freestyle flying with a kite??

reefhugger · Post by **reefhugger** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:23 am

has anyone done this? as in take a stunt kite or kiteboarding kite and just run and jump and catch tiny drafts. obviously im not talking about flying around the perimeter of the event this way, but if i could be picked up even like 2 feet higher than i jumped i would be insanely happy about it.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:29 pm

I was camped across from some DPW folks last year and during a big windstorm they would take pieces of tarp and hold em over their head and catch some air.
My Advice? Don't get any higher than you would care to fall.

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:39 pm

i'm bringing a fairly large parafoil (5 ft maybe) that should be able to drag me around in a fairly heavy wind. I'd love to have a kiteboarding kite, that could get crazy!

RyGuy · Post by **RyGuy** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:13 pm

Just make sure not to wear the harness. Saw a guy dragged some 100 yards on a 3 meter kite. got pretty badly hurt. Better to chase your kite to the perimeter than have it drag you there

reefhugger · Post by **reefhugger** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:39 pm

oh yeah i am a real baby and terrified of heights - perfect for flying!! i would never ever EVER strap myself in and would probably drop it if i got more than 5 feet off the ground. but god, can you imagine??! skeetshooter, i have since found that a couple groups from the bay area kiteboarding thing are bringing equipment, doing performances, and maybe even teaching lessons??! i assume this will be serious but im gonna talk to them hopefully about what kind of kite to get and how not to murtilate myself.

http://bayareakiteboarding.com/archive. ... g-man.html

reefhugger · Post by **reefhugger** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:40 pm

oh that was years ago :(

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:10 pm

damn reefhugger, you got me all excited. thanks...for nothing.

i'll still keep my eyes looking upwards, i'd love to get behind a real big kite!

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:12 pm

wait, where do you see that it was years ago...those postings look recent to me.

Trixy · Post by **Trixy** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:28 pm

I had some buddies last year that took an old military shute, used for equiptment drops I think, and used it to pull them on bikes. There were two main points, so each person grabbed hold, and tried to ride together, under the pull of the wind.

It worked,,,,, sort of. With two people, timing was tough, as well as steering and brakeing, with wind gusts. In fact, gusting seemed to be the problem. Not constant enough. They rode for a long ways, crashing every so often. No one got "hurt", but I saw some pretty good playa burn, not too different than rug burn.

I'm sure it would feel cool to get off the ground; but go easy on the return back to earth. While I'm sure there will be more cushioning this year due to increased dust, the playa is not that soft.

sameguy · Post by **sameguy** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:38 am

I know this is an old thread, but if you are using an actual kiteboarding kite being harnessed in isn't a problem, in fact that's what you attach your leash to. If you start to get dragged simply let go of the control bar and the kite collapses. Not letting go is a newbie mistake that can get you hurt or worse. Oh yea, don't fly a kiteboarding kite unless you know what you're doing.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:38 pm

Screw kites:

If the Man gives you a hard time about driving too fast on the playa and having no piddly permit, pop the sail and fly away.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 2:15 pm

Just hold up a tent or tarp and you could go all the way to the end of the playa.

Absolut Jeenyus · Post by **Absolut Jeenyus** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:14 pm

Yea I've seen a bunch of the kites on sale on craigslist for fairly cheap. All you need is an all terrain board and you can haul ass and catch major air out there.

Igneouss · Post by **Igneouss** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:30 am

Given the negative history at BM with land sailing, I would expect the rangers to shut down any kite boarding/sailing etc.

Would be a shame for anyone to get all worked up and discover they get denied at BM.

But it does sound fun.

Absolut Jeenyus · Post by **Absolut Jeenyus** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:40 pm

I've never seen anyone get talked to for land sailing. If your far enough outside the city there is nobody out there anyways.

Igneouss · Post by **Igneouss** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:54 pm

Few years back...
Someone built a land sail contraption. Brought it to BM. Middle of the night someone else got it moving and some other folks jumped on. The pilot either couldn't control it or lost control. Crashed into a large piece of art (like you said) out in the open playa. Several people hurt. One person seriously (hospitalized with crushed leg). Major art installation seriously damaged.

It was a big deal. Well documented.

All land sailing is banned.

5mph speed limit applies to all. One outgrowth was that the DMV is now very suspicious of anything that is hard to steer or brake. (this was also an issue with the ill-fated but much loved La Contessa).

I'm sure there are threads on the subject.

I'd suggest you contact DMV or Rangers before you invest any money or effort....or build any expectations.

cheers