Leaderboard

Not a bad run. Got up early, made the journey down to Sandy Point, and poked our heads on the beach at 9:10am To be greeted by no wind, and sea fog. "Well, the wind is ment to turn." I said to Junior. So, we decided that at least we could assemble the buggyies and use them as chairs, while we waited for the wind to arrive. A big "Hi" to forum lurker Ross, who had seen my post about going down, and decided to join us. Rocking up not long into our buggy assembly. Got junior to go back and see if the wind had arrived, and it was blowing with white caps he said. Put back the 5knot kites, and got the 10knot kites out. Off to the beach we all go!! On the beach the wind was almost straight down the beach from the South East, not quite what we wanted. But it was wind, and use it, we did. Decided to head to the point, so we started tacking back and forth to get there. The wind slowly started to swing more to the South, and more onshore, but also varied in strength as well over the next few hours. I shadowed Junior and Ross, while we headed to the point. Passing backwards and forwards through them throughout the day. Making sure that help wasn't too far away if they needed it. But the only person to need help was me. About 45 minutes into the session, I was coming back through the two of them, when, Bang! One handle went limp, and the line was winding it'self around my wheel. Did I snap a line? Did I catch the line on the rear wheel? Once out of the buggy and able to have a look at the 4.5m Century Soulfly, the bridal had decided to let go! I now had no connection to the left side of the kite, even the brake line bridal had joined in. The lines we in one piece, so I had to take the wheel off to remove the lines around the axle. So in the buggy bag, size up 5.6m, or size down 3m? Size up, silly question. Out with the 5.6m PL Twister. Not the quickest kite, but a solid performer. I have a new 5.5m HQ Prodigy kite that I would like to try, but it was back in the car. Well, I don't have to work the kite as hard now, just hold on. No more tacking for us all by now, and we started to get some inroads towards the point (about 10km from our starting point). We got the standard wind increase (+1-2 knots) when we passed the dunes and hit the spit. And then with the end of the point in sight, the wind lulled off a bit. But we got there!! Congrats to Ross for making it that far without a harness, and fighting a kite that just didn't seem to want to perform. After a little break, we turned around and headed back. With the wind behind us, it was a much faster run home. I clocked 56kph, and Junior got a new PB!! Only 0.1km quicker than last time, but quicker none the less. So his new PB stands at 45.8kph A big thanks to John for the 3.5m Long Star, Junior loves it!! Got back to the Life Saving club at Sandy Point, and called it a day. It was just after 1pm, and the tide was coming in fast. Might have got in another half an hour, but Junior was tired, and lunch called. So we all headed off the beach after a testing run, but quite happy with the results. Hey Ross, if you want to catch up some time, I'd be happy to give you some lessons on the use and setup of your ARC. Or even come and have a go with a harness and pully for your fixed bridal kites. Photos. First 3 are when we arrived 1. Left of the beach, with Wilson's Prom in the background (sea fog around the Prom). 2. Out front on the main beach (notice, the flat sea). 3. Right, down towards Waratah. 4. At the Point. With Ross to the left about to get to us. 5. 180 degrees from the last one, the Prom and last of the sand at the spit. 6. Some of the the damage on the 4.5m Century, they all snapped at the very end of the sewing point. The 4.5m Century is second hand, and has been in storage in not so perfect conditions for 10 years. So I suspect the lines might have "rotted". Will have to see if PKD are still in business, and can get a new bridal. Or even the measurements? Could fix it by using the other side as a template? But the other side would go "pop" if I only re-bridaled one side. A new bridal required...........

Extreme Kites Speed Week 2025 Saturday November 1st - Tuesday November 4th Land kiters for two+ decades have been kiting Waratah Bay, kicking off from the Sandy Point foreshore. Now we congregate on the other side of the Inlet and explore! Join us for some kiting fun! Route Planned Accommodation Options Shallow Inlet Campground - $20/night (Unpowered Sites) Shallow Inlet Caravan Park - $40-$126/night (Unpowered Sites, Powered Sites and Cabins) Wilsons Prom Holiday Park - $65-$315/night (Unpowered Sites, Powered Sites and Cabins) Sandy Point Caravan Park - $55 - $65/night (Unpowered Sites, Powered Sites)

Well, what a fizzer....... Got down there for 11:30. But it wasn't any more than 6-7 knots. Set up, decided that the forecast said it would build, and turn. So got a 4.5 Century out, and junior has a 3.5 Was enough to move, but not fast. After about 2 km up towards Sandy Point, the wind started to drop. We both had to size up. I moved to a 5.6 Twister. Junior didn't pack a bigger kite, as the wind was ment to build..... So a slow trundle back to the car for his favourite kite, the 10m Manta. Off towards Sandy Point we went, again. Junior was powered on the 10m Manta, but after he passed me about 3km up the beach, I switched to the 6.5 Vapor. By this time he was another 200 meters ahead. The problem though, was the wind was getting less and less by the minute. After trundling up to him, and finding him basicly becalmed, we had to try and get home. The wind was about 2-3 knots, so not even I was able to move. We rolled up the kites and did another walk of shame....... 4km back to the car......... 4pm at the car, with 2 hours left of an awesome beach, the sun shining, and a 2 knot Southerly , we packed up. In all my years of kite buggying (27), today marks the first time I have had to really do a walk of shame. With two walks of shame in two outings, I am wondering if my junior buggy pilot is a wind theif? The first two shots are set up. Third, becalmed. Fourth, the flat sea.

i ask because i recently scored one for fifty bucks on e bay, havnt really had a chance to fly it yet, but i hope to soon, if you have ever owned one or had a chance to fly one i would like to hear your opinion of it. i know it is an entry level two line trainer, i mostly bought it for the graphics. by the way I am new here . so hello everyone , and thanks for for letting me in. in my quiver i have this kite , a Skydog five meter, a hydra 420, a prism synapse, a Slingshot B3, and many framed kites, and i have a new baby (kite) on the way and that is prisms new ultralight. a prism Aether, which i am quite excited about as i have worn my $D down to the spars....anyway thats all for now, thanks again for having me..

Hi everyone. A very old thread and I'm sure nobody will read this, but I'm Micks daughter. It's been so lovely to read your comments on his lifes work, Spider. My whole childhood revolved around kites until he sadly passed in 2009 when I was 15. I'm 30 now, with a bunch of skills and lingo that I forgot I knew so much about untill I googled his name and found this thread. If anybody has any memories of him or his kites, I would love to hear them. I still fly my Dad's kites from time to time. They are as robust as they were 25 years ago! Amie x

Heading down to Sandy Point tomorrow. Low tide at 10:17am A South West change is expected to hit the state early morning, so it should be a nice on shore. I intend to arrive around 9am, and should finish up some time after 1pm. Any takers??

Thanks @RedSky glad you enjoyed it. While the discs do provide grip, I wasn't overloading them at the time the bridals went twang. I was on hard sand too. So no really high loads went through the kite at the time. More akin to me just winding the kite up a bit. I was turning the kite back against my travels to keep me from overflying the kite as I went down wind. But rating the load I put through it at the time, I would give it a 4 or 5 out of 10. I mean I wasn't even over powered, in fact I had to work the kite as it was a little under powered. That's why I could use the 5.6m Twister after it blew up. Would love to write some more about our trips to the beach, but finding a free day and matching tides, work, school, Nippers, and the weather, is rather hard. But fingers crossed, there's a long weekend next weekend........

Any takers for a buggy run at either Sandy Point, or Venus Bay? Tides are very good from the 27 Dec. low tide 11:45am To the 31 Dec. low tide 3:03pm There might be one day in there I have to miss, due to a kite making workshop. But I am keen to get out for another run while I am on holidays. Fingers crossed the weather gods play ball.

Love those pictures! 4km walk of shame! I bet you slept that night! Happens to the best of us.

Good read Nigel. I enjoyed that. Shame about your bridles. Most unusual. Like you say they could have been weakened by long term storage or perhaps too much grip from those disc wheels in soft sand? Love those pictures. The perfect post, and congrats on Juniors PB. 👍

Low tide for Sandy Point Wednesday is at 3:03pm With a big Southerly expected to blow through on Tuesday, we will be blessed with nice onshore winds. Winds look to be almost perfect onshore at 10 knots. The wind will slowly swing to the SSE late in the day. So a good move is to get there and be ready for around a 12 noon start. Taking my junior buggy apprentice along, so come and join us for a beach run!!

A big Happy 50th Birthday to Peter Lynn Kites!! If you want to be part of the festivities, they are live streaming on Facebook on Saturday the 4th of November. From my first steps into kite flying way back in 1988, all the way to today, Peter Lynn kites have been a staple for me. Power kites are where I have enjoyed the most fun, and combined with my first buggy (a PL Comp), many years of fun and friendship has been had. Pictured is just the PL kites, and the long suffering (24 year old) Comp buggy that has had all parts replaced a minimum of twice, except the down tube. Which is the only original part!! The kite list: Holding a PL sunrise Delta, one 3.6 Peel, 6 C-Quads 1.4 to 8.5, 5.7 Waterfoil, 5.6 Twister, 2 Core's (3m and 4m), and 8 ARC's (original 1120, 6m Phantom, 7 and 10 Scorpion, a 13m Phantom-Scorpion hybrid and 10m bridled ARC from the skunk works of the PL factory, and a 6m and 15m Mark 2 Phantom's. And the future? Well I seem to have corrupted my 10 year old son into kites as well. So with a nice selection of kites to choose from there is no doubt that he will also enjoy using PL kites for many years to come. To all the current and past people involved at PL kites, Thank you for the many years of enjoyment that I have had with the products that you have created. Here's to many more good times, with our community of kite friends all over the world. Happy Birthday Peter Lynn Kites!!!!

As always, I will be there for 2 weeks. Not sure on dates yet.

Sounds great. Let's hope the wind gods come on board!

Snow/Land Kites for sale: All are in excellent condition with no wear/damage/repairs. I can provide photos on request. Canberra location. SOLD 11m Flysurfer peak5 $600 SOLD 11m Flysurfer peak4 $450 SOLD 10m Ozone summit $400 SOLD 2.5m Flysurfer hybrid $300 3m Concept air smart v4 $300 SOLD 9.4m Peter Lynn vapor $150 SOLD 8.6m Ozone yakuza $150 I can provide bar+lines for additional cost if required. Prices above are for kite + bag and documentation/repair materials.

Its a flexifoil Blade power tool 4.9 m See images

Sounds good to me!! I'll have to dust off the buggies and kites.

I know this is a really old post, but I'm hoping and wondering if anyone had anymore info on this kite, like how it came to be in Australia or in private hands... any history at all really, because I seem to be the new owner of it in the middle of Kansas USA after having acquired a rather large PL kite collection.

I usually make the journey every few years (odd numbered years, cause I have a trip to Adelaide in even numbered years) 2027 is looking good for me

I'm booked in arriving on the 9th April and leaving on May the 13th.

Hi everyone, I'm Robert, and I'm new to the forum. I recently discovered how much valuable information is being shared here about kite buggies, and that’s exactly why this felt like the perfect place to share my own project and ideas. I managed to get my hands on a buggy for just €100 — mainly to use as a base for reference — but to be honest, it’s such a rough self-built model that it almost brings tears to your eyes when you see it in person. So I’ve decided to design and build my own custom kite buggy from the ground up, using this one as a rough starting point and hopefully improving it with the help of your input and ideas. My Plan: I want to build the frame primarily from 316 stainless steel, for strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. I have access to laser cutting for sheet metal and profile cutting for tubing, which allows me to work with precision and create a strong and clean design. I’ve got around 22 years of TIG welding experience, and I have a TIG welder and milling machine at home, plus access to a lathe at my brother’s workshop — so fabrication is definitely part of the fun for me. The idea is to make this a proper design project — not just a one-off. In fact, I plan to build not just one, but multiple buggies, for others who might be interested as well. When I look at the prices of new bigfoot-style buggies here in the Netherlands (around €2200 / ~$2350), I strongly believe it’s possible to build something just as solid — if not better — for a much lower cost. Based on my calculations, I think the total material cost per buggy could stay around €800 / ~$855. I'd love it if you’d like to follow along and help think things through — suggestions, improvements, and fresh ideas are all very welcome! Looking forward to learning from you all and sharing the journey. Cheers, Robert Noordhorn, Netherlands

It was my greatest pleasure. Thank you for the kind words! Most Excellent Regards, Ray

Hello Ray, welcome to the page mate and Thankyou for birthing these beauties. Of all my kites, these MEFM give me the best time out. I don’t know how you came across the design, but you hit the nail on the head. it is a great design, and the construction is first class /) congratulations my friend. And thanks for bringing these wonderfull kites to life.

I am astounded that after so many years my kites (and Makka's) still bring joy to peoples lives. What a fun chapter in my life. Most Excellent Regards, Ray (Big Easy) Bordelon

My family have 3? Mefms, is anyone in Brisbane still flying them? Heck, does anyone here know where the Aussie flag MEFMs Macca made are now? Sven

Kitebuggy flying under a Moustache!

What a journey you've had with those kites—sounds like an incredible collection! The PL sunrise Delta and the array of C-Quads sound like a blast. And passing on the kite bug to your son? That's awesome!

Love these! Most Excellent Flying Machine

The missing link

Thats not the original GIN I'm afraid. GIN Gliders is a South Korean company famous for their paraglider range and pilots. https://www.gingliders.com/en/ They made a range of kites in the early 2000's which were very popular due to their quality and stability. I had so much fun with them but sadly sold them all when the power kiting here in N. Ireland became an attitude rather than a hobby.

An awesome session on the clay pan at Kingston SE, Australia - by far the best I've felt in the buggy yet. Probably cos of the harness thanks to @The Duke. Captured, edited and soundtracked by the inimitable @jhn.holgate. Can't wait for next year!

And Dougie flew the drone on this one....

My best Yeppoon trip ever. I buggied 27 out of the 29 days. Covered a total of 1600 kms. Max speed 79.3 kmh. Lots of days in the mid 70s but I couldn't crack 80. Thanks guys for all the great company and help. The only thing that would be better is if we had more people there! Till next year...

yep, its small 2.5mm carbon tube that slides through the spreader and is kept taught by the bungy and line, not sure if this is what give them the unique flying feel, but it Is pretty neat The black one was a shop model that was left over stock from the kite shop when it closed in 96. so I took it home for dad. he loaned it back to me last year. the middle yellow one I got from Prawnstar and is fairly well used,, but very much flyable. and the top one came from Kevin and is pretty much brand new still. I would age them all at 1996-1998 I used to have a very early one it was grey and white, it had vented panels and was very very nice to fly in all winds. one day I will find another vented one somewhere. I also had a microlite version it would fly in zero wind with a bit of walking. You can fly them at Kingston. I promise you will be hooked.

Doug can the stand offs slide though their lower spreader fittings in flight?

More photos to come waiting for beach racers then we r done

Agree on the packing down and transportation issues. To at least avoid splinters I put heat shrinking tubing on the LE spar, it seamed to make it less prone to brake also. To make the spar easier to change I made the connections to the standing spars possible to open, so you don't need to slide them off of the LE spar. Another big drawback is that they cannot be relanched from smooth ground when the lay flat, very cumbersome when on skis far out on ice.

Hey Nigel. Not sure if you both got down there? Conditions were great and I would have had a great landboarding session ... but 30 mins in my two downwind wheels decided to leave this world. I happened to be half way between Warratah Bay and Sandy Point. Managed to somehow limp back to WB, and that was the end of the session. Pretty sure the rubber was past its use-by date. Fun, but short!