Yo, snowkiters

[snowkiter]

Anyone out there into this new great sport?

 

[Marc]

I'll hopefully get into it this winter. I've flown stunt kites before and have been planning on buying a smaller (~1.2 m) traction kite trainer.

There is a fair amount about the subject I've been able to find on the web, but still not a real widespread sport as far as I can tell. Places that are accessible, windy, open enough and have snow cover aren't always easy to come by. Fortunately I have a rather large cornfield on top of a hill near my house that would be pretty good for it assuming we get some snow.

Do you use a harness? Do you use a depowering kite or the traditional lines to the corners?

Traction kites in general are pretty cool because of their applications.

 

[snowkiter]

Actually, I'm new to the sport. If you want to spend some money on a starter, though, I'ld pick up something bigger. I picked up a cheap 4.4 which I can fly well on the beach. I have a four line bar, but only fly this four liner with two as a trainer. Flying a trainer should not be taken lightly. You need a lot of experience with one. It isn't easy, either, to learn how to fly it. It's best to go with a good mfg'er at first. There's a kite shop in Newport, N.H. with people that use Sunapee.

 

[AHM]

I have a windwing skyfoil 440.....................

I have the windwing skyfoil 440 and the trainer kite. I can fly the trainer decently, have a harness (Dakine) for the 440, but have not flown it. The plan is for some glacier kiting later on, but planned to use in cornfields, fields last year, but with the low snow levels, and some other stuff going on that I didn't expect, didn't get to use it................but this is a brand new season. One day, I will use it like Andy McLean does and snowkite Baffin Island for coulior to coulior.

 

[snowkiter]

Ya, the artic opportunities seem unlimited. What do you think may be the easiest type of ski to use? Certainly cornfield skiing and different lake conditions will require different equipment. Over the past year, I've researched the web regarding this. As to harnesses, I have two WSing harnesses that should work o.k. with my Cabrinha bar system. Right now I've been wasting a lot of time with a 2. something meter kite I found in the clearance bin at a Christmas Tree shop for a buck and a half. It had a bridle tied to prevent anyone from actually flying it, prabably for liability reasons. I've been reconstructing the bridle, but have learned that shelling out the bucks on a good kite is worth it.

 

[RustyK]

Post some pic's of this kite thang

 

[snowkiter]

Pics

You want a photo of my 2 meter kite? If I ever get it flying right (winds have been rather unco-operative lately), I'll take a pic while it's up.

 

[Marc]

You want a photo of my 2 meter kite? If I ever get it flying right (winds have been rather unco-operative lately), I'll take a pic while it's up.

Do you have any experience with depowering kites? I haven't heard much about them, and info on snowkiting in general on the web is limited.

From what I can tell, on a standard static quad, the four lines go two to each side, and I think on a depowering kite, two lines go to the sides, and the other two are somewhere in the middle, maybe aligned front to back. I guess the general idea is to change the angle of attack to keep from being overpowered, and would also let you use a big kite in high wind conditions...

 

[ga2ski]

Post some pic's of this kite thang

here are some pix: http://kitesurfingschool.org/Winterlude2006/Winterlude.htm

 

[jjordan]

Does anyone know good spots in VT?
I've heard from friends about huge windy VT fields...

 

[marcski]

talk about a bump!

 

[jjordan]

I just got back from a weekend at Lowville, NY.
First time on the snow with the kite!
Will do this again.

Here is some footage from there:
http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/81936082.html

Love the turbines...