Go Fly a Kite?

**BushFire** · 2012/01/19, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Miems

Is a kite, a kite, a kite? or are you going to laugh at me when I say I bought two stunt kites from Game, two years ago and we have not managed once to get either airborne despite our best efforts.

Miems, bring saam as jy PE toe kom. Hier is altyd wind!

**Engel** · 2012/01/19, 06:56 AM

Ek het opgehou, jy moet by die see bly

**JerrydeLange** · 2012/01/19, 07:19 AM

I am into the slightly bigger "kites" and love the freedom it gives. Obviously I prefer a light wind to a strong one.

**Dirk** · 2012/01/19, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by frogstar

@Dirk. You obviously gonna be kitrsurfing? I'm a kitesurfer and it is a very addictive sport.

Hopefully if I make it off the sand in one piece

**frogstar** · 2012/01/19, 08:51 AM

Haha, it is safer in the water. I did find your instructors technique of launching directly into the powerzone a bit dubious . Nothing ruins your kite instruction business more than killing your student

.

Do you have your own kit yet? if so what did you get?

keep me posted. always nice to meet new kitesufers.

**KimballR** · 2012/01/22, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by JerrydeLange

I am into the slightly bigger "kites" and love the freedom it gives. Obviously I prefer a light wind to a strong one.

I had a go at flying these 'kites' - did a course in the eastern cape years ago - got about 15 flights under my belt and then moved to namibia - conditions not good for paragliding where I live - too much wind. From my brief exposure, it is certainly an addictive sport!

**Dirk** · 2012/01/22, 08:30 PM

I did find your instructors technique of launching directly into the powerzone a bit dubious.

He's been teaching for years, affiliated with KiteSports and Flexifoil. Said it is part to simulate to know what to do if in trouble and have to water launch upside down. (Not that I intend going that deep initially!)

Do you have your own kit yet? if so what did you get?

Will receive it this week.
Flexifoil Proton 12, Dakine Renegade Harness, Excellerator Board.

In split mind about the helmet (Gath), and impact vest.

So until training is over I will maar stay on the beach, watch learn and get some photos.

**Sakkie7** · 2013/03/09, 05:49 PM

Para foils......heibo....

This is what happened to me in 2007-01-01
I am regularly on the road and i go frequently to Blouberg side. I have always seen the Kite boarders on the water and the urge was getting bigger and bigger to learn more. So naturally i read up on the web. This is mos what you do.
So after reading on the web i used to go and sit, studying these Kite surfers. After enough studying it looks easy. Now i am going to give this a try. After looking a while for a kite, i eventually found one. So now i am ready. 1st of January 2007 i took the wife and the kite to the Strand. Blakes beach looked like a good spot. Ek gaan mos nou oefen. Hey and it is easy, i studied those okes.

Lay the kite out on the beach, make sure all the lines is placed correctly. Wifey holds the kite down while i strap myself in. The south Easter is pumping. Not white horses on the water behind me but Stallions. Today is the day that i will fly this kite. Dis mos maklik. I shout to the wife," let it go" She says "are you sure?" Me " yes dear!!! now let it go". She lets go. The kite opens up like a moon flower. I am flying the kite, dit is mos maklik. But the kite goes up to about 45 degrees and stays there. I am barefoot. I dig my heels into the sand, But this things pulls like a John Deere tractor. There is no stopping it. The wind is pumping and i am ripping the earth open like a Plough being pulled by Oom Daantjie op die plaas.. I see the little river coming towards me and then i am in it. Ploughing face first into it.Kite is still pulling strong, Trying to get up, I have to bring it under control. My arse is in the air while my face is in the sand of the river, looking like i blow prawns like a steenbra in the shallows. Eventually get up. Kite takes of once again. This time there is a Dune about 3 meters high in front of me. I am ploughing this dune up. Once on top i took of and fly like a bird. I come down to get smacked into another dune about 15 meters away. Kop oor gat alweer. Hier moet ek uitkom, die ding gaan my doodmaak!!!.
I am aproaching the road at an alarming speed, i have to stop it. Keep calm Sakkie, you have studied the pro's. Tilt the handle bar and the kite slows down. Slowly it settles down on the pavement. I shout to a bystander "Hou asseblief die ding vas" He helps. I unhook myself and roll the lines up as if nothing has happened. Feel in my pockets. Both my cellphones is missing, my cap missing, my sun glasses missing. Retrace the ploughed land and start to pick up my lost belongings. Both cellphones in the river. I have sand in every possible orifice. I feel like a freshly pumped bloodworm.
I walk back to my Bakkie and then the pain hits me. I can barely walk, the pain is excruciating. Wife helps me into the bakkie and she drives. Of to the casualty ward of the MediClinic in Somerset West. Dr reckons i have cracked my Coxis (spelling) and damaged something under my feet. Score Kite 1 - Sakkie 0.
By now i cant sit or walk properly. I cant sit at home and have to go to work. So I get a donut cushion. It helps with the pain in the but section. About 5 days later stop at N1 city.
I go see my client and come out. As i open the door an old Oomie approach me, "Boetie daardie donut kussinkie, help hy darem vir die aambuie?" "No oom it is for a injury sustained by fighting with a kite."

Oom gets a funny grin and leaves.

I eventually sold the kite! It was a wallend 9 square meter kite. Those things are DANGEROUS

**Errol** · 2013/03/09, 05:57 PM

Sakkie7, why did your wife not take pics of your kite flying you....??

**Dirk** · 2013/03/09, 06:13 PM

Sakkie those things are dangerous. I started with the training did about 4 hours on the sand. Second time out was in a 25knotter, it picked me up, it spat me out, it threw me down, and dragged me along......that is what happens in you launch a 12m in the power zone without quickly zapping it out...

It took me a month to build up the guts to go out again to continue, did a few more sessions on the beach the winter hit, and I got got busy and never continued.

**Sakkie7** · 2013/03/09, 06:23 PM

People do not understand the amount of power that kites have.
I still look at the guys flying those things on the open water with absolute envy.
Unfortunately i buggered up my back to the extent where it would be stupid of me to try it again.

**Errol** · 2013/03/09, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Sakkie7

People do not understand the amount of power that kites have.
I still look at the guys flying those things on the open water with absolute envy.
Unfortunately i buggered up my back to the extent where it would be stupid of me to try it again.

At least you tried Sakkie...I will definitely not be trying after reading about your experience

**Sakkie7** · 2013/03/09, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Errol

At least you tried Sakkie...I will definitely not be trying after reading about your experience

Moenie spot met gebrek nie....damit

**SpiderGear** · 2013/03/12, 11:25 PM

I have a small Flexifoil Sting 2.4 that I take to the beach every time. I love playing with it and my 2 sons can have a go without being dragged across the beach! Always wanted a bigger one but the power scares me!

**hbannink** · 2013/03/12, 11:54 PM

A good one to explain the power of these "toys"

http://youtu.be/dd8vT1KR4RE

**SpiderGear** · 2013/03/18, 11:11 PM

Ja nee kyk.. Van daai goed is nie speelgoed nie!

**Ashley** · 2013/03/19, 10:14 AM

Thanks Sakkie7 I needed that it was a good laugh. Yes Kites are dangerous. Especially foils because they can pick up and take off by themselves.

I have a couple of smaller Wallend Air Kite but not monsters.

Strange how people always think you need strong wind to fly kites.

The stronger the wind the smaller the kite

.

**frogstar** · 2013/03/20, 08:23 AM

Yes the kites are dangerous, but only if you dont know what you are doing. 99% of serious kiting accidents are due to inexperience, kiting in the wrong wind direction (Sakkie7), over confident or you are experienced and doing some major trick but then you know its gonna hurt. Not getting proper lessons is a biggy, riding a dirt bike also looks easy, but Im certainly not gonna go buy one and go ride it in Atlantis dunes without learning to ride it first

Dont let it put you off. It is a really enjoyable sport.

Here is a video of myself and my mates doing a bit of a sesion. we arent pros by any means but have fun. The pros are at the end of the video getting some serious air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffb6aOnqyyE

**froggie** · 2013/03/27, 12:15 PM

The old wallend air's were really dangerous, two line, no depowering option, If you had the quick release harness at least you could let it go, but those big ones you don;t take out in anything but the slightest breeze.

The new kites are as dangerous but so much easier to depower and control, it's still not easy .

**westcoaster** · 2013/04/15, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by frogstar

Yes the kites are dangerous, but only if you dont know what you are doing. 99% of serious kiting accidents are due to inexperience, ... over confident or you are experienced and doing some major trick but then you know its gonna hurt. Not getting proper lessons is a biggy,

Agreed!
frogstar, let's keep in touch - winter's (ie some wind) coming and I haven't kited inland for a while - too many solo trips to Sterkies - 650k round trip for the morning...
Here's a pic from one of my last sessions @ Sterkies - but I always prefer the sea!