hey guys, im new to the world of power kiting.....and looking for some advice....ive read the FAQ, but need some kicking in the right direction.....
firstly, about me
Im a 25 year old male, 6ft, 15 stone ( some fat, some muscle !!!) fairly fit...lots of rock climbing and brigde swinging......
my kite experience.....started with a small stunt kite when i was 18...nothing fancy, got the basics, crashed it a million times...did the whole " how
far will it go " thing, spent ages with tangled lines........
Then i bought a 2.3m wingspan stunt kite, it was quite powerfull, made my own lines, handles, learned about setting the kite up, angles and
pitches...got quite good..untill i injured someone on a beach......nylon cord+ear = me giving up kiting !!!!
HOWEVER. im back - and looking to buy a power kite.....im hoping to scud, and do some jumping...
im even planning on doing some water stuff on holiday...2 weeks in the caribbean....
SO, i'll be looking for a 2nd hand kite ( i think) - and am wondering what size i should go for, and which handle setup.
any advice tailored to my circumstances would be appriciated !
thanksBeamerBob - 26-6-2008 at 10:27 AM
You can read the wealth of new kiter threads here to back me up but the consensus here is to get a 2-4 meter stable non lifty kite for your first one.
Lean more toward the 3m since it will fit your quiver better as you get more kites. It is also a good size for higher winds when you gain
experience. Usually, the HQ Beamer III is recommended as well. Does this get you in the right direction?k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 10:32 AM
will it get me off the ground ??? think thats what it comes down too......my stunt kite used to pull me along the ground, it was very powerfull under
the right conditions.......
bearing in mind im 15 stone - like 210 pounds
im also unsure of which grip type to go for, 2 line or 4 - etc etc
looking forward to this !!!f0rgiv3n - 26-6-2008 at 11:19 AM
Normally people say not to go with anything that will get you off the ground at first. But, I weigh 180lbs and i have the 3m. It gets me off the
ground in high winds now that i've gotten used to it, i can fly it up there. Since you weigh more I would recommend the 4m, just fly it in lower winds
till you feel your way up to the higher winds. --Get a helmet and knee pads!! a helmet at the least!
::EDIT::
to CYA:
You will get differing recommendations and of course you will ultimately make the decision. Just read up and see what you can find out from other
threads as well. Beamer Bob can tell you a story about the beamer 3 giving him a nice superman ride .k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 12:46 PM
wind speed was ten knots today...think thats pretty normal for the dominican republic ?????
3.5m kite then.....which setup should i look for_____ - 26-6-2008 at 12:49 PM
Ill also recommend the beamer. I listend to all the advice on here and so far could not be happier. Well unless I had more kites :D Any power kite can
lift you in the right conditionas and aslong as you do what it takes to make it lift. My Beamer pulled my girlfriend about 3-4' in the air and about
6-8' across the field.
No one really recomends jumping on anything under 5m because it can just drop you instead of floating you down. On the other hand a 5m+ is too big to
learn on.f0rgiv3n - 26-6-2008 at 01:00 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by k13 wjd
wind speed was ten knots today...think thats pretty normal for the dominican republic ?????
3.5m kite then.....which setup should i look for
have a chat with dlish89, he can hook you up my friend k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 01:05 PM
this the right one ? its 3m..... that big enough then ?
did i tell you i live in scotland ?_____ - 26-6-2008 at 01:07 PM
haha didnt know you lived in Scotland but yes that is the 3m Beamer. Comes with handles so it will be a very east transition for you coming from 2
line kites. You can always buy a bar for it down the road if you want.k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 01:13 PM
so, thats that done then.....think im better off with a bar, or 2 handles ?????? im guessing 2 handles to begin with?????:singing:
billion and one questionsBladerunner - 26-6-2008 at 01:32 PM
GOOD QUESTIONS and good info for us to help you !
YES, you can put the Beamer on a bar. No rush though. With handles you get better individual brake control and will generally have better control.
Don't worry the 3m will have enough power to scare the pants off of you ! Just know that with that small a kite you will come down twice as fast as
you go up !!!
The bar is good for getting the feel of flying hooked in and one handed.
I would suggest that you are FAR BETTER OFF buying a harness as your next investment !!!!
If you move to a water ( depowerable ) kite you will have to fly hooked in. You will get a TON more fly time in with a harness. You can hook in and
take the load off without landing the kite at 1st. Then eventually you will feel comfortable hooked in all the time and be able to fly as long as you
want !
To hook in with handles you tie a rope between the tops of the handles ( called a strop ) A simple piece of climbing rope is all you need.
Book some lessons on that trip ! It will be money well spent !!!!k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 01:41 PM
can i vary the "power" of the one i'll be buying ???? i presume i can....
oh, and as for harnesses.......thats already sorted......ive got a few spare climbing harnesses here....and the knowlege to hook up a fool proof
quick release mech.....that'll be another day though.
i did consider using the kite in conjunction with a wake board....in low waters................perhaps i'll wait untill i get the hang of it !!kiteNH - 26-6-2008 at 01:50 PM
The Beamer won't be good in water. You'll need a different kite for that. It will need to be bigger and designed for water. But get the Beamer.
You'll have a blast learning on that kite.
Also, you can't really "vary the power" of the Beamer. You'd need a more expensive depower kite for that and then you'd have to have the harness in
order to depower. But get the trainer and then take it from there. Its a small investment and if you're serious about kiting the Beamer will be a
drop in the bucket compared to your future purchases.:frog:k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 01:54 PM
cool.......100% a 3 metre not a 4.......im 210 pounds.....
i think 3 is ok, so long as i get some air.......i'll be on vacation, so a broken ankle wouldnt be clever....although i hear the sand is soft there
!!!
thanks to everyone for their patience and advice......
do i get to wear a fancy t-shirt????......i have a o'neil rash vest i use for spending hours in the sea....that will do the job !_____ - 26-6-2008 at 01:56 PM
Another note to think about. There are always newbies getting into kiting and looking for beamers and there just arent many used ones on the market.
You will prob. be able to resell it and not lose much if you ever decide to.Bladerunner - 26-6-2008 at 01:56 PM
The Beamer is a " fixed bridle " kite and so has a fixed AOA ( angle of attack )
Being a 3 meter you will be able to fly it in a wide range of winds. As your skills increase so will the wind speed you desire to use the kite in.
HQ does make a depower kite that comes in small sizes for training. It is the Apex. A lot more money.
Your best bet is to get the Beamer and fly the heck out of it. Once you have had a lesson then you will be ready to buy your 1st water kite. At that
point you can sell off your trainer . You will be able to re-sell a Beamer at a good price and pretty easy. Few people ever do sell them though.
Wake boards don't work well as kite boards. Something about the rocker doesn't work. A cheapo skim board would be better.k13 wjd - 26-6-2008 at 02:02 PM
ideal....i'll buy that now...3 metres..
when i said water work, i just meant skiming the surface at less that a 5 inches deep !!! so a skim board it is !!!!
YEE HAA
thanks everyone !Bladerunner - 27-6-2008 at 09:01 AM
My original Hero Flash Austin started out with a foil and skim board !k13 wjd - 27-6-2008 at 09:24 AM
well, i bought my kite today !!!!
should be here on tuesday, all being well......
(storm force winds forcast :evil: )
no i wont, before you ask!
so, i guess i can look at a skim board too, should be interesting....
