Geetings to all.

I have been flying my Ozone Samurai 3M for several months now, I recently got an Access 8M (depower) with bar and a waist harness and have been doing static practice (ok, I've induldged in a bit of sand dragging too). I just got an MBS Core 16, but haven't had enough wind yet to really play with it yet.

I was wondering how it works out if one tries to use a handle kite while trying to ride a mountainboard. My Samurai has handles, and I might be a little more comfortable using a smaller kite to start out with. Also, for the future, in higher winds, the smaller kite may come in handy. I realize that using a handle kite is going to cause fatigue much sooner, but does it make it any more difficult to stay on the board, balance, manuver, etc. since the point of traction is further from the center of your body than it would be using a harness? Any other dynamics affected?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Many people board with handles. Balance will be a bit more difficult, especially on a smaller kite. They are much more power on/power off than larger ones. You can attach a strop between the handles and still use it on a harness (recommended). This should help your fatigue problem, as for balance.. practice, practice, practice..

Scoop

Thanks Scoopy. After I posted this, I saw some thread about using a handle kite with a harness, which had a photo of the setup reposted from Ozone's site. One concern I had about this is, couldn't the strap slide side to side, or even be affected by rotating your waist side to side, and make one handle closer to the kite than the other causing the kite to want to turn? I suppose an knot in the strap could remedy that, but I didn't see that depicted in the photo. Also, how is steering the kite to be accomplished when the handles are bound together - with the brakes alone or is there another trick?

Thank you.

On the harness is a pulley. The strop runs freely back and forth across the pulley. Just like pulling one line in when flying with only your hands. Brakes are also used. This is probably the reason that turning your waist would not steer the kite, the pulley would simply roll. After just reading what you posted again, yes the kite would slide and make the kite turn, this is where you come in. You decide where and when you want it to slide (actually roll) You figured it out, just didnt put 2 and 2 together.

Scoop

Hey heretic
I was watching you on sf ocean beach while buggying (probobly You remember me).I think You need to buy harness first before anything.You have allready nice setup and only missing pice is that.I have found that before I start useing harness in kiting I was very tired after 15 min in higher winds.Also I couldn't fly my kites in stronger winds like I can now.That would explain You crashing Your new Access.What is worth say is fact that I had to lern to fly in harness wich is slight difrent than flying unhooked even static.Access is very stable kite as well as sami and I remember flying my 10m while You coudn't handle 8m ,so harness,harness and harness.It is worth to learn riding hooked from the beginning.As to sami I have bar that i haven't use since it arrived with my samurai 4m (brand new)so if You feel more like go with bar than handless we could talk.Handless will give you more while turning but it is more dificult to ride with it haveing both hands busy all time.And as last You should talk to Jay (guy with 12m blue frenzy) I'm sure he will help You answer all Your questions.
cheers

Hi zloty, thank you for the advice. Yeah, I got a harness a few days after we met each other on the beach. I have been practicing flying the Access with the harness, you're right, it is a big difference, especially in balance. The thing that I didn't realize when I first posted this message, was that my Samurai already had a harness strop on the handles. Initially I thought it was just to keep you from letting go of one handle and having it fly away out of your reach (though I suppose it still does accomplish that). I looked at the manual that comes with the kite again, and in the diagram pointing out the different parts, it designates the strap between the handles as the harness strop. Live and learn (and RTFM of course!).

If you you see me on the beach again, make sure to stop and say hi!

Yeah they trow now strop to the bag with handless.Personaly I don't like this strop because line is covered with plastic tubing and it doesn't slide when you try to work it hooked to harnes or it slide very hard also it is little to short for me so kite turn much slower and I have to apply more brakes on each turn.That couse kite loseing power.I would strongly recomend You get strong lines($3) from like West Marine store+block with quck release($65) if You want to go with handless but again I think start with bar it is easyer and handless are more for tricks than for cruseing.

Actually, the strop is only rope, it did not have a plastic covering, which initially concerned me because I was worried about wear from friction with the harness's hook. Yeah, I will mainly fly with the Access and bar, but I just wanted an alternative in higher winds where 8M might be too much.

Thanks again, see on Ocean Beach.

Hey
Like i wrote get bar for sami on try to conect access bar to it. I'm off to beach right now it's looking good after storm see you there.