Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 14:32:01 -1000 From: conleyja@aol.com (Conley JA) Message-Id: <2t33i1$9kl@search01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Help in kite selection needed! I am a sea kayaker and am interested in being towed in my kayak by a kite. I thought it would be fun to have the kite provide the "muscle" and pull me through the water. Do any of you have any suggestions to what type of kite I should look for? Parafoil, delta, conyne? Of course, I will need something steerable (as in a stunt kite) so I can "tack" across the wind. Thanks for your help! Jeff Conley = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 18:49:13 -1000 From: danr@crash.cts.com (Dan Rubesh) Message-Id: Organization: CTS Network Services (CTSNET/crash), San Diego, CA Subject: Re: Help in kite selection needed! conleyja@aol.com (Jeff Conley) writes: > I am a sea kayaker and am interested in being towed in my kayak by a > kite. I thought it would be fun to have the kite provide the "muscle" > and pull me through the water. Do any of you have any suggestions to > what type of kite I should look for? Parafoil, delta, conyne? Of > course, I will need something steerable (as in a stunt kite) so I can > "tack" across the wind. Thanks for your help! About a year (or 2) ago, there was an article in American Kite about a guy that made a fairly significant ocean crossing with a kite powered kayak, as I recall.. Perhaps some rec.kiter that has their AK back issues better organized than I can point you to the issue.. Aside from that, get a copy of Peter Lynn's treatise on traction kiting, "Buggys, Boats and Peels", which may be available at the ftp site in Hawaii.. Andrew Beattie, Kite Oracle, was kind enough to put it on the net a while ago with Peter's permission, and it's also available from the Kite Lines magazine book store as I recall.. As far as a kite recommendation, I'd probably go with a FlexiFoil Sky Tiger, a Force 10 foil, or a Quadrifoil, in at least 3 sizes to accomodate various wind velocities.. Ob. Disclaimer: I am a stunt kite dealer and carry some of the above mentioned product(s). As such, my opinions may tend to be somewhat subjective. -- Tako Buggy Naked Kichi!! Dan Rubesh AKA Member/Merchant Wind Wizard, Purveyor of danr@crash.cts.com GO Stunt Kites & Accessories windwiz@coyote.rain.org FLY A P.O. Box 5747 (805) 659-5654 (voice) STUNT Ventura, CA 93005 (805) 659-5769 (fax) KITE! Member: Kite Trade Assn. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 9 Jun 1994 03:57:17 -1000 From: cassidys@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Steve Cassidy") Message-Id: Organization: Evaluation Services Subject: Re: Help in kite selection needed! > I am a sea kayaker and am interested in being towed in my kayak You need a 10 foot Flexifoil. Or maybe 2, 10 foot flexifoils. You may, then, also need hydrofoils fitted to the underside of your kayak... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 11 Jun 1994 17:19:00 -1000 From: rock@netcom.com (Anne Rock) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services Subject: Re: Help in kite selection needed! Conley JA (conleyja@aol.com) wrote: : I am a sea kayaker and am interested in being towed in my kayak by a : kite. I thought it would be fun to have the kite provide the "muscle" : and pull me through the water. Do any of you have any suggestions to : what type of kite I should look for? Parafoil, delta, conyne? Of : course, I will need something steerable (as in a stunt kite) so I can : "tack" across the wind. Thanks for your help! Husband Steve and I paddle a double sea kayak and also have thoughts about adding a kite to the boat. Jeff Burka has mentioned someone who use a flowform (lift) with several drogues (drag) for downwind sailing on the Great Lakes. The American Kite article that Dan Rubesh mentioned (an early issue of AK, but the trip took place some years before the article was published) is about Ned/Ed Gillette, who used a parafoil for his trip from the West Coast of the US to Hawaii; the winds almost failed him -- I think he was out almost twice as long as expected. I've read on rec.boats.paddle that he has a kayak store in San Diego. For a sparred kite, you might check out KiteSki (see the General FAQ for phone/address). We've thought about modifications to the boat, if we want to use a dual or quadline kite, such as leeboards, rudder in the front; also release systems inside the boat in case we flip but the kite is still flying. There was an article in Sea Kayaker, probably mid-80s. I've also seen articles from High Technology, Sept 85; and Sail, March 85. Haven't seen anything recently, but would like to hear what others are doing. Anne -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Anne Rock | * * rock@netcom.com | * * Berkeley, CA | * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 10:10:31 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: Help in kite selection needed! sirkay@aol.com (Sir Kay) writes: >Wouldn't a Sparred kite be better for this sort of aplication? It >seems to me that a "Flexfoil or sparless type" kite would fill with >water if it should crash into the ocean. Yes. If you dunk a soft kite, you've got to get back to shore to re-launch it. Some observations: Kite-ski use a big Banshe kite and can reliably demonstrate water launching. Last time I went sailing in a decent breeze, I covered a lot of distance, started and stopped many times, let two buggiers have their maiden voyage and we never once dunked the kite. The time when you *do* dunk the kite is when the wind is low, so you re-launch and go back out with a wet kite and find it even harder *groan*. Andrew -- Please note: I have been suffering from mail/news delay. Netiquette-of-the-day: Take care to attribute quotes correctly. You can FTP the kite FAQ's from ftp.hawaii.edu (directory /pub/rec/kites/faq) The FAQ's have lists of kites, kite stores, kite questions, kite books & plans. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 20:49:21 -1000 From: Jon Reinschreiber Message-Id: Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Subject: Re: Help in kite selection needed! I recommend a Sutton Flowform 8 or 16 Sq. ft. They are easy to fly and they are opened at the back so they are easier to get out of the water if you sink them. Jon = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =