aquatix Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 Just been having a quiet Friday night in with my friend Mr Jack Daniels, and we got to discussing kite harnesses / strops. JD has done a bit of sailing / windsurfing with me in the past, and in both cases the sail providing the power is attached directly to the vessel to transfer the power, leaving the pilot free to lean out and counterbalance the pull on a reach. With a kite connected to a harness round your waist (or just holding the handles), the pilot is always pulled towards the kite and power is not transferred directly to the buggy. Jack wants to know why a kite can't be hooked directly into the buggy - (perhaps to a roller where the downtube meets the side-rails, or to a pulley on a line between the side-rails, so kite can easily slide to either side). A quick release could be used in either location. This would still leave the pilot controlling the kite by the handles, but the strain (power) would be transferred directly to the buggy, leaving the pilot free to lean out to the opposite side and able to "balance" a bigger kite. Surely this would also benefit the freestyle jumpers as well, and still be safer than strapping in with a seatbelt as the pilot could jump out in a crash situation. Jack wants to know if this has been tried before or if there is an obvious reason why it should not be done. I tried to think of a sensible answer for him, but I'm pished............!!! Can anyone help Jack out before Mr Smirnoff joins in???? Too late, he's here.. Quote
Pablo Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 Something about if Jack leaves the buggy for any reason, the buggy should still be heavy enough to keep the kite fairly powered up until the whole mess hits something in the distance. If you let go of the kite and it fly's free, at least it will only float into something. Quote
Badger Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 Yes, it is already done, but is not permitted in competitions etc as far as I know. I think that it is referred to as "Off-Line" flying or something, where the power goes directly to the buggy, and the pilot just steers the kite. It was used recently for that cross desert trip (forget the name of it?). I suppose it just makes it into a different kind of sporting activity. Personally, I thought that using a harness was cheating at first, as I used to enjoy the full work out, but there comes a time when you wan't to carry on with your kite skill but your arms can't take it any more, so the harness comes in handy. It is just the next step away from "au naturel" I suppose. It is also banned on some beaches. Steve. Quote
hank Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 yes it has been done before i have seen a buggy jumper have a kind of hook on his lap strap which he put his strop on to that. A reason why i think this is not done often is because you have got the force of the kite on the buggy frame so the force of the kite lifting the buggy up with you in the buggy could probably bend the side frames together with you in between them:eek: Quote
aquatix Posted February 4, 2006 Author Report Posted February 4, 2006 Something about if Jack leaves the buggy for any reason, the buggy should still be heavy enough to keep the kite fairly powered up until the whole mess hits something in the distance. If you let go of the kite and it fly's free, at least it will only float into something. Jack says that is a good point, but he also uses powerboats to teach sailing, and being quite safety conscious he always wears his Kill Cord. If he were ever to vacate his buggy mid-flight, Jack's kill cord would pull the release on his Wichard shackle and instantly release the kite. He says this would be automatic and need no action on his part, therefore safer than other quick release systems. I think Jack is a smart arse so please put him straight while me & Mr Smirnoff go off to a lapdancing bar!! Quote
aquatix Posted February 4, 2006 Author Report Posted February 4, 2006 yes it has been done before i have seen a buggy jumper have a kind of hook on his lap strap which he put his strop on to that. A reason why i think this is not done often is because you have got the force of the kite on the buggy frame so the force of the kite lifting the buggy up with you in the buggy could probably bend the side frames together with you in between them:eek: Another worthy point (and another drink), so what about a short cord with Wichard shackle mounted between the downtube & side frame, just forward of between your legs (ooerr) . Could still be released instantly by kill cord and may provide sharper turns by pulling the front of the buggy round? Thish ish purely thypohetical by the way, so please don't panic that I'm going to kill someone on the beach - just curious as to reasons why it's not done, as it makes some sense from a physics point of view and doesn't seem much worse than ataching yourself to said kite. Quote
aquatix Posted February 4, 2006 Author Report Posted February 4, 2006 Cheers Badger - competition would probably be where it worked best anyway, although it could be designed into a slightly different kind of buggy. You would not need the high side-rails, and perhaps use a seat that slides out to the side to lean out (like being on the trapeze while saling). If someone builds it now they owe me a drink - patented here first!! If anyone has some pics it would shut Jack up so i can go to bed........!! Quote
Sand-Yeti Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 The strop to body give a better feel of what is happening. Where a lot of directional changes are going to occur you would have limited your movement if the strop was on the buggy. However, having said that it is useful to have the strop going straight on to the buggy for improved comfort where you are going in a straight line for hours on end. Similarly, it would be nice to have a steering lock for the same purpose to give your downwind leg a rest. The Gobi desert trip probably entailed long straight distances, hence the idea of the strop to buggy fixation. I sometimes think about doing it on my buggy for the long stretches I do but to be honest, I don't find it bothering me. The most tiring part I find is on my downwind leg. (That's the side the kite is on). Sand-Yeti Quote
craig.w1599968638 Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 ive had a fly of the Gobi parastorm with the 3 point harness thats attached to the buggy not you...... IT wasnt that windy but it worked very well, took a little time to adjust to it as i couldnt feel the input from the kite the same way as i could with it attached to me. Theres no way you could "jump" out of it in a crash though, but thats the same as if wearing a lap strap on any other buggy....a crash happens so quick you will already be upside down beofre you get chance to "jump clear" Quote
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