I spent this afternoon at Southwick Beach. When I arrived, wind was W @ about 10mph, I started out with the 4.8M NPW and didnt feel quite powered enough, so I pulled out the 7M. I got a couple of good runs up and down the beach, then the wind started getting shifty and gusty, and gusty here is a slow build up, remaining steady 5-10 above the average for a minute or two, then dropping back off. Well, coming down the beach I hit a spot where the kite just dropped out of the sky. To relaunch, I had to get out of the buggy, and when I launched a gust came up and at first dragged, then scudded me right up to the dunes, and I put my kite in a tree! A big to kitemaker4 for making a tough kite, because at first the gust caused the kite to thrash around in the tree, then I tried pulling it out(not a good idea) then I finally just got it to fill and flew it out. Anyway, Thanks to BuzzUniverse for the tune Catbootz, from their Living Breathing Magic CD.

nice save ! seem like a gust just put u right in the tree.

I haven’t put one in a tree yet, but I imagine my day will come.

I’ve wondered what I would do if it happened and I cannot say “fly it out” crossed my mind.
Nice job Bob.

I'm landboarder (newbie) so I don't know too much about buggying (except that it looks like a lot of fun). My question is: why aren't you wearing kite killers with your handles? Do people not use kite killers when buggying?

Just seems like a lot your hard earned money could be lost if your kite gets away from you.

Thanks!!

Yeah, kite killers will help in a situation like that.(if I had let go right away,but I usually try to fly out of the situation, the gust surprised me!) More often than not when the kite gets the best of me, I will release one handle, kite flags out, big ball ensues. When the kite is already in the tree, it can only get worse to let go, IMHO. keep some tension in the lines to keep from getting too tangled, and when you regain your composure/breath, try to fly out. It doesn't always work, but will a lot of time.

Had to laugh when the kite was hanging there with one wing tip gently waving at you, HaHaHaHa.
Reminded me of a gust taking me and the kite and the bug out to sea one day, standing up to my knees in the surf with the 10m all but disappeared and trying to drag the sea anchor back to dry ground.
Makes the heart sink, and a little bit of a sick feeling, and the big question of "Now what do I do?"
Glad it worked out.

In a lot of wind, letting go of one handle on an NPW can cause an intense blender-spin that will turn the complex bridles into a Spaghetti dinner!

Last time you got one into a tree the tree lost!!
This reminds me of the age old story of the gentle sun vs the strong wind. If you remember the gentle sun got the mans coat off. Most often it is the easy way that wins.
Great job Bobby and very cool music with a great video.

@ lad, funny you should mention that, last Sunday I was at the fairgrounds and got caught by a gust with the 4.8M, yanked the handle out of my rt. hand, it shot across the ditch and got wedged under the front wheel of my truck. Took 2 hrs of gentle persuasion, but i got the tangle out!
@ roc, yeah, I think that was Pat, I can remember thinking while my kite was in the tree 'if Pat was here, we'd have a saw!'
Thanks, everybody.

I dunked a big ole NPW into the ocean once.
When I finally dragged it out, it looked like a giant, tangled, dead jellyfish!

OH was it Pat? But it was still up in NY:dunno:

Fun video Bob !! I wanted to see you buggy off in triumph....:singing:

It's funny Marc, I sat down and couldn't get any power out of the kite, in that one spot! I had left my kite stake over by my set-up, so I walked the kite over there, once i got about 30' from where the kite died in the first place, I could almost scud back to my set-up. I think that little tree I went around was causing a dead spot, or an eddy in the wind down low.

Bob I think you might hold the record for flying out of trees. I had to pluck one of mine out of a tree saturday. There were 5 of us flying in the park 13-20 mph over a 5hour period , a bunch of jumping beans just eating grass and goose poop. One of the guys got my 2.6 viper ripped out of his hands and it landed under a tree. So up walks the good summaritan photographer , she picks up the handles despite 3 kids yelling at her not to, and zoom , up goes the kite into the lower branches. I took it as a sign to pack it in for the day, we had enough fun. Was able to stand on top of the van to get the kite back and one of the boys got a good lesson in how to untangle kite lines. Good to see you got yours out easily , I think the park rangers would frown on tree removal for kite retrieval.

One of our club members got his BRAND NEW 94foot PL MantaRay stuck in a tree at hamonasset a few years ago. We wanted to hook a truck to the tree and rip it down But we couldn't figure out how we could explain that the kite had torn the tree down!!
I saw last weekend that they have planted more trees there. Way to go CT.
Pat I'm glad it all worked out for you. And it's good to have the kids help with stuff you don't want to do.