Watch another prototype of my invention of a heeling free kite rig, this time mounted to a surfboard:

Video: Sit-On-Kiteboard (Prototype)


Greetings

Ingo

That's cool. What does "heeling free" mean?

Quote:

Originally posted by B-Roc That's cool. What does "heeling free" mean?

Heeling (caused by heeling force) is what e.g. sailboats are experiencing, because the force of the sail is attacking a few meters above waterline and the counteracting force to provide the lateral resistance (and enabling to go upwind) is attacking under the waterline (at keel or dagger board) causing a tilted position. On an ordinary kite board(or in a sailing dinghy) the heeling force is being overcome, by the rider(or skipper) leaning out in the opposite direction of kite(sail) pull, in my invention there is no heeling force at all (it is being equaled out in front of the board) , that's why it's possible to sit down without the need to balance. This might sound useless on a kite board, but at least in theory it allows for much bigger kites (at the same wind speed) and thus for potentially much higher speed than an ordinary kite board.

cheers

Ingo

interesting design , the "sit on " reminded me of this. ....




taking the "balance" out of a balancing board sport will reduce skill level needed to operate. certainly widens the market scope, but increases the hazard in general to less skilled.

as the pic depicts a paraplegic sit on board, this board REQUIRES balance. something about the balance component in the experience makes the experience PILOTED not just ride along.

What happens if a gust hits and the board is overpowered? I mean where it gets picked up and put back down, maybe upside down? What happens if you have to go to safety on the kite? I appreciate your ingenuity but these are the questions that pop up when I watch the videos.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob What happens if a gust hits and the board is overpowered? I mean where it gets picked up and put back down, maybe upside down? What happens if you have to go to safety on the kite? I appreciate your ingenuity but these are the questions that pop up when I watch the videos.

I am quite sure that if sit-on kiteboards of the kind I have presented in my video would make it to market, soon some folks would start jumping with them and land safely. I haven't tried it yet, but I think that chances were quite good to land safely and without capsizing even if lifted unintentionally by a sudden gust.
I have developed and tried a safety system that should work well in combination with the kite bars QR, if that is triggered or if the driver goes over board the ring connecting the lines to the lever arm in front of the board would be released as well.

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER interesting design , the "sit on " reminded me of this. .... taking the "balance" out of a balancing board sport will reduce skill level needed to operate. certainly widens the market scope, but increases the hazard in general to less skilled. as the pic depicts a paraplegic sit on board, this board REQUIRES balance. something about the balance component in the experience makes the experience PILOTED not just ride along.

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER interesting design , the "sit on " reminded me of this. .... taking the "balance" out of a balancing board sport will reduce skill level needed to operate. certainly widens the market scope, but increases the hazard in general to less skilled. as the pic depicts a paraplegic sit on board, this board REQUIRES balance. something about the balance component in the experience makes the experience PILOTED not just ride along.

I haven't invented this to take the balancing aspect out of kiteboarding (which I do and enjoy myself). I thought and do think, that the incredible and fascinating power of traction kites shouldn't be limited to only (stand-and-balance-on) kiteboards, but to boats and yachts as well (or e.g. for power generation), the sit-on-kiteboard is to me just the smallest form of a kiteboat (so may be I should have posted it under kiteboating rather than kiteboarding), just a different way to use kitepower, which should coexist IMHO with kitesurfing (as Buggies and ATBs coexist in landkiting).
I am doubting, by the way, that most paraplegics could ride my board or the one presented by you, as still a considerable sense of balance would be required.