Power Kite Forum - Making a "kite pole" for Ivanpah

Making a "kite pole" for Ivanpah

Windstruck - 30-10-2016 at 07:25 AM

I'm heading to Ivanpah in a couple of weeks to get some riding in with Paul (Jeepersjoey) and maybe some other folks. I want to make what I'll call a "kite pole" (not really sure what to call it). This is one of those poles that you pound into the ground to wrap your kite around for take offs and (hopefully) landings. The ones I've seen used there were covered with padding sort of like pool floats and were about 6 feet tall or so. I'm kicking myself that I didn't just look at a few of them in detail when I was right there, but I was too wound up in the actual flying and socializing to do this.

So, do folks use rebar? If so, how long is the bar? Do I need to sharpen the bottom end? I'm figuring I could get a pool float, a long piece of rebar and tape the whole thing up. I'd like to know how long the bar needs to be so I know how far I need to pound it into the mud to make it stay put. If not rebar, then what?

Thanks!

bigkid - 30-10-2016 at 09:44 AM

A 4 foot piece of half-inch rebar pounded into the ground 1 foot with a 6 foot pool noodle slid over the top of that is perfect. You can add a second one next to it about 3 feet away and you have a perfect backstop for your kite. The only problem that there could possibly be is if the wind changes direction.
Make sure you have some pool noodles sticking up over the top of the rebar in case you don't land in front of it but you land on top of it. Don't want to skewer your kite, nothing worse than one stuck on a pool noodle. I haven't seen any pool noodles flying lately but there's always a first.

skimtwashington - 30-10-2016 at 09:48 AM

Yeah...make a colorful one!

I wonder if you might drill a hole, and then 'pole' is dropped in it.....easier?

hiaguy - 30-10-2016 at 10:03 AM

Please forgive a silly question:
Is it permissible to pound/drill holes in the lakebed? :puzzled:
I thought that Ivanpah was a protected environment.

Morrie Williams - 30-10-2016 at 10:08 AM

We use a 5' section of rebar for our kite post. Pound it in about 1 foot.

Windstruck - 30-10-2016 at 10:53 AM

Thanks guys! This gave me the info I needed. One foot into the dried mud. Nobody mentioned sharpening the end so I won't bother. I think I'll circle the bar with a black Sharpie pen one foot from the bottom for a depth gauge. Home Depot and Walmart here I come!

Jeff - great suggestion about making two and placing them about 3-ft apart. I hadn't thought of that and agree that such a setup would have advantages over a single pole. Pretty good advice coming from such a shifty guy... :P

indigo_wolf - 30-10-2016 at 07:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by hiaguy

Please forgive a silly question:
Is it permissible to pound/drill holes in the lakebed? :puzzled:
I thought that Ivanpah was a protected environment.

I don't think rebar size holes are considered permanent damage. Expect it would be a totally different thing if you left the rebar in place after you left. Or put down 42,137 of them.

The Burning Man forum has some lengthy thread about dropping rebar into the playa. Likewise, you will find additional reading on the Burning Man website and Reddit

ATB,
Sam

BeamerBob - 30-10-2016 at 07:34 PM

3-4 feet of rebar above ground and a foot driven in is fine. No sharpening needed. BLM would say to refill your hole with dirt when you pull the pole out.

jeepersjoey - 4-11-2016 at 07:10 PM

Steve,

I put up three in front of my Subi when we were at IBX in April.

I will be bringing 2-3 this Thanksgiving along with a few pool noodles.

You can hang your kite on them any time you want!

(Oh yea...I also bring a big hammer).

But, I will probably pull them up every night so some fool driving across Ivanpah does not run into them.

Windstruck - 4-11-2016 at 07:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jeepersjoey

Steve,

I put up three in front of my Subi when we were at IBX in April.

I will be bringing 2-3 this Thanksgiving along with a few pool noodles.

You can hang your kite on them any time you want!

(Oh yea...I also bring a big hammer).

But, I will probably pull them up every night so some fool driving across Ivanpah does not run into them.

Already made two! I made a big ole for an American flag too. Means I'll be pounding in three pieces of rebar. Home Depot only sold them in 4ft or really long so I picked up three 4-footers. Would have preferred 5ft but oh well. Got me a mini sledge for driving them in.

Getting psyched!

BeamerBob - 4-11-2016 at 08:50 PM

The flagged kite doesn't put much pressure on the poles. 4' will be plenty and easier to drive into the ground.

Windstruck - 5-11-2016 at 06:50 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

The flagged kite doesn't put much pressure on the poles. 4' will be plenty and easier to drive into the ground.

Thanks Bob. And, importantly, go Vols! Hope to see you in a couple of weeks.