Power Kite Forum

Speed to wind ratio for biggies?

Slappysan - 31-7-2013 at 11:49 PM

What's the typical max speed to wind speed ratio for a competition buggy with high AR kite?

I know top sailboats get near 2.0x and iceboats get like 6-8x.

BeamerBob - 1-8-2013 at 12:03 AM

I'm sure I've been 4 times the wind with a big reactor II. Consider numbers like 5 mph winds and 20 or so on buggy speed. The largest kites seem to be most efficient with their wind.

Bladerunner - 1-8-2013 at 04:54 PM

Like Bob points out the relationship seems to change as the wind increases and kites get smaller.
When the fastest speed was posted I don't think Brian was going twice the wind speed. Yet it is pretty easy to do more than 3 times wind speed with a large kite and steady low winds.