Power Kite Forum

Treasure Island Kite Festival, Clearwater, FL

acampbell - 6-12-2007 at 10:58 AM

I am not an official spokesperson of this event, but I urge you to mark your calendars for the weekend of January 18-20.

My dear friends Steve & Sherri Pigeon (and family), new owners of Kitesville USA and founders of the Sunset Flyers club, will be hosting the event. They have been kind enough to invite me to do traction kite demos and HQ has offered to send their new models to try. Check out the new Montana 3 and maybe by then the new Scout and Corssfire 2.

The beach is huge and most buggy-freindly. I will have mine there and everything I can fit in or on the car.

There will be a lot of well known kite peeps there, and I know several members of this forum will be travelling a good distance to be there.

More info at.. http://www.sunsetflyers.com/

stevep - 6-12-2007 at 03:02 PM

Thank you Angus for posting for us. We welcome all traction fliers.

We ask that we all put safety first. Don't feel offended if your a distance from the festival but again it's all about safety.


power kiting is on the rise in our area and I thank you all for coming and showing our area how much fun and safe power kiting can be for everyone.

Sherri (Steve's wife)

kullas - 10-12-2007 at 09:30 PM

Hello all just wanted to jump in and say hi. Im planning on being there flying my Rev and a couple of slk stuff. I have been looking at power kiting for a while now and almost ready to buy a kite and bugging looks like a blast. Is there any way i could get some instruction while im down for the event? Maybe to get me headed in the right direction

acampbell - 11-12-2007 at 03:30 AM

Look me up when there. I'll be splitting my time between the shop on the beach and the demo area, but there will be traction kiters and buggy peeps there who I am sure would be happy to help.

action jackson - 11-12-2007 at 05:37 AM

Looking forward to this great event, see yall on the beach....aj

action jackson - 16-1-2008 at 05:14 PM

2 more days..........aj

kullas - 17-1-2008 at 06:51 PM

:singing: Im leaving around 3 in the morning see ya there

acampbell - 17-1-2008 at 07:45 PM

Leaving a part time office in Jacksonville tomorrow early afternoon to be there early eveining for the night fly. Oh Oh, where's the flashlight and glow sticks...

Got a big bag 'o kites and a couple of bugs though, and anyone is welcome to come and play

Steve, Sherrie and the whole Sunset Flyers Gang (Jay, Holly, Pat et al) have been rocking around the clock to make this big event come off. We owe them a debt of gratiitude from the kiting community.

Check it out here at....
http://www.sunsetflyers.com/

nwsurfwakeskate - 17-1-2008 at 07:49 PM

I might have to come check this out as well. I'm on vacation just south of there right now in lido key. can I show up with my quadrafoil to fly it or is this something were I needed to sign up in advance?

sounds like fun, I might drive up there tomorrow.

acampbell - 17-1-2008 at 08:22 PM

No sign-up. Just show up and have fun. There are tickets for the banquet, though, ask Steve and Sherrii

levitation^Drew - 23-1-2008 at 12:17 AM

Some pics from Treasure Island kite festival. http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewparker17/sets/72157603778...
I'll have more pics up by the end of the week. Enjoy.:yes:

stevep - 23-1-2008 at 08:50 AM

great pictures we all had fun despite the fog and high wind thanks soooo much to angus for putting on the powerzone it was a huge success and thanks to hq for all there help also


steve and sherri pigeon

BeamerBob - 23-1-2008 at 09:19 AM

Any hi res photos of the big kite at the festival? I heard mention of high winds, so maybe it couldn't go up?

kullas - 23-1-2008 at 03:25 PM

Just wanted to say thanks Angus for getting me set up for my first buggy ride. I can see a buggy in the near future :thumbup:

action jackson - 23-1-2008 at 06:21 PM

Which big kite? iI flew the 18m phantom on saturday and was on the 12m phanton on sunday and monday.......aj
Quote:
Originally posted by BeamerBob
Any hi res photos of the big kite at the festival? I heard mention of high winds, so maybe it couldn't go up?

acampbell - 24-1-2008 at 05:57 AM

Kullas, Glad you could make it, and glad you had some runs in the bug(s). Looks like you did well and got those jibes down pretty tight. I think the hooks are in and the spell is cast for sure.

I think the event went well. Steve and Sherri and the Sunset gang did a great job getting this event together.

Friday night I got down there and checked in and went out on the beach for a night fly. A bunch or folks had Revs and other kitse tricked out wth LEDs and it was fun to see. With light air, I put out my Reactor 8.3 and tossed some glow sticks in the tip cells and hung a couple in the bridles. With the pure white sand and a full moon and clear sky, setting up and launching was easy. It was great way to start the weekend.

Saturday was strange, with heavy fog, AND high winds, around 15 kts from the North, but the beach was wide enough that cutting accross gave us some good buggy runs. I got some quality time in with the Montana 3. The sand at TI on the upper beach is soft and loamy, where wide tires are needed and bigfoots are best.

Claxton was there with his home-built tandem rig and gave some rides, powered by his jojos

Nate tried his ATB and didn't get 3 feet. But he was able to get some great airs with pendulum jumps under his Bullet 7m

Drew and Matt set up their MSR tent city - really elegant digs, as you can see in Drew's photos.
aj took his pahntom out on the water and he would appear and dissapear our of the fog like a goast ship.

The day ended suddenly when T-storm and tornado warnings were announced at about 4pm. That was a pretty fast pack-up! I was down wind in my bug with the M3 and the gang was nice enough to start packig my gear for me while I worked my way back. What a great crew! Thanks to all.

Saturday was cool clear and blustery with winds alternating from the East or ENE, tumbling over the hotels for lumpy, snatchy breezes. When it clocked out of the East for a while, we had great distance runs on the beach down at the low tide hard-pack.

Later that day, a record was set with 29 revs in the air at once, in formation. Pretty cool sight! The I-Quad demos were awesome.

The only casualty of the weekend was an out of control Symphomy 2-line foil that screamed up from behind aj in the buggy and flew between his Phantom lines right above his head, resulting in several raps around his rig, and then around the front axle before he could stop the buggy. Only damage was some down-time to unwrap aj and a broken line on the Symphony.

Thanks again Steve, Sherri and the Sunset Crew. Next Stop, NABX!

BeamerBob - 24-1-2008 at 06:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by action jackson
Which big kite? iI flew the 18m phantom on saturday and was on the 12m phanton on sunday and monday.......aj
Quote:
Originally posted by BeamerBob
Any hi res photos of the big kite at the festival? I heard mention of high winds, so maybe it couldn't go up?


I was referring to the big flag kite that belongs to Steve and Sherri Pigeon.

acampbell - 24-1-2008 at 02:32 PM

No, it was not up, I'm pretty sure, as Steve was busy running the show. I have the original high res of Steve's avatar photo. though I sent it to you last year.
A

kullas - 24-1-2008 at 02:43 PM

I didnt see the flag kite but if they did put it up on Sat. the fog may have been to thick to see it
here is a pic of me in the buggy

buggy shot

stevep - 25-1-2008 at 06:34 AM

sorry bob never flew even one kite this weekend bein the organizer on this event very busy up at 5:00 in bed at 1:am three days in a row still not totally rested will be flyin it this weekend will take pictures for you

steve pigeon

BeamerBob - 25-1-2008 at 06:57 AM

thanks Steve. I looked through every email I've ever gotten from Angus and can't find one. I don't have a pic of it on either computer. You can email it if you get a chance. Thanks so much