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Wives & Kites?!

Blitzhound - 23-4-2018 at 04:03 AM

Just gonna throw this question out there.

IF...you were going to teach your wife to fly kites and eventually buggy. (Spared no expense) what Kite would you teach her on. after all this is the love of your life. I think I already know my answer. Either a 6m/9m Peak 3 or a 6m/8m Ozone Access. Either of which would be set up with there respective 5th line safeties. Though I'm curious as to you other married men's thoughts on the matter. (This should be interesting.) I would love for my wife to be more involved than simply watching me and filming on occasion. She has agreed that she might like to be more involved as well. Though there is a strong possibility that there may be a BloKart in our future. But for now. I have multiple buggies and plenty of Kites.

cheezycheese - 23-4-2018 at 04:24 AM

Personally, I have started my S.O. on a small gentle fixed bridle. This way she can understand the wind window, etc... packing and unpacking lines, stuff like that. She has expressed the desire to buggy, but she needs to understand the simple stuff first.

jeepersjoey - 23-4-2018 at 05:22 AM

If fixed bridle, all I know, is an option...a 1.8m or 2.5m Rage depending on the wind.

The key to me is that the person does NOT feel overpowered on their first few flights. It is a toy to them...not a death machine.

Have one person with her (you) and employ another to go out in the field and get the kite ready for her each time it crashes.

I am partial to the RAGE because it does not bow-tie, it is very forgiving, and cheap.

I tell everyone I teach to do not be afraid to let go of it. So much so that I make them power through the window and then then the kite rip from their fingers. They see that it does not go far...I think this helps them understand that it is better to let go than fly.

I tried with mine and she was bored, quickly. So, I built a landsailer. Alas, it tipped over the second she sat in it!

Paul

Randy - 23-4-2018 at 05:38 AM

Dangerous territory guys. There is a saying in windsurfing - "If you want to break up with your girl, try to teach her to windsurf." :D It probably would apply to kiting as well.

Windstruck - 23-4-2018 at 06:19 AM

Agree with the dangerous territory comments. Tread carefully!!!!

The Access with Re-Ride are good calls for twin skin DP. I've owned them and would vouch for this choice. I've also owned the Peak3s. They went to one pulley per side for their DP rigging (Peak and Peak2s both had two pulleys per side). This resulted in an increase in bar pressure. Note this as it could be relevant as it will be tiring for your wife to hold the bar in for buggying. The Born-Kite LongStar2s are similar to the Peaks (nicer in my view) and have two pulleys per side. Just sayin...

Other options would be PL Uniq Quad for a simple FB SS and the other SS option would be Born Kite NASA Star 3s. All make decent buggy engines and are easy to get the hang of static and can be crashed.

The blokart option seems ideal. Jeeper Joey's comment about the second person is a good one. Some might call that a Kite Squire! :D

abkayak - 23-4-2018 at 06:35 AM

i vote fb's first...
i have had wife and daughter on them flying
pretty sure they would never throw on a harness and want to see 7+m above them
and I'm good w/ that

eric67m - 23-4-2018 at 07:38 AM

My wife and child were both started off flying static on fixed bridals (no harness, brake or drop the handles if necessary). My wife has tried to buggy several times but it's hard to make upwind progress with entry level four line fixed bridals. I would like to get a intermediate 2.5-3 to replace some of my entry level kites. My daughter might try to buggy some more this year. She has tried some down winders previously. She is eleven. I would get some static time in first to gain some kite control.

B-Roc - 23-4-2018 at 09:04 AM

Maybe a tandem buggy is better than a new kite quiver for the wife - that way she can enjoy the experience while you control the most dangerous aspects and if she quits, well you can still give rides to others.

Cerebite - 23-4-2018 at 09:36 AM

I would also answer with the small FB. She learns the ropes [excuse the pun] but does not feel overpowered.
My lovely kite squire has several kites "of her own" that she feels I do not treat right [don't fly enough] and a couple that we have bought for her. She will fly static very occasionally and we have kicked around the idea of getting a landsailer for a couple of years. She has SERIOUS neck and back issues so can not do any significant pull on the kites.

All that being said she loves to go out with me and watch me [and my friends] fly and enjoys taking care of us and feeding us way too well [as Paul, Steve, Tami, Richard, Mark, and others can attest].

Windstruck - 23-4-2018 at 10:02 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite

All that being said she loves to go out with me and watch me [and my friends] fly and enjoys taking care of us and feeding us way too well [as Paul, Steve, Tami, Richard, Mark, and others can attest].

And an INCREDIBLE job Amy does of this too!!! Her efforts and friendship truly round out our great Ivanpah gatherings. The fact that she is further John's Kite Squire is just sheer bonus for him. :D

Windstruck - 23-4-2018 at 10:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by B-Roc

Maybe a tandem buggy is better than a new kite quiver for the wife - that way she can enjoy the experience while you control the most dangerous aspects and if she quits, well you can still give rides to others.

I'd second this vote!!!! That feels like far safer territory to tread on, both for the kiting aspect and the relationship. :karate:

smiler8401 - 23-4-2018 at 10:54 AM

After some time I stop any attempt to drag my wife into kitting . I could see all those kitting term explanation could not make sense to she .Feel like she will not enjoy the kitting to way we do , so i don't push further .
well some time demand some reasoning why the kite quiver is growing .LOL .

It kind like she drive a car just to take her some place not because she like and enjoy driving .

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite

OK , Like Cerebite . my wife will be there whenever possible , I could see she happy enough just to watch me enjoy the kitting .

That been said , she keep mentioning about the landsail/blokart whenever my kitting buddy riding them , she said it much easier to handling .

BeamerBob - 23-4-2018 at 11:11 AM

8.5m Flexi VIP?

bugymangp - 23-4-2018 at 11:30 AM

My wife wants nothing to do with power but likes my manta
And single line show kites

B-Roc - 23-4-2018 at 12:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

8.5m Flexi VIP?

If we're going that route, might as well see if you can find a deal on a 4.9 BIII for the moderate wind days - don't want her losing interest because she was skunked on an outing :evil: :rolleyes:

indigo_wolf - 23-4-2018 at 01:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by B-Roc

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

8.5m Flexi VIP?

If we're going that route, might as well see if you can find a deal on a 4.9 BIII for the moderate wind days - don't want her losing interest because she was skunked on an outing :evil: :rolleyes:

Oh come on.... why not try to save some money on the first purchse and get a Pansh Ace.

:evil: :lol:

<* HUGE SARCASTIC EMOTICON *>

ATB,
Sam

NeverBoard - 23-4-2018 at 01:09 PM

I floated the idea that my wife could join a female led water-kiteboarding camp, maybe with a couple friends.. hard to find the time though!

eric67

tomdiving - 23-4-2018 at 01:28 PM

the blurr 2.5 is on ebay for 90 bucks, 15 bucks shipping. if you get outbid, just wait a couple of days for the next one to show up. they seem to be on 3 day cycles.
tom

hiaguy - 23-4-2018 at 02:43 PM

Ines can fly, but doesn't buggy. She enjoys driving a Blocart, but not enough to buy one (so thanks to the guys that let her take theirs for a spin!).

Her real love/hobby is photography so she's at every WBB with me as the "official" photographer: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm6yF6Qs
(over 4,000 images and counting...) and will drive by to snap a few when I visit our local park.
And, cameras are less expensive than kites :wee:

WELDNGOD - 23-4-2018 at 05:39 PM

I miss you guys..... Oh yeah,small FB first!

leanin - 24-4-2018 at 08:20 AM

As a newbie that can't hide my enthusiasm from my wife, she is also showing interest. I started her with the trainer kite flying static to give her left-right steering training. Then taught her to fly the Peak 2 4m static in light wind. She took her first ride in a buggy a few days ago and loved it. The Peak 2 4m in light wind has to be worked a bit before it develops power. But, that's good for her because it keeps her from getting over powered and scared. Plus, it develops more kite control. The Peaks have so much depower, it also helps keep her from getting overpowered. So far, she's enjoying it.

Demoknight - 24-4-2018 at 12:16 PM

Without a doubt, I would start her on depower, and it would either be a Flysurfer Peak or an Ozone Access. I have flown both, and they are the two most forgiving and gentle kites I have ever flown. The Peak is an excellent low wind kite in the larger sizes, and the Access is just the most solid and stable kite I think I have EVER flown. Neither give much lift, and they both provide a pretty light bar pressure while retaining a solid feel of what the kite is doing.

mahgnillig - 24-4-2018 at 12:32 PM

As someone who has successfully managed to instill enthusiasm for skiing, mountain biking, and myriad other outdoor activities into my former couch potato husband (former couch potato, not former husband, lol!), I can tell you that a constant barrage of instructions and encouraging your significant other to do stuff beyond their ability level "because it's fun" doesn't work. Sometimes spouses learn better when taught by someone else entirely... I made my hubby take skiing lessons rather than teach him myself.

My hubby and I are learning this whole power kite thing together, but if I was going to teach someone else the first thing I would do is show them YouTube videos about the wind window, as that is way easier to explain with a graphic. Then I'd make sure they were 100% clear about the safety setup of any kite (even a small trainer) before they launch it. Once launched, have them activate the safety a couple of times to get familiar with it. Then hang out and be their kite retrieval buddy until they learn how to self relaunch. Start with a small fixed bridle and work on exercises like making the kite hover on the edge of the window, sine waves, loops etc. I pull my Snapshot out fairly often just to work on this stuff, even though I have bigger kites available. Don't bombard the person with too much information at one time, teach them one or two things to work on and let them get on with it until they get comfortable enough to learn something new.

Cheddarhead - 25-4-2018 at 06:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

8.5m Flexi VIP?

Cheddarhead - 25-4-2018 at 06:50 PM

My wife never showed an interest in flying traction kites but has purchased a few stunt kites to share the wind with me. She likes to come to events with me and hang out with the guys. I'm rather fortunate she supports my addiction:D