and then sealed (melted) with a match or lighter.
HANDLE TUNING TIPS:
Flexifoil Skytigers have been designed to fly on lines of equal length. The kite flies primarily on
the main lines with the brake lines being used for extra control in launching, turning, landing,
reversing etc. To get the most out of your kite, it may be necessary to tune it to match the wind
conditions whenever you fly it. It will take some experience to become skilled at tuning your kite,
but once you have mastered it, it’s easy to do.
The ideal flying set up is: Main lines taut in flight, controlling the kite - Brake lines tight enough
to pull in the trailing edge flaps but not so tight that the sail deforms.
Your handles are supplied with one knot
tied in each leader line (main1 & brake1).
You can tie further knots in the leader
lines for tuning purposes. Start with knots
an equal distance apart, you can always
adjust them later to suit.
For initial flights, tie flying lines to main1
and brake1. This is an ideal setting for
light wind flying.
In stronger winds, the main lines may stretch a little, causing the brake lines to become too taut
which will apply unwanted brake and affect the performance of the kite. Remedy this by moving
the main lines to main2.
TIP: If the kite is hesitant on take-off and slow through the sky - Brake lines are too short or
Main lines are too long.
If the kite has unresponsive steering and will not reverse - Brake lines are too long or Main lines
are too short.
main1
brake1
main3 main2 main1
brake3 brake2 brake1