Anyone for kites?

[Rob_Webb]

Have you seen any of these in your neck of the woods yet? Can't see them taking off (literally) in the Solent. What a blast tho.

http://www.kiteship.com/index.html

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[bruce]

if i can find a used board kite, want to try it with a 14'day sailor, looks interesting.

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[DanTribe]

They look like a scaled down version of my wifes knickers, but more controllable.

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[Sybarite]

I wonder why they are not standard issue for life-rafts. Seriously.

John

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[Rob_Webb]

Well I know of offshore racing guys down here who have small ones of these aboard in case they ever lose their rig - much better than relying on a jury rig which is always going to be an unknown quantity.

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[Gunfleet]

or for an emergency radio antenna!

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[T_S]

We were watching some guy use one on the Blackwater as we sailed to Heybridge back in July this year, Boy can the things move, He must have been reaching speeds close to thirty knots!

At last it looks like the 'Wide Boy' jet ski owners may have some headaches at last if they pick on one of these kite guys, they even get airborn doing 180' turns before landing.



<hr width=100% size=1>Trailer Sailors get there by road!

 

[BobE]

I investigated them last spring.... Couldn't get a trial sail with a large enough one tho'
Apparently the big advantage over a spinnaker is that the power is thro' the sheets and they are from on the hull like genoa sheets so much less rolling...
Then there is a "depowering" line from say the bow roller area..
Also of course they are working in stronger windstreams way up there..
CSC have a personal handicap system so it would have been nice to bring the thing out for a single "Trophy" race and 'ugger the plastic skimmers!
Next year maybe?
Cheers Bob E..

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[BrendanS]

A 66 foot raggie, doing 30knts, and 180' turns while airborn, on the Blackwater. That must have been something to have seen!! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[T_S]

Oops sorry! Thought the subject was on kite boards /forums/images/icons/blush.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Trailer Sailors get there by road!

 

[Gunfleet]

Bob I am so far from being a racing sailor it's beyond belief! However, they look like fun and as John (Sybarite) points out, there are obvious possible uses in safety situations.

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[BrendanS]

Would still love to have seen it! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[T_S]

LOL.......But I wouldn't have wanted to be near the area when the dammed thing hit the drink! /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Trailer Sailors get there by road!

 

[BrendanS]

If it landed on a few of your jet skiers, would have been even more interesting! <GG>

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[Goodge]

Apparently this is a 66 footer practising for the Sydney Hobart .

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[jamesjermain]

YM Tested

YM has done some trials with a kite on a 42 footer. The conditions were, unfortunately, less than ideal. I can't pre-empt the article, which will aear in the March issue, but suffice to say I won't be putting one on my Chrissie present list

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[kds]

It looks brilliant ! And probably serves well as a sea anchor when you try to bring it down ?
Ken

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.canongrange.co.uk>Bed and Breakfast, cathedral Green Wells, Somerset Canon Grange</A>

 

[Rob_Webb]

Correct - and look at the lift it gives the boat. Need to factor in cost and stowage and handling of sheets tho - we're talking 70-100m lines here. Lots of beer tokens and tons of spaghetti in cockpit.

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[Sgeir]

Re: YM Tested

James

Probably totally wrong about this, but with only 3(?) sheeets/lines, I was wondering if these things would be easier for a short-handed boat ie two people. Spinnakers aren't exactly easy IMHO - which why we boom out the genny. While everybody passes us.

<hr width=100% size=1>I had a very nice link until Kim told us off about it. I'm not bitter mind.

 

[DanTribe]

It will be interesting at Cowes Week when two fleets using kites converge at a gybe mark. Does anyone want to volunteer for a protest committee?
Dan

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