Forget the power kites, more fun can be had with trick kites! Before the power wave swept the world the main buzz in the kite community was around trick flying or freestyle. Take a look at the video above and I’m sure that you’ll agree that what can be done is cool. But don’t be fooled, the tricks are extremely hard to perform! If you have never tried this before I suggest you take a look on the Fractured Axel forum for some tips. You can pick up a cheap second hand kite there as well to get you going. If you have some more cash take a look at the Benson site. A great DVD showing you how to do the latest tricks is available called Trick or Treat.
]]>
Kiteboarders Louis Tapper and Alistair Quinn are making the first ever bid to cross the notoriously treacherous Cook Strait by kite, and raise money for the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter while they’re doing it. Chopper rescue services can mean the difference between life and death for thousands of New Zealanders every year. And you can’t get more deserving than that.
Donate now at: http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/kitethestrait/
Louis Tapper and Alistair Quinn, who have spent more than six months pouring over maps and weather charts, waiting for the perfect conditions to be the first kite surfers to cross Cook Strait. They think the time might be right today (Monday 8th December).
The pair, who will raise money and the profile of the Wellington-based Westpac rescue helicopter, think it will take between two to five hours to travel the 26 kilometres from North of Makara to Arapawa Island and have chosen today because of the northerly winds.
“It’s got to be just perfect – we need steady wind, not too strong and not too light. It’s also got to be particular direction, and is not the prevailing wind in this region,” says Louis. “So we’ve had to be very patient, as well as very well-prepared. The real challenge in coping with the large wind variation that occurs across either side of the strait”
There have been several failed attempts in the past few years, Louis says, but he thinks his chosen wind direction and patience will make their attempt a successful one.
Louis, an IT Security Consultant for Westpac Bank, has put his professional risk assessment skills to the test and has “assessed the risks from all angles” as well as many practice runs along the Wellington coastline. He has also consulted with Met Service forecasters, police, local fishermen and the coastguard.
“We’re confident that with the weather playing its part, we will be the first to cross this notorious stretch of water. It’s been our dream since we started kitesurfing and I have used it to motivate myself to get fit over winter. It’s even better that we can also raise awareness of Lifeflight’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter, because we’re really passionate about the great outdoors lifestyle we have in New Zealand. We have a real appreciation of the rescue choppers service and their dependence on people fund raising, so we want to play our part.”
Louis and Ali will tackle the strait alone but will be carrying Spot Messenger satellite tracker, radio and survival equipment. They have a boat on standby for any incidents like ripped gear, injuries or the wind dying out.
Source: http://www.yakers.co.nz/
]]>
While scouring the web for some good kite news this afternoon I stumbled upon the following extract, which has to be the most ridiculous one ever! I always thought kite flying was good, but this article makes me think!!:
Satan Spotted Flying Kite
George Tambov and his friends Nathan Horn and Jerry Lillo of South Carolina were enjoying a warm fall day, throwing a football around in what was usually a deserted field, when they saw something rather unexpected.
“I had just caught a pass when out of the corner of my eye, I saw an enormous red, hooved, horned man laughing and giggling as he flew a kite across the field,” said George of his encounter.
The other two friends confirmed the story and were very certain the man they saw was Satan himself.
“Satan’s a hard guy to miss, there aren’t too many other giant red men with horns on their heads that cause everything around them to wilt and die,” said George.
Upon realizing that he was being watched, a horrified Satan fled into the nearby woods. Afraid to incur his wraith, the three friends did not follow.
Flying a kite is a clean, fun activity, often times enjoyed between elder family members and their children. This starkly contrasts the activities Satan is most often associated with, activities such as torture, torture, more torture, and Celine Deon concerts. Being associated with kite flying could be a huge hit on Satan’s reputation.
“It’s hard to fear and respect a man who is giddy about flying a kite,” said historian Rob Anderson of the South Caroline Museum of Modern Evil.
Source: http://www.smthop.com
]]>
David Sheridan was out riding the waves on Valla Beach in New South Wales, Australia last month when he had a close encounter with something in the water. But unlike other stories you’ve heard before, this one wasn’t a shark.
Instead, the 42-year-old kite surfing high school teacher ran over a whale that had apparently been submerged right underneath him. He realized he was in trouble when he saw a giant shadow in the water but there was no way he could get out of the way in time.
“At first I thought it was the shadow from my kite,” he remembers. “But I quickly realized it was a whale. The whale kept coming up. … I did not know what to expect and I went over its back just past its fin.
“Next thing I felt was its tail come up and hit me on the back of the head.”
Sheridan was alone at the time of the incident and feared that the sudden blow would knock him off his perch or leave him unconscious in the open water. Instead, he wound up shaken and dazed but still in possession of his senses.
They told him to get out of there, pronto.
“Soon after the initial impact the tremendous force subsided and I kite-surfed away with my legs shaking, hooting and yelling filled with excitement and relief,” he recalls.
It’s not that unusual for whales to be in the waters off Australia’s east coast at this time of year, since they migrate north from the Antarctic with their offspring. But it’s rare that man and Moby come together in the middle of that sea of blue.
Sheridan has become something of a local celebrity after his whale of a tale, but some people still think his story is kind of fishy.
“It’s unfortunate that my mates weren’t close enough to witness the action,” he laments nearly a month after it happened. “I don’t think they really believed my story at the time.”
Source: CityNews
]]>
Ozone have just released another land kite. So if you are in the market for something to pull you in a buggy, on a board or just haul you around a field or beach I suggest you take a look at this. Ozone quality is second to none and I personally think they are one of the most experienced foil designers due to their paragliding roots. If you want to purchase one I suggest you take a look here. Take a look at the blurb from their site:
Although accessible to novices, particularly in the smaller 2 and 3m sizes, the Flow is a unique kite that is more than capable of meeting the demands and capturing the imagination of any seasoned kiter.
2m2 The 2 is about as much fun as you can hope to have with a small kite. Massive top end wind range for high-speed balls out buggy runs and just the right amount of challenge for anyone with ambition. Try flying on a bar as the kite boarding trainer of choice.
3m2 The 3 is the ideal entry point in the range for the land locked kiter generating power early on in the wind range while always being easy to control. Quite possibly the perfect introduction to land boarding.
4m2 The 4 has the bottom end power needed in the lighter winds likely to be encountered by novice snow kiters and is a great mid-range buggy engine or land board motor.
5m2 The 5 is the one to beat in is this category, with light wind performance for effortless traction and an upper limit the pros will just keep pushing.
A French adventurer set sail from San Franciso to Polynesia on Tuesday in a bid to become the first person to make a kite-powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean, her spokeswoman said.
“Anne Quemere left San Francisco at 10:32 am (1732 GMT) under sustained winds,” the spokeswoman said.
Quemere, 42, the only woman to have rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean in both directions without assistance, was steering “Oceankite” a 5.5-meter (18 foot) vessel some 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) to French Polynesia.
The voyage to Tahiti is expected to take around three months.
It was her second attempt to set sail. On October 24, she returned to port shortly after sailing as the winds were too weak to impel her out of San Francisco Bay.
In 2002, Quemere set a new record after traversing the South Atlantic in 56 days in a rowing boat. Two years later she took 87 days to row across the North Atlantic.
Quemere, in her record-setting attempt to cross the Pacific, must be at the control of Oceankite’s sail nearly all day, with only a two-hour break for sleep.
Kite surfing is a sport that uses wind power to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard. Quemere will be using a canopy to power her, but will be in a small vessel rather than on a surfboard.
Source: AFP
]]>I ordered one a while back, but have still not tried it. The postal charge was only $30 for International priority post. I also got a few small single liners. In comparison to my Benson Deep Space there are few differences. The kite has all the latest features including roll bars and an active bridle. It looks like a winner. Check out the following video for a taster of what it is capable of:
I have followed the development of Peter Lynn power kites since the introduction of the Peel in 1991. I remeber seeing my first large foil of about 10m squared. At the time this size of foil was unknown - it was a monster!! Nowadays a 10m kite is relatively small. It is amazing how people have got used to flying huge kites. I would have never even considered using a 14m - now I need that kind of size to get going in the sea. The development of the the PL foils has seen may itteration from the peel to n-gen to the newer range of bridleless arcs. The Hornet is the latest ‘bridled foil’ from the lynn think tank. These are no-longer the sole development of the master but still seem to show steady improvements year on year. Here is the latest blurb:
The overall attention that was paid to designing this kite is shown in every aspect. Performance wise this kite has been made to fly well in every single wind condition. The overall feel of the kite and the way it can be controlled gives the kite flyer a very comfortable feeling. Even less demanding entry level fliers appreciate a good flying kite. A good flying kite gets that extra bit of confidence to move onto the next level. The Hornet is very easy going but still challenging to fly.
In terms of construction and finishing the aim of any Peter Lynn kite is always optimal value for money and fun for life! The kite is manufactured from high quality materials. Peter Lynn’s many years of research into fabric and materials ensures a high performance and durability. The leading edge and trailing edge are extra reinforced to prevent any damages in this area of the kite. The stitched bridles and extra features make life easy – have more fun flying your kite instead of struggling to get it set up!
The Hornet is available in 6 different sizes this means we have a size for anyone.
Do you live in a coastal region with loads of wind? Get a Hornet 2.0 or 3.0 to start learning the basics of kite flying. Do you live somewhere inland with less wind? We recommend you to go a bit bigger, a Hornet 3.0 or 4.0.
After you have mastered the basics, you can start to fly your kite in stronger winds and expand your range of kites with a Hornet 5.0, 6.0 or even a 8.0 if you are a big guy looking for a serious challenge. It is always recommended to visit your Peter Lynn dealer, they can give you some extra information about your local kite spots and help you to choose the right kite size according to your weight and local wind conditions.
The Hornet is packaged as a complete package, like all the kites in the Peter Lynn Access range. This means if you buy a PL Access range kite it has all you need to get started to fly your kite. The kite is flown on full EVA foam grip handles, kitekillers, and high quality Dyneema® flying lines. The supplied groundstake will help you secure your handles when taking a break. The full colour instruction manual will help you set up your kite safely and easily.
]]>
Here is another strange story from the land of fighters:
The kite-flying activity during Sankranti festival has claimed lives of 218 pigeons while another 500 pigeons were injured, according to a release from Sahayog Organisation on Monday.
Birds do get inured when they are hit by kites and kite-threads during the festival, release said.
The areas from where the bird deaths were reported include Charminar, Begumpet, Santoshnagar and Goshamahal areas, the release said.
The release said that this year the number of deaths could increase because of Chinese plastic thread which is being used to fly kites on a large scale.
The release said that the volunteers of Sahayog organisation are moving around the twin cities to attend to the injured birds.
Nearly 40 volunteers have been given training to extend first-aid services to the injured birds, the release said.
General public can inform on bird injuries to Sahayog Organisation volunteers on 93940-05600.
Source: The Hindu
]]>The 22nd annual Bristol International Festival of Kites & Air Creations will take place this August in Ashton Court Estate.
Organizers are promising an action packed aerial extravaganza featuring spectacular flying displays, kite fighting battles, breathtaking synchronised routines flown to music and awesome power kites as well as colourful ground-based inflatables and air sculptures of all shapes and sizes.
International guests will be winging their way from across the world to join flyers and enthusiasts from the UK and Europe.
This year the Festival will also host the 20th birthday celebration of Revolution quad line kites, and the world’s top teams will be demonstrating over the weekend.
Festival highlights will include: a 30 metre long multi-coloured manta ray and a gaggle of geckos designed and made in New Zealand by festival favourite Peter Lynn
the brute power of vast man-lifting kite surf wings and the thrills and spills of kite-propelled buggies and land boards
spectacular and colourful sea-themed kites including swirling octopi, a flying scuba diver, a giant mermaid and Roly the mega killer whale
aerial combat with traditional Japanese fighting kites each vying to be the last one in the sky
free children’s kite-making workshops
The Festival programme runs on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August from 11.00am to 5.00pm.
All the information can be found on the Festivals new website, (edit - not working today!!) which will be updated throughout the year.
]]>