Power Kite Forum

Snowkiting with a 4m twister 2

power - 4-8-2009 at 07:39 PM

I have a snowboard and a 4.1m peter lynn twister 2. Would I be able to snowkite with it in higher winds?

Kamikuza - 4-8-2009 at 08:17 PM

For sure, especially on good hard pack snow :)

f0rgiv3n - 4-8-2009 at 09:59 PM

You'll have no probs my friend :D

power - 5-8-2009 at 05:05 AM

Sweet

power - 6-8-2009 at 10:13 PM

How fast would I go?

f0rgiv3n - 7-8-2009 at 07:26 AM

Snow has little resistance... but it depends on the wind that you're in as well as your skill. You can get going pretty dang fast with that bad boy :)

macboy - 7-8-2009 at 03:08 PM

I got ripping really good with my 4.7. It gave me the confidence in the higher winds (being a "smaller" kite) and really got me going. It's that kite that convinced me to start using a strop. And in lighter winds you're able to work the daylights out of it since it'll be so agile and keep going.

power - 7-8-2009 at 05:09 PM

What is a strop?

Hardrock - 7-8-2009 at 06:20 PM

Strop? Rope thats tied between the handles, top end, you then hook it into a harness which has a spreader bar, which is a steel curved shape bar with a hook shape for swinging the rope (strop) into.

Then it takes the pull off your arms and your body resists the pull.

power - 7-8-2009 at 07:04 PM

O ok. Thanks for clearing that up. Then what is the bungy thing about 20 feet long that people tie to their back and then to a pole or another person while they're flying?

kitejumper - 7-8-2009 at 08:16 PM

you dont want to know

power - 7-8-2009 at 08:34 PM

What is it really?

Bladerunner - 7-8-2009 at 09:19 PM

:crazy:


:duh:

:puzzled:

power - 7-8-2009 at 09:56 PM

Just tell me

kitejumper - 9-8-2009 at 05:39 PM

if you're interested in suicide,we'll tell you--otherwise just forget it

FloRider - 10-8-2009 at 12:33 PM

Useing one of those will only lead to tears.



And pain.

Bladerunner - 10-8-2009 at 12:49 PM

It is NOT

I said N.O.T. part of our standard equipment.

Flying " tethered " is STOOOOOPID and DANGEROUS !!!!!!

furbowski - 10-8-2009 at 01:10 PM

the flexifoil team used to do demos with a guy flying tethered to the ground via ropes to two sets of three people each sorta flying the tethered guy. he'd get quite a ways off the ground (30 feet ?) and sorta slalom back and forth across the wind.

just searched for the video, i know for sure it was in my favorites, but seems it is no longer out there....

i wonder why???

anyways, yes, tethered flying (attached to a rope fixed to the ground so that when you get powered up you're up off the ground in mid-air) is about as dangerous as playing with kites can get.

i've heard of pendulum bridge jumps. you attach a nice stretchy climbing rope to one side of the bridge, bring it underneath and back up to the bridge, then hook it into a harness and run like heck across the bridge away from the anchor point. the idea is you judge how fast you'll run off the bridge so that you adjust the rope length to make sure you don't fall right on to the rope, but rather your momentum off the bridge carries you far enough out to tension up the rope a bit before you get into a fully vertical fall.

if it's done right, the jumper can swing right underneath the bridge and still have enough momentum to come up above the bridge deck level on the other side.

sounds to me that's maybe a wee bit safer than tethering myself to both the kite and the ground and trying to slalom about.

just plain old static kite jumping is way safer!

:thumbup:

power - 11-8-2009 at 10:43 AM

I am not going to even try flying tethered, but just out of curiosity, what makes it so dangerous?

macboy - 11-8-2009 at 11:16 PM

Gravity :lol:

FloRider - 11-8-2009 at 11:59 PM

There is a great Youtube video of this that showed up on the forum a while back. can somebody help me out, I couldn't find it.

Hint......I seem to remember it ending with a faceplant

kitejumper - 12-8-2009 at 12:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by power
I am not going to even try flying tethered, but just out of curiosity, what makes it so dangerous?


does the term "drawn and quartered" mean anything to you?:o:megan:

Bladerunner - 12-8-2009 at 07:22 AM

Gravity + Momentum :o

People tend to get slammed to earth when things go wrong .

kiteyakker - 16-9-2009 at 07:31 PM

You were wondering about how fast you might go. Well, if you are on hardpack snow, you will be amazed at the speeds you can potentially attain, even with a 4meter.

I believe there is a site called stormkiting or something like that has posted speeds that people had hit with a kite and logged using a gps. If my memory serves me correctly, the top speed posted last winter was around 70mph. :wee: I've done over 40mph myself, (10M Frenzy and skis) and I'll tell ya, that was PLENTY fast enuf! Be careful when you're starting out, and believe it or not, slowing down under control is sometimes the trickiest part. Remember though, there's a lot more to snowkiting than speed. :yes:

power - 16-9-2009 at 08:11 PM

Those speeds are impressive kiteyakker. Is is true that you could get some big jumps in when your going close to that fast?

ragden - 17-9-2009 at 05:04 AM

The faster you are going, the higher you jump. It has to do with how much you load up on the kite, and the pull when you redirect at those speeds has got to be pretty insane. :)

kiteyakker - 17-9-2009 at 10:03 AM

I wouldn't even THINK about sending the kite when I'm zipping along at that kind of speed. You can get good height just by loading the kite hard, ie carving hard upwind, before you send the kite, just at moderate speeds. I don't think you're gonna see too many people doing that at 50-60mph :crazy:

power - 17-9-2009 at 09:06 PM

I know. But if they did...

kiteyakker - 18-9-2009 at 03:09 PM

Yep, if someone did....the results would be spectacular....or disasterous. I'm relatively new to the sport, (third season coming up) but I've found that jumping or boosting is more a matter of windspeed, edging hard to create tension in your kitelines and of course the right kite. Sending a smaller kite might get you air, but the bigger kites will get you air and glide and in most instances, a softer landing.

The danger of using smaller kites is that they can sometimes boost you up quickly, but can also drop you just as quick. Not a good thing whether you're going slow or fast. Just something to keep in mind when you are starting to experiment with jumping.

Bladerunner - 18-9-2009 at 04:55 PM

Your kite will be good to get going but is not by a long shot a good choice of kite for snowkiting or for jumping .

To do the stuff you want to well you will need a larger depower kite.

The Twister is a good kite. If you absolutely have to, selling it should almost fund a more advanced kite once you are ready. The kite you have now will get you going. Just be aware that you need to form a plan to get another kite down the road.

I got through my 1st winter and had fun with a 3 and 4.5m fixed bridle but I learned from others just why a depower kite is the way to go once you progress.

Do you have other snowkiters to ride with ?

kiteyakker - 18-9-2009 at 06:51 PM

Bladerunner is right. That kite will get you going, I did lots of snowkiting with a 4 meter slingshot fixed bridle. But you really will need a depower kite at some point. I flew a 10M frenzy most of the time, but when the winds get above 20mph I drop down to a 6meter Access II, which is a great kite for higher winds. Very stable, low lift and goes back upwind like crazy. I also used my 11meter slingshot T2 on snow, which is a great kite, but I got tired of messing with pumping up that kite as well as dealing with a few other traits of inflateables. I like the simplicity and speed of setting up foils, but they do not offer 100% depower like modern LEI kites, nor are they quite as tolerable of gusty winds, something to thing about when chosing your next kite.

power - 21-9-2009 at 09:06 PM

Bladerunner-I do not have anyone else to consistently snowkite with, but all I wanted was to be able to try it and get a feel for it. I am far too early on in this sport to decide whether I will end up getting into buggying, boarding, skiing, jumping, etc., so I want to sample a bit of everything before I buy another kite for any one of those activities. And who knows, maybe I'll end up doing all of them.
Kiteyakker-what is the advantage of a depower for snowkiting or just in general?

ragden - 22-9-2009 at 05:38 AM

Once the snow hits the ground, and the lakes in upstate new york freeze over... I'll be making regular trips up there with some friends of mine. You are welcome to join us, if you like. But you will need your own gear, up to a certain extent.

Depower for snowkiting gives you a much larger range of wind you can ride in, it also allows you to fly one handed (with all the advantages that entails). I really like flying depower because it takes the strain off your arms and spreads it across your torso. I am sure some others can point out some other advantages of depower vs fixed-bridle, I'm drawing a blank...

As far as kites are concerned for these activities, I would recommend getting a depower, the real debate is whether you want a PL Arc, a closed-cell foil (HQ Neo or Flysurfer), or an LEI. Each have their advantages and disadvantages, but it really comes down to a matter of preference. I've seen all three used in all applications...

Maven454 - 22-9-2009 at 05:42 AM

Out of curiousity ragden, what's the downside to an open-cell depower foil for snow kiting (since you didn't list them as an option)?

ragden - 22-9-2009 at 05:44 AM

Wont cross over to water without sinking. :smilegrin:

edit: To elaborate on that, there isnt really a disadvantage. I actually think the open-cell depower foils for snowkiting rock. They produce a lot of power and are really fun. However, since I saw Power posting about kitesurfing, I think he would be better off getting something he can use on water as well, since he is leaning in that direction.

In some ways, I wish I had purchased FS P4s last year, instead of my Outlaws. Dont get me wrong, I LOVE my Outlaws, but if I had gotten P4s, I wouldnt have had to purchase another kite when it came time to learn how to kitesurf...

Maven454 - 22-9-2009 at 05:50 AM

I see, yeah if he's going to want to go on water than staying out of the open-cell depower makes sense.

ragden - 22-9-2009 at 05:51 AM

Yeah, thinking ahead can save you quite a bit of change. :)

Maven454 - 22-9-2009 at 05:53 AM

I'm still planning to avoid water. I'd have to take off my glasses and then I wouldn't be able to see anything :(

ragden - 22-9-2009 at 06:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Maven454
I'm still planning to avoid water. I'd have to take off my glasses and then I wouldn't be able to see anything :(


I said the same thing a year ago. Though, not the glasses part. But I basically said I had no interest in getting on the water. I was pretty confident in that, enough to buy kites that wouldnt float. Then, last May, a buddy of mine convinced me to pick up a harness (I figured I could always use it for something else if I didnt go into the water full bore), and give it a shot. He rigged the kite, got it in the air, then held it while I got my feet into the board. Then he handed me the kite, and I took off... standing up on my first attempt. I was pretty much sold at that point...

snobdr - 24-9-2009 at 02:25 PM

Maven i kite on water with glasses, I wear a croakie and seems to keep them on.

Bladerunner - 24-9-2009 at 07:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by power
Bladerunner-I do not have anyone else to consistently snowkite with, but all I wanted was to be able to try it and get a feel for it. I am far too early on in this sport to decide whether I will end up getting into buggying, boarding, skiing, jumping, etc., so I want to sample a bit of everything before I buy another kite for any one of those activities. And who knows, maybe I'll end up doing all of them.


You can and will have a lot of fun with that kite. Just be aware of it's limitations and you won't be disapointed !:wee: