hiya, had the chance to have a couple runs in a buggy and meet other kiters for the first time a little while back, and it was quite the learning experience, as well as humbling...

I'd felt pretty hot as a kiter, you know, a couple strong kites, some long scuds... but really I'd just been picking stuff up from the forums and having fun at the very bottom of a learning curve while feeling I was a ways further up than that!

The stuff to do with kites:

It is actually really hard to fly a kite blind! for every minute i spent in the buggy seat I spent ten minutes trying to sit down! And I simply couldn't keep track of what was in front of me and the direction I was going while looking at my kite! This after several hundred hours of beach scudding...

The good guys make it look easy, but it isn't... I should have known that from my climbing days...

Dealing with frustration was harder, I was well within my comfort zone and made more stupid mistakes than I knew were possible, sloppy reverse launches with other folS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s kites, tangling my lines about a dozen different ways while trying to sort out a simple crash, and in general totally failing to keep my cool...

Raw power while scudding is one thing, using that power while the apparent wind kicks in is completely another...

I've always liked the learning curve to kiting, one of my favorite things about the sport, but adding wheels and movement sure kicks it into a different dimension...

Anyways, I've posted lots of stuff in recent months, and I have learned a little bit about flying these things, but I have a strong renewed respect for the guys who make it easy...

So two last things: Thanks to all the guys (esp scudley and bladerunner) who have given me their time and energy to help me out, and

if you're like I was, scudding strong and comfy with it, get on something that helps you hold an edge against the wind -- skis, wheels, boards, whatever -- and take it to the next dimension, that's where it's really at!

cheers, all, hope to meet and learn from more of you soon...

Furbs

you said it!
i too was pretty comfortable with all things kiting (i thought) until the buggy. could not figure it out without help from the folks here. lots of fun now and still learning.
Paul

Furbs I know how you feel. Thought my skills were good enough for bugging. After flying for over 20+ years I finally made the dive into a buggy, courtesy of Sunset Jim.

Not only learning to drive a buggy, but also had limited time on my first depower.
Was not pretty to start, driving over my fly lines, going left when I should have gone
right, lufting the kite multiple times.

But the bottom line is, it was still a kick in the pants.

To borrow a quote from Sunset Jim, “It’s just gonna take some seat time”

I remember how frustrating my first two sessions were. On my first session, I could only turn left. I never managed a right turn. On my second session, I managed to link turns together. I had to turn the kite loose both sessions. Then on the third time (insert cliche') it all came together. Stiff winds and the Beamer got me over the hump in the buggy. I was linking turn after turn with side on-shore winds so I was running at an angle from surf to soft sand. I finally understood how it worked. Now I have the confidence to sit down in the buggy and take off knowing I can turn and stop when I want to and most importantly ride back to where I started from. I'm hooked bad now. Got a buggy, sold it, got another one ordered. Really want some more beach time to hone my skills and enjoy that feeling of cruising quietly across the sand. Oh, and those power slides are the best!

It can be a handful I know . What kite were you using? You were not using one of your ACES or your BLADE WERE ya? If so you need to get a buggy engine , some thing w/ less lift and more stability. You shouldn't have to watch the kite all the time or get pulled out of the seat. I never use my ACES when on wheels , they need to much input. Flexifoil RAGE is the bomb! in a buggy and if you add a AAA kit they are even Better! Glad ya had fun and did not get hurt.

1st thing you NEED to do is go out and get a GOOD HELMET ! Then the rest of the pads and a harness.
Tune that Blade. Set it for higher lift or something ? However it was set up it flew like #@%$#!e for a Blade. The way it was set up it needed constant attention. That made everything else much more tough.
Learn to fly blind. Sitting on your butt + facing backwards. Learn to sit down and stand up while flying and not looking at the kite. Learn to fly hooked in.
There is still a lot you can learn while getting ready to ride !!!! It never stops !

Scudding is fun but it's not exactly a sport ! It is more of a survival technique that you learn along the way. Folks often seem to get hung up at that the scudding stage :puzzled:

The 4m kite you flew was a Sky Country Reflex.

I think that's what makes this sport soo much fun...there's always soo much stuff to learn that I don't think it could ever become boring...just keep practicing....just like BB said,,,one day you'll be riding and it'll all come together...

BR: thanks for the input on how to get going flying blind, I'll be trying those things... I was feeling stuck, how to progress without a buggy????

BB, WG, RV, CD: thanks for the encouragement...

LB: guess that HQ CF I just got from your buddy may not have been the best buggy engine??? But still will be good for getting my family and friends into kites on the beach, tho it ain't the beamer...

And yeah I've been buying jumping freestyle kites, not traction engines...

Was the samurai 6m for sale on this forum a while back a good buggy engine?

Oh, dear... this could get expensive again!!!

Just saw the PL comp buggy for sale in nevada, reckon that might be the buggy the older gentleman flying friday morning at GP just drove to nevada to get?

thanks for the input, all of ya!

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner 1st thing you NEED to do is go out and get a GOOD HELMET ! Then the rest of the pads and a harness... ...Learn to fly blind. Sitting on your butt + facing backwards. Learn to sit down and stand up while flying and not looking at the kite. Learn to fly hooked in. There is still a lot you can learn while getting ready to ride !!!! It never stops !

Great stuff. Couple of things fresh in my mind from learning (still going there) and reinforced when I see others sit in the bug for the first time...
1) Learn not to chase the kite, especially in a jibe. Much of this has to do with keeping track of the wind direction once you get moving and turning- harder than you think. The importance of this will be reinforced the first time you wrap the lines around the front axle and you need a wrench or worse a knifie to set things straight. In short: keep the lines as tight as you can, and this means steering the bug as well as the kite.

2) Learn how your bug interacts with the surface you are on and what it takes to be able to throw the front wheel over full-lock with out flipping. Start this by making sharp turns inside a small space at slow speeds and gradually increase speed. If you find yourself one time going faster than you like for this, then start with smaller throws of the wheel getting larger (s-turns) until you feel the back wheels breaking loose. The first time you do a complete 180, act like you planned it.
Now you have less fear of gong a little fast, because you know how to scrub it off or kill it.

Lastly, to make the above two items easier, flying with a small kite in higher winds (and still be a little under-powered) is so much easier than flying wiith a larger kite in lighter winds. The former will be forgiving of mistakes, making it easier to keep the lines tight, the latter requires more finesse and can be frustraing at first.

Take that Sting 1.7 out in 18+ winds and it will be a stinkin riot!

I find these elements to be about 80% of what it takes to learn to finish a session feeling satisfied and accomplished with the buggy stopping pretty much where you started.

Others will have variations on this or even disagreements perhaps and it would be instructive to hear them.

what angus said gotta learn to hold the proper line in relation to the wind, if the kite starts to lose it steer into the wind a little to keep tension on the lines, when it's powerin like hell ,go with it some.soon you'll be haulin azzz! When you get to where you wanna turn ,turn the kite first , then turn the buggy. Try not to turn too quick or you'll stop cold. when ya get it right it's like ya got a motor on that bad boy!
I had nobody to teach me when I started, I just scoured the I-net for info. And the rest was trial and error. My biggest prob is my beach is so narrow the wind has to be just right for me to buggy, but it helps me keep track of the"line". Now ,if you took me out on a dry lake ,I would have to learn to keep the line in my head. like angus said it's not easy sometimes. choice of kites is essential too, one that can fly strong at the edge of the window and go upwind well is what gives ya the easiest time. And YES it's gonna get expensive AGAIN!

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski So two last things: Thanks to all the guys (esp scudley and bladerunner) who have given me their time and energy to help me out, and Furbs

It was no problem, Eric. You are very welcome to come back and use/try my kites. You need not have worried about boofing my kites, it happens from time to time even to the best of us. I think of the kites we had available, the Reflex was going the to be the easiest for you to manage over the Pansh or Blade.
Let us know if you are going to try to make it back to GP before you head back to HK.
S

Hey Sailors,
Perhaps now would be a good time for a bit of a review of a great training technique for power kiters.

This is a training technique I've been teaching for 25 years now.

It's called "Kite Chi"

While your kite is doing a loop in the sky, raise your arms over your head and spin around, untwisting your lines while the kite is twisting them.

It's not about the lines.

It's about our eyes.

Our culture has become so visually dominated, so much visual information bombards us, I think that sometimes our brain forgets we have other senses.

The neural pathways in our brain used for visual images are so well-worn, so heavily traveled, it has become like a rutted road, keeping us occupied by our eyes.

Turning around distracts our eyes for a moment, allowing our fingers a chance to begin to learn the tactile language the kite uses to tell us "Where It Is' and "Where It's Going".

Pretty critical information, and available to us non-visually.

The more you practice Kite Chi, the more comfortable you become flying in control without NEEDING to be looking at your kite all the time.

Merely closing our eyes or looking down doesn't work nearly as well as the mind is still using visual images, creating them in the imagination.

Kite Chi teaches us to create new neural pathways, combining visual and tactile inputs, that expands our awareness of the different elements we're involved with.

Ultimately you'll be flying the kite with your fingers,

Steering the board or buggy with your feet,

While your eyes plot your course, look out for obstacles, watch the wind, glance at your awesome kite, ogle the beach bettys, stare at other buggies and kites, or whatever catches your eye, as you're eyes are not fixed on one (kite) thing.

I know it can sound corny, but this really works - And quickly too.
I've witnesses people become tactile flyers over the course of one weekend.

Try it yourself and let me know.


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

Wow...

When I started this thread I was feeling pretty whiny and discouraged and I reckon I was kinda trolling for some encouragement and sympathy in the wake of a massive ego-crash...

I never expected so much encouragement, and the amount of constructive and specific buggy flying information aimed at the transition from competent static flyer to rock-bottom buggy newbie (A BIG jump!!!) that has come up here has just blown me away!!!!

I'm stoked! :D

Thanks, all...

I'll be back at GP soon, not sure when, hopefully this weekend!

furbs

Good to hear,

I think we all meet setbacks along the way. I remember how totally scared I was my 1st day out on the buggy. I had experienced a kitemare or 2 on the water by then so had huge respect for the trouble I could get in. It all worked out and I couldn't be happier. Being scared is part of the fun !!!

Corey ,That reminds me of the guy who taught me to mirror weld(welding with a mirror to see around obstacles) ,He taught me to think through my hands. Not through my eyes. Your eyes will betray you cause everything is ass backwards ( it's harder than you can imagine). Your hand already knows what to do but your eyes are tellin your brain your doin it wrong. This is one of the many talents that make me the weldngod. For all you naysayers , get a piece of paper and a pencil. stand a book or something in front of you so you can't see the paper, now fetch a mirror from your girls purse( her compact would be great cause you can angle it the way you need it) Set it to the side of obstacle where you can see the paper through the mirror. Now draw a five pointed star ,looking only through the mirror! You should try welding like that ,it's worse cause you have to feed the rod into the puddle , and move side to side ,and travel along the weld seam. Oh yeah, and not mess anything up! :alien:

I was recently a college instructor before we moved and from time to time would come to a computer workstation where the student had the mouse set up for left hand. At first, I tried to use my right hand and switch fingers, and later just tried to lay my left hand on there and let it do what my brain knew it needed to do. It was amazing how the left hand could translate the backwards buttons.

Another trick is to try backing a trailer with your mirrors and then look over your shoulder and back again. It will mess with your mind every time.

I have to be able to weld and mirror weld with either hand ,stick,MIG,TIG,etc.

That would take practice. You musta been at this a week or two. ;-)

Let's see ,I started welding at 14 in the garage w/ my stepdads mig welder. ( he was a stock car racer) Welding every bicycle and go kart in town. At 18 I went into NEWPORT NEWS SHIPYARD , and started building Nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. I'm almost 44 now ,so it's been a long ,hard ,HOT road.