Why none of the top 50 use Ram Airs?

Guest · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2003 11:51 pm

Understood SQ, thanks,

Pump me up - any comments on the safety issues?

Phil · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 12:39 am

I think we are reaching the end of this record thread.... No?

Pump me up · **Joined:** Fri Jan 24, 2003 1:00 am **Posts:** 662

Chris's horrific facial fractures MAY well have been prevented if he had used an inflatable.

I don't want to criticise Chris... he is a nice guy and a solid rider.

I understand that he had let his kite go before the shocking wipeout ... but I'm talking about the leadup to the wipeout.

As wind speed across a kite increases, shears, vortices, and turbulence increase exponentially. At a rider speed of 30 knots, or whatever Chris was travelling at, the shears and turbulence around his kite would have been extraordinary, possibly beyond the safe tolerance zone of a ram air.

Inflatables are inherently more stable than rams at high speed because they have a semi-rigid frame which helps stabilise shear and vortex effects. This is one of the reasons water speed records have been set by yachts with rigid wings for sails.

Rams also need to sit a bit further back in the wind window cf inflatables to maintain stability.

It IS possible that Chris would have had more control of his kite if he had used an inflatable.

Hence it is possible that he might have avoided the wipeout and subsequent injuries if he had used an inflatable.

sq225917 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 05, 2002 1:00 am **Posts:** 8724

er no. thats just plain wrong.

and lei's don't sit further forward than foils, leis have all that lovely drag on the non wind facing parts of the kite and the tube profile to work against.

if you don't believe me find someone with a flysurfer psycho and get him to sit it at the edge of the window on full depower, it will be behind him..

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 12:10 pm

Quote:

For speed records, foils are the only way to go.
The only thing that could have saved him, would be that a LEI would go much slower (no record)

I prefer LEI over ARC's and Foils myself because of many reasons (Better performing in other respects, and can not collapse) - but foils are the best performing, and fastest, and safest kites, when talking speed, no doubt about it !

The further forward a kite sits in the window - the faster you can go, without losing your edge.
It's as simple as that.
_________________
Kindly - Peter Frank

Pump me up, please re-read this post by Peter Frank, and stop polluting this forum with your narrow-minded views.

sq225917 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 05, 2002 1:00 am **Posts:** 8724

oh, sorry thats right i'm polluting the board.

i think you missed the point, what peter was saying imho was that he wouldn't have been going that fast on an lei and therefore not come off the rail.

you thick twat.

Mr Jo Macdonald · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:39 pm

I thought Catman held the kite speed record, as far as I know crashed a windsurf speed run at Fuerte flying a wipi and on a freestyle board or has someone gone faster using a foil?

[ This Message was edited by: Mr Jo Macdonald on 2003-01-27 14:40 ]

Mr Jo Macdonald · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:46 pm

Ok, found what you're on about, http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Chris_K48/

Hammer Time · **Joined:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:00 am **Posts:** 6

[ This Message was edited by: Hammer Time on 2003-01-27 17:25 ]

Hammer Time · **Joined:** Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:00 am **Posts:** 6

Pump ME Up -

You want to play the safety card?
You like statistics?
Here's some for you.

LEI fatalities for 2002 = 9
Foil = 0

LEI serious injuries = 18
Foil = 1, your fine example of Mr. Calthorp's extreme record speed run, resulting in injury to himself as he bailed to avoid and save a cluless bystander who was sitting on the finish line.

[ This Message was edited by: hammer time on 2003-01-28 00:26 ]

Why none of the top 50 use Ram Airs?

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