chadvicki - 7-8-2006 at 06:58 AM
Well I purchased a SlingShot B2 and a Flexifoil Bullet 5.5
I can fly the SlingShot with no problem in winds to 15mph. That's what it was when I went out this Saturday.
I flew the Bullet in winds of 8 - 10mph also. I couldn't believe the amount of pull it produced.
My question is: I can fly through the power zone at that wind speed but any higher and it seems like it's not going to be fun just tiresome.
I can land the kite, park the kite, reverse take off.
What do I do now. I have a land board but my kite has handles and not a bar. And also I need an XXL harness and I have yet to see someone selling one
of them.
Can I put a bar on my bullet and if so what do I need to look for?
Where can I get an XXL harness for myself.
Thanks for the help. The pull is sooooooooo much fun.
Chad
coreykite - 7-8-2006 at 10:56 AM
Buddy,
You think a bar is the solution?
Learn to fly without looking at your kite.
When you're so comfortable doing that, and remaining in complete control of your kite, then think about stepping onto your board.
Handles work just fine.
Even better when they're on a kite that flies best with handles.
Bullets aren't de-power kites.
They have four lines so you'll have independant trailing edge flap control.
Gives you better control.
You don't "need" a harness.
Not yet.
Become comfortable with what you're doing before strapping yourself into it.
When you go from being a static anchor, standing in the field, to a "rolling anchor", the dynamics change.
The pull is moderated, as you are moving, not trying to hold it all back.
Traction flying seldom has the kite going through the middle of the power window. Too much power right there. Overwhelming.
We fly out near the edge.
Keep us informed on how you're doing.
Safen Up! Buggy On!
"Often wrong... Never in doubt"
the coreylama
code - 7-8-2006 at 03:47 PM
Handles do work just fine. I'm not saying that going to a bar isn't fun, but you do have to plan a head a bit more. Ecspecially when you put a bar on
a kite that isn't designed to have a bar..it just cuts back on the control and turning of the kite. As for a harness..til you try your kite with the
board and get use to it, I wouldn't strap into a harness unless you're seeking a world of hurt. Get use to doing like Corey stated, try the board
without the bar and harness for a bit and if you still want a bar and harness start looking around. Dakine amongst other manufacturers of harnesses
make several harnesses that you can get online in the xxl size too.
~Joe
KYTE SLINGER - 7-8-2006 at 05:06 PM
The NEXT step.....is back
Slow down..... don't be in such a rush
Get Fit upper body strength is important
Learn control by dry runs {as if you were on the board} walk the wing as if you were boarding ...turn the wing as if you were boarding to make a turn
...... get the picture and you getting a workout
If fatigue starts when your not right in the head or body invites problems... knowing how the wing feels by dry runs and body movements trims the
rolling strapped to a board NOW WHAT factor .....
in general: newbies think just because they can move a wing through the sky one or two times does not make them ready....In short ....small steps
When a wing Flings you like a wet booger it will make a believer out of you.
the more static kite practice you have the less you'll need to think about when your on the board
NOW you'll be able to concentrate on the board
same thing with the board W/O the wing ride the board some to get familiar with it
DON321 - 7-8-2006 at 05:37 PM
flying the kite without looking is a very important step..... I would work on that before jumping on the board...
.
chadvicki - 7-8-2006 at 07:21 PM
I hear what you are all saying and I will abide by your recomendations.
I can fly the kite with out looking. I like to watch it though because it looks so impressive up there.
I dont really want to jump with it. So basically I should run side ways like as if I was on a buggy or board. I have done that a little. I will do
more though and turn like you mentioned.
I am going to get a smaller 4 line traction kite however. I can control the 5.5 in 10mph winds but I wont want to start anything with that size.
I was thinking of the Rage. Would that be a good way to go?
I want to use it for the long haul and not get another trainer kite.
I have a Bullet 5.5, Slingshot 2m, and a stunt kite.
What do you recomend?
Thank you for the help.
Chad
coreykite - 8-8-2006 at 11:03 AM
Chad,
Two things I want to share with you.
The first is a training technique I've been teaching for 25 years now.
It's called "Kite Chi"
While your kite is doing a loop in the sky, raise your arms over your head and spin around, untwisting your lines while the kite is twisting them.
It's not about the lines.
It's about our eyes.
Our culture has become so visually dominated, so much visual information bombards us, I think that sometimes our brain forgets we have other senses.
The neural pathways in our brain used for visual images are so well-worn, so heavily travelled, it has become like a rutted road, keeping us occupied
by our eyes.
Turning around distracts our eyes for a moment, allowing our fingers a chance to begin to learn the tactile language the kite uses to tell us "Where
It Is' and "Where It's Going".
Pretty critical information, and available to us non-visually.
The more you practice Kite Chi, the more comfortable you become flying in control without NEEDING to be looking at your kite all the time.
Merely closing our eyes or looking down doesn't work nearly as well as the mind is still using visual images in the imagination.
Kite Chi teaches us to create new neural pathways, combining visual and tactile inputs, that expands our awareness of the different elements we're
involved with.
Ultimately you'll be flying the kite with your fingers,
Steering the board or buggy with your feet,
While your eyes plot your course, look out for obstacles, watch the wind, glance at your awesome kite, ogle the beach betties, stare at other buggies
and kites, or whatever catches your eye, as you're eyes are not fixed on one (kite) thing.
Then the second thing.
I wrote this last year to not only inform but to help provide a logical context for the use of tools in our sport.
Harnesses, Leashes and Connecting to Power. 8 March 05
Context: Water kiting requires the rider to go out over-powered. A large amount of energy is needed to get out of the water and up on plane, on a
board with insufficient buoyancy. Much less power required to maintain oneself once up and on plane.
Hence the use of de-power systems as the major function of that 4-line rig.
Kite maneuverability is not the issue on water that it can be on land. Maneuverability induces drag. Drag reduces power, Reduced power puts you down
in the water.
Most riders don't have the kite background to appreciate the performance potential of more maneuverability, so slower, stable, "constant-grunt",
bladder-style sails work fine to grow the water side of the sport.
Risk: Being over-powered means occasionally (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not) getting booted into the air. Water absorbs most of that energy upon
re-entry. Riders shackle to their kite, and not their board, for safety and self-rescue issues.
Land-based traction does not have those specific starting requirements.
Getting rolling on bearings required much less power to start and to maintain velocity.
We go out under-powered, but utilizing faster, more-efficient, more maneuverable, ram-air foils (typically) and by "zooming" the kite vertically near
the edge, we can increase power and speed. The faster an airfoil moves through the air, the more power it can generate and the faster you can go.
Velocity-Made-Good. A gift from the gawds of wind, to us.
The penalty of being overpowered, a much more serious situation on land, is greatly reduced. Going out under-powered on land does not result in
sinking.
Water kites have limited maneuverability (compared to fixed-bridle foils) which makes bars for steering and de-power systems appropriate for water
use.
Land kites use handles to take advantage of the power potential of foils.
Handles give the flyer independant trailing edge flap contol and more maneuverability, allowing the kite to generate more power
Now, that being said, allow me to try to tie these thought together in some cohesive form...
I do not believe in leashes on land.
I believe in skills.
I typically fly using handles on fixed-bridle foils.
I have a strap between the tops of my handles.
I wear a chest harness with a simple downward-facing windsurfer hook.
(Don't recommend chest harnesses. Seat and Waist harnesses are safer.
The hook height is above my center of gravity (butt)
and it doesn't release if I fall.
It drags me.
Twice in 15 years of buggying.
But I accept the risks and the consequences for my personal comfort.)
I like my brake lines so slack that full-reverse on the handles just backs the kite up. If it collapses while backing-up, the brakes are on too much.
That's the set-up.
The circumstances for my philosophy on harnesses, leashes and power connections.
I know that I must practice what to do when things start going wrong.
I've been there. There's often only a spilt-second where the correct action can save the moment. I don't want to waste that moment trying to think
what-to-do.
So I practice these three steps for "When-Things-Go-Wrong":
First: Full-reverse on the handles.
That stalls the kite but doesn't stop the buggy.
The mistake here is to turn the buggy upwind with the kite falling into the middle of the down-wind window, behind your back. Don't let that kite
power-up. Pop you right out. Called an O-O-B-E. (Out-Of-Buggy-Experience)
Trick is to lift your handles up high over your head (to keep your lines away from your wheels) and spin (not turn) the buggy downwind. That'll use up
most if not all the energy.
Second: Grab the bottoms of both handles in one hand and reach up with your other hand, grab the brakelines and pull them.
This reverses and inverts the kite.
Most problems are solved here, but sometimes not. So...
Third: Let Go.
Completely Let Go.
The kite is up-side-down and back-wards.
It's not a kite, except in name... It's falling cloth.
So it's not going anywhere far.
And all the energy stops working on you.
The leashes don't really let you separate from the kite.
You release control, but you're still connected.
On land, sometimes just stalling the foil is not enough.
It might be the connection between rider and kite that needs to part.
Releasing a kite that is powered-up is irresponsible
Part of using harnesses is knowing when not to.
While I "wear" my harness all the time, I "use" it only when appropriate.
To transfer energy and relieve strain.
On gusty days, I'm out of the harness more often than in.
During high-speed turns and going in and out of the pits area - Not in the harness.
But I wear it all the time.
So leashes seem to be a desire to find a "magic" way to replace skills.
A false sense of security that lulls us into complacency.
"Nothing bad has happened yet... So why worry?"
I fail to see the logic in that.
I fear it might be the science of marketing shouting down the process of building skills.
These, of course, are only my opinions.
Still, I'd suggest saving or printing this out for future reference.
I've tried to cover many issues
Safen Up! Buggy On!
"Often wrong..... Never in doubt"
the coreylama