syntaks Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Just for the heck of it, and because it's so amusing anyway, I decided to post these on this here forum thingie ma bob... There are 3 clips total... To explain a bit... My better 3/4 has, since we started kiting, wanted a buggy for summer time, when she can't use her skis and I can't use my sled. We can't even come close to afford one of the kite buggies, so, for our 1.5th wedding anniversary (We were married on Leap Day, so 6 years total...) I recruited the deacon of the church we fly at to help design something to use. In the first video you can see the result, which is, basically, a REALLY heavy foot steered go cart. It works if there's enough wind, but is too heavy to bring out as often as I'd like. (She doesn't come fly much anymore because she wants to do that type of stuff...) I think it weighs about 80 pounds. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm completely obsessed with flying my rev. Sunday is my birthday, so my birthday present to myself is posting these... The first clip here is her first day out with the kitecart...not the best run, but shows the idea of what we have... Still snow on the ground there. The next clip is from yesterday. We have a loaner blast to use for a couple weeks and thought that carting was definitely on the agenda with so much wind...note that the cart is there, and was used until it got too hard to steer ... that and we don't have any stopping mechanism on it... So she decided to try my Winter kiting idea... Yes...that is my SNOW sled there... The last clip is the most amusing. We decided to fly the shockwave the day before the last clip was filmed. Now understand that my better 3/4 weighs about 110 pounds or so... (Compared to my 250) ...and people who haven't flown a shockwave might not realize that they actually have a good deal of pull to them in a decent wind. She ended up having to sit down on the ground to keep from being pulled over... I just thought I would throw these up so you could see the insanity I have to (the pleasure of) deal with to get my wife out to fly a kite. I wonder if there is a 12-step program for people like me... --TaK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 You guys are funny and remember the kite door is always open down here in San Diego so come visit and fly, I really think we'd have fun, we all seem to be shall we say "different"..... Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awindofchange Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 (edited) Looks like you are ready for NABX! Edited May 18, 2010 by awindofchange Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea-Ta Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Awesome vids. How do you like the Blast 2-4? Could you give a few pros and cons? I'm really thinking about getting one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syntaks Posted May 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 You guys are funny and remember the kite door is always open down here in San Diego so come visit and fly, I really think we'd have fun, we all seem to be shall we say "different"..... Ben If we could afford it, I know I'd be down there in a second. I spent a good deal of my life playing music in front of the botanical garden in Balboa park. I lived for a long time in OB and "ab"Normal Heights. Yer always welcome up here. (I certainly wouldn't turn down a free vacation!) My better 3/4 has an extra week of vacation now too. We just don't have the funds. I only took the presidency of the club because this is all I do every day anyway...lol "Different" is a good word...lol We don't have anyone to teach us how to do the fancy tricks, so we have to come up with our own ideas... I am, as I speak, at our weekly kite gathering with Hope Community Services. We give cheap kites to people with disabilities and get them all out flying...it often turns into a lot of tangled lines, but we have a good time. I have the cart and am setting it up with the shockwave to pull me around for awhile... Unfortunately, it will probably not happen, but I have been told that yer the one to "party" with...lol I just had surgery on my eye, so now, after 46 years, I am finally seeing in 3d, which makes kite flying a whole new thing...I get my new glasses in a week, so I will actually be able to use my 125' lines and see what the kite looks like...even if they're not made well, that's the longest lines I have...I think there are a couple that are longer than the others. We can't afford to come down there, but I have word that you can afford to come up here... Bring yer flip flops and bermuda shorts if you want... --TaK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syntaks Posted May 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 Awesome vids. How do you like the Blast 2-4? Could you give a few pros and cons? I'm really thinking about getting one.... My better 3/4 uses that one more than I do. Even that needs a lot of wind to pull ME around. When there is THAT much wind, we tend to use the shockwave because it's easier to turn when yer sitting on the ground...lol The 2/4 is a little harder to get used to having it pull me than the regular blast. I hold the handles up kinda high, and you gotta get outta that habit with the 2/4. There are people who fly them just to fly, but I really don't see the point in that. They don't trick like a regular blast, and I guess they weren't made for doing that... --TaK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea-Ta Posted May 20, 2010 Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 Ic Ic... my research continues =) thanks for the reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syntaks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Ic Ic... my research continues =) thanks for the reply It flies like a boat.... and hang on for the ride. Well it does. I had it out for a bit today and the basic controls are very similar, but the reactions of the sail are whats different. There is a lot more mylar and it starts out as a flatter sail but has flex in the leading edge. What are you used to flying? If you've ever flown a shockwave or standard blast, its not much of a leap and the biggest things are the handle grips like Tak said. Tension on the bottoms is what gives the pull, or the "thumbs forward" approach. The other part is the bridle set up is a bit different in that theres much less - no line between the top and bottom to get in the way. If you're used to the 1.5's and alike, then some of the handling is a bit different depending on your style of flying. Turning is a more involved process. Theres a bit of a trick in flying the nice big figure eights to keep a consistent pull. But its easier to fly backwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea-Ta Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 hmmm, I'm actually used to flying a Prism snapshot 2.5m foil... I have converted to flying my 1.5 but it just doesn't have the "pull" I'm used to I get varying wind conditions, sometimes it will be 2mph and and hour later be 18mph and then back to 5mph. I can barely keep the 1.5 up in < 5 mph and seems like it's gonna fall apart when the wind goes >15mph. I know there are mid vent, full vents and then different LE's (planning on picking up some 2 wraps and #50). The kites stay in the car at all times, I just want to be able to unpack and go. Today I had some smooth 8-10 winds and it was awesome, I finally have my inverted hover down. Which kite would you recommend for me? I'm trying to get reviews on the speed series, blast and blast 2/4, there is not too much info that I can find. You've been a great help. Looks like I'll be giving Dave a call pretty soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnmitchell Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 hmmm, I'm actually used to flying a Prism snapshot 2.5m foil... I have converted to flying my 1.5 but it just doesn't have the "pull" I'm used to I get varying wind conditions, sometimes it will be 2mph and and hour later be 18mph and then back to 5mph. I can barely keep the 1.5 up in < 5 mph and seems like it's gonna fall apart when the wind goes >15mph. I know there are mid vent, full vents and then different LE's (planning on picking up some 2 wraps and #50). The kites stay in the car at all times, I just want to be able to unpack and go. Today I had some smooth 8-10 winds and it was awesome, I finally have my inverted hover down. Which kite would you recommend for me? I'm trying to get reviews on the speed series, blast and blast 2/4, there is not too much info that I can find. You've been a great help. Looks like I'll be giving Dave a call pretty soon... If you can make it to the San Diego Kite Club meeting on the second Saturday of each month, I wouldn't doubt that you would have the chance to try out various REVs. They usually meet at Mission Bay Park just south of the Hilton, except in July when they meet at Mariner's Point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea-Ta Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 Thanks John for the heads up! I'm going to try to head down there this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syntaks Posted May 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 You guys are funny and remember the kite door is always open down here in San Diego so come visit and fly, I really think we'd have fun, we all seem to be shall we say "different"..... Ben BTW Ben...As soon as we get it posted to youtube, you'll have PROOF that we're "different" ... Sheesh...most people HERE think we're odd...and if the people in ALASKA think yer odd, you can bet the people everywhere else will... --TaK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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