Technology...heheheh

[lemur]

The Scene...Saturday

I have a couple of friends who Power Paraglide...you know those 30ish sq m kites and an engine strapped to your back for power. Mark has about 100 flights in and also has been kiting with me a few times. George, who is a fixed wing pilot, just got a new, top of the line ppg package but...he has not flown ppg for a while...PPGing is a low or no wind sport so on Sat when the winds were forecasted 25-35 kmh we decided to go kiting.
There is a headpond a short 20min drive from where we live and the conditions were perfect for skiing. Smooth ice with an inch or two of snow. George knows of this perfect spot to launch because a few (20ish) years ago he had the misfortune of having a 4 seater aircraft he was flying lose power. Since the plane did not have floats it quickly became a submarine. George and his 3 passengers escaped wet but unharmed.

The Plan

Mark and George both weigh 215ish and I am about 130 lbs. I figured Mark could handle my 3 m kite on skis and since it was George's first time kite flying he could play with my 2 m. I didn't think I would have any problems with a 5m.

Reality

 I launch the 3, pass it to Mark, and proceeded to prep the 2 for George .... OPPPS ...Mark is being dragged across the ice and only stops when a tree grabbed the kite. NOOO problem...I take the handles from Mark and picture perfectly back the kite out of the tree...hehehe...I then decide maybe Mark should start with 2m and I'll try the 3...Sorry George, 2 is as small as I've got...

Mark is doing great ...strong turns...going up wind.. sineing the kite in lulls...I figure its time for me to have some fun and head further out where it is obvious from blowing snow that the wind is even better...After becoming airborne (without my expressed permission) during a couple of turns I realize that these winds are a wee bit stronger than 25 Kmh and when I later check recorded speed I find they were 40 gusting to 70 Kmh. My GPS recorded 57 Kmh maximum speed and I wasn't really trying for speed... happy to keep things under control..



Oh Oh
That evening while we were checking George's new 100cc, 23 hp 2 stroke ppg motor, I discover my ...F@#$^%G ....wallet... is... missing!!!! and I have a funny feeling that it is spread all over hells half acre. Being good buddies they offer to go back and look for it but with the winds howling like they were I was sure it was gone... but 'hey' they say...we'll do an aerial search for it tomorrow...no wind forecasted... no problem...simple to spot a brown wallet on white background...

Sunday




After a couple of aerial passes over the area there is no sign of wallet...my GPS had the track I took and I figured just maybe I might find a piece of ID or salvage something... off I walk, letting GPS guide me to an area where I figured most probable...stumble across a mess of fur where an owl or eagle dined on a rabbit .....and then BAMM...there is my wallet.. contents intact...The guys couldn't figure out why I was so awestruck about finding it until I showed it to them.



as you can see it is more of a filing cabinet than a wallet...hehehe

To top off an excellent weekend we met a gentleman who lived in the area when George had his little incident... he had pictures of the salvage operation which provided details of the paint scheme so that George can make an exact scale remote control model ....his other addiction..

[kiteny]

Sounds like fun! Which brand of kites do you have?

[lemur]

open foils....concept air 2 and 3m First and a 5.5m freestyle

closed foils...concept ait 7.3 new wave and viokite vr 5..vr5 has a zipper around center cell that allows you to fly as a 5m2 or zip it up and it is a 4 m2..i also have a viokite proteus 11...it converts from 8.8 to 11 m2

I also have a 4.2 C-quad

Here in atlantic Canada summers are tooooo short to justify spending the money they are asking for LEI's

[kiteny]

You are then the perfect person to answer some of my questions: How do you like the closed cell vs. open cell foils? For example, in less than perfect conditions my Slingshot B3 open foil often collapses on itself, tangles, and drops to the ground. I would assume closed foils don't do this, right?

In conjunction with above, relaunching should be much easier for the closed foils?

How about at the end of the day...is it difficult handle an inflated kite sitting on the ground while you wind up the lines?

Overall, do you have a preference between the 2 types?

Thanks!

Seth

[lemur]

Hey Seth

How do you like the closed cell vs. open cell foils?

I think closed cell foils are the best way to go to get year round usability in areas where you want to play on water and icesnow..

For example, in less than perfect conditions my Slingshot B3 open foil often collapses on itself, tangles, and drops to the ground. I would assume closed foils don't do this, right?

You are right...I find closed cells hold there shape better but it will still happen in excessivly gusty conditions..

In conjunction with above, relaunching should be much easier for the closed foils?

I would say that relaunching is about the same ....more of a matter of getting used to the perticular kite....all 3 brands I have fly
elaunch differently but after getting used to them relaunching is not a problem...another one of those weird things with kiting is when you get good at relaunching you dont need to relaunch as much cause you will crash less...

How about at the end of the day...is it difficult handle an inflated kite sitting on the ground while you wind up the lines?

Firemen frequently perform training exercises in the park asross the street from my house. They do ice stuff and after they check the thickness of the ice about 150 ft from shore they stick 4 peices of 2 x 4 lumber around the hole and wrap it with caution tape to warn snowmobilers.....I cut some of the caution tape so it blows in the wind and I can read wind speed and direction from the comfort of home...hehehe...More importantly the sticks of lumber give me a solid anchor to secure breaklines when (un)packing..I also carry a couple of spikes to use as anchors but here there are always cracks I can jam them into due to tidal action here ...above the dam cracks are a result of rise and fall of headpond due to power requirements....You may want to pick up a couple of ice climbing anchors to acheive same..When setting up I usually unwrap lines and secure brakelines then unfold kite...packing I secure breaklines then pack kite or disable with snow then wind up lines..


Overall, do you have a preference between the 2 types?

I use open foils to teach beginners with and stongly reccommend to them to go with closed foils for the water relaunchability even if they are not interested in kitesurfing....Body dragging is a hoot on its own and I think they are easier to sell used as opposed to a land only open foil...

I just saw your other post..turbulance is BAD for anything that flies....I am not familiar with B3 but from pic I saw I think it is a 2 line kite...with a 34 line kite you can make adjustments so the kite will fly further back in wind window lessening chance of flyingluffing at edge...also remember that relative to the rider wind window shifts back as you move forward...I amazed me how my c quad would actually appear to be flying behind me when properly powered...You might also consider a kite that can be flown with handles AND bar...I find handles better for some applications...it is much easier to putkeep kite where you want because you can apply brakes independantly...

Hope my 2 cents help

Rob

[kiteny]

Thanks for all help! Very, very good information. I already carry an ice screw so I can lock in the bar when the kite goes down. I velcro it to the outside of my ski boot, where it's hopefully safe, as I wouldn't want to fall on the business end of it.

I wakeboard all summer, so body dragging and other water stuff with the kite should be a blast, although I don't know if the wind here will be good enough to get me up on a board. I also don't have land to launch it from, so I'll need someone on a boat to help.

Your advice is very interesting. A friend owns a company that is one of the top parachute makers, and he is making some closed-cell foils, so I'll have to check them out.

I bought the B3 as a trainer, and it works well in high wind, but I find it unstable, and one edge loves to tangle in the bride, which is a problem.

Of course, yesterday it pulled me for 7.25 miles, hitting 25 mph. I went further & faster (I think) today, but the batteries in the GPS died. It sure is a blast!

Seth