tttonyyy1599968643 Posted August 18, 2004 Report Posted August 18, 2004 That'll teach me not to check xcweather before kiting at lunchtime. It must've been lulled when I set up the 7.3 Frenzy. Checking back on xcweather, my bit of Bristol was 21mph average, gusting 33mph for the time I was out there. The kite bent my screw-in stake before pulling it out of the ground, though I can confirm the kite killer works (though it nearly had my arm off!) Then I faced the dilemma of how to pack away with no stake. In the end I got two passing lads to sit on the kite while I ran up to pack it away. Having stood on the stake to bend it into approximately the right shape again, I got my 3.5 out and flew it in the 33mph gusts, which was great fun (but very tiring)! Anyone else had a stake bending experience? Quote
al_di Posted August 18, 2004 Report Posted August 18, 2004 Yeah some T@#T in a landcruiser ran mine over on the beach last weekend! Quote
kitesurfa Posted August 18, 2004 Report Posted August 18, 2004 Anyone else had a stake bending experience? 13 Guerilla does a good job at that too.... Quote
Adrena1in Posted August 19, 2004 Report Posted August 19, 2004 I've not had a heavy duty stake bent yet, no, but I've nearly had a screwdriver embedded in my head! Was flying at Southsea Common a year or so ago and met up with a fellow kiter who had a screwdriver as his ground stake. He only had a little kite out, (Symphony 1.4 or something), but it was very windy. I can't remember if I was going to grab his kite while it was staked out, or mine, but anyway, I was near the kite when it suddenly broke free and tried to make a getaway. The next thing I knew the screwdriver was embedded in the ground just feet away from me! It had been ripped out of the ground and flown nearly 30 metres, right towards me! Then my 5.0 Viper broke free of the poxy little plastic tent peg stake I was using, which was shattered into many pieces. You often forget how much a kite can pull when it's on the ground. I fear the day my 12.5 Warrior gets caught in a low-level gust...not sure what could hold onto it...there aren't any useable groynes at my local kitesurf beach! Quote
tttonyyy1599968643 Posted August 19, 2004 Author Report Posted August 19, 2004 You often forget how much a kite can pull when it's on the ground. I fear the day my 12.5 Warrior gets caught in a low-level gust...not sure what could hold onto it...there aren't any useable groynes at my local kitesurf beach! Yeah... I was having a brown trousers moment clinging onto this Frenzy by just the rear lines. Of course, being depowerable rather than having brakes, it didn't matter how much I pulled the rear lines, it just stayed sat up begging, ready to go! So I was wondering (for some time, while the kite pulled at me) what on earth I could use to hold the rear lines while I packed it away. For this reason I don't think I'll fly it on my own again (normally I go with davet0_uk, as it's his kite, but he's on holiday). I'm just glad I wasn't in the harness when the wind picked up. (I'm sure there's some people on here that would happily fly it in 33mph gusts, but not me! ) Quote
lost_in_space Posted August 19, 2004 Report Posted August 19, 2004 my dad came home this mornin from the local Wilkinson in town, wielding this f-ing great stake! about 15 inches long(sorry, i was twattin about and didn't realise my typo) and very heavy duty! get ur backsides down wilkinsons in thier pets section!(its for dogs to be tied up outside) thought id pass along the info... J Quote
Adrena1in Posted August 19, 2004 Report Posted August 19, 2004 about 5 inches longIs that all? Doesn't matter how heavy duty it is, a stake that big could quite easily get pulled out of the ground by a kite, especially if it's soft earth. Quote
shadowphax Posted August 19, 2004 Report Posted August 19, 2004 Damned things sometimes powers up in reverse when staked out (NPW's do this sometimes when the wind gets under them). They are nearly as powerful in reverse as when going forwards. I watched in amazement as the thing slowly and methodically doubled over my golf-ball stake in small ammounts till it was exactly a 90° bend. Handles slipped of the golf ball at that point and I had to chase teh thing down the field. Packed it away staright after that cos gusty winds and NPW9's don't mixed well. Quote
tttonyyy1599968643 Posted August 19, 2004 Author Report Posted August 19, 2004 I wonder... if I was to heat the stake up with a blowtorch until red hot and then dump it in a bucket of cold water, would the added brittleness stop it bending? It's a standard (approximately 18") screw in type stake. Not that it would stop it pulling out of soft ground, of course, but it might stop it bending in the future. Flexifoil forums - pioneering new stake technology. Quote
lost_in_space Posted August 19, 2004 Report Posted August 19, 2004 put the pic of the stake in my signature, hope it works, its available from Wilkinsons in their pets section! J Ah Crap it didn't work Quote
tttonyyy1599968643 Posted August 19, 2004 Author Report Posted August 19, 2004 put the pic of the stake in my signature, hope it works, its available from Wilkinsons in their pets section! Are you on commission? Most people I know use these - though mine is a little bent and uncurled a bit now, thanks to the Frenzy! Quote
Cahliss Posted August 20, 2004 Report Posted August 20, 2004 I wonder... if I was to heat the stake up with a blowtorch until red hot and then dump it in a bucket of cold water, would the added brittleness stop it bending? It's a standard (approximately 18") screw in type stake. Not that it would stop it pulling out of soft ground, of course, but it might stop it bending in the future. Flexifoil forums - pioneering new stake technology. Then along comes this big gust and snaps it like a matchstick:D Quote
lost_in_space Posted August 20, 2004 Report Posted August 20, 2004 Yea, thats wat we bought! NICE! Quote
daZZa-S Posted August 20, 2004 Report Posted August 20, 2004 Normally I fly them right to the edge until they colapse and then walk forwards. The kite will role into the centre of the window into a ball and won't power up. Have done this with all my kites with success in all conditions. Quote
freez Posted August 21, 2004 Report Posted August 21, 2004 I wonder... if I was to heat the stake up with a blowtorch until red hot and then dump it in a bucket of cold water, would the added brittleness stop it bending? It's a standard (approximately 18") screw in type stake. Not that it would stop it pulling out of soft ground, of course, but it might stop it bending in the future. Flexifoil forums - pioneering new stake technology. heating red hot then quenching makes steel hard and brittle, after this is done, polish the steel a bit with emery cloth, then heat the steel gently till it turns a blue colour, quench immediatly, this will take out the brittleness but still leave the hardness, lol i have made a few chisels and hammers at work Quote
tttonyyy1599968643 Posted August 26, 2004 Author Report Posted August 26, 2004 Yea, thats wat we bought! NICE! Just been in Wilko and thought I'd check their dog stakes out since you mentioned it. I bought one to replace my bent one, and the metal certainly is thicker than on mine. Hopefully this one won't bend as easily. Quote
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