Power Kite Forum - Newbie here :) and a quick hello

Newbie here :) and a quick hello

scotty2012uk - 20-3-2012 at 04:30 PM

hello to all you adrenalin junkies

i would like some help choosing my first kite

i have a couple of kites and a couple of sizes 2m and 3m i n mind although im not sure if its wise to buy the 3m as i am just under 10 stone in weight ( around 140 lb ) and would like some advise on what people here have had for there first kite when they started.

my 1st choice is the Peter Lynn Hornet 2m/3m
my 2nd choice is the ozone flow 2m/3m

please help

shortlineflyer - 20-3-2012 at 04:39 PM

I would suggest a HQ Beamer V 2m or 3m
the beamer is a great kite to learn on and it lets you advance once you have learned the basics. I have not flown the newest one but i have flown the previous two versions and they are both good kites. If you ever want to start landboarding or buggying the beamer will help you do it.

as for the kites that you have listed, i have not flown either of those so i cannot tell you anything about those

scotty2012uk - 20-3-2012 at 04:47 PM

yea man the HQ Beamer looks wicked and in my price range to

thank you for your reply shortlifeflyer :wee:

shortlineflyer - 20-3-2012 at 04:51 PM

i would suggest seeing if there is a store near you with a demo version you can try out to see if you like it

dandre - 20-3-2012 at 04:52 PM

+1 beamer or hornet/

you could pick them up used for sure

PKD makes the (soulfly I think it is?) ask around on here and I'm sure you can pick one up(3m) for around 100 bucks

scotty2012uk - 20-3-2012 at 04:58 PM

hmm that is something i can look into tbh i never thought of that before

and dandre u cant go through life without a little fear here and there

furbowski - 20-3-2012 at 05:06 PM

2m or 3m is the real decision I reckon. big difference in wind range at 10 stone. have you done any research into your local winds?

any of the kites mentioned above will serve you well.

Quote:

Originally posted by scotty2012uk

u cant go through life without a little fear here and there

you'll get more fear out of the 3m.... But given the wrong wind, the 2m can beat you up just fine.

fear needs to equal respect for the wind though, plenty of potential for injury in this sport.

DAKITEZ - 20-3-2012 at 05:23 PM

all good options include:
Hornet
Viper
Beamer
Flow
HQ Scout (bar)
PL Impulse TR (bar)
Prism Tensor (bar and handles)
HQ Alpha
HQ Hydra (bar .. closed cell)

pyro22487 - 20-3-2012 at 05:37 PM

i like the flow and the hornet. i have heard nothing but good things about the beamer v. and 2m hornet can be brutal in 20+ winds. i am hoping to get pictures of what can happen uploaded this week.

Todd - 20-3-2012 at 07:31 PM

Welcome Scotty, good bunch of folks up in this place.

soliver - 20-3-2012 at 10:15 PM

welcome from another newb...

+1 on the beamer.

I've got a 3m beamer and love it. Its got a grrrrrreat pull but it won't woop your behind.

scotty2012uk - 21-3-2012 at 11:13 AM

thank you everyone for your comments it has been greatly appreciated

Quote:

Originally posted by pyro22487
i like the flow and the hornet. i have heard nothing but good things about the beamer v. and 2m hornet can be brutal in 20+ winds. i am hoping to get pictures of what can happen uploaded this week.

i think i am getting the Peter Lynn hornet 2m to start with if i get hooked as i think i will then i will get a bigger kite if i do the 3m beamer is looking good :wee: hope to see pics soon

thank you again all

scotty2012uk - 11-4-2012 at 12:52 PM

ok i have now bought my kite a little different from what i had chosen to begin with i would like your opinion on what i have bought

i ended up buying Ozone IMP Quattro 2.5m 4-Line Power Traction Kite although with the time that it had taken for an echeque to clear they had sold out on them so in place of me not being able to get the kite i chose they have offered me the Ozone IMP Quattro 3.5m at the same price of what i paid for the 2.5m

is this kite going to pull me off the ground completely am i being braver than i should be by accepting this offer

ragden - 11-4-2012 at 12:58 PM

A 3.5 may be larger than you wanted to start with, but as long as you fly it in "lighter" winds, you will be fine...

scotty2012uk - 11-4-2012 at 01:08 PM

well yea considering its my first kite it is rather large 11 and a half feet is big.

i take it around 10 to 15 mph winds would be appropriate?

ragden - 11-4-2012 at 01:12 PM

I would look for steady 10s to start. 10-15 is probably acceptable, just be aware that as it gets closer to 15, the strength of that kite is going to increase dramatically.

Wear your safety gear. Be aware of your surroundings.

scotty2012uk - 11-4-2012 at 01:16 PM

no problem ragden thank you for the information

it is greatly appreciated

abkayak - 11-4-2012 at 01:25 PM

i started w/ a 3m 2 line on a bar in october... im now 8 kites into this sport (2-9m) your gonna want this kite next month anyway. in my opinion the trick is to go slow w/ wind speed. More towards the 10mph for sure....... and start saving your money you need a 2 and a 4 and a............ at this point i haven't seen a kite i dont need. Make sure you have some protection on and not just in the car. oh yea, go used on the next few. The hunt can be as exciting as the kite

hiaguy - 11-4-2012 at 02:28 PM

Quote:

.... given the wrong wind, the 2m can beat you up just fine.

I'm 11 stone (155 pounds) and had a 2m Hornet launch me backwards in a gust (look up OBE). Remember to keep the ripstop in front of you and wear safety gear :-)
It's all about the control. I generally static fly a 3m Hornet or 4m Core and manage to stay on the ground just fine.
Enjoy your new toy and welcome to the addiction!

hiaguy - 11-4-2012 at 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by abkayak
i started w/ a 3m 2 line on a bar in october... im now 8 kites into this sport (2-9m) your gonna want this kite next month anyway. in my opinion the trick is to go slow w/ wind speed. More towards the 10mph for sure....... and start saving your money you need a 2 and a 4 and a............ at this point i haven't seen a kite i dont need. Make sure you have some protection on and not just in the car. oh yea, go used on the next few. The hunt can be as exciting as the kite

You need to be at WBB!

erratic winds - 11-4-2012 at 02:37 PM

Can you take a lesson? A 4 line kite on handles can be very tough to learn if no-one with experience can help you!

WELDNGOD - 11-4-2012 at 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hiaguy

You need to be at WBB!

I'm pretty sure he is in the UK. He said he was 10 stone(deffo UK)
Hi Scotty ,welcome! Might I suggest one of these http://www.pkdkitesusa.com/products/Buster-Soulfly.html
Someting like the 2.2m. I started w a 2.5m .It is just your first,there WILL be more!

Have fun, be safe!

Kamikuza - 11-4-2012 at 06:09 PM

Welcome! :karate:

jimbocz - 12-4-2012 at 02:55 AM

Where do you live? If I were you, I would try to find the local spot where people fly and ask people to show you the ropes. Most everybody who kites in the UK is happy to show somebody the basics if asked.

I live in twickenham, give me a shout if you live close enough and I'll take you out and show you what I know.

Coldsnap - 12-4-2012 at 04:26 AM

Grats on your new kite!

I'm currently learning to fly my 4m Hornet all by myself, and this forum, YouTube and the numerous articles posted around the web have been an immense help.
Reading up on wind theory and looking through some howto videos really helps, especially if you (like me) haven't flown kites or otherwise dealt with the wind before.

I started out in winds that were just enough to keep the kite in the air (8-10 mph or so) while learning how the control system works, then successively moved to higher winds, and I'm now beginning to find my "comfort zone" where the kite is controllable, but still generates enough power to get the adrenaline flowing.

Two things took way longer than the rest to get into my head:
1) Everytime I realized the kite was about to crash because of a bad turn, I instinctinctively begun turning the kite the other way to get it back up (instead of turning it even more in the same direction it's already turning, which is a much easier way to prevent a crash), resulting in it going straight down into the ground. It's a wonder the poor kite is still in one piece.
2) The fact that the pull of the kite increases squarely and not linearly with the wind speed (which means the difference between 15 and 20 mph is much, much bigger than the difference between 10 and 15 mph) just wouldn't sink in. This usually leads to an unhealthy disrespect for strong winds, and it wasn't until I took the kite out in 25 mph (wearing all the protective gear I could find) that I really understood what an overpowered kite can do. It's a wonder I'm still in one piece. :duh:

Happy flying!

AnnieO - 12-4-2012 at 09:54 AM

Congrats, and welcome to the addiction!
As the others have mentioned, as long as you err on the side of caution in regard to windspeed you will be just fine. I was in the same situation recently as a total newbie with nobody in my area to show me the ropes. I credit this site and Youtube with helping me get to the point where I'm a very confident flyer. BTW, 3.5M is my favorite all around size for a FB kite so if your winds are similar to mine you'll be enjoying your kite for a very long time to come.
My first 4-line kite was a 2M Hornet. After less than a month I had bought a 5.6 Twister IIR to play around with so if you play it safe and continue to educate yourself and reinforce good habits you'll likely become kite obsessed too. (BTW, I weigh less than you)
As a beginner I would say your goal right now should be to fly your kite blind. You will want to get to a point where you can sense and feel what your kite is doing in the air by the feedback on your handles. Once I got to that point I taught myself how to use a bar. I have since filled in my quiver with a variety of used kites purchased from great folks on this site! Good luck to you Sir!

hiaguy - 12-4-2012 at 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD

Quote:

Originally posted by hiaguy

You need to be at WBB!

Actually, I was OT commenting to abkayak to be at WBB. shouldn't be too bad a drive from anywhere in NY state.

Agreed, Scotty is in the UK.
Regardless, ay time any one of us noobs can get around more experienced pilots it's a help.

abkayak - 12-4-2012 at 01:56 PM

yea well, i think i'm the most excited of all of you folks that this is so close...... try to keep me away... already having a problem sleeping. i hope i have somthing to add to this event. I dont like being just a consumer

Bladerunner - 12-4-2012 at 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by abkayak
yea well, i think i'm the most excited of all of you folks that this is so close...... try to keep me away... already having a problem sleeping. i hope i have somthing to add to this event. I dont like being just a consumer

Don't worry, there is nothing like sharing the stoke that an excited newcomer shares.

Just by wanting to join in you are part of the group !

scotty2012uk - 15-4-2012 at 09:02 AM