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 Post subject: Kites
PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 3:37 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:44 am
Posts: 38
Location: Weymouth, Dorset.UK
Has anyone tried sailing an island with a kite instead of the usual Hobie rig?


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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:10 pm 
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Brendan and I have done it a couple of times on the Tandem Island. It's a bit tricky - one guy sits in the front seat and flies the kite - and the other guy sits in the back seat and drives - we had some pretty good spray coming off the boat - wish we had shot some video - next time we head out we'll take some GoPro and post it.

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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 5:00 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:44 am
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Location: Weymouth, Dorset.UK
What size kite were you using and what were the wind conditions? I would like to use my AI if I can work out the steering. Did you have to keep the kite in its power window or keep moving it?


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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:19 am 
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wind was about 15 - we used a 14m kite... you had to fly it, not just park...

However, there is no way in heck I would try to do it on a single AI by myself - way too many things to go wrong. It worked okay with a tandem, but not sure it's any faster - but it's way way way more complicated...
Was just something fun to try - I wouldn't think that it's a solution or any kind of improvement on what the Island is all about.

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Jacques Bernier
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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:06 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:44 am
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Location: Weymouth, Dorset.UK
Just wondering what is possible and what isn't, usually someone has tried it, no point in reinventing things is there?


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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 10:01 am 
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Joined: Wed May 28, 2003 1:12 pm
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There are a few guys doing kites on Hobie Cats. there is a company in Eu that sells a kit to convert a boat I remember seeing (try a google search)
These guys do it on a Tirfoiler - good stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Ee8N_f4uq8

Just a tricky thing to make work - two buddy's messing around on the bay is a lot different that trying to make it a product - it's really not something we will ever try and build - the Island and Tandem Island work so well as is...
I wouldn't ever try kiting a Single though - way too much going on.... but a tandem?... in the right conditions with a buddy who also understands kites though - that's pretty fun!

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Jacques Bernier
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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:50 pm 
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:33 pm
Posts: 338
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
This is a photo we took from a kite.

Image

The only purpose we launched the kite was to take photos. It wasn't a kite that needed steering so we left it up and had lunch while the camera was set to a photo each minute.

I have been told that there was a guy who perfected the kite on larger craft but was banned from the Sydney to Hobart race in Australia because it was too quick.

We were dragged at 1.8 knots with a drogue out the back. Didn't bother steering as we were running anyway.

Good luck but I agree it gets very busy and really needs two people.

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Cheers, Brian in South Australia
Tandem Island -
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 Post subject: Re: Kites
PostPosted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 1:26 pm 
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Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:17 pm
Posts: 679
Location: Auckland NZ
I watched 2 people kiting two sea kayaks downwind not so long ago - perfect conditions and they cruised very nicely for several miles while in my view.


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