Back to my pavement paradise. Not as much wind as last week, but enough to make a go of it. Tried the round flex kite with handles this time
instead of the one arm bar. Handles do give more control, but the bar system is probably easier. After my kite got drenched with mist I switched to
my 4.0 PL Skin until it misted out. No doubt the Skin pulls harder but window is not as good. In a cramped space I think I like having a wider
window.
And it is now 3 of the last four days riding my buggy after riding Monday at the fairgrounds. Today back pounding the pavement by the lake. Lots
wind, and mist, some light rain and temps from 36-39. Most of the time I was riding with the 4 m Round Flex kite. It got pretty drenched after an
hour and half so I changed kites.
I decided to try out my idea of adding a spar to my original g-kite mod. This kite, is single skin like the Peter Lynn Skin kites does and not have a
full wrap around leading edge - rather the ribs are cut off before the curve in the front. Made over a year ago, this kite flew ok static but just
wasn't useful for kite buggy. It's window was limited and it was too twitchy. The LE would collapse quite often and it had a tendency (like the PL
Skin kites) to drop back in the window when speed picked up. This resulted in lots of side load but not much power for pulling forward. I tried one
of my skin kites Sunday, and found the same problems on pavement as I had already seen on grass.
So - I decided to put a spar in the leading edge in order to improve the angle of attack, at address the LE collapse. Got to try it today and it
really worked quite well. This could be a much better way to build single skin foil type kites because the sewing and build time is much improved. I
was quite happy with how it worked. I'd pretty much given up on this design - but this may be a whole new angle on it. Next I may put a spar into
one of the PL skins, or maybe build a NPW with a LE spar. Below is a picture of the kite (w/o spar) and a video. I'm calling it my g-spark. Stay
tuned.
Attachment: phpevS1cV (13kB) This file has been downloaded 189 times
Had a short session yesterday. The forecast looked promising, 37mph with 50mph gusts. Enough perhaps to reach my PB or better it.
Got rolling at 10am. Tide in by 11:15am, so had to be quick.
The beach was in perfect condition and I had it all to myself but the wind started to drop during the hour, and of course picks up again as the tide
covers the beach.
Still, topped out at 62.4mph but I'm paying the price. My arm is killing me. It felt broken yesterday. Felt like I needed a sling support. Today is
much better though. Time was an issue, so I did not bother reaching for the trim when heading up wind and just gunned it and the load on my right arm
was too much. I need one of those race extension things.
Anyway, here's hoping for better conditions next time.
I got some riding in today as well. Wind was opposite the normal direction SE rather than NW. Warm, but very erratic. Still glad I got out.
I'm also starting a new project. Got a Sensei 2m foil today with a blown panel ($19 on Ebay.) I'm figuring I can fix it. Maybe make it into one of
Riff's 4 liners. Or just use as is. I figure the bar and line are worth the price. May post some pictures later.
Sensei is a fun kite, Randy. I'd personally leave it as 2 line - it has an auto relaunch that works pretty well if there's any wind at all on the
ground level. It's also perfect for handing off to non-kite flying friends and kids. It's also great for 1 handed flying. Not the most powerful kite,
but my 3m pulls ok in 12knts+ on my ATB on the airport runway.
If you don't feel like sewing, you could probably just sail tape the cells. My 21m Speed had that done and it's been holding up fine. (The cloth
porosity is a different matter :D )
If you do 4 line it, would love to hear how it goes.
Sensei is a fun kite, Randy. I'd personally leave it as 2 line - it has an auto relaunch that works pretty well if there's any wind at all on the
ground level. It's also perfect for handing off to non-kite flying friends and kids. It's also great for 1 handed flying. Not the most powerful kite,
but my 3m pulls ok in 12knts+ on my ATB on the airport runway.
If you don't feel like sewing, you could probably just sail tape the cells. My 21m Speed had that done and it's been holding up fine. (The cloth
porosity is a different matter :D )
If you do 4 line it, would love to hear how it goes.
Thanks for reminding me - I already finished it. Here are some pictures. The lower one shows the original damage. Second, I have fully opened the
seams and done most of the sewing and have rolled it up (inside out) into a burrito roll. The last picture is the final product.
I've already flown it and will likely keep it as 2 line. I added some attachments on my 3 M and can fly it as either a 2 or 3 line and change between
the 2 quickly. The auto relaunch does work pretty well, but sometimes it's just quicker to do a reverse launch with the 3rd line and it gives a
safety as well. I use it that way in high winds with my buggy and it works pretty well. For lighter winds I don't generally use the 3rd line. It is
a fun kite for sure. The smaller one is quicker to turn and should be fun.
the lines were safe, the bar is to the upper right of the shot and lines run that direction. i think you are looking at some old grooves from the
blades left in the ice.
But there are panic moments once in a while if there is a lull and lines droop onto the ice while still moving
Mark Groshens NAPKA KC 13
WindSpeed kites & design - Canada
Peter Lynn Arcs: Charger2 22.5 +18 + 15 + 6.5, Charger I 6, Scorpion 16 + 10, Phantom II 12 + 9, Orig Phantom 9 + 6, Synergy 10 + 8, F 1200, S 840
Ocean Rodeo: Flite 17 + 12, Rise 13 + 10 + 7, Razor 9 + 6
Foils: PL Leopards and Lynx, Airea Raptors, some PL Reactor IIs + IIIs, Libre Spirits, Cross Kite Sonics, Ozone Flow
Peter Lynn Kite Cat for cruising the lakes
buggies: PL XR+, Cameleon Pagona, custom bigfoot, PL Bigfoot, custom ice buggy
Boards: 2 custom directionals, O.R Surf series 6-3 and 5-11, Mako Duke, Mako Skinny, Mako 140 Wide, Mako 150 Wide, Mako King, Brunotti
lots of old school skis, snowboard
Well I'm a newbie so this is not as impressive as any of the other posts on here but I did do something with my kite today. I took my 6m rage out
(thanks Tom) and traveled about 2 miles on my buggy with a maximum speed of about 20 miles per hour. Winds were only about 10 miles per hour out of
the west and southwest but I was kind of proud of myself because I actually was able to go north and south and north and south without crashing my
kite like I usually do. So that's something! Looking forward to progressing in the sport, every time I go out it seems like I have more fun! I got a
couple of Apex kites thinking I was going to be flying mainly depower but there's something about the flexifoil rages that I just can't shake
Heading to the beach in San Diego for a month to get out of mud season in the UT mountains. Just packed my z-bridled 2.5m Born-Kite NS4 with short
handles and 10m lines. This is my go-to static kit for the beach and I always have fun doing a little static flying at dusk in those smooth, smooth
onshore coastal breezes. Toes in sand, repeat.
I thought about starting a new thread about what things you make, but then I figured I would put it under this thread. I am always working on some
sort of project whether its my kites, kite buggy or some accessory.
Whether it's welding, fabricating or sometimes sewing. So I figured I'd put some pictures here.
This is an under seat buggy part that my AQR safety system ties onto. At SOBB this year I had my strap slip off of my older shorter one. It's
3/8-16 threads and stainless tube.
After getting back from 10 great days at SOBB, I still needed more so
I swapped off the bigfoots and put the barrows on my bug and headed out to a
small local playa with Motofoo86 to catch some seat time as a weather front approached.
Winds built to average 15 with lulls to 3 and gusts to 30 from 90 degrees off average.
Pretty challenging to deal with but resorted to a super small depower
trainer and still had fun.
Always on the steep part of the learning curve.
Gin Shaman2 6m, 12m
Flysurfer Peak1 6m, Peak2 9m,Peak4, 3m
Misc. other kites, never getting out of their bags.
Riding a Libre Fullrace with an AQR on the beach
Riding a Blokart inland when gust factor > 4
And a couple Manta Singles for friends to ride.
Sewing day. I had one holder for a kite stake behind my buggy seat. I like to carry two. This new one has a top velcro loop that will hold a
variety of styles. Lined with polyethylene tubing and has a sand exit hole at the bottom. The only improvement would be some non slip fabric at
the top so the top loop won't slide to the side as easily.
Swapped out my 6-ply trailer tires for my BigFoots in anticipation of Fall SOBB. Whupp! Rolled the buggy up to the top of our driveway and "drove" it
down. I know it ain't much, but I'm staying in the game!
With all the money I've saved by not driving to the kite field.
I'm going to put together a set of bars for nasa use. Hard to find matching bars naked.
France to the rescue (huh?). Steve used Kite Attitude, Born adopted it for awhile, meetoo.
Lucky for me the rest of the stuff I need is pretty cheap and local.
The VAT is deducted from the price at check out, A nice surprise after you've already bitten down on the bullet.
Steve the 38 is for the littlest star
Flying mostly single skins, with some orphans, the American flag, and a PL buggy. US01
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