MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Am looking to take up kite buggying, eventually that is. After I master the whole flying a big dirty kite thing. What should I be looking at buying?
Logic suggests a buggy (word of warning - I'm not an expert on kite buggying).
Start small. Don't think you can go straight to a big old 8m kite!
Learn the wind envelope, learn to feel where the wind is and where it's strongest.
Then, build up to bigger kites. The finest, IMHO, are Flexifoil, but they ain't at all cheap! You'll need something small (which you will already have, as above) then a bigger couple of kites for lighter wind days.
And, get some lessons...!
http://www.powerkiteshop.com/ozone-imp-quattro-kite.htm
I learnt with one or those. Nice and versatile.
Me and my brother used to jump with 3 8ft power kites stacked. We stopped when he ended up in casualty.
start with 2 liners, learn, then 4 liners
get lessons, check out your local kite shop, mine did regular fly outs
understand how much space (free of trees, pylons, dickheads, dog shit, council restrictions...) is required to have fun with a kite, then multiply that by about 10 as that is what it takes for a buggy
I just keep about 4 flexfoil 2 liners in the car and play at the beach in winter now
Don't start with 2 liners if you definitely want to buggy, go straight to a small 4 line. BUT DON'T BUY A BUGGY STRAIGHT AWAY!
The "other" set of lines are brakes, which when buggying help you move the kite up and down the window to help build up speed fast.
In buggy's you have less room to move your arms so you use the brake line to brake one end of the kite to turn, this takes some getting used to but if you start flying and use the brakes in the begining,it makes flying whilst buggying second nature.
It is more expensive than bikes and eventually if the bug gets you you will end up with something like this.
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I have been buggying for 8 years now, and the feeling of blasting along at 50mph+, 4" off the beach using your feet to steer really gets the adrenalin going.
Have a look for something small with 4 lines, a cheap Radsail will give you a decent introduction into powerkites. I got one second hand for £40 and it was great fun to fly. Taught a few mates to fly with it and they all loved it. Check out Racekites forum and see what is available second hand. Kitecrowd forum also has a second hand section, but be prepared for a high tosser quotient.
My first kite was a Flexifoil Viper 4m2 and it was great fun to fly, gave me a few beatings when I got a little cocky with it. Friend if mine got a Skytiger at the same time and that was a lot simpler to fly, very gentle indeed. My Radsail was a 2.4m2
Dont bother with 2 lines, go straight for a 4 line kite
I'll reply to this properly when I'm a) not playing rock band and b) not very drunk. But.
When you want to buy a buggy, I have one for sale.
I also have one for sale...
ive got a 3ish metre 4 line kite in the loft thats soon to be for sale
check out http://forum.kitecrowd.com/ lots and lots of useful advice in there. (although as mentioned above you get tossers everywhere) Its as addictive as crack and twice as expensive when you get hooked!
As said above start small (2-3m 4 line foil) to get the basics and then work up from there. The small kite then becomes your high wind kite so its not a wasted purchase. Try find some people local to you and go say hi, most kiters i know are friendly and happy to offer advice and give you a try of their kit to see how you get on with it.
Before long you'll be looking to play on the water and the snow as well 🙂
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Ok, back and mostly sober.
As others have said, start with a small four-line power kite. Don't overreach, even a "small" power kite will pick you up and dump you on your arse twenty yards away in the right conditions.
Master that before you entertain the idea of wheels. Find someone who knows what they're doing, be that professional lessons or an experienced mate, to teach you; otherwise, you will hurt yourself.
Watch out for Flexifoil Blades, they're widely regarded as the "best" but will kill you soon as look at you, it's very agressive and a really bad beginners' kite (though that said, some of the best kiting I've ever had has been under a 1.8m 'baby Blade,' it was proper rapid). Find a kite shop that will advise and let you fly before you buy.
First kite I actually bought was a 3m Ozone Samurai. In hindsight, that was too big. If I was buying from scratch again, I'd probably be looking at something like a 1.8 or 2.5 Flexfoil Rage: http://www.flexifoil.com/uk/products/rage.cfm
Flexi also do a "Sting" which is touted as a beginners / recreational kite, I've not flown this so can't comment but it might be worth looking at as a first kite (moreso if you're on your own and don't want a trip to A&E).
Bought myself a 3.5m Ozone Imp Quattro. Have had it out a couple of times so far and it is great fun. Was "interesting" in the winds we had this morning though. 😀 Might have to get myself a smaller one too for winds like today.
I appear to have a new addiction.
Yeah, that'll do it. You [i]really [/i]don't want to be out in gusty conditions with that.
Where are you flying? (Geographically, I mean)
Based in Edinburgh.
Have shortened the brake lines a bit to try and keep it under control until i get used to it.
Ah, you're a bit far from me, then...!
Good idea. Have you got kite killers?
Yip. Have kite killers. Have even practiced using them. Thinking a 2.5m version of the same would be a wise purchase too.
I've just uploaded a couple of pics for your viewing pleasure.
This is my kite,
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... and a couple of random action shots.
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Kites?
One of my favourite songs
They are quite a pretty bird of prey 🙂
Cougar the sammies are devils in disguise very nice wings i have a pair of frenzy's 5mtr and 12mtr not the best buggy kites wicked for boards. OP have a look at http://forum.kitecrowd.com/ they have a for sale section and quite a few experienced kiters. I started with a 6ft stacker and moved on the the radsails then ended up using flexifoil bullets and blades.
the sammies are devils in disguise
Yeah, I found that one out the hard way (-:
haven't read the rest of the thread but here is my advice* -
buggying is for old men with beards. it's dull.
kitesurfing is where it's at. don't mess around just go straight for the water.
*ignore if you are old and have a beard.
haven't read the rest of the thread but here is my advice* -
buggying is for old men with beards. it's dull.
kitesurfing is where it's at. don't mess around just go straight for the water.
*ignore if you are old and have a beard.
Also ignore if a) you can't swim, and b) you don't like getting wet and cold, and having to dress up in a wetsuit just to have fun with a big kite. Both of those points apply to me. I'm also old and have a beard, but that's got bugger-all to do with it. I've watched kite buggying at Weston-Super-Mare, and thought then, 'that looks like a load of fun', but I don't need another expensive addiction.
Right. I appear to have the take off, landing, reverse take off, figure of 8s, moving the kite around the window, all reasonably well sorted in moderately strong winds. What skills should I be looking to add to this lot?
Has anyone built their own kite? I started building a 4sq m kite about 8 years ago, built 2/3 of it then stopped after moving house and its still sitting there.