Power Kite Forum

Some Buggy Questions?

lives2fly - 22-5-2013 at 04:39 AM

I have a buggy that i have barely used that I am currently giving a service - cleaning it up and replacing tubes and bearings.

The sand at my favourite landboard spot is currently a bit soft but the buggy has big wide sand tyres and should be a better choice.

I can get upwind and do downwind turns at the moment. learned on handles and a 3.5m fixed bridle and then got distracted by boards and the poor buggy got abandoned!

Now its caught my interest again for light wind days when I don't want to kitesurf:

Which kites and control systems would you guys recommend i use? Fixed bridles seem a lot more popular with buggy riders. why is that?

What should I try and learn next to progress my riding and keep the interest going?


BeamerBob - 22-5-2013 at 08:17 AM

Fixed bridle kites have a more "direct power" feel but have a more narrow wind range between powered up and overpowered. Depower kites will feel a little muted in the ability to control them if you are used to flying on handles. The tradeoff is that most depower kites can give you the wind range of 3 fixed bridle kite sizes.

soliver - 22-5-2013 at 09:22 AM

I have no experience with depower, but I understand or have read somewhere that FB kites are better in low wind. For instance, I seem to remember hearing that you generally need about 8mph wind speed for a depower to get off the ground, yet a FB can fly and even get you moving in lower wind speeds. Like an 8.6m or 10.4m Reactor II can save those extremely low wind days... That's why I want one :smilegrin:

I may be wrong but surely someone can confirm or deny this.

bigkid - 22-5-2013 at 09:32 AM

One of the big things that I found while back East at WW and Jibe is that the wind blows "off shore" most of the time and if you want to buggy or board the best way is with a twin skin, or depower kites (bar's). I would guess that the ratio of "the other kites" is 70-80%.
While here on the West Coast with the prevalent onshore wind, I would change the ratio of FB kites is 75-85%. I can only think of a hand full of guys here that buggy with a bar, everyone else fly with handles. Now the board guys are all bars except me, I like handles.
Now I have to say the beaches back East are a lot wider than at home and launching and landing the bar kites is much easier than here. The other factor is most of our wind is off the ocean and is rather smooth, compared to most of the East coast wind is off shore which is as I call it "punchy", so the FB's are harder to fly than the bar's are.

As Bobby said the FB's are more race car as opposed to the bar kites that are more Grocery getters.:P (I did see a few getting some good speed with the Charger II in the buggy)
I would say to fly what you know and not worry about the others. You aren't out there to be a fashion statement are you? If you are than I would expect to hear about the frilly pink attire you wear while totoing down the beach. (sorry, couldnt resist)

bigkid - 22-5-2013 at 09:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver  
I have no experience with depower, but I understand or have read somewhere that FB kites are better in low wind. For instance, I seem to remember hearing that you generally need about 8mph wind speed for a depower to get off the ground, yet a FB can fly and even get you moving in lower wind speeds. Like an 8.6m or 10.4m Reactor II can save those extremely low wind days... That's why I want one :smilegrin:

I may be wrong but surely someone can confirm or deny this.

Low wind for the depower guys is not the same for the FB guys and then for the rest of us. Not to say I am better than others, just have the stuff to do more and try out different ideas.(Now a 10m reactor on 160' plus lines would fly in zero wind)
I heard the same thing about the reactor, that why I keep mine in their bags. I have been out with my 12.5 Century on days of 1-4mph and had a blast while only a few skilled guys had a Flysurfer or ? that could fly. And as for the small window of the FB's, I have flown the 12.5 Century in 15-18mph winds.(had to hang on for dear life but lived to laugh about it later. (Might be why my pants fell off after the ride, they were full of, well you know, it scared the ____ out of me.) :embarrased:

lives2fly - 23-5-2013 at 06:29 AM

Thanks guys. I think I will start off with my fixed bridle kites on handles and spend a while getting used to the buggy again. Its looking brand new again after a clean up. just waiting for new bearings and an inner tube to arrive in the mail tomorrow.

I do prefer handles and a fixed bridle in low wind and its moslty going to be 15mph or less when I buggy or board because I am on the water when the wind gets stronger. There are a few days of lighter winds coming after today so I should have plenty of opportunities to get out.

bigkid, the beaches here are so empty there is nobody to make a fashion statement to anyway!

dirtslide - 23-5-2013 at 07:37 AM

buggy with your water kites ,you know them and they will work just fine ,try not to crash them to much as you all ready know ,but from the looks of your signature you have a bunch of good buggy engines.

lives2fly - 23-5-2013 at 07:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by dirtslide  
buggy with your water kites ,you know them and they will work just fine ,try not to crash them to much as you all ready know ,but from the looks of your signature you have a bunch of good buggy engines.


yeah? I hadn't thought of using the LEIs. I use the Cults & Bolt on snow because they cope really well with the gusty winds in the mountains.

The Parks fly pretty well in light wind though so I could give them a go. I haven't dropped a kite on land for a long tiime - its just me that hits the deck regularly :)