Tethered Kite Flying

[berken]

I am considering driving out on the ice, tethering my harness to the hitch of my car and flying my 14m Slingshot T2. Good idea? Bad idea? Basically, I just want to get more comfortable flying the kite, without it dragging me across the ice...

[craigb]

Interesting idea. I dont think it would be much fun unless your car is a mini though. Just go out in light wind the first couple days.

[Tighe]

Sounds like an extremely foolish idea. I would highly recommend rethinking your actions.

[paul-b]

Last year I was in your boat too.
I have had a good 3 or 4 sessions but couldn't control the kite so i dragged someone behind me in a sled and after a couple hours I had probly doubled my kite Handeling skills, in my opinion it's the best way to go. (it's fun in back too)

[monkey1031]

Nope.
Don't.
(or, do, but let me film it)
but, fer reals... Don't.

You will get so freaking hurt, so quickly, you won't even know what happened.

Type in "Hook Turn" in google vids... Different sport, very similar outcome.

-smd7

[dave t]

I don't think (I hope not) he's talking about having the car pull him around up in the air like the video a few years ago. Just using it for an anchor and practicing controlling the kite.

Is there a reason I'm not thinking of that would be dangerous?

[Matixsnow]

Kiting is much cheaper than hospital bills. Get a smaller kite that will still be useful on high wind days or a kite with good resale.

[Mike G.]

You won't get dragged but you may get lofted and smashed into your car. Bad juju.

[pete168]

It's not the best idea. If you use a long line and the kite lifts you to where you panic and try to bring it down too fast you will pile drive yourself into the ice. We used to do this in the early days of power kiting and after that first time you got the wind knocked out of you, you thought twice about it.

Pete168

[Tighe]

there was a guy in Australia with the same idea. he tied himself with a 100 ft rope to a tree then launched his kite. the kite went up to neutral, the wind was so strong that up he went and was soon up 100 ft in the air with his kite overhead. Since there was no way for anything to give, finally something on the kite broke and the guy fell 100 feet to his death.

Take a lesson, beg some instruction, buy a trainer, something. Just don't through a 14m kite up in 20+ mph wind with no experience, tethered or not. Please.

[dave t]

I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth but I think 4 or 5 feet of rope to the chicken loop would let you sit on the tail gate of a pickup and fly the kite around pretty safely without being part of the kites power train.

[peterrib]

This brings to mind one of my kitemares that left me with badly bruised ribs and crotch and tore all the bridle attachments off one of my Ozone foils. All started as a very innocent adjustment of a line
to make the kite sit better and then an unintentional hot launch. Not only tore the kite apart but straightened out a Stainless Steel hook, that caught me on the way up! Silver lining to the day, after I sewed all the attachments back on and repaired a broken line, the kite now behaves very nicely. Be careful.
Peter

[Pete]

Mr. Rib, what exactly did you do to your Ozone foil to make it "sit" on the ground better? I have an 06' 10M Frenzy that is a "joke" when it comes to pulling on the brake to kill the power (even when out of the chicken loop). Have you figured out a bridle adjustment that allows the kite to drop from the sky without using the the red top hat, and have it "parked" with confidence that it wont launch with each gust of wind?

Any info appreciated.

Pete
gisvold.peter@mayo.edu

[peterrib]

I was in the proccess of adjusting the tension on the CL line on an Access 6 while it was tethered to my Jeep when the kite kicked my butt. I had been watching Jerry tune his Montanas the same way but I evidently wasn't paying attention and being momentarily distracted reversed my hook-up. My Frenzys are '07 and they may have made some changes. I never have had a problem with pulling the brake on my 14 and getting the kite to sit. My 9 used to invert and flutter once in a while in strong winds but pulling in a little CL line helped that. The 14 is pure bliss. Seems to me every kite has it's own idiosyncrasies to be dealt with. Jerry seems to have the tuning down pat.
Peter

[Bryce]

Not sure if I understand what your trying to do.

1) Basically hook the kite to the car and fly without you being hooked to the kite. Probably a bad idea, If you dove the kite hard the car wouldn't move and could brake some lines.

2) Car tied to harness to kite. I have accidentally tried this one. Went over a pressure ridge with a sled hooked to me. Sled caught hard on the ridge. I got picked up and felt like I was being pull hard in too direction. Not fun.


If I were you I'd get a smaller kite or go out in really light wind (like around 10 mph.. not more then 15). Lots of powder on the lake would help too.

[MK]

berken,

You are witnessing some love from the community. Be safe. Glad you asked in here, it is the right spot for questions and as you can see guiding. Nobody wants to see anyone hurt or compromise our riding locations.

Seriously consider what people have said and consider the link on the upper right (School). At least make sure you go out with other riders around. We've all done the wrong thing before, no need for history to repeat itself.

[monkey1031]

Two things here....


First, a clicky to a vid. Again, don't try this, but if you do, let me film it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_S5FEDu5Ys

Second. Advertising on youtube... Mike, maybe rethink this one. Check the screen grab.





lates.
-smd7

Edited to add: This video is from RUSSIA!!! This had nothing to do with Lakawa... i.e. If you don't want this to happen to you, take lessons with Lakawa.

Are we clear?
Cool.
Over'n'out.

[Jason_L]

Don't!

I actually saw a guy trying this in San Diego. As he was flying the kite, he became suspended between the kite and the rope tied to his truck hitch. So he was in the air flying the kite, and then the rope from his harness to the truck snapped and he went soaring through the air about 50 feet, and luckily landed in the water. At least he didn't get hurt but could have been worse for sure.

Forgot to mention, his truck was shaking back and fourth from the force before the rope snapped. A lot of pressure generated by diving a kite with the flyer stationary.

[Mike B]

Ask Kiteboy what a powered-up kite can do to a four-wheeler.