Power Kite Forum

Upwind turns... I wanna try

soliver - 19-10-2013 at 06:59 PM

So I'm finished with school for a little while and looking forward getting back into the buggy seat.

One thing I wanna try to teach myself is the upwind turn, so please tell me how...

Jeff did a 5 second demo for me at JIBE but I really didn't catch it.

I'm thinking its a matter of building up speed, putting the kite up high and turning upwind with the forward momentum. Tell me if I'm right guys. Or make other suggestions.

After that it's going backwards :)

Thanks

BeamerBob - 19-10-2013 at 09:09 PM

That's it in a nutshell. You don't need nearly as much speed for an upwind turn as a suicide jibe. Running with the kite to your right, pull the kite overhead and turn upwind while pulling the left handle to rotate the kite as you turn counterclockwise underneath it. Continue to turn the kite and buggy until you're flying the kite from the left side of the buggy. Dive the kite and ride away in the other direction.

Don't turn the kite so fast that you loop it before you get the buggy turned or it will rip you out the back of the buggy.

RonH - 20-10-2013 at 08:35 AM

Just remember to keep the kite in a neutral position till the buggy comes around... Pulling the kite around early usually ends in an OBE out the back.

Ron

bartiebat - 20-10-2013 at 08:46 AM

Do them static first so you realise it's no biggy & just your head playing mind games with you. ;) Think about how you're just leaving the kite there & it's you turning around the fixed object (really in the same way you turn around it downwind) rather than panicking & moving the kite which will get you into bother. As BB , don't worry about speed, if I've not done them for ages I do a few slow ones first. Good luck :)

ChrisH - 20-10-2013 at 01:44 PM

Remember to let go when the kite is behind you, or pull both brake lines hard. It's really fun once you get them down.

kiteballoon - 21-10-2013 at 06:06 AM

How timely! I just spent some time trying these for the first time yesterday. I saw some folks doing it as well and decided to give it a whirl. They were not as smooth as I saw being performed, but I was successful on my first try. I won't share how to do it as the folks above have nailed it better than myself. For me, I was trying to get the timing right for diving the kite at the same time I had turned around to keep the speed up. For the first few tries I don't suggest worrying about that. Do the turn and feel the kite as turn across the window. After the first time you do it, it will make sense and be clear if it's not already :-)

soliver - 21-10-2013 at 03:07 PM

Thanks guys... It may be a bit before I can get out and try it, but I'll be out sooner or later.

I'm excited to try it!

soliver - 27-10-2013 at 07:10 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
That's it in a nutshell. You don't need nearly as much speed for an upwind turn as a suicide jibe. .


Suicide Jibe? Is that what Dean was doing towards 2:37 & again towards the end where the kite is sort or slinging him 'round?

https://vimeo.com/66117591

Elaborate on how that's done.

John Holgate - 27-10-2013 at 02:30 PM

I think he was either trying a 360 or he was trying to wipe out the two blowcarts. I really hope he looked and knew where everyone was before he made the turn 'cos on the video it looks terribly reckless and dangerous.

There was a good thread here somewhere not so long ago about Suicide Jibes....

BeamerBob - 27-10-2013 at 03:16 PM

No, what dean was attempting there was a Deadman's Turn. I think he would've been fine with shorter lines.

Here is a really good discussion with several videos showing what the Suicide Gibe looks like.

PKF link

pbc - 28-10-2013 at 05:59 PM

Also, make sure you turn wide enough that your wheels don't slide. It'll be a very wide radius turn, so make sure you have a lot of room upwind before you start.

The speed-conserving turns require a lot of room whether you are turning up wind or downwind. They can be challenging to do at the beach if you don't position yourself correctly before you start.

Philip