This summer a fellow at Squamish completed kiteboarding classes and is riding even without use of his legs :cool2:

This may be a 1st. I'm not sure of the details. Pablo spent a good bunch of time there this summer so can hopefully tell us all more about the Fellow and his amazing life ? !

I have had a few folks in wheelchairs watching me ride and I can see them thinking, I could do that :!: I think they can to :!: :!: Pab's and I talked briefly about the concept years ago and I think we would both be happy to work with someone on the Idea. We now seem to have a willing victim

The #1 challenge I see is finding a way for them to steer without legs :?: I'm thinking a system that would reqiure leaning forward and back or rotaing at the chest to steer ?

I'm bored and have time on my hands. I would be willing to spend a few bucks to mod a ( my ) buggy if it would work. Any Ideas on how to accomplish this steering issue :?:

how about a harness on their upper chest/shoulders attached to two cables (like bike brake cables) coming from the back of this harness (one on each shoulder)and running on pulleys on the back rest and going underneath the buggy and finally attaching to the corresponding sides of the front fork. The cables would have to cross so that pulling the right shoulder would pull the left side of the fork, so that your shoulder angle would simulate the front wheel angle.

some issues would be the awkward riding style, because you couldnt turn your torso to get a better angle with the kite, also safety would be a concern cause you would need to have some quick release on the harness maybe? unless the plan was to strap in like a freestyle buggier... also your back would be completely fixed to the backrest, which could get hairy.

i dunno i will think about it more and maybe come up with a better idea... very good problem tho...


ok now thinking about it a bit, when you pushed one shoulder to turn, the other would get pulled...

maybe if you replaced the backrest with a pivoting backrest with cables attached... this way the rider would be free to lean forward...ill do a cad drawing of this idea and post it... i think it could work...

Two methods come to mind right now...

1) Motorcycle/ bike handle bar-mounted lever such as used for brake/ clutch- mounted on a control / Depower bar with length of flexible cable. But I'm not sure you could get bot the mechanical advantage and the throw you would need.

2) two identical joy sticks, one mounted on each of the side rails. Use the down wind one, depending on what tack you are on. Put a pivoting "U" on the top of each one that the kite's control bar could rest in so that the control bar could be used to steer both the kite and the buggy at the same time. This would eliminate the de-power option though, as "in and out" would steer the bug. Build enough friction in the linkage so that a given course would be held if a joy stick was let go of, such as during a jibe.

it has been done and done quiet well.

check it out at
http://en.radsails.com/multimedia/ver_video.asp?v=mp=4\mh=1\...

here was my idea

http://umass.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2158202&l=39ceb&...

sorry for the poor drawing, i did it in like 5 mins...

It'd be real simple to borrow a few ideas from the KiteCat we have up here. It's fitted from the factory with hand controls for steering the boat. I've ridden it hands control only and it's super easy to do using a PL arc for a kite, reason I say arc is it makes it easy to get in/out and fuss around with the boat with the kite parked overhead and depowerable, autozenith and gust munching make them super safe for someone with limited movement, I've got a few ideas to make the depowerable bar easier to use one handed though. I kept getting my hand caught in the bar on the center stopper ball when depowering the kite.

I think the only problem Kelly had was when he got bored and tried to jump the kitecat, tied himself in, not seatbelted, but tied with knots. Needless to say, the boat won't jump it'll just flip. After he almost drowned the first time he tried it again and almost did it again. DO NOT TIE YOURSELF INTO A KITECAT. Kelly's hardcore though and I loved working with the guy. Such a strong spirit.

If anyone's looking for kite lessons for disabled kiters, Alex from Skypilot has a fair bit of experience. or if someone's up in Squamish and want's to try the boat he'll rent it out.

B-Roc,
That's BRILLIANT !!!
Gerd,
That is a good drawing of what I had in mind !
Pab's,
I'll send you U2U about Kelly and what he would think about this.

That wheelchair in B-Roc's Vid is amazing. Does anyone know more about the fellow and his magic flying chair :saint:

I can't believe this site ! :wow: In less than an hour, the answer in a video, in just over and hour a drawing of what was in my mind ! That chair is perfect in it's simplicity !!!!

Too bad I don't have pics of the steering on the kitecat, it retains the full foot controls, but it has a handle on both sides of the frame rails, so when the kite's off to your left you can steer with your right hand and vise versa. Only catch with this setup is you need a bar, but as stated above, Arcs really are the way forward for this particular application, yo free up a hand and they're so friendly it makes learning or dealing in general real easy. I know some kites will out perform them, but we're going for easy, safe, and capable.

Quote:

Originally posted by snowbird That wheelchair in B-Roc's Vid is amazing. Does anyone know more about the fellow and his magic flying chair :saint:

Well, here is the link to Alex Sanz's homepage and he is whose name is on the video http://www.skitesports.com/index.php?option=com_content&...

Alex does not appear to be in a wheelchair and I can't tell if he was the rider in the video or not.

Eolo hosts the video so perhaps an email to either or both of them could garner you more info if desired.

Looks like he's just using the kite to steer. What about a system that you lean? Lean right and left and the two rear wheels pivot oposite eachother and it turns?

Nick probably has the most practical idea. There are a couple of people here riding modified ATBs. You could mount the ATB brake lever on the control bar and skid steer on a grass surface with a reasonable level of safety. You could even put some short outriggers on the sides to keep from tipping right over, sort of like training wheels.

http://www.epyx.ca/gallery/board137.jpg

Quote:

Originally posted by GlideGuy Nick probably has the most practical idea. There are a couple of people here riding modified ATBs. You could mount the ATB brake lever on the control bar and skid steer on a grass surface with a reasonable level of safety. You could even put some short outriggers on the sides to keep from tipping right over, sort of like training wheels. http://www.epyx.ca/gallery/board137.jpg

COOL !
I had something similar in mind but with the person sitting sideways.
I'm sure I saw a video with some folks scooting about on the ice using a similar concept with blades and a kite. I think it was called Bum Boarding !