So, couldnt get my brother to come help me sadly.
Wind conditions where 3 to 6 MPH wind to a dead stop.
I was like well if its around 4 to 6 I should be ok but didnt expect it to stop all of a sudden.
Was a sad storry it was windy when I got there with a decent breeze that was constant and once I had set up the linds and all the wind died.
Waited and finally there was enough wind to lift it but only lasted for a few mins then had to land it on its side.
So waited again till another good breezed hit and sure enough got it back in the air for atleast 5 mins but eventually the wind died again.
The good news is I relized what you guys where talking about pull. The kite is so big and once its in the air you can feel the heavyness of it when
you move the handles since it takes abit of effort to move around in low wind.
Still it was a fun experiance and I know I can manuver it just waiting on a lil more wind next time. 3shot - 9-6-2016 at 08:41 PM
What we call janky wind. Just keep at it. You will love that Flow in clean wind. But yes that's a big step from a Symphony. Be careful, and have fun. lceliz - 11-6-2016 at 11:31 PM
Took my kite out in 9knots or 10mph wind and it was a very entertaining experiance.
I see what you guys mean by its full power all the time I had to apply the breaks alot specially when elevating the kite at start so it wouldnt pull
me forward.
It was a fun experiance dealing with it and the turns are alot slower than my 1.8Meter kite but I notice adding breaks allows it to spin faster or
turn.
I notice that it does require abit of effort to play around with the kite its different than the bar for sure, but seems so rewarding when you fly it.
I didnt try the skidding across thing, I just ran instead since didnt want to mess up my shoes since flying in dirt field.
I was wondering do people wash their kites? since like my lines are now not white but a beige so yeah curious about that.
Tomorrow ill be windyer than today so wont be taking it out but will probably do my 2 line without the bar to get a field for turning with just lines.
Blitzhound - 12-6-2016 at 04:57 PM
I asked this same question myself awhile back. I have rinsed my kites with tap water from the faucet out side. I would say you could rinse it with
fresh water even wipe it with a soft sponge. But I would hesitate at using detergents. Simply because a lot of cleaners will strip the protective
coatings from the fabric. That's some expensive fabric to be throwing it in the ol'washing machine. abkayak - 12-6-2016 at 08:11 PM
Do not put in the laundry...kites taste better w/ salt imo
Is windyer a word?lceliz - 12-6-2016 at 08:35 PM
lol probably not but it is now, and yeah bad idea flying it today. Blitzhound - 12-6-2016 at 10:27 PM
Be careful brother. That 5m's no joke. She'll Spank you, and you might not like it! Something that believe it or not took me a while to learn is. When
in doubt...let go. I know I know. Seems simple enough. But I learned the hard way that it's easier said than done. lceliz - 14-6-2016 at 09:19 AM
Yes, I can understand what you mean the pull on it is so fast. I know when im on the power window what its going to do its just knowing how much pull
it will generate that does seem pretty scarry. I might have got lucky I doubt I have awsome skills but yeah im going to wait till I get my 3Meter kite
for now.
For now I know I dont want to hit over 10MPH winds till I get better at it. Since it moves so slow in the sky I need to think ahead of time before
putting it back in the power zone that I did find out from my trial runs. WELDNGOD - 14-6-2016 at 01:20 PM
Get a skid lid . Kneepads aren't a bad idea either.lceliz - 14-6-2016 at 02:35 PM
Yeah I was thinking a helmet would be nice but I wear glasses so would have to have something that would be confortable with glasses on.
One thing I notice on videos is people draggin their feet is that better than moving with the kites motion? Bladerunner - 14-6-2016 at 05:19 PM
I am not clear what you mean about " moving with the kites motion " ? To me, you need a ride to do so? If you mean running toward the kite that is a
BAD IDEA! You will face plant eventually. Search Superman in kite videos to see what happens when you " move with the kites motion".
To handle power lean back and get small ( lower and set back your center of gravity ) . Keep your feet in front of you. Far better to slip off your
feet and then skid on your back side. If you got small it will be close to the ground. Choose footwear without a heel on the bottom if possible to aid
in scudding down wind. A helmet will eventually pay off!
You are right about having to anticipate and start your moves ahead of time as kites get bigger. lceliz - 14-6-2016 at 07:09 PM
Yep thats what I was talking about going towards the kite.
I wasnt sure about the leaning back cause I Feel like ill fall backwards but on the smaller kites I do it all the time its just the big kite im not
so confortable yet with it so that might be the issue on why I dont lean back with it vs the lil one.
I was looking at some helmets was thinking the Jet Style ones since it has a visor for the dust since im in the dersert we do get dust blown at times.
brockrock1000 - 15-6-2016 at 03:21 PM
Yep thats what I was talking about going towards the kite.
I wasnt sure about the leaning back cause I Feel like ill fall backwards but on the smaller kites I do it all the time its just the big kite im not
so confortable yet with it so that might be the issue on why I dont lean back with it vs the lil one.
So, you and I are both at a very similar spot in our 'Power Kiting career'. I began flying Power Kites in April 2016, and so far, I only fly static.
My plan is to continue static flying this summer and fall - learning as much as I can - and this winter, I hope to try out kite skiing.
I have the Flexifoil Rage series kites in sizes 1.8, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.7 meters. This range of sizes pretty much allows me to safely fly in any of the
wind conditions we typically get here in New England from say 5-30 kts. I choose my kite size to give me a safe but fairly challenging session -
depending upon the wind - since I love the exercise.
While flying, I attempt to not allow the kite to pull me downwind, but rather, I try to remain standing in roughly the same spot where I stood upon
launch. I say 'roughly the same spot', because I do go side to side while flying, but I always attempt to return to that initial spot where I began.
Two months into flying, I am now able to put the larger kites up in what would have been way too much wind when I began this sport.
I am learning to anticipate the area of the Power Zone prior to the kite moving through it by squatting downward and bringing the handles inward with
thumbs at about chest height. I also try to strictly keep my upper arms and forearms held tightly to and rubbing against my sides. By doing this, I
have found that I can absorb the often powerful pull of the kite by straightening upward and extending my arms as needed.
This lowered or squatting position also sets me up for leaning back as needed to further absorb the pull, and I have noticed a benefit to placing the
left foot forward as the kite goes left, and the right foot forward as it goes right. Also, always directly face the kite.
You will learn so much when you get the 3m kite. Until then, be patient, and only fly the larger one in lighter winds.
lceliz - 16-6-2016 at 07:39 PM
Yeah, I changed my 1.8M kite to cords but its not as fun as the 4 line kite now its rather borring.
I did buy a landboard today so that will be interesting addint to the kite experiance later atleast for cruising till I get a bar since I just have
the handles for now.
Yes thats what I do usually is try to stay around the same area roughly cause it can be a long walk back to the original spot.
So, yes we are pretty similiar in the kitting career since I been doing static flying for a while now. I doubt I can get into snow kitting this year
but probably next year I Can for now im just going to try the landboard. WELDNGOD - 16-6-2016 at 07:54 PM
Helmet and pads ASAP. Skate helmet is fine, but required. ATB w/ a kite has a steep learning curve. Armor up!lceliz - 16-6-2016 at 08:15 PM
Lmao yeah thats what im buying now but debating if I want a full body armor thing or just knee pads and elbow pads and well wrist pads till I master
the landboard with out the kite.
Also if I want a Jet helmet or the lid cap helmet.
Would be kinda funny though to just get on it and see what happens adding the kite to the equation with out learning the board first.
One thing I was debating on was a brake system since it wont have one and the ones that come with it use a bicycle lever so would have to some how add
it to a handle if I want that brake or I can just make the kite go the opiset dirrection to slow down.
So been thinking about stopping more than anything. Although I saw some video on how to stop with out breaks by just twisting the board up front and
bending down. Just have to practice it. Windstruck - 17-6-2016 at 06:11 AM
So been thinking about stopping more than anything. Although I saw some video on how to stop with out breaks by just twisting the board up front and
bending down. Just have to practice it.
As noted.... STEEP LEARNING CURVE!
While I don't board I do skate, including doing so on Lake Ivanpah which is rock hard with a playa surface akin to 40wt sandpaper. Going down at high
speed on that surface or in your case asphalt or concrete will absolutely wreck your day or considerably longer. Give it some good thought and note
just how many joints you have to protect. Brain bucket an absolute must, but don't discount your shoulders, wrists and hips and think that knee and
maybe elbow pads set you up. Not trying to be some sort of wussy safety sherif here, but the guy writing this is 55 years old and a single wage earner
in his family. :karate:
I followed John's (cerebite) lead here and went with a nice ventilated motorcross upper body jacket:
Also consider getting a pair of hockey shorts to slide over the core pads (cheap) with the idea being that "when" (not "if") you go down you scrape up
the shorts not the pads.
Finally, high quality skateboard knee pads and wrist guards and you should be set. While you're at it you may want to secure a Kite Squire as I'm
trying to do as taking all this body armor on and off is a chore! Yes, you will feel a bit foolish armored up like this but consider the alternatives
in the unemployment line, divorce court, etc. a simple trade off really! khaakon - 17-6-2016 at 06:25 AM
One thing I was debating on was a brake system since it wont have one and the ones that come with it use a bicycle lever so would have to some how add
it to a handle if I want that brake or I can just make the kite go the opiset dirrection to slow down.
So been thinking about stopping more than anything. Although I saw some video on how to stop with out breaks by just twisting the board up front and
bending down. Just have to practice it.
Just remember to fly the kite up high long before you run out of space in the direction you are travelling. That way, you'll lose speed and can step
of the board. Or try actually fly the kite over to the other side, and move back the way you came from. You will need to start angled a bit downwind
to get the board rolling, before you turn slightly crosswind and lean into it.
Adding a brakes on the board I think is for people riding with their hands free. Or if you ride DP kite with a bar and harness, I suggest attaching
brakehandle to the belt, or something else than the bar ! lceliz - 17-6-2016 at 07:23 AM
Well the reason I went with the board is cause well hard to find a buggy and well I found this really nice spot with find sand and dirt since people
go on their jeeps to do circles. Its a pretty good hike on the strip no cement or asphalt but I will probably need to get some 9in tires on the
mountain board if it cant move well on the desert sand.
Well the reason I went with the board is cause well hard to find a buggy and well I found this really nice spot with find sand and dirt since people
go on their jeeps to do circles. Its a pretty good hike on the strip no cement or asphalt but I will probably need to get some 9in tires on the
mountain board if it cant move well on the desert sand.
So thats the field
NICE! Hard to judge scale from the picture. How long a run could you get on this "field"? Looks nice and way out in the open so wind should be
clean. I've played around a lot with wheels for my skates and found larger and wider knobbies to be really important upgrades for performance,
particularly on grass. From what I've read 9" is a great upgrade from 8". My "wheels of doom" skates have 200x50mm inflated knobbies and I love
them. 200mm is roughly 8". Depending on your setup keep in mind that as you get larger diameter tires that your COG goes up proportionately. I'm
not saying that 1/2" rise in COG is a make or break but there comes a point where this matters.
For what it's worth I wouldn't mess with brakes on a board or skates with the intended use being you getting pulled around by a kite. You've got your
hands full with the kite in the air already. Plus, as mentioned already, you've got a built in "air brake" with the kite; better to learn how to use
your air brake than introducing one more reason to screw up and get pitched from your board. I see a likely scenario where you apply the brake on the
board only to have the kite promptly pull you right off the deck. Ouch!lceliz - 17-6-2016 at 08:19 AM
Ill have to measure the actual field but from where I took the picture its where I park the car and then from there I need to hike down which takes
like 2 mins or 3.
So ill say its pretty big I havent hit the edges of it but then agian im static flying it right now. Ill have to get my fitbit thing to take a
measurement of the field at some point. Ill estimate it to be like 2 miles one way and not sure how deep in since it looks clear all the way to the
building. Windstruck - 17-6-2016 at 08:27 AM
Ill have to measure the actual field but from where I took the picture its where I park the car and then from there I need to hike down which takes
like 2 mins or 3.
So ill say its pretty big I havent hit the edges of it but then agian im static flying it right now. Ill have to get my fitbit thing to take a
measurement of the field at some point. Ill estimate it to be like 2 miles one way and not sure how deep in since it looks clear all the way to the
building.
No need to measure! That is HUGE. Not Ivanpah huge of course but more than big enough to have a blast. For most of us land based riders it's soccer
fields or long drives to dry lake beds or ocean beaches. To have a place like that within a reasonable drive is OUTSTANDING. Rip it up! crewl1 - 17-6-2016 at 08:38 AM
Hi iceliz - where in California are you?
We can maybe coordinate and I can meet you at El Mirage some time with a kite buggy for you to try if you are anywhere near there.
Send me a message.lceliz - 17-6-2016 at 09:14 AM
Yeah its only 10 min drive there I came across it while asking people at work if they know of any empty land that no one uses and some guy that flys
planes was like there is a mini field that people fly airplanes at and thats the field. So no one there uses it except for the jeeps I seen doing
cartwheels and races so far. For some weird reason they leave when I show up no idea why its kinda weird, but leaves the sand like powder when they
leave. Yes this is bigger than a soccer field for sure.
I live in Taft area so im like 2 hours and some mins away from El Mirage, but Im still getting gear so I dont have a harness and stuff eventually need
to invest in that. Bladerunner - 17-6-2016 at 04:13 PM
I learned ATB with the kite with almost no board skills. ( after I was proficient at kite ski, blades and buggy. ) I am still pathetic at kicking
along. I use my Kahuna Big stick when I long board without a kite now. Riding and kiting are very different board skills. I really enjoy ATB ( and
Coyotes ) but ONLY on good surfaces. Buggy is just as rewarding and more if it means I can ride a location not suited to small wheels.
I have a STRONG feeling the sand may be too soft and deep for ATB The way you describe the 4x4's tearing it up it sounds soft? Is that a dry lake with
the typical cracked hard surface or softer sand? Soft isn't a good thing for ATB. Even if you can get rolling, the resistance makes the whole thing a
lot of work and or makes it hard to hold down the power. If you haven't bought a board yet I suggest you don't rush it. That spot is too great to give
up on and I'm sure a buggy would work there nicely.
As mentioned you are far better off learning kite control to brake. It's all about kite control and reflex memory. Wasting time with a brake would
create bad habits that you would need to un-learn.
When riding buggy and pushing it I add Elbow and knee pads. When riding stand up I add Hillbilly A$$ pads. I had a few badly bruised hips trying to
learn ATB before I invested in my A$$. I am skinny though.
Go out of your way to take Crewl1 up on his generous offer! Getting together with somebody like him and getting some seat time will be PRICELESS. You
will learn more in a few hours with him than you will in a few months on your own. Learning how to ride the wind in a buggy seat will be infinitely
more safe and easy than trying to learn ATB from scratch. The whole process of starting faced a bit down wind. Cutting upwind, stopping and turning
are all the same.
John Holgate - 17-6-2016 at 04:25 PM
Carl the bullet has some 'how to' landboarding vids on youtube. Try this.... Carl's videoslceliz - 17-6-2016 at 05:53 PM
Already have bought the board so I'll have that tomorrow. the sand isn't to deep in some areas I just have to go farther in since the jeeps are
usually at the entrance of the place on the left hand side. So, your right it might get stuck in some areas that's why I was looking for 9in tires to
install on it. Tomorrow I'll go check it out better once the sun cools down the area to see how much is sand and how much is not. I know there is a
dry grass area in the middle that's where my kite got caught by the gust.
The area isn't a lake at all its just a place that people cleaned up at one point to fly model airplanes but never seen them out there. I think that's
why the jeep guys leave when I get there with my backpack cause they think I'm part of the airplane model group.
Yeah I'll need armor for sure to save my Lil ass from pain on that thing. I was looking at the motocross armor suits for the top but never thought
about the bottom.
So, there is a picture of how the ground looks I went out there to check it out theres abit deeper in the area looks like hard sand dirt.
Bladerunner - 18-6-2016 at 11:35 AM
Spot looks better than I thought!
I am serious about taking advantage of Crewl1's offer. Actually feeling the power needed and figuring out how to take advantage of the wind will be an
awesome struggle if you are also trying to learn how to board at the same time. Going through the motions will be easier and safer from a buggy seat.
As I mentioned he can literally propel your learning curve changing months of learning into hours.
It seems like you are getting a bit over excited and impulse buying. Try and resist this temptation. This sport is a LOT more about pilot SKILLS than
it is about style or model of kite. You seem to be shopping for all sorts of small kites ( 5m FB is not considered a big kite ) . Once you get
accustomed to handling power and want for an engine you will find you are lacking in low wind power. By the time you are ready for that purchase you
should have a better idea of what style of riding and kite to suit.
Judging from what I see your best money would be spent on a buggy. Even if buggy doesn't end up your go to ride, learning how to use the wind will
come a whole lot easier and leave you a lot less bruised up. That spot will challenge even a seasoned ATB rider. A buggy will tame that spot and allow
you to best take advantage of what you have.
