Power Kite Forum - What do you wanna try?

What do you wanna try?

soliver - 2-5-2014 at 05:36 PM

So it's coming up quick and before you know it we'll all be standing at the top of the stairs or ramp at Dunes Park ready to descend on kite beach and ride until the wind dies. (Or standing around the kite fort eating cookies and talking about going down to the beach and riding until the wind dies.) I've been thinking a lot about it and I know that last year I showed up with an agenda full of all the things I wanted to try and all the things I wanted to do. In hindsight I think this made it such that I didn't have as good a time as I could have, had I just showed up and enjoyed riding.

With that in mind, I've decided NOT to try a bunch of stuff, but to just ride and maybe try 1 or 2 things. I'm thinking I would maybe like to try A. to beat my old PB and get moving a little faster. And B. figure out the Deadman's Turn... Or at least give it a try. Markite said on a previous post he would be willing to help with that one, hopefully he still will be in a week and a half. I will only be on JI for 1 day, but I'll have the rest of the week for practice close by on SSI.

With that in mind, what do you want to try at JIBE that you maybe haven't done before? Or what are you going to practice while you're there amongst those who might be willing to help?

I thought this might be a good discussion because maybe some of the experiences guys could chime in and offer advice to those of us less experienced.

Or maybe you don't want to do anything but just ride... That's always a good answer.

3shot - 2-5-2014 at 06:16 PM

Lets see....
A: I would like to get more familiar with my "new to me" 10m Access so I can potentially buggy Jekyll at least once with it before the weeS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s end (wind permitting).
B: I Would really like to be able to buggy with Black Betty (Toxic 8m). Still need to get used to that monster though:o.
C: To be able to walk away from any kite that may be for sale LMAO

Above all, I just want to ride and meet all the great peeps I've come to know here at PKF. :thumbup:

PHREERIDER - 3-5-2014 at 12:05 PM

getting caught up in just riding, usually is the dominant feature.

tide , wind , crowds ....navigating the later can consume alot of novice skill and offset stepping up to something new or the navigating IS the step up!

winds start creeping in light 1-2 (pray for heat!)

weekdays is wide open, when you get breeze, get to it, most want harnessed ride time , may very well be the longest rides and session some may have experienced.

and if it really fires, 15+, gear changes and flyers can get frantic at base area. SPREAD out at base along dune line. give room YOU NEED and ALLOW ROOM for gear switch. Too many gear switches will eat time and sometimes foul time for skill development on favorite stuff.

TRY NOT TO DROP/PARK stuff out in traffic lanes ..secure on hard sand , drop kite in soft sand.

get out early as tide pushes back to tune your junk and set up...THATS THE BEST TIME TO ASK FOR HELP. its light, no one is amped to ride yet, theres no rush, great time to sponge on advice and get a reasonable plan for things you want to do. like launch and land tips

of course things get exciting and plans change...go early, stay late and get it all!

soliver - 3-5-2014 at 05:41 PM

Indeed Phree, crowd navigation can be an issue for those less experienced. Going north of the tidal warning pole past where Chris sets up the HQ tent or south of the main beach access toward the southern limit for the event (the water tower) gets you more open space with less people. Usually when I come to JI I set up on the northern end and rarely go far south. This year I think I'm going to head south and see if I can get more room to run and try stuff.

Also the reason I'm thinking of coming Wednesday or Thursday as my one day. Those days pose less likelihood of beach goers.

Good advice too on setting up closer to the dunes. I hadn't thought of that. Last year Scott totally wiped out when he ran over the lines of my parked kite. I was prob a little too close to the water. That makes better sense and I'll take that under advisement.

waltweb - 3-5-2014 at 10:44 PM

I hope this is not taken the wrong way, but I will be at JIBE from Wednesday afternoon until Friday night. I have been buggying for 20yrs and have raced with the PKA in the UK for over 10yrs. If I can be of any help to anyone with regards to racing turns and techniques, then I'll be glad to help out. I'm visiting because I've always wanted to visit JIBE, and I've also been to El Mirage and NABX.
I currently use Ozone Access depowers but I used to race with Ozone Razors, so I'm looking forward to meeting you all on the beach for a cruise.

Steve Walt Webb K741

tridude - 4-5-2014 at 04:24 AM

Walts an Ozone man............great choice mi amigo :thumbup:

soliver - 4-5-2014 at 04:34 AM

There won't be any Racing Walt, but I'm sure we'll all benefit from your wealth of knowledge... Thanks!

tridude - 4-5-2014 at 04:40 AM

Walt your resume looks very impressive. Any advise tips pointers do and donts will be well accepted. I lived in the UK for five yrs and look forward to swapping a few stories........Go Gunners............

ssayre - 4-5-2014 at 07:33 AM

unfortunately I can't make it, but If I were going, my main objective would be to learn how to navigate around other beach goers and kiters. I'm normally by myself so kiting with others would be both cool and intimidating. Beyond that, I would just want to try out some other kites and learn various things about riding and kiting from the more experienced.

Demoknight - 4-5-2014 at 07:52 AM

I want to open up on smooth hard pack and go as fast as possible, and make huge power slides. I have been close to 40mph on rough bumpy sand at my local beach, but only have 33.7 on record as a personal best. I want to break 40. I will be flying Black Betty in anything under 15mph of wind for that purpose. The charger will see some action as well as that has been my go to kite the past six months.

More than anything, I want to take off in one direction and just cruise for a while with a friend or two. I might give landboarding another shot, but I will not be focusing much on that as I really just prefer to sit and go fast

Oh yeah, and coyotes! I want to try someone's coyotes on my Charger. I promise to replace any tubes I pop :evil:

waltweb - 4-5-2014 at 11:54 AM

ThanS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s for your replies. Knowing what some beaches can be like, I appreciate that Jekyll Isl doesen't really lend itself to holding races, and JIBE isn't a race meet. I'm really comming for beach cruising, and meeting up with you crazy powerkite people.

See you soon :D

Proletariat - 7-5-2014 at 01:21 PM

A. Water & Self Rescue & Body drag upwind
B. A bit of air on my land board
C. More riding. Last year I spent a lot of time just sitting around talking, gear switching, detangling, etc. I really intend to put some time in, this go 'round.

If the wind dies, I really need to pick all of your brains on how to dump speed or turn at speed on a buggy.

Demoknight - 7-5-2014 at 01:56 PM

Proletariat, If you just want to learn to scrub speed or make high speed turns, hardpack beach sand is THE best place to do it. It is very hard to flip a bug on smooth sand. The hard part is working the courage to just whip it once at speed and deal with the outcome by good kite control and steering into the skid to create a controlled slide instead of a spin. If you want to slow down, just turn away from the kite to slide sideways a little. If you need to make an emergency full stop, you don't even have to move the kite up; you can just jam the wheel towards the kite and point downwind in a slide. I have managed to go from full speed (30mph+) to a full stop in less than 20 feet on my beach. You need to be relatively powered to be able to do that without stalling and dropping the kite though.

soliver - 7-5-2014 at 02:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat

....or turn at speed on a buggy.

Downturn baby... Downturn :smilegrin:

Excited to see you again this year Dave... Maybe we can actually chat this go round!!

bigkid - 7-5-2014 at 09:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

There won't be any Racing Walt, but I'm sure we'll all benefit from your wealth of knowledge... Thanks!

what? put out a couple cones or pool noodles and see what happens. :lol:

wish I was going this year, the warm water, the smooth off shore breeze, Angus, the cookies, the sneeky cop that hides back under the bridge as you speed down the other side as you leave the island, walking distance to dairy queen, oh my my, I remember last year there was a high school graduation thing at the convention center and there was these 2 girls in short white dresses with red high heals walking across the parking lot and i wasnt the only one watching.... er a the warm water, the smooth wind. think I need to book a flight for next year. :lol:

acampbell - 8-5-2014 at 05:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat

If the wind dies, I really need to pick all of your brains on how to dump speed or turn at speed on a buggy.

Just drive into the ocean. Works well for me.

soliver - 8-5-2014 at 06:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by acampbell

Quote: Originally posted by Proletariat

If the wind dies, I really need to pick all of your brains on how to dump speed or turn at speed on a buggy.

Just drive into the ocean. Works well for me.

What seemed to work for me last year was to be lofted up a couple of feet out of the seat, land neatly behind the buggy as I watch THE BUGGY roll into the ocean.

Came to a dead stop that way :smilegrin:

Proletariat - 8-5-2014 at 09:17 AM

Hrm... I hadn't considered the downwind skid stop. I had turned downwind and ran out a gist, but never did an awesome big wheel slide to stop the bug while managing he kite in the window (which I think I can do). That's brilliant.

Um, now can I borrow someone's buggy while I'm down there so I can try it?

. I'm only bringing a board.

Demoknight - 8-5-2014 at 12:21 PM

Yep, downwind skid is how I come to a full stop almost instantly. You do not slide very far, because it unloads the lines of the kite, and you scrub all your speed so fast that the kite doesn't seem to mind much because the lines go tight again right when you stop. You can be fully lit with the kite down low and it doesn't really add any distance to your stop. If you turn upwind, you will just slide and slide and slide. You can slow down that way, but it is not the way to come to a quick stop.

3shot - 8-5-2014 at 04:29 PM

Well I have a lot to learn coming from soccer field riding all the time. Just stick me at the most northern and southern part of the beach and I should be good to go LOL. Its been 5 months since I've rode with WELDNGOD and be able to really stretch out a few runs on a long beach, and that was in 20-25 mph winds with a bunch of 2 meter kites and a PL buggy.

Lets see... Since the last beach run,
New VTT buggy
New Toxics
Riding a harness now
First depower.... Yeah, I got plenty of sh#t to try.

Good Lord I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!
:bouncing: :bouncing:

soliver - 8-5-2014 at 04:59 PM

Ditto kiddo,... I'm headed south this year, join me if you like!

It's a funny transition from fields to beach,... I'm so used to turning after moving about the length of one of my home fields that I have to fight the urge to turn and keep going strait

acampbell - 8-5-2014 at 05:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Demoknight

Yep, downwind skid is how I come to a full stop almost instantly. You do not slide very far, because it unloads the lines of the kite, and you scrub all your speed so fast that the kite doesn't seem to mind much because the lines go tight again right when you stop. You can be fully lit with the kite down low and it doesn't really add any distance to your stop. If you turn upwind, you will just slide and slide and slide. You can slow down that way, but it is not the way to come to a quick stop.

YUP. Well said. But there is still ocean. Just bring fast drying clothes.

3shot - 8-5-2014 at 05:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Ditto kiddo,... I'm headed south this year, join me if you like!

It's a funny transition from fields to beach,... I'm so used to turning after moving about the length of one of my home fields that I have to fight the urge to turn and keep going strait

Yeah, I'm gonna try to stay clear of the high traffic areas until I get a better feel for some of my new gear.

Demoknight - 13-5-2014 at 08:59 AM

Judging by the wind forecast I have seen so far, it looks like mostly Black Betty weather for me unless it gets above 13mph and stays there. That is when I will bring out the Charger. If the forecast is right, there will be some offshore stuff Friday that could get a little choppy, so perfect reason to have an arc on hand

PHREERIDER - 13-5-2014 at 09:29 AM

typically off shore stuff is out of reach, very rough if present at all. beach front is usually dead

NW here is the worst , even on the inside. if its north its better.

after trying to ride NW here for years, i have come to the conclusion "NW" means NoWay

i hoping the forecast changes after the front stalls and we get anything else but NW.

front is HUGE but seems stalled and fragmenting...GO HIGH pressure!

PHREERIDER - 13-5-2014 at 04:47 PM

next couple hours we'll see!..... looks to me like the H pressure is winning looks like we might get some decent South/ESE. man that would be indeed supreme!

soliver - 13-5-2014 at 04:51 PM

I just checked and Wed. looks good for ESE... Nice dead onshore for me!!!

PHREERIDER - 13-5-2014 at 06:06 PM

yeah wednesday is gonna be a champion day! thurs fri sat are subject to change! i hope

Proletariat - 15-5-2014 at 07:31 AM

Today looks like rain all day. You coming out tomorrow, Chad? I need some flysurfer backup

3shot - 15-5-2014 at 09:08 AM

Compiling YouTube material to pass the time. Rain Rain go away!!!

TEDWESLEY - 15-5-2014 at 09:14 AM

I think I'm getting the dreaded "buggy pilots hunch" It's taking longer and longer to fully straighten out as I rise from the bug.

Demoknight - 19-5-2014 at 12:34 PM

Mark flagged me down when I was flying his 8.6m Reactor 2013 on Saturday and said, "You know, you are hitting the perfect speeds to try a deadman's turn..." I have never even really tried one before at my local beach. He gave me a quick rundown of how it should go, and I took off to build up some speed and give it a try. I was out in front of Mark and dived the kite down and around behind me and holy moly the pull is like nothing I have ever felt from a kite! I had so much speed going into the turn, and I kept the kite smooth and low and actually pulled it off on my very first attempt. Mark saw so he can vouch

I practiced a few more times down the beach by the water tower before heading back up to kitefort to try it in front of a crowd. I must have done it twenty times once I pulled the first one. They are right, once you get the feel for it, it is so much easier.

P.S. I don't remember who, but I think it was 3shot that got a bit of GoPro footage of one of them I pulled close to camp. Hoping that gets thrown into a JIBE video. I can trade you footage I have of Markite taking a dunk with his Phantom

Too bad nobody got film of when he almost took out those two old ladies!

Proletariat - 19-5-2014 at 01:16 PM

Yeah, man, you were popping those bad boys out like crazy there towards the end. I personally witnessed 4 of them. That was awesome.

Also man, I'm sorry i left without saying bye. I was running way behind as it was, and I knew you were going to be deadmanning for a while

I was super pumped riding with you and Itay, man. I didn't get any deadman footage of ya, but I got some other stuff. I'll try to get it up inside the week (or it'll never get up).

Oh, and when Itay pulled my tired ass aside and said, "hey man, you gotta run down to the tower and back, it's outta this world..." I wasn't going to go, but I rallied and went. The beach was deserted except for that wedding, and the wind had turned 100% steady onshore 10mph, and the sand was solid and reliable. It ended up being easily the best run of my life and I was able to catch some nice smooth floaty airs over and over with the 15m Speed3. I landed almost every single one of them, and it was sort of my first time catching air on purpose at speed... I'm glad I went

Mission accomplished.

Demoknight - 19-5-2014 at 01:32 PM

Yeah, Itay and myself spent a lot of time cruising between camp and the plover water tower. It was such a stress free stretch of deserted beach. There were literally two or three people between the wedding and water tower.

soliver - 19-5-2014 at 05:09 PM

Once again... Man I feel like I missed some good stuff the other days... I'm SO jealous you pulled off a deadman, Demo. I guess I did accomplish 1/2 of my to do list though.

Demo, were you able to get a speedo to clock your mph?

3shot - 19-5-2014 at 05:23 PM

Yes Demo. I got some on vid :thumbup:

markite - 19-5-2014 at 07:24 PM

Yah, the late day Saturday had really sweet wind heading south and again I was taking people for tandems and the speed was perfect and I knew it was the right zone for Errol to give it a go if he was willing. I was keeping back to give him room to find a clean space and like a pro he pulled it off fast and smooth the first try. Following behind I wish I had footage of all the fist pumping and yells coming from Errol- really awesome. A quick close pass for a high five between us and we stopped to discuss giving a few more goes to develop the sense of right speed and angle etc. For me the little bonus was watching on his 2nd and 3rd attempts that weren't quite so successful, but one ended with Errol nailing one of those deep tidal streams with a big explosion of water.
yes, he's got the move figured out, next one to do it is you Spence!
.....and the two ladies I made duck and cover ...... My bad I apologized and they were cool with it and I had to arrange a date night with them to make up for it:D

PHREERIDER - 20-5-2014 at 08:14 AM

saturday was nice, i had to jet just as it opened up, and indeed the long runs are the best!
love 'em. scored a full round as the tide opened a bit as the crowds gave way.

everybody progresses on JI! great spot , good breeze ..all you guys were steppin up!

and dave actually got on the water!

Demoknight - 20-5-2014 at 08:32 AM

Soliver, I didn't have any GPS on board, but Mark and I made several trips to the south tower and back pacing together and his GPS read 37.5mph. We were both running into the same problem where as soon as we would get to the 35-36 mark we would get overpowered and start getting pulled sideways a bit as the kite adjusted to the apparent wind. That is now the fastest I have been so far.

On Thursday when we had that side on breeze, I was on Dave's 10m Speed 4 and was really cooking down wind, but I was the only one really running full on downwind, so I kept having to stop for people crossing in front of me. The lines were nearly slack and I was easily doing 30mph with the kite way out in front of me, so I really felt I had a ton of headroom to possibly break 40mph if I went a bit farther upwind to start the run. Just the feeling that I had so much more headroom under the hood was pretty impressive though. That was a very technical day because of how side shore the wind was.

markite - 20-5-2014 at 08:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PHREERIDER

and dave actually got on the water!

It was a really nice short session on the water friday eve when Dave and I came down to the southern park to surf with you and Chris. I was so nice and boostie for jumps that I wish i had come down a little earlier afternoon. We squeezed in a little time before the sun was starting to go down, the wind dropping off quick and the tide covering Dave's sandals and creeping up on the rest of our gear on shore.

I was telling a few of you that the next morning I went back for a hike with Fiona and a bunch of guys fishing that spot said he caught an 8 foot Bull shark that eve after we finished surfing and another local told me that stretch of water between southern Jekyll and Cumberland island has the highest population of sharks on the east coast including some hammerheads - did we jump the shark?
It was great, glad I went out.

Tried to go out saturday late day on the main beach but the wind was all over the beach and as i walked out into the water there was less and less and 100 ft offshore the kite was getting tippy just to keep it flying so no go but it was excellent riding squeezing out the last bit of daylight and breeze before the last of us were packing up in the dark by the kite fort.

PHREERIDER - 20-5-2014 at 09:44 AM

the tide calls me ! and its time to go. reading the tides and current is how its done on the back side.
glad you guys came and got a taste. most outflow channels have deep heavily populated shark holes...with the fishing and shore bait the nursery for baby sharks is good.

its hard to convey the "GO NOW " and missing the slack tide time and current switch is the sweetest for offshore.
and dave did well despite the sharks!