Anyone Into Traction Kiting?

wideangle

I picked up a kite while on me hols in Spain its an eleo radsails 125.Its the best kite Ive ever had and with the right amount of wind it will pull me along the ground and possibly into the air.
This sport is huge in europe and has been for a number of years.I have a number of dual line kites such as two delta and two dimond shaped ones.I also have two single line pocket kites ready to fly in seconds and also a single line traditional dimond kite.
I love flying me kites at the beach or in a playing pitch near enuff to me its ontop of a hill so there is allways some bit of wind.
Some people dont understand the attraction of it all,and there are many kids that will grow up having never flown a kite.
Kites are over 2000 years old and are of Chinesse extrection..if u like them go and buy one and give it a try.


And never knock what u dont understand...thanks. :cool:

Puck

I love flying kites! I have two small sparless dual-line parafoils (probably best described as mini versions of power kites), a dual line delta stunter and a traditional single-line cutter (diamond but with a "sail" instead of a bridle).

Kite flying is extremely enjoyable and relaxing. I've never seen anyone flying a kite looking bored or sad.

I'd be interested in power kiting, maybe kite boarding but it all looks terribly expensive.

scribs

kites rules - try it with a mountain board attached to your feet

Puck

Yeah that's what I'd like to try, I'll need a bigger kite and a board and safety gear though, all of which kind of adds up.

Puck

Just bought myself a HQ Beamer II 2.5 online. Can't wait for it to be delivered. From what I gather this is an excellent entry level traction kite.

wideangle

Good to see there are more of us.
I have a large
new power delta duel line stunt kite
A traditional diamond cutter
Two fold up pocket sparless foils
A eolo rad sails 145 foil kite
Two diamond duel line stunt kites both plastic sails
And another duel line delta stunt kite bought second hand for 3euro..
I also bought a trapazoid kite in aldi last week for 6 quid and its well worth it..all the other types they had were gone!!

The radsails is the entry level one..it can pull me along the ground but it hasnt yet.
Going looking to buy a bigger one this side of christmas...loads of bargins on e-bay!!
how much did ur kite set u back for.

Puck

The Beamer II will do about €170 of damage to my credit card (including P&P) I think. Also I had to get insured for it and I'm going to join the IPKA, want to do this properly if I'm doing it at all.

My two small parafoils were bought in Aldi last week for €5.99. Aldi called them "Parachute" kites though. They're a bargain for the money and good fun to fly!

wideangle

Your getting serious about it so,if ur getting insured and joining the organisation.You were lucky to get those kites in Aldi last week,they ll probably get them in again soon,so Ill get a few more then.
Im down here in cork..I suppose ur in Dublin!

wideangle

The price u paid for ur new kite sounds very good if p&p is included. :cool:

Puck

wideangle wrote:

Your getting serious about it so,if ur getting insured and joining the organisation.You were lucky to get those kites in Aldi last week,they ll probably get them in again soon,so Ill get a few more then.
Im down here in cork..I suppose ur in Dublin!

No, I'm in Clonmel.

wideangle

So are there many fliers in Clonmel?Im thinking of goint to Tramore to fly me kites in the next week or two.Maybe you might make it the same day...maybe not.

Puck

I seem to be on my own up here. Tramore seems to be the place to be for the South East, although I'd like to try it out on a quieter beach first until I'm sure I can handle it, don't want to injure anyone.

wideangle

Surley theres a field near you that u can try it out in.I flew my traction kite at Inchadonny west cork and Garryvoe east cork,Graayvoe is well good cause if the beach is busy or the tide is in .there is a feild that is usable, without too much interuption.I think its a overflow carpark field!!

Puck

Oh there's a field right next to me that I use to fly my stunter, however we have dogs and it's hard enough to fly my stunt kite with the dogs running about after it and attacking it when it lands. Also the farmer just spread some slurry so I'm not too eager to go into the field just yet.

coreilly1

Yeah dudes,I wanna try out a kite with my mountain board,anyone done it?

Anyone know what sort of kite would suit for entry level and what sorta spons I'll be spending?I suppose the beach is best area cos of the wind n stuff?or any other places?

Nice

Puck

Before you put a board under you I think you should learn how to fly the kite on its own for a while, so you get a feel for how and when it generates power and how to control it. I'd recommend a HQ Beamer II, either 3.6 or 2.5 for starting out (I got the 2.5 myself, see my posts above for how much it cost me).

These sites are good:
www.ipka.info
www.kiteireland.com
www.racekites.com

wideangle

I agree with puck.Learn to fly a twin line kite first..even if its not a foil.You need to know how the wind will react to the angle you have the kite at and where too find the powerzone.

I was flying my foil on Inchadonny strand this morning and just as I arrived I saw this guy flying a huge foil on the beach.He was getting dragged and pulled along...it was obvious he didnt want too and he even got pulled along while luying down on his stomach....ouch!!!
A total beginner by the looks of it..the kite was way too big for a beginner one.
The wind was strange it was changing direction and strength alot but I managed to have some fun with mine
!!!

wideangle

Oh ya Puck do you wear gloves when you go flying..Im looking for a reasonable priced xl size leather gloves...Id reccomend you get a pair if you dont or youll get friction burns on your fingers.

Puck

The quad handles I have with the Beamer II are padded, however I have some fingerless biking gloves just in case that's not enough. What are you getting the burns from, the handles for the radsail? I was going to fly this weekend but put my back out lifting a bloody industrial sander up some stairs.

I'm looking out the window and pining.

coreilly1

Ah the 'ol industrial sander up a stairs problem.Had it before mate,not fun.Yeah will check out that site.The price you paid for that beamer seems to be a good deal.did that include shipping?

Puck

Ugh, they're heavy alright! My doctor said I "lifted the ligament off the bone". Not nice!
I'm currently covered in tiger balm.

Just checked my credit card statement and the total cost or the purchase (postage, packing, everything) came to €173.03. Got it from www.kiteshop.co.uk .

I managed to get it flying for a short while today though. It's almost dead calm so it didn't stay up long and I had to do "infinities" (sideways figure-8s) to keep it going. I was still surprised with the amount of pull from it given that there was practically no wind though.

wideangle

I was wearing downhill mountain biking gloves,but if a gust of wind comes along while your launching it the lines tend to burn the blinken things and me fingers along with them.
Was flying for a while today at Youghal strand and wore a pair of those grippy work gloves they work fine no more burns....

Your kite is a four line...so your diving in at the deep end.That price is really good for a four line foil...well done.I found that site to be dear enuff.
Im waiting before I purchase again as im off to sunny spain soon...and im bringing me kite and may purchase over there again!!!

Puck

I have experience with a two-line foil before so I think I'll be fine. I think I managed to get a good sense of how it flies on Monday and practiced parking it gently by pulling on the break lines. It comes down real easy and when I stake the handles down by the breaks it just sits there, upright, looking at me. "Fly me John! Fly me!" Shame there wasn't more wind, and now the bloody field is full of cows.

I don't know what the radsail handles look like but I'd imagine they're quite different to my quad handles; I can't think of a reason I'd need to touch the lines while launching.

The Beamers are excellent value for money! And another thing - the customer service from HQ is unreal! I emailed them with a really dumb newbie question that, when I re-read it, I discovered was already in the manual. Not only was my question answered but it was answered by a guy who designed the bloody kite!

wideangle

Klass....you see I launch the kite from the bridle end letting the lines out bit by bit untill the handle strapps come into my hands.I never have anyone with me to launch it as none of my friends are into kites...they believe all kites are for kids...just like alot of other people do!!!!
But they are not are they...its a tradition that has evolved into a sport like no other...
I think hq kites are better value than flexifoil.And radsails are fairly good value too my one was only 25 euro in spain...had to take it or leave it as the shop was about too close so I took it...
We'll have to start new threads... :cool:

Puck

Ah I get you now, I used to do that with my two-line foil.

danger_mouse_tm

Sorry for bringing up such an old thread but today I decided to take my first kite out to Courtmacsherry to try it out. It's been sitting in the boot of the car for a month. I thought I was after getting a good enough one. A two line stunt kite from Smyths toy store for €15.
It was a wild morning and the kite stayed in the air for five seconds at a time. I've completely trashed it, nearly impaled my two year old several times (as well as my wife) so now I am on a mission to find out where I can get a kite that the family can enjoy.
I spent this afternoon on various kite forums and websites. It appears that these two line stunt kites are the way to go for me but I don't think my two year old would be able to hold it at all.
Are there any good single line ones out there than can handle the higher costal winds? I live in Bandon and am not sure of anywhere nearby that I can fly it.

Puck

Get yourself a nice little two-line parafoil kite like the HQ Symphony Beach. There are no hard spars in them, they take shape by the wind filling up the air "pockets" in the kite. Not having any hard parts means they can take a lot more damage without breaking and if you hit someone with it it's like being hit by a high-speed plastic bag - i.e. not exactly nice if hit in the face but very slim chance of any injury at all with a kite that size.

The quiet stretch on Inchydoney is a nice place to fly.

danger_mouse_tm

I've just looked at a good few YouTube videos of that kite. Looks like a lot of fun. I will search a few online shops to see if I can get a 1.7m one. I don't think my two year old would be able to use it so I will keep an eye out for a suitable single line ( or maybe just buy her a balloon)!

Brad768

Other options are the Ozone Imp and the Peter Lynn Twister. 2 Respected kite manufacturers of the kite world.