Kite Surfing

[pops]

i know we got a few kite flyers in here.
I WAS WATCHING A PROG ON TELLY LUNCHTIME [just wasting time, as not much happened on here today]

i must say that KITE SURFING lark looks good fun too me.
ME THINKS when shoulder fixed up i would like a bash at that!!!!!!!!!!!

[kitesurf_phil]

Pops,
I took my 3M Buster kite over to the Sharpenhoe Clappers ( The other side of the A6 from Devils Pit) last Sunday, when the wind was blowing at about 10MPH and thought it was pulling like a chuffing train. The wind increased to about 15-18MPH and I packed up for fear of having my shoulders pulled out of their sockets. I looked round and a guy came up the hill, on a mountain board, with at least a 12M kite and doing roughly 40MPH. Respect Dude!
BTW. My right shoulder is still sore. My previously injured shoulder is better than it has been for years. I'm still grinning

[rusty]

i know we got a few kite flyers in here.
I WAS WATCHING A PROG ON TELLY LUNCHTIME [just wasting time, as not much happened on here today]

i must say that KITE SURFING lark looks good fun too me.
ME THINKS when shoulder fixed up i would like a bash at that!!!!!!!!!!!

Too right!!! I'm up for a bit of that!!!

[pops]

Pops,
I took my 3M Buster kite over to the Sharpenhoe Clappers ( The other side of the A6 from Devils Pit) last Sunday, when the wind was blowing at about 10MPH and thought it was pulling like a chuffing train. The wind increased to about 15-18MPH and I packed up for fear of having my shoulders pulled out of their sockets. I looked round and a guy came up the hill, on a mountain board, with at least a 12M kite and doing roughly 40MPH. Respect Dude!
BTW. My right shoulder is still sore. My previously injured shoulder is better than it has been for years. I'm still grinning

well i think you gonna have to take some of us out for a LETS GO FLY A KITE DAY with the SURFS of course.

[da SLUG man]

those kites are powerful!
my mate's got one, and i thought he was arsing around getting dragged accross a field... (he's only skinny, about 7 stone!)
so i had a go!
(weighing around 19 stone at the time! in my more muscular time!)
i went straight on my ass and got dragged along before crashing the kite!

[Pottsey]

Kite surfing

My wife and I have been flying big kites for a couple of years now. We have
A 2.5 Bullet, a 4.9 meter Blade 3 and the latest toy, a 16 meter North Rhino Kitesurfing rig.
Just waiting for the weather to improve.
I saw Kite skiing on TV today, now that is nuts!!!

i know we got a few kite flyers in here.
I WAS WATCHING A PROG ON TELLY LUNCHTIME [just wasting time, as not much happened on here today]

i must say that KITE SURFING lark looks good fun too me.
ME THINKS when shoulder fixed up i would like a bash at that!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chillitt]

we used to fly 2m and 4m sky tigers and homemade kites on the local common jumping about and sliding like idiots we started making buggies but had to stop after i wiped out a blue peter film crew and 8 buggyers waiting to start a race...

[laser_jock99]

I used to like kites, our favourite stunt was string loads together and send them up (illegaly) thousands of feet into the air! I also had a stack of big Flexifoils for jumping & lifting. Then my car got stolen with all the kites inside- got the car back eventually but the kites were all gone....

On Friday though I bought five stunt kites from Lidl for £3.99 each with the intention of making a five kite stack. The kites seem to be okay 1.8m wingspan two line standard stunt kites. A five kite stack for 20 quid- can't be bad?

Nevillef

[kitesurf_phil]

I was sorting out my kite bags a couple of days ago. I have a 1.7M tall home brew Conyne (or French Military) kite that I use for lifting wire aerials, a really cheap crappy but fun two line foil, a 3M Buster, a 2.5 SqM home brewed sled kite ( too hairy for line laundry) several creations made from Mylar film gift wrapping and a 9ft delta kite in red white and blue. The last kite looks great on St Georges day with a St George flag flying from the flight line about 15ft from the kite.

I want a go at kite snow boarding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chillitt]

I made a 9ftish delta years ago(on the plans it was called 'el macho'....) 1st time i flew it, i threw it up, mate on the other end dragged a wingtip to one extreme, flipped it bought it back on the other wing tip, hit me on the back of the head, and knocked me out cold....

[silvtr1000]

Some of my mates use 12M in big winds. They're like 40-50 ft in the air for more than 10-15 seconds. Then they come down and don't sink - they just cause a little splash and sail away on for the next jump.

The gear is really dear...

Mark

[mark g8awo]

You cant beat being dragged across a field by dirty great big Hanky....


I fly a kite aerial sometimes within the Luton TMA with CAA approval to fly above the 250ft height limit its eary to see it lit up at night with strobes flashing away at 400ft

[Linda]

Its great fun... we've been doing it a while now, and even run the bar at Middle Wallop Kite and Buggy Festival (Late May Bank hol)

Their is even a 16 acre field belonging to our local kite club in our village!!

This is terrestrial power kiting and buggying, not Kite surfing on water, but it is a big buzz being dragged around!!!

Its important to remember that bigger is not always better - a good flyer with a 3.5-5m kite can power it up plenty!! A novice with a big kite can get into serious trouble.

[truckarms]

I am up for meeting up and flying kites, I have a few and dont mind showing anyone how to fly a 4 lined kite.
I have a:
2.2m (cant remember the make) 4 line taction kite
4m, 8m and 10m C quad for my peter lynn buggy
12m Rhino and a 148 kite board

All are great fun depending on the wind, I am still learning the kite surfing thing so probably not the best teacher for that. But as a mate taught me I feel its only right to pass the skills on.

[kitesurf_phil]

I find my 3M Buster OK for recreational non-traction flying up to about 10MPH wind speeds. I really need a buggy or even a mountain board to get the most out of it.

As has been said before, these big kites are not toys and will do some serious damage if handled incorrectly - I have the scars to prove it!!!
I had to stop my nephew from grabbing the flight line when my Conyne got away in 20MPH winds. If the line had slipped through his fingers it would have cut through to the bone, or worse.
I put a couple of turns of flight line round the towbar of the Surf or a fence post if it is really windy and use it as a brake. Thick leather gloves are handy. I use a carabina or a blunted butchers hook to walk the kites down. Beware of using the stainless steel dog tethers for holding large kites as they can shear right off (there is still one minus it's tie ring and top 4" on the top of the Sharpenhoe Clappers). A welded T-Bar made from 1" steel bar and banged in using a club hammer is the safest option.