March 16, 2005
Seat Harness or Backstrap, Handles or Bar?
I have been a staunch back-strap user ever since I could fly a kite big enough to warrant one. Today I picked up a Quadrifoil seat harness.
My excuses for not switching to a seat harness before were many. Back-straps are simple and easy to get out of in a hurry (great for learning). But my favourite thing about a back-strap is you feel like part of the system.
The power from the kite goes through your torso and is transfered to the buggy, so you are really 'in touch' with both kite and buggy. Another way to say it is you work your a*se off using a back-strap. This is great if you are kite buggying to stay trim and fit; no need for a gym membership. But if, like me, you are starting to buggy for longer periods of time, and greater distances, you need to find ways of conserving energy. A lot of energy can be saved if you can really relax at speed, with a loaded kite. Not easy to do with a back-strap, especially on long runs.
Last weekend I tried a seat harness so I could have a test fly of an 8m Rebble (yes, it does exist and it is a beautiful thing). At first I felt there was a little less control than I had with the back-strap, but as I relaxed with it I realised it would very quickly feel quite natural. The energy required to maintain speed was a lot less too; there is no strain on the back or stomach muscles, and this is what made me decide to switch.
I'd like to hear some comments from other kite buggy pilots on what system you use with your kites. Seat Harness or back-strap, Handles or Bar? Why do you prefer what your using over the other systems?
Posted by murrayneill at 05:12 PM | Comments (5)
February 21, 2005
100KG Floaters big foot and small foot
I have this desire to Nuke (buggy the whole length in one reach) the beaches that form Pegasus bay (Watch the trip Reports for photos and report), from Amberly to South New Brighton. To do this I will need to be able to cross rivers and to cross rivers you need to be able to float.
A bigfoot kite buggy will float a 100KG man no problem
However a small foot or STD buggy wont it requires a little help.
Coke bottles Zip ties and an old inner tube will do the trick nicely we have detailed photos below.
The finished product waiting for testing.
A bit low in the water but a worker with the addition of an inner tube under the seat it is much more stable...
Now a switch to the bigfoot kite buggy for another river crossing...
Posted by craighansen at 04:19 AM | Comments (1)
December 10, 2004
DIY Kite Buggy Pads
A popular modification for many kite buggies is padding for the side-rails. Stainless steel may be strong, but it ain't comfortable. If its to improve comfort on those long distance runs, or to protect your body from flying buggy parts during the occasional crash, padding is a good idea.
The difficulty I had was finding a padding material with enough durability to last a reasonable amount of time (at least a full season). I've seen many things tried, from plumbing insulation, to rags and tape. After trying a few different materials and techniques, I think I found the right stuff...
Pool-Stix. I found them at The Warehouse (NZ) in the same section as all the other swimming pool toys. They cost about NZ$8 each and come in a variety of colours. One length of Pool-Stix is the perfect amount to pad one standard PL buggy.
My buggy has had these yellow pads for almost the whole of last season. They have lasted pretty well. I have bought the new blue Pool-stik to replace them with.
After about 1000 kilometres of buggying the old pads have worn through in several places. Not a bad run compared to the plumbing insulation I tried, which only lasted a few outings. So for $8 and a bit of elbow grease, why not replace them.
The first step is to cut the Pool-Stik exactly in half. I found a serrated bread knife to be the perfect cutting tool for this stuff. As you can see (above) one length makes two pads about the same length as the side-rails.
Now comes the difficult part. I've found (by trail and error) two things will make it easier.
1. Cover the end of the tube with a tough plastic or polythene. I used an old container from a set of buggy bearings. This is to stop the hollow tube from gouging the padding from the inside, as we 'force' it around the bends of the side-rails.
2. Lubrication. Seriously. A generous coating of Vaseline will make the next step much easier.
Firmly work the pad over the tubing. This step takes some time and muscle.
It takes me about 5 minutes per side to get the pads all the way on...
...and once they're on, they won't move!
Depending on your model of buggy, you may need to use that bread knife again to cut a small corner off one pad, to allow access to the frame bolts.
Presto! Ready for another 1000km of buggying.
Posted by murrayneill at 04:44 PM | Comments (6)