Power Kite Forum

Video of 50+ mph cruising

BeamerBob - 21-5-2014 at 12:27 PM

This video is from a buddy's Virb camera/gps. It gives the ability to display gps data on the video. This one shows direction and real time speeds.

This wind direction allowed us to run virtually the entire length of the lakebed giving me a 60 mile day in just a few hours.

I hope you enjoy it. I love to share the wonder that Ivanpah is.

RedSky - 21-5-2014 at 01:11 PM

Thanks for uploading. This looks so good. What a great way to spend a day. Although its hard to appreciate the speed as the lake is so big and flat. You should pass very close by your car to give us a sense of the true speed and maybe pass over the camera too + a rear view of the dust. Please upload my request now.

BeamerBob - 21-5-2014 at 01:19 PM

This means I'll have to go ride again! On it boss.

USA_Eli_A - 21-5-2014 at 01:35 PM

NICE BOBBY!!!


I'm interested in that Camera, isn't that the Garmin?

RedSky - 21-5-2014 at 01:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
This means I'll have to go ride again! On it boss.

:D

SpecialK - 21-5-2014 at 02:00 PM

Looks pretty sweet. Hard to find something like that around here!

On a side note, now i see where all that dust on the lines came from!

BeamerBob - 21-5-2014 at 02:19 PM

Yes Eli it's the garmin virb. Geeks unite!

SpecialK it can be very dusty at times but there is nothing but dust there.

USA_Eli_A - 21-5-2014 at 05:41 PM

BOBBY....shhhhhhhhhhhh

PHREERIDER - 21-5-2014 at 05:52 PM

man thats awesome! love the display, felt like F1

Cheddarhead - 21-5-2014 at 08:13 PM

LOVED the vid! I never get enough vicarious living thru you guys on the playa:D That heads up gps display is really nice! Reminds me of the Turbo Racing games ages ago with the rpm / speed displayed on the screen.

3shot - 21-5-2014 at 08:28 PM

Great vid. Thanks for sharing!

markite - 22-5-2014 at 09:03 AM

nice seeing the riding with the dashboard right there - funny, watching it I can almost taste the playa dust. Love the long rides down the length of the lake.
You need a speed suit, those air intakes (flapping pant legs) are probably costing you a mph or two ;)
We are done our spring buggy season now and we only got out once other than JIBE so it'll probably be September before I get to ride again. Good video - keep them coming so I can live buggy time through you.

BeamerBob - 22-5-2014 at 09:31 AM

Ha! Mark I've thought about the pants legs. Can't help when going for max speed.:thumbup: I know what you mean about the videos making you smell and taste the dust. I get an adrenaline rush sometimes in the garage if I do something that knocks dust off some kite equipment.:D

I just noticed how low the resolution is on the embedded video. Here is a direct link that will let you watch in HD.

Youtube direct link

markite - 22-5-2014 at 10:05 AM

I had clicked on the Youtube link anyway that on the embedded one, that gave me the higher res option to watch. Because we buggy more in the cooler months I started wearing gaiters many years ago and converted all friends over to their use. These have a strap for your shoe/boot and then wrap around from shoe top to just below the knee (on longer ones) and keep any wind out of your pant leg so you feel warmer and also helps with keeping some water splashes out depending style of shoe and gaiter.
Also gaiters on your ankles are way better than gators on your ankles.

ssayre - 22-5-2014 at 10:24 AM

Super cool having the speedometer on there.

Cheddarhead - 22-5-2014 at 12:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
I just noticed how low the resolution is on the embedded video. Here is a direct link that will let you watch in HD.

Youtube direct link


Just watched it again via direct link, 23 inch full screen and stereo sound. Feels almost like I'm right there on the playa! Awesome!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

soliver - 22-5-2014 at 12:35 PM

Yeah, I almost found myself watching the speedometer more than the kite, LOL

BeamerBob - 22-5-2014 at 02:45 PM

I find I have to watch the vids a couple times to take it all in. I like to watch the buggy and kite and then look down to see if what I guessed would be a burst in speed actually worked out. I've also learned to watch the graphic gps which takes less attention then I can watch more of the video. The gps in this unit seems to take a continuous reading on speed and I think it catches blips or bursts of speed that get missed by other gps units I've used.

acampbell - 22-5-2014 at 02:47 PM

Great! What kite was that?

Funny how the lens almost mimics the curvature of the earth on such a a broad expanse as Ivanpah.

BeamerBob - 22-5-2014 at 04:25 PM

Angus, it is a Uturn Butane. I'd never seen one before either. I bought it from a chap in UK. It's a very confidence inspiring kite. Getting used to running at 60 mph and seeing how stable this kite is, has me envisioning much faster runs. Honestly, the part of running at elite speeds that scares me is being able to slow down. The last 2 records were done by ejecting the kite. This video was with winds touching 30 mph so I'd be willing to make a dedicated run in higher winds with a plan to cut the kite loose at the end. Or hope to get lucky and the wind back off at the end of the run. A mile or more of runout room downwind eases the anxiety as well.

RedSky - 22-5-2014 at 05:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
Angus, it is a Uturn Butane. I'd never seen one before either. I bought it from a chap in UK. It's a very confidence inspiring kite. Getting used to running at 60 mph and seeing how stable this kite is, has me envisioning much faster runs. Honestly, the part of running at elite speeds that scares me is being able to slow down. The last 2 records were done by ejecting the kite. This video was with winds touching 30 mph so I'd be willing to make a dedicated run in higher winds with a plan to cut the kite loose at the end. Or hope to get lucky and the wind back off at the end of the run. A mile or more of runout room downwind eases the anxiety as well.


but not the LEI ?

BeamerBob - 22-5-2014 at 06:54 PM

It was a bit scary to have the LEI almost fold into thirds when I tried to edge upwind. I want another 30 mph wind session with it pumped up a little tighter before pushing it in bigger winds. I went way beyond what I imagine the design parameters were for the Ignition. I'm just not sure how tight is tight enough and not too tight. I certainly can't cut the lei loose at over 70 mph. Well I can do it once!:o

Kober - 23-5-2014 at 05:06 AM

Wow ....
... some serious speed on that video .... You are a brave man ....
.... What software do you use to get that GPS data on a video ?
... Do you use covers on your wheel ??

snowspider - 23-5-2014 at 06:59 AM

Pushing 60mph how hard is your harness pulling on your side , my cheap rockwall harness's are gnawing at my side pretty bad when I'm pushing 40mph.

BeamerBob - 23-5-2014 at 07:18 AM

Kober, that is Virb edit I think. I was running a friends Garmin Virb camera with built in gps, so when you import the video, the gps data transfers with it.

Snowspider, I have a slightly longer spreader bar than normal and the end actually tucks in between my hip and the curl of my siderails on the downwind side. If I don't nudge the bar into position, sometimes when a gust comes along and the side load and acceleration come with a bang, the bar will snap down onto my hip. After a big wind day of riding, I can have bruises from the spreader bar on the front of my hips. While my apparent wind loads are high, the rolling resistance is very low. My biggest drag at these speeds is the wind hitting my legs and chest. My heaviest loads on the harness are when I'm trying to slow down by turning upwind. On one of my runs that day, it took a half mile to get my buggy to turn upwind to slow down. With a very westerly wind, we don't have much room to run downwind before being at the eastern shore.

snowspider - 27-5-2014 at 03:47 PM

I suppose I'll have to get more padding as I crank up the speed. I know the feeling of not being able to turn up wind , I had my 14m Montana zipping along on skis just over 30mph and no way could I get up wind , too scared to ease it up overhead. I was lucky to have some space downwind to drift away from the power and slow down a bit. There was a point when I was thinking "crap what do I do with this thing now?" Thanks

BeamerBob - 27-5-2014 at 04:01 PM

The Montana has the no penalty tophat release. I've tested it under duress 5 times over the years. It stops the carnage in an instant and usually isn't a big deal to reset and get going again.

kiteballoon - 27-5-2014 at 05:32 PM

It's nice to have a mile to stop after getting rolling that fast eh? It's actually amazing how readily you can achieve those speeds on the lakebed with a well behaved kite. Lock it down, find your line and go. Next thing you know you are flying along ;-)

BeamerBob - 27-5-2014 at 09:16 PM

It's funny because I feel primed for a really good run if I'm cruising at 45-50. If I get that, a gust will kick the speed up to serious levels in an instant. But truly, if the wind is cranking, a buggy can hit 60 in 20 -30 seconds or so. I feel so lucky to have Ivanpah as my buggy classroom. :thumbup: