Go fly a kite

[CrashBomb]

From another topic, I just thought I'd offer my somewhat meager services to anyone interested in getting into kite sports.




Here's my suggestion. Go fly a kite. Honestly. Buy a stunt kite or simple quad line foil (before you go do some research, or ask someone who knows about them) and go out to Jockey's Ridge and spend the day getting up in the wind. You WILL have easily as much fun with a delta stunt kite up on the dunes as you'd have with an airplane and without all the complicated electrical and mechanical devices to confuse you and end up crashing your $2000 piece of equipment.

If you want to get serious, look into kite boarding (though not a terrific idea for your very first time out). Nag's Head's great steady wind and relatively quiet (as compared to some places) beach fronts make wonderful spots to learn on a landboard.

If you (or anyone for that matter) wants some recommendations or suggestions about kite sports, feel free to get in touch with me. I know how hard it can be to find other people involved in a fringe sport and would gladly offer my experience to try and help anyone out who's trying to get started.



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[PaNDeM1C]

?

Thanks for the post, though. I don't see what you're trying to explain, though. But... I'm a lil' bit tipsy now.... please don't hold that against me!

 

[CrashBomb]

No no...it's not that you're tipsy, its my fault for being vauge.

Someone else was asking about model airplane/helicopter recomendations and I was jabbering on about kites as an alternative to RC devices for having fun in the air on a windy day.

I hate taking all kinds of information from a message board (especially one as informative and helpful as this one) and not giving anything back, so I was holding a sort of open call for anyone who's interested in getting into kitesports to get in touch with me if you have any questions you can't find the answers to without talking to someone who knows what they're talking about.

 

[jessup]

I just sold my Blade 3 flexifoil and mountain board around two days ago... He is right it is really really fun... Some of the traction kites could potentially kill you.

 

[CrashBomb]

What kind of deck did you have? Did you have the new Blade or one of the older ones? I stood by my 4.0 Blade 2g for a long time after the 3rd gen came out because I said it couldn't be any better. Then I flew a new one and...wow...just wow. It was actually way too much kite for what I wanted it for and I ended up trading a guy straight up my old Blade 2g for a brand new Rage 3.5 still in the original package. I decided I liked the killers on the Rage better than the Blade for land work and I don't surf hardly at all anymore.

 

[FastCurrey]

?

Thanks for the post, though. I don't see what you're trying to explain, though. But... I'm a lil' bit tipsy now.... please don't hold that against me!

Hold what, the kite?

 

[psycobusa]

show a pic of what you're talking about. the only kites i know of are the ones i flew when i was a kid

 

[FastCurrey]

Actually, i remember growing up and making the weekend trips to the Outter Banks and seeing Jockey's Ridge loaded with kites and gliders. Spend a 4th of July down at the Lighthouse campground and see the cool kites down there.

I used to love flying kites but havent done it in a long time...i might have to pick it up again.

 

[CrashBomb]

show a pic of what you're talking about. the only kites i know of are the ones i flew when i was a kid

Lots different from the little deltas and boxes you flew when you were a kid. These are SERIOUS pieces of equipment and need to be respected as such. That being said they're just so #$%$@ FUN!

 

[CrashBomb]

for example

 

[CrashBomb]

brrrr freezing, the windchill when you're doing it in the snow is about -0 Kelvin

 

[CrashBomb]

closeup of one of FF's latest kites, The Beamer TSR, aimed at mostly being a trainer foil

 

[psycobusa]

that does look fun.....think ill stick my busa though, it stays on the ground

 

[jessup]

What kind of deck did you have? Did you have the new Blade or one of the older ones? I stood by my 4.0 Blade 2g for a long time after the 3rd gen came out because I said it couldn't be any better. Then I flew a new one and...wow...just wow. It was actually way too much kite for what I wanted it for and I ended up trading a guy straight up my old Blade 2g for a brand new Rage 3.5 still in the original package. I decided I liked the killers on the Rage better than the Blade for land work and I don't surf hardly at all anymore.

I had one of the newer blades I bought it last year and put a season on it... It worked extremely well with an old snowboard... I had the 4.9m... That thing pulled like a train... I started using it alot but then lost interest... The board was some run of the mill mountain board not expensive not cheap. The blade is really really responsive almost dangerously so...