Power Kite Forum

Tips?

mougl - 21-6-2009 at 04:26 PM

I've started jumping a bit and taking it slow for now, but I wonder if I'm taking it too slow? I was out kiting with a friend today and I nailed a few really nice 5-6 footers. Got one that was about 8 ft. and kinda ate it on the landing. (Kept the kite flying though)

I think I may be doing something wrong though. I'll take the kite from around the 1 o'clock to the 11 o'clock but more often than not, I find myself hesitating to actually make the jump. It just seems to me that the kite just isnt wanting to lift most of the time. Granted when I do feel the power and the kite wanting to go up, look out below! I'm wondering if Im flying the kite too high? I'm bringing it not directly overhead, but I'm also not taking it down very low in the window.

I know this may be a tough one to tackle with my description here, but any advice is MUCH appreciated :yes:

Luke S. - 21-6-2009 at 04:55 PM

Hi Mougl,

Wind strength?

Type of kite?

Size?

1-11 o'clock is the bare minimum for a jump on a redirect, this will also depend on wind strength, if its lighter send it from 10-2, are you running with the kite then redirecting? or standing on the spot?

The word hesitate is not going to help you with your jumping, you have to commit to what you are intending to do.

Keeping the kite high is the way to jump, if you drop the kite down into the wind window (powerzone) at 45 degrees, you will power up but you are going to get thrown forward and land at speed which is not a good way to static jump.

Luke

kitejumper - 21-6-2009 at 05:43 PM

mougl--i can tell you what i do--maybe not textbook style,but it works for me and ive yet to get hurt,so here goes......i personally dont like the full pendulum jumps-look up super jump on utube and you'll see what i mean......i fly in stronger winds and i sometimes keep the kite at the zenith and move it across from 11 to 1 and get some jumps--lately.ive been moving the kite from 10 to 2 and turning it upward quickly--with pretty big jumps.......sometimes with the kite at the zenith you can get static lifted--i dont really recommend that--ive done it,but its not a great idea......you want to stay away from jumps with alot of speed as its harder to redirect and could be painful......about re-directing, all i can tell you is one day it just came to me and its as natural as breathing now......the redirecting came to me about the same time i could fly without looking.......last,but not least--there will be times when the kite wants to kill you--my solution:LET GO!!!!!! be safe out there and tell us of your progress.....KJ

f0rgiv3n - 21-6-2009 at 06:01 PM

Be sure that you're running upwind, the further upwind the higher you go, the further to the side the more forward you go.

Kamikuza - 21-6-2009 at 06:25 PM

Watch vids ...
Someone posted one here recently, they were flying a Blade3 6.6 - think it was a new guy introducing himself ...
Seems to me, that you park the kite at 11, run like a bugger upwind to the left WITHOUT letting the kite move, then when you tension you send it ... I've been trying to move the kite to 11 while running ... end up out of breath and give up :lol:

I've only had a few jumps and am a total newb though ...

mougl - 22-6-2009 at 06:16 AM

Luke:
Using a Twister II 5.6m in usually 12-15 mph winds when I try to jump. I typically stand in place, sometimes run with the kite, but usually I don't run far.


KJ:
Awesome tips! Ill definately try that!


Thanks everyone!

Drewculous - 24-6-2009 at 12:32 PM

Other post on same topic lol!

Check the vids i posted... This is how i do it, and i have a blast and knock out some huge jumps on my (yours too) kite... and i weigh 230 lbs

USA_Eli_A - 24-6-2009 at 01:35 PM

yikes, you should grab a lesson with your kite.

tips are scary. Keep your local instructor fed, buy a lesson and learn the right way!

mougl - 24-6-2009 at 02:25 PM

I would definately go to a local instructor...if we had one here :P

I'm just going to keep taking it very slowly, watching vids (repeatedly), and reading up on it :)

Luke S. - 24-6-2009 at 02:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by USA_Eli_A
yikes, you should grab a lesson with your kite.

tips are scary. Keep your local instructor fed, buy a lesson and learn the right way!


Hi Eli_A

That would be the first I have heard of an instructor teaching somebody to static jump on land, usually they frown upon such things.

Land kite instructors are rare in comparison to kite boarding instructors.

I learnt what I know from youtube, forums, and the Powerkite DVD, the rest of it I made up, which is how most people learn.

If people are looking for instruction go for a kite with a few people that have some skills, ask them for some tips in person, it is always an advantage to having a demonstration in person, most people will be happy to help.

Luke S

USA_Eli_A - 24-6-2009 at 03:19 PM

Yikes, I am aware of "the way I do its'"

but there is a standard in many aspects:

It would be nice to know someone passing out "how I do Its'" is qualified and considering site and self-preservation. The "dood flying though the park on a kite" isn't that cool really.

USA_Eli_A - 24-6-2009 at 03:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mougl
I would definately go to a local instructor...if we had one here :P

I'm just going to keep taking it very slowly, watching vids (repeatedly), and reading up on it :)


Just keep a good attitude and learn what to expect of the day before you fly in it.

You should be fine, just don't "go all Ricky Riccardo on us"

Luke S. - 24-6-2009 at 03:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by USA_Eli_A
Yikes, I am aware of "the way I do its'"

but there is a standard in many aspects:

It would be nice to know someone passing out "how I do Its'" is qualified and considering site and self-preservation. The "dood flying though the park on a kite" isn't that cool really.


Thats a bit harsh to blanket "the dood flying through the park" that accounts for just about every land kiter out there, and yes, there are some cool ones, some of the worlds best actually!

I was offering a few tips, I am a member of 6 forums around the world and this is the first time tips from people has been frowned upon, this is one reason kite forums are popular so people can learn.

FYI, most people would agree I have a little bit of experience with flying, maybe do some research ;-)

kitejumper - 24-6-2009 at 04:13 PM

MOUGL-you should go with lukes advice-he sounds like a very good ,sensible kiter-- the advice i gave you was solid as well--over 1000 hrs of flying in the last year and i have not been hurt once,so i have a pretty good idea of how to jump......all skeptics come to toledo ohio and i'll be glad to show you .......

mougl - 24-6-2009 at 04:32 PM

We need a zipper here! LOL any and all advice is apreciated here :) I'm going to do here what I did in martial arts, wakeboarding, skimboarding, surfing, etc, etc, etc....


Take every bit of info I can get, try it all, and develop a style and technique that suits me the best :D

Drewculous - 26-6-2009 at 11:48 AM

Arent 'this is how i do its' the basis for pretty much all teaching? Doesnt a kite surfer instructor show students "how they do it"

If i saw a guy jump and land 1000 massive jumps safely and effectively, id talk to him... He looks to me like he knows what hes doing. And if i saw 'some guy flying through the parS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K- or the beach, or anywhere... id stop and talk to him, he no doubt has some valuable info to share.

Just because you pay one guy for info doesnt make him the only one to turn to for advice, nor does it mean his advice is better.

This whole site is basically a pile of people flying through parks, down beaches, and accross the water, and all any post here is, is simply that, stopping and saying 'whats up', or 'did you know', or 'how do i'

I take no mans word as the absolute truth, i investigate and try it out on my own... all we are doing is trying to provide some info to help someone else figure out how to do it better/safer. Im sorry if my advice doesnt suffice, but its my personal experience with this matter, and thats simply all im doing is sharing it, it works for me, maybe it'll work for someone else

...zipper...
:P

sorry for the rant/hijack, i just felt a little dogged out there for a minute
--- anyway back on track, mougl have you had a chance to get out there and bust out some jumps? I usually have to run to get any good air... if im in high winds i can swing and jump without the running, but thats a little more risky... keep us posted!:thumbup:

mougl - 26-6-2009 at 12:58 PM

im flyin!!! :wee::wee::wee:

I've been taking the advice here and I think I have a style that works for me. (so far) I took the kites out yesterday and today in some winds that were a little heavier than I usually fly in (no guts no glory) and up i went! I'm busting out 4-5 footers on the regular:bouncy: (got one that seemed 10 but got so stoked while in the air, that I forgot I had to land! LOL!) Still working on getting that redirect solid though. Sometimes I'll get up and "forget" to do it. All part on the learning process I guess. Thank you all for your hints, tips, advice, etc! You guys rock!

Drewculous - 26-6-2009 at 01:06 PM

good to hear!!
happy flying!:roll:

kitejumper - 26-6-2009 at 06:15 PM

AWESOME!!! KEEP IT UP!!!:smilegrin:

Hardrock - 27-6-2009 at 08:34 PM

Lesson in jumping would be great!!!! Kiting about two yrs now and just starting to give it a try.

Nobody around here to watch so the vids have to do.

Got my best today on the Ace5. It was about a half circle, about 4 foot off the ground but a small gust lifted me towards the end and pulled me a bit sideways. probably wasn't noticeable but I felt it. Sent it to low across the window and didn't get it redirected back up enough i think.

Scared me a little tho. :smilegrin: then figured i was too tired and hot to keep trying.

93 in the field and had been flying an hour and half by then so we packed up to ponder on it for another day.