PILOT’S GUIDE
The Mentor is a versatile all-around intro to power Dual-line control is easy with a control bar, and the
kiting that’s simple and forgiving enough for beginners, central third line lets you instantly relaunch from a so you can spend your time playing in the wind nose-down position or kill the power in an emergency rather than fussing with gear. Internal fabric valves without losing the kite. If things get hairy, just let go in the leading edge let air in for inflation but trap it of the control bar and the kite will collapse and inside if you crash on water, letting you fly over settle to the ground. IMPORTANT: Read these instructions water with no worries about an unplanned landing. carefully before your first flight. Familiarize yourself Monofilament profile supports in the ribs use the with the safety system and be sure to fly in light latest paraglider technology to provide a clean, winds at first until you’re fully acquainted with efficient airfoil shape to the wing even in gusty winds. your new kite.
SAFETY PARTS MAP WHERE TO FLY
Kite flying can be dangerous and can result in serious injury LEADING INLET VALVES IMPORTANT: Choose your flying spot carefully to avoid including paralysis and death. You are responsible for your EDGE turbulent wind. Like whitewater in a river, wind that flows own safety and the safety of everyone around you when using past obstacles like trees, buildings and hills becomes gusty this product. and choppy and can make controlling your kite difficult or impossible. The best place to fly is an open beach or field This product has NOT been designed or certified to allow you with wind blowing in from off the water. If you have to fly to fly or jump into the air. Never use this kite or any Prism inland, look for wide open fields with no trees, buildings, or product to jump, fly (paraglide) or pull you into the air as you hills for at least a half mile upwind. With experience, you’ll will seriously increase the risk of serious injury or death. be able to fly more easily in less than perfect conditions, but when you’re just learning, a smooth, consistent wind makes a Never use this product in stormy weather or wind conditions TRAILING huge difference. where you cannot maintain full control of the kite at all times. EDGE Do not underestimate the power of your kite and if you are SAND AND WATER DRAIN not sure of the conditions do not risk flying. BRIDLES Never fly with people downwind of you or over people. A loose kite can seriously injure or kill innocent bystanders. Never use this kite in a crowded area and never leave your kite unattended. FLY HERE DON’T FLY HERE
Never allow yourself or anyone else to get between the control bar/handles and the kite when using this product.
To avoid cuts or abrasions, never grab the strained lines during flight. SAFETY AND FIRST FLIGHT Under no circumstance should you anchor yourself to the kite RELAUNCH UNFOLD your kite flat on the ground with the logo side up or a fixed object when flying. LINE and the trailing edge facing the wind. If you don’t have a helper, put some sand or other suitable weight on the rear Never use lines whose length, breaking strength or other edge of the sail to keep it from blowing away. Your control characteristics are not appropriate to control the kite. Lines bar and flying lines should already be attached to the red and can wear easily and you are responsible for inspecting and blue bridle pigtails on either side of the kite. replacing lines regularly, even under normal use. Flying your kite with twists in the lines creates friction which weakens CHECK that all bridle lines are clear and untangled. the lines. A line that breaks under tension can cause serious injury, paralysis or death. We strongly recommend wearing a UNWIND your flying lines from the control bar as you walk helmet, gloves, shoes, protective eyewear and pads when slowly backwards into the wind. Lay the lines on the ground using this product. CONTROL BAR parallel to each other and check for tangles as you go. When you reach the end of the lines, check that all three are Never let anyone fly this kite before making them read and parallel and untwisted. understand the manual and these warnings. SAFETY DISCONNECT SAFETY LEASH ATTACH the safety strap to either wrist and hold the control Always check your lines and all parts of this product for bar in front of you with the red side on the right. damage before and after use. If damaged, you must replace the part in question before use. IMPORTANT: Soft parafoil wings like the Mentor need wind flowing into them to take their shape and fly, just like a Not suitable for children under 14 years of age. Older modern parachute or paraglider. The Mentor’s one-way intake children should only use the kite after extensive instruction THE WIND WINDOW valves allow air in and trap it inside so you can relaunch from and under constant supervision by an adult. water, but on first launch they require a few vigorous pumps ZENITH of your arms to fill the cells and give the kite its flying shape.
LIFTOFF! With your arms outstretched in front of you, take a step backwards and sweep your arms down and back briskly SAFETY SYSTEM POWER ZONE to launch. As the kite starts to climb up, repeat the pumping motion until the wing is fully inflated, usually by the time you The Mentor is equipped with a third control line and safety reach the top of the wind window. After that first launch, the leash allowing you to instantly depower the kite in flight internal pressure will hold the wing inflated so you don’t have without losing the kite itself. to pump again when you re-launch. LAND HERE To use, attach the wrist strap to either wrist before flight. If you are overpowered, let go of the control bar LAND HERE with both hands. The kite will partially collapse and settle to the ground. To fly again simply pick up the bar and launch normally. This method can also be used The flight area of the kite is called the WIND WINDOW and for an easy way to land the kite directly downwind. it extends in a semi-circle from the left to the right side of the pilot. In the middle of the WIND WINDOW, known as In certain emergency situations it may be necessary to the POWER ZONE, the kite will fly fastest and generates the jettison the kite altogether. To release yourself from the most pull. As it reaches the edge of the window it will pull kite completely, grab the red plastic safety stopper at less and slow to a stop. The ZENITH, directly above the launch with bar the middle of the bar and push it away from you, pilot at the top of the wind window, is the best place to disconnecting the kite, bar and lines from your wrist leash. “park” the kite when you want to rest or minimize pull. STEERING LANDING AND SECURING REVERSE LAUNCH
Once airborne, pulling the right line slightly will turn your To land, fly the kite all the way to the edge of the wind If you land the kite with its leading edge down, you can kite clockwise, pulling left will turn it counterclockwise. The window and slowly steer downwards. The kite will settle to launch it in reverse by pulling on the center line (see Fig. 8). kite will turn in the direction of your pull and keep turning the ground. Have a helper catch and secure it to prevent This pulls in the brake lines and causes the kite to lift off until you even out your hands. Practice making figure eights it from blowing away in stronger winds. With the kite pointed backwards. As it rises, pull one end of the bar to pivot it in in the sky by alternating upward turns until you get a feel for up, use the included ground stake to pin the center line to place, then let the center line go and steer it normally into keeping it in the air. If you repeatedly turn in one direction the ground if you need to leave it temporarily. the air. If you crash on water, relaunch as quickly as you can you will build up a series of twists in the line. After around so it doesn’t soak up water and get too heavy to launch. 10 twists, your lines will have noticeable friction as they slide past each other. When friction builds, make turns in the opposite direction until the twists are gone.
GROUND STAKE
TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE EXPLANATION SOLUTION
Kite is reluctant to fly up Is there enough wind? Your kite will need around 4-7 mph of smooth wind to y. Look for wind between 7 and 12 mph for your rst ights or doesn’t fly smoothly With practice it gets easier to y in light winds. so your kite will y easily without pulling you o your feet.
Are there obstacles disturbing the wind? Trees, buildings or hills in the area create turbulence, Choose a di erent location or wait for a di erent wind making the wind gusty and inconsistent. direction that is less obstructed. Is the kite clear of sand and water? Sand or water in the cells can weigh down your kite and Remove sand or water by opening the “dirt out” drain vent make it sluggish. in the trailing edge. Fly the kite for a few minutes to dry the skin if it has been crashed and re-launched from water. Is your central safety line too short? The line should hang with a little slack when ying so it Add slack in the central line by connecting it to a di erent doesn’t curl the trailing edge of the wing. knot on the bridle leader on the back edge of the kite Is the kite damaged? A tear in the sail or a broken bridle line can a ect the way A very hard crash can cause an internal tear in a rib. Inspect the kite ies. from di erent angles in ight and check bridles. Kite is hard to turn Are you holding the control bar correctly? Your right hand should be on the red side of the bar, with Hold the bar parallel to the ground. Pull one end towards or control your left hand on the blue side. you to steer while keeping it level at all times. Are your bridles or ying lines tangled? Sometimes a bridle or line can get snagged on the kite and Hold the kite by the pigtail attachments in ated over your a ect the shape of the wing head. Check for tangles and snags. Are the left and right ying lines the same length? Occasionally lines can stretch out unevenly, causing the kite Check that left and right lines are even. Adjust a knot on to veer in one direction even when you hold the bar straight the control bar leader lines to compensate if needed. Is the kite clear of sand and water? Sand or water in the cells can weigh down your kite and Remove sand or water by opening the “dirt out” drain vent make it sluggish. in the trailing edge. Fly the kite for a few minutes to dry the skin if it has been crashed and re-launched from water.
Is your central safety line too short? The central line should hang with a little slack when ying Add slack in the central line by connecting it to a di erent so it doesn’t curl the trailing edge of the wing. knot on the bridle leader on the back edge of the kite
IMPORTANT: Leave the bar and lines attached to the kite to CARE AND REPAIR REMOVING SAND AND WATER prevent tangling the bridles.
The advanced materials in your kite are durable and Open the Velcro closure at the middle of the trailing edge of Open the Velcro drain in the middle of the trailing edge to let designed for a long life with minimal maintenance. Most the kite and slide out the fabric tongue to hold it open. air out as you roll up the kite. Fold it in half by putting the wear and tear can be easiy repaired. Shake sand towards the opening to drain. Small amounts of wingtips together and lay the bar on the sail along a rib. Then sand or water can be shaken out in flight. roll the kite along the ribs and around the bar starting at the Always inspect your equipment before launching. Check wingtips. Fold the trailing edge up until the bundle is short for tears, abrasions, worn or broken bridles, loose enough to fit in the bag. stitching and tangles in your lines.
Never leave your kite in the bag wet to prevent mold and mildew. Let the kite air dry if it’s wet, and a freshwater rinse OUR WORD is a good idea if your kite has been swimming in salt water. At Prism, we’re confident you’re going to have a great time with every product we make. But if for any reason you’re Keep your kite out of the sun when not in use to prevent not happy and your retailer is unable to help, let us know the sailcloth from fading. and we’ll do what it takes to make things right. Damage due to normal wear and tear can almost always be repaired at a Sand is abrasive and will wear on bridles, so do what you reasonable charge. Spare parts for all Prism kites can be can to dust off the sand after a session at the beach. ordered direct from our web store at www.prismkites.com. Avoid crashing your kite straight down onto the leading edge. A hard enough crash can damage the internal rib 4214 24th Ave. W profiles which are difficult to repair. PACKING UP Seattle, WA 91899 206-547-1100 Keep your kite out of hot car trunks and don’t use solvents Be sure the kite is secured by a helper or ground stake. 206-547-1200 fax for cleaning. Never put it in washing machine or iron the sail. Walk towards the kite as you wind the flying lines onto the [email protected] control bar. When you reach the kite, use the wrist strap and elastics at the bar ends to secure the lines on the bar. WWW.PRISMKITES.COM