PhilN

Maybe something like these:- http://www.therandonneeshop.com/products/show/37-recumbent_panniers or http://www.radicaldesign.nl/en/products/recumbentbags/sidepanniers.php I'm sure KBBM can take the idea and add the magic! HTH Phil

For your education and perusal, I present... http://www.myspace.com/madisonwelch :-) rgds PhilN

... if you missed it. Or, like me, you don't live near there and couldn't see it anyway.... Shame the blerk wasn't much of a kite-builder, it was way too floppy... Pococks pix show them much more rigid in flight. I've read some bits on the Drachen Foundation site, but was cool to see a flight, I'm intrigued too about the controls. Pocock had them on the carriage itself I think.. Anyway, Thanks for pointing it out, a cool watch... cheers! PhilN

Living over there now.. been here since Chrimbo... All that beach looks cool but there are restrictions all over... http://www.buggyclubholland.nl/ has loads of info, maps etc. I'm in Rotterdam and a few of the best beaches are just south of here as Devoted mentioned.... I've been to Maasflackte and Rockanje (sorry for the spellings!) and saw loads of surfing but no buggying... it's all there to do though.... Only got a sportkite here, it's a four-liner though so brake-work is coming on champion!! HTH Phil Schiedam, Rotterdam

don't be too fooled by good vs bad pictures in a shop. I've known shop staff to tweak tuning to improve/degrade pictures dependant on staff bonuses awarded that week... :#)

What he means is, whoever manufactures the spring, not necessarily the bike shop that sold it to you..... They probably don't see many breakages and might be interested in the failure mode etc, especially if you give them some data on how it was being used; dimensions, loadings etc. If I was their engineer I would be curious at least. MTB companies do freebie parts in these cirumstances purely to get their hands on broken bits and do some R+D...... Hope that expands a bit.. PhilN Sunny UK

Anyone wanting welding, ultrasonic or mag particle inspection on any thing just give me a call... BGAS welding inspector, PCN UT pipe and plate, Mag Particle general engineering..... :~))) I'm a novice buggier reading all of this with fascination, my dream is to buggy some serious Moroccan desert, hopefully one day anyway.... :~) I currently ride a PL folder under a quiver of nasawings... not great eh? gets me around and is a great learning experience.

http://www.thepoles.com/news.php?id=890 4500 KM across antarctica powered by Nasawings... Also look down the page, a link to a Peter Lynn group aiming for a similar exploit. All complete nutters!! Gotta love those NASAWings though.... :~)) http://www.tierraspolares.es/catamaran/idea_i.htm is a bit more background.

Hope to be down Fri sometime, depending on getting tax return done Thu.. got a new 13M Nasawing to play with, needs 6-8 mph wind to get going but then the pull... Oh the horror.....!!! Is t'kite shoppe open for a quick 'ello?

Whoah! madperson! I buggy with NPWs, a 3.4 and 5.3. Am thinking of something around an 8-ish for really light days. Static flying a 12 or 15 is impressive, you must have really long arms now? I've been happy with a 3.4 in 18+ winds, use the 5.3 in lower, strugggling when down in the single figures tho hence desire for 8M ish... If you ever come north, give me a shout, I'd love a go on BIG npws...

I was checking into the idea. I'm still very much a novice but looking for a major challenge to aim at. I've got connections w a national charity si as thinking of a big headline event for them too... If anyone has the mag or paper copy and would scan I'd be really grateful.... Thanks for the info so far.....

Sorry to hijack the thread but..... Any one know how far you can get end-to-end down your esteemed patch of sand? I know it was in the mag, but I didn't get the 1st installment. I fancy a really long safari once I get this buggy thing down and am looking for a challenge. TIA

I went thru a similar thing last year. Bought a few little HQ kites, .7 and a 1.5 or something like. Trouble is, they move like rockets, really hard to fly.... The 0.7 especialy, doesn't pull, fair enough but just blasts from edge to edge like a missile and needs a really light touch. I literally fly it with my forefingers only so's not to rough it up too much.... What we need is a small slooow kite that littlies can actually fly. Even the small two liners I've got are as bad..... any suggestions in the sub £50-00 bracket??

What _is_ the best idea? I was using the FAW course as a base level, as it';s easily available and recognised, going to get a bag of dressings, some saline for rinsing sand off grazes etc, plus the usual guards, gloves etc. Added in was going to be some kind of windbreak and a sleeping bag, to keep someone out of the blowing sand and warm until whoever arrives, bearing in mind we _are_ out on a limb, down on a beach... As i don't expect to easily get furthr training when not being a member of the emerg services I wasn't going for backboard, or splints... Can only be good to have around IMHO... Any suggestions as to better courses/levels of training etc? Or should we be leaving this to the pros and just sticking to the basics?

One thing thats been coming to mind recently is getting at least First-aid-at-work qualified for being down the beach. One thing that could do us serious damage with the local authorities is a major accident occurring and no one being able to respond appropriately. My thoughts are that having someone around, with a decent bag of stuff, windbreak, sleeping bag etc could at least do the "keeping still,warm and calm until the right service arrives" thing which has to look more responsible than just being there and flying... What level of cover are the insurance folks asking for? rgds PhilN

http://www.tierraspolares.es/catamaran/team.htm use NPWs to power a sled.. I've emailed them, they just fly with two lines, thru pulleys fitted to the front of the sled.. The pix on GaRRys site of him playing with his 'glider mention him tying the brake lines down and flying the power lines for control. Something similar should work with a car chassis; brake lines permanently attached to vehicle, power lines via pulleys to kite for control. If it all goes wrong you let the lines and the kite dumps. Still working on steering though. going to have to abandon the rack/pinnion thing and go for some kind of direct to pedals arrangement. What other forums are you chatting on KET? be interested in being in on discussions etc... PhilN

just seen yer post elsewhere, Got a flexifoil one that came with a 3.5 Bullet if you might be interested... Can't get tomorrow, working, but work @ NTL Preston Farm, not far from you if you wanna pop down sometime... let me know and I'll keep it in the 'van... PhilN Nasawing Novice...

Sunrise around 6-40... :~) unfortunately working thu fri sat, maybe down sunday, depending on other goings-on at Norris Towers... 2m 'Bee now dry after Mondays sea panic-dump.. thank god for kite killers, say I... tangly things but save a fortune in lost kites from OBEs! Have a good one... PhilN

Mucho food for thought..... basically will try riding it out, in slightly lighter winds... Not bothering today as Teesside airport is showing 25mph.. Bob.. Thanks for the offer, been trying to get to Redcar for a session, hope to take you up on it soon.... It's basically the sudden complete sideways pull that builds up, As I dip the kite I get pulled forwardsand from about 45 degreesto either side, but every so often the kite seems to dip and drop back somehow and try having me sideways out, more than keeping going forwards.... Probably just practice, will keep at it..!! Thanks for replying... PhilN

I'm a noob buggyer starting to get out of my depth... Out yesterday at Seaton Carew near Middlesbrough, NE UK. Fair old wind blowing, no meter but guess at the 20+ as it was hard to walk into.... Got a PL folder and a 2m Firebee out to play, I'm 36 and 13.5 Stone... Got up and running no bother, heading down the beach ok, when I just seemed to get way too powered up and went into a complete sideslide. Once everything was unknotted and back upright, I tried again w similar results. Keeping the kite high rather than low seemed to help, but evey so often a gust would hit, the kite would dip and I went more sideways than forwards!! Don't get me wrong, great fun! but slightly out-of-control. Suggestions? One power line was slightly longer than the rest, which is now sorted, I guess keep high and stay high.... Anything else? I've only really bugged in low wind before and had to more work on zigzags to keep going rather than keeping power down... Anyone advise?? Ta.... Phil

Good to meet a few folks, me and shortstuff had a good hour-and-a-half.. Note to self, make bridle mods on NPW5 website to 'wing before attempting further flight! flighty little M%^*&*^%&£!!! Little'uns foil flew well though, he reckons he had a good time!! First time he'd really had a go, sorry to those whose lines we crossed, didn't know a little Symphony made such a bang when crashing powered up! He'll be impressed to see himself on a website too... didn't live down not buying him an icecream tho... :~)) Heal well Mook.... rgds Phil

I usually fly Seaton Carews golden swathes of sand, but hope to bomb round the Tees for a visit.. Was up at the top end of the beach, just near the South Gare on Thursday, little 2M 'bee had me out twice! soft sand, honest! I've a PL folder and a few Nasawings I'll bring for a play... probably 8-30 9-00-ish.....

A few of us kite at Seaton Carew, just south of Hartlepool, too, if you just want to bomb down the A19 a bit... There's an Eco festival at the Headland in Hartlepool this weekend, if anyone fancies it, mainly static flying , but a big PL Manta-ray last year... Signed off the 1st Hartlepool exit A19 I think... Cool for a look then down the other end of town for a fly after? Phil

check out the pix at the bottom of http://www.kiteship.com/id5.html.... definatly do-able... I've been trying to figure out how to convert the steering to a PAS setup to allow foot steeering similar to buggy's. Reading up on hydraulics as we speak. A 2cv chassis with the kiterig at the front, with two rams attached to pedals, pushing on either side of another ram attached to the steering box should work. What is needed is a little "amplification" so a few inches of movement at the feet gives the movement needed at the steering rack... The other idea was to make the steering self centring, have the kiterig at the back, making the back the front and steer by braking each side wheel, letting the back come round a la dumpertruck..... A nice cage over the lot incase of rolls, a few extra seats and heigh ho... a family buggy!! Well.... I can dream... ! PhilN North-east UK