C-Kite Unhooked LW Surfing Mania
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 3:48 am
I’ve resurrected a 2004 11m Slingshot Fuel that has really grown on me, thinking at times the joy of flying this type of kite unhooked in the sand is almost better than riding with it (while my 14m 2013 Rally, 17m Turbine, 12m Trigger, 10m RPM, sit in the closet). In the soft sandy fields of San Diego, I’ve found this kite to be pretty efficient in 14-15 mph winds when flown unhooked (and tuned to do so), so much so that I’ve theorized, it could work with a Surfboard in the same type of winds on water. Am I on the right track, thinking I can generate more pull and have more precision in scooping enough low end power unhooked that I can get a session in with this setup. I don’t need jumping power, or anything special, I’d just like to get out of the water, plane, and catch a few short rail to rail downwinders, walk of shame or not. Looking for that feel of getting tugged by a jetski over some small ramps at or just below the wind speed (next day soreness in the biceps and lats : ). Recognizing this requires a little more brawn than brains, I still feel using my arms as my sheeting system, having a truly direct connection to the kite, and my core, no bridles, smaller canopy, short lines, bigger bar, can maximize the potential of light, shifty wind, with the right mindset, i.e. knowing that the physical demands might outweigh the enjoyment. Why, I don’t know; probably the same reason Jack Lalanne did some of the crazy shit he did: and for the same reason I’ve considered swimming the Catalina channel.
Thinking of adding an old school wrist cuff to attach my kite leash, and ditching my harness too, total freedom from harness and straps. Assuming you could catch a wave with this setup, you might also let the bar out, grab the chicken loop, and get a picture of you riding harnessless, strapless, and barless… lmao! Yup, sometimes my imagination gets ahead of my ability, always fun to dream though.
Fyi: Jack Lalanne
1954 Age 40: Swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge underwater with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks… an undisputed world record.
1955 Age 41: Swam, handcuffed, from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, CA.
1956 Age 42: Set a world record of 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on “You Asked for It, a TV Show with Art Baker.
1957 Age 43: Swam the treacherous Golden Gate Channel, towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser. This involved fighting the cold, swift ocean currents that made the 1 mile swim a 6 ½ mile test of strength and endurance.
1958 Age 44: Maneuvered a paddleboard 30 miles, 9-½ hours non-stop from Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore.
1959 Age 45: Completed 1,000 pushups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hours and 22 minutes. “Happy” is born and The Jack LaLanne Show goes nationwide
1974 Age 60: Swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
1975 Age 61: Swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, underwater, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
1976 Age 62: Commemorating the “Spirit of ‘76”, swam 1 mile in Long Beach Harbor, handcuffed, shackled and towing 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people.
1979 Age 65: Towed 65 boats filled with 6,500-pounds of Lousiana Pacific wood pulp while handcuffed and shackled in Lake Ashinoko, near Tokyo, Japan.
1980 Age 66: Towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida filled with 77 people for over a mile in less than 1 hour.
1984 Age 70: Handcuffed, shackled and fighting strong winds and currents, towed 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.
Cheers,
Donavan ( a.k.a. trxdude )
trxdude.com
Thinking of adding an old school wrist cuff to attach my kite leash, and ditching my harness too, total freedom from harness and straps. Assuming you could catch a wave with this setup, you might also let the bar out, grab the chicken loop, and get a picture of you riding harnessless, strapless, and barless… lmao! Yup, sometimes my imagination gets ahead of my ability, always fun to dream though.
Fyi: Jack Lalanne
1954 Age 40: Swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge underwater with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks… an undisputed world record.
1955 Age 41: Swam, handcuffed, from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, CA.
1956 Age 42: Set a world record of 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on “You Asked for It, a TV Show with Art Baker.
1957 Age 43: Swam the treacherous Golden Gate Channel, towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser. This involved fighting the cold, swift ocean currents that made the 1 mile swim a 6 ½ mile test of strength and endurance.
1958 Age 44: Maneuvered a paddleboard 30 miles, 9-½ hours non-stop from Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore.
1959 Age 45: Completed 1,000 pushups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hours and 22 minutes. “Happy” is born and The Jack LaLanne Show goes nationwide
1974 Age 60: Swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
1975 Age 61: Swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, underwater, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
1976 Age 62: Commemorating the “Spirit of ‘76”, swam 1 mile in Long Beach Harbor, handcuffed, shackled and towing 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people.
1979 Age 65: Towed 65 boats filled with 6,500-pounds of Lousiana Pacific wood pulp while handcuffed and shackled in Lake Ashinoko, near Tokyo, Japan.
1980 Age 66: Towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida filled with 77 people for over a mile in less than 1 hour.
1984 Age 70: Handcuffed, shackled and fighting strong winds and currents, towed 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.
Cheers,
Donavan ( a.k.a. trxdude )
trxdude.com