PDK Buster II conversion to bar

[haydenz]

Hi

I bought a PKD buster II recently but managed to break the lines and loose my handles... (I would rather not tell how its kind of embarrasing)

So I bought a cheap second hand sea kite and took the bar of it as a sort of conversion. It flies great as a 2 line, but I want to get into land boarding so I want it to become a 4 line kite again. any ideas on how to convert it? would I need a new bar or something?

the bar I currently have is from an 18m Aero II

Thanks Hayden

[lickedysplit_au]

Once you put any bar on a fixed bridal kite such as your Buster you effectivley turn it into a 2 line kite with the brakes only remaining use being to reverse launch and assist land the kite. Haven't heard of any sucessfull attempts at getting a bar to function all 4 lines correctly, but I am sure someone here has some wacky idea Check out the KP website the have some cheap handles in the clearance section (ozone old style) for like $29.

[haydenz]

I actually have no idea how to fly with handles but I'm pretty good with a bar. thats probably one of the reasons why a lost my handles in the first place

can you do ATB with handles?

[lickedysplit_au]

If you can fly on 2 then shouldn't take you long to pick it up on 4, can explain more about that later if you like. Yes you can ATB on handles most guys that ATB using fixed bridals (that I have met) use handles. If you see someone on a board with a bar generally they are using a depower kite.

[haydenz]

do foils depower? which ones? what other things would I need to buy to go with it?

cause I really don't like handles, its more just how they feel compared to the bar. That sounds a bit lame but I would prefer a bar if its possible

[lickedysplit_au]

Not lame at all, your best with what your comfortable with. Well with your Buster on a bar 2 lines with no depower is the best you will do. Some Depowerable Foils are - Ozone Access - Ozone Manta - Flexifoil Sabre - ozone Frenzy.

[Dan OK?]

Hey Heydenz, I now have an access 2 (depower on a bar), and blades on handles. Pm me to catch up this weekend for a try/fly.

[JKS]

You can landboad nicely with either bar or handles ... I personally use both.

Flying on handles allow me freedom of movement and using a bar gives a nice solid feel.

If you prefer using a bar my 2 cents says make SURE is has good depower. Converting your 2 line to a 4 line smells like trouble to me. I have flown heaps of inflatables on land but only a few foils. My peter lynn 630 Arc is the only foil I have flown with a bar + depower and it was sweet up to about 15k. There are heaps of options in foils on bars but I will leave it for the others to suggest .....

[JKS]

lol ............ I see they HAVE been suggested

Man you guys type fast

[haydenz]

You can landboad nicely with either bar or handles ... I personally use both.

Flying on handles allow me freedom of movement and using a bar gives a nice solid feel.

If you prefer using a bar my 2 cents says make SURE is has good depower. Converting your 2 line to a 4 line smells like trouble to me. I have flown heaps of inflatables on land but only a few foils. My peter lynn 630 Arc is the only foil I have flown with a bar + depower and it was sweet up to about 15k. There are heaps of options in foils on bars but I will leave it for the others to suggest .....

the buster II is a 4 line foil but I'm running it on 2 lines cause it wasn't responding well on 4

[JKS]

Double .... lol. I knew it would be trouble:D

[haydenz]

Not lame at all, your best with what your comfortable with. Well with your Buster on a bar 2 lines with no depower is the best you will do. Some Depowerable Foils are - Ozone Access - Ozone Manta - Flexifoil Sabre - ozone Frenzy.

OMG there all REALLY expensive... I cant afford that!

try $500 or less! - you reckon I could get some ok second hand kit or something?

thanks anyway but they might need some saving for... or... god bless Birthdays and Christmas

[haydenz]

Do I need depower for Landboarding?

[lickedysplit_au]

Depowers are more expensive, but the occasional cheaper one does seem to pop up on here and ebay. There is a 5M Frenzy on there at the moment - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270170614470 but would probably be alittle small.

No you don't need a depowerable kite to board. To catch up with Dan and the guys down there would be worthwhile, you would learn more seeing watching doing in half hour then 5 hours of reading

[haydenz]

Yeah I plan to at some point

At the moment my 4m buster is providing enough power for static - its draging me all over the beach!

Would i be better off when buying a board to get a new kite as well? I could probably get a board and kite from kitepower or something

[lickedysplit_au]

You could get them together or seperately . . . Your buster will be plenty to teach you how to get up back amongst other things on your board but as you progress you will soon be looking for an upgrade.

Keep in mind that a Depowerable kite will do the job of 2 or 3 fixed bridals (wind range wise). This is where it could be more economical for you to look at a depower.

[haydenz]

what sort of things do i need to know about kiting before i look at boards

i spent the last 2 days doing static

[lickedysplit_au]

Once you get the hang of static flying ie. Moving the kite and keeping it in different parts of the window, working out how and where to move the kite to generate power, working out how to recover you kite should it luff mid air, launching, landing and above all doing all this safely you will be ready to jump on a board or in a buggy and see how you go in light winds.

Other things you should know about kiting -

Traction Kiting is an extreme sport and is considered dangerous - People get badly injured

It Hurts when you fall off sometimes.

The wind is unpredictable and can hurt sometimes

You will be spending more money on your hobby/new addiction than you think

Rocket likes depowerable kites

Before you buy at anything, boards or kites - Try/Demo as much gear as you can -

[haydenz]

The only thing I cant do well on bar is recover from a luff

and with handles I have never had a proper go at them

[Peter]

biggest load of crap i've ever heard.

a 4 line kite on a bar is simple, its called a crossover bar and i've been using them for ages.

full details at http://www.whitsundaykiters.com/images/bartop.jpg

[lickedysplit_au]

biggest load of crap i've ever heard.

a 4 line kite on a bar is simple, its called a crossover bar and i've been using them for ages.

full details at http://www.whitsundaykiters.com/images/bartop.jpg

You know how to put things so nicely Peter!! That looks like a peice of quality equipement if I have ever seen it. If you look properly I said already that someone would have a Wacky Idea . . . Trust you to have it. Fixed Bridal kites are not designed to fly on a "Peter Special Crossover Bar" although it still may function. With your setup Peter, can you pull just one brake line on and turn your like on it's axis?? Please expand more on how it works.

BTW you link ony takes you another picture, where is the info on it?? Or are you just pimping your own website again Peter??

[Peter]

sorry screwed up the link.

http://www.whitsundaykiters.com/viewpage.php?page_id=10

allways pimpin my own site, but theres nothing there that aint here, apart from local weather info.

the crossover bar was not my idea, it came from powerkiteforum web site, and who knows where it came from before that.

PKD make a very sim set up, it is only recomemded for larger foils, but does work on all sized foils. (Twister)

when i made that post, i was unaware there was already a second page, or just didnt look, my comment was at the first few replys.

now i read it through further its a decent thread, but there is no need to go depower to use a bar on a fixed bridle foil, and still turn using the brakes and power lines combined.

[lickedysplit_au]

:agree:Cool Cool, was beginning to think people have been telling me lies about kites, would hate to be talking BS The diagram explains things ALOT better but seems you are missing one important line on your setup . . . . the safety (not that you would use it, but a newbie would). I am also alittle unsure how you have direct control over individual brake lines.

Thanks for the excuse to use the ":upyours:" always wanted to slap him up there!!

[Peter]

i kinda like the myself.

didnt mean to sound aggressive with my comment, but it does read that way.

the crossover bar is a great system for when i'm feeling lazy, or using a bigger than i should foil, saves the wrists a lot.

although i dont have the extra safety line, it is very simple to grab the brake lines, if only one, and kill the kite. Using this bar while strapped in is great, but as you have said, not for the newbies.

with the added safety line this bar is a great alternative to handles, but it is by no means a replacement.

[out there]

Hi there

Gin also make a bolt on kit which can go onto most fixed bridle kites and will allow you to fly them on a standard kitesurfing bar. With the kit you can trim the kite and it is set up so it is flying with the front lines to the centre of the kite and the steering is on the brakes. it flies much more responsive than just setting it up as a two liner with the flying lines to gthe outside of the bar.

Graeme(baggsy) has tried one out with moderate sucess on some other brands and I know they work spot on with a Buster. Gog has an image of the setup in his gallery so here is the link

http://www.extremekites.com.au/gallery/members/Gog/ZigKite.JPG.html

Cheers

John