Molibius - 1-1-2015 at 05:23 AM
Hey, l am looking for buggy. I live in Toronto and the idea is to sail on frozen lake.
No experience, just got my first kite and I definitely prefer to buggy vs snowboard.
markite - 1-1-2015 at 07:39 AM
Molibius
Welcome to PKF and nice to see another kiter in the area interested in bugging. There aren't really many good places to buggy in Toronto. It is
possible to buggy at Woodbine beach off season but it's soft sand so you would need a Bigfoot set up.
I have buggies as well as many contacts for anyone looking at selling any used buggies around most of Ontario..there are always options. The only
option you would need to work out is making something yourself to use on the ice (you could get out on the inner bay off cherry St beach when it
freezes up). There isn't a stock set up for snow or ice set up on most buggies unless you go to bigger custom buggies and then some manufacturers are
making blade kits but it'll all probably way more money than you expect. For Ontario it's difficult to get a perfect surface and condition to use
blades but they are the fastest. A set up using snowmobile skins (skis) works but they do bog down in wet or deeper snow. working with modified
snowboards all round seems to be about the best compromise for most snow conditions but again you would have to build your own set up. I'll shoot you
a U2U so you can ask me any questions or if you want to look at buggies or anything you are more than welcome any time (I live in Cambridge). There
are a few buddies that have winter set ups and they get out more at Wasaga once the snowmobiles pack down the beach snow and there are a series of
good hard pack snow drag strips created down the length of the beach. I've used blades at Keswick / lake Simcoe, but it's rare that we get smooth
clean ice usually a melt and re-freeze or slush that gets chewed up by lake traffic and re freezes all rough until,you get a good snow cover.
Mark
hiaguy - 1-1-2015 at 11:21 AM
Welcome to the forum Molibius.
If "No experience, just got my first kite" is your current situation, the first step will be getting in some static time to "learn the ropes" before
hopping into a buggy. Taking the time to understand the wind window, and build the understanding and muscle memory to act/react to different wind
conditions, is highly recommended. Almost everyone on this forum will speak of safety first - small steps is almost always a part of that.
New toys - especially kites - are always exciting. What kind of kite did you get? Had it up in the air yet? There are a few questions that almost
everyone has, so...
This recent thread will be a good starter read:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=29641#pid28...
There are some questions referenced in another thread:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=28759#pid27...
that'll help all of us be able to provide better answers for you.
And here's a "101" link that covers a lot on a single page.
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/101FirstFlight4LineHandles....
Hunt around Angus' site; there's lots of great info there.
I'm in Whitby, and typically fly at Iroquois Park (the soccer fields) as long as there are no teams on the fields. There's room to buggy there too.
Feel free to U2U or e-mail (it's in my profile); I may just refer you to Mark anyway (he's our neighbourhood guru), but there are a few of us in the
GTA that are happy to help.
Howard
Looking for buggy
Molibius - 1-1-2015 at 03:23 PM
Mark and Howard,
Nice to hear from you guys, and thanks for your input.
The kite I have (just got it yesterday) is Prism Tensor 4.2. I am excited to go out and fly it and learn how to do it safe way. I did see enough
staff on YouTube to make me aware of the danger of flying power kites. In my life I used to fly gliders ,sport planes and did few jumps with
parachute. So I say that you can be involved in all kind of dangerous sports but as long as you got proper training it could be safe. Same with car
or motorcycle riding. I know drivers with 30 years behind the wheel and no accidents and other ones have never ending "bad" luck.
I have sailing background from iceboats and I really miss that time. As Mark mentioned it, its so hard to find clean enough ice to sail on it. So I
was dormant for long long time till now. I give up the idea of ice boats and want to try kite buggy. Again could be a problem with the snow, or maybe
it would be just matter of finding proper skies/runners for that specific ice condition. Talking about skies - did anybody try V shape skies ? With
carbide blade at the bottom to run on clean ice.
Initially I wanted to get ice boat and just hook up to it the kite. Forget the mast and sail. I think the ride itself could be more pleasurable since
there is some kind of suspension (no vibration transfer to the sail).
All the buggies (almost) I seen so far have noting to absorb the shaking and vibrations. Maybe on sand or grass this is no problem but on ice it could
be.
I just guestimate things.
Ha, I am just old and don't want to fall apart during the ride :frog:
Or .... maybe would be good idea to get together and design and build a nice buggy ? Don't know what you prefer buggy or board.
Well, thanks again and have a Happy New Year
Slawek