View Full Version : Traction kite wanted
I do a lot of flying in Canberra (yes, becuase I live here), but have a range of kites (Naish, Peter Lynn, etc)
Turns out that buggying has really taken hold of me and am considering purchasing a foil around 6 meters, to be used as the engine room for the same.
Two things,
1. Does anyone have a suitable kite lying around, that they would part with?
2. Is a 6 meter foil about the right size (not too big) for buggying? I am currently using a 3.2 meter foil for the same, but with the light winds could do with more grunt.
All replies welcomed.
PS I am considering something like a Jojo RM
schultzie
02-11-2004, 07:46 PM
what pl's you got? if arcs they are pretty sweet on a buggy, and i know that there is an 840 on the forums for sale for 350 i think, it is a great kite to use on the buggy, i should know it use to be mine.. not as fast a conventinal foil but still good, if you need a low wind kite the 6m is a good place to start..
Justin
I have a really old Water Foil, 3.2 the type that bounces and relaunches when it hits the ground. Still pulls well, but is really old. I also have 7 Flexfoils, but they are a little difficult to keep in the power on the buggy once stacked up. 4 x 10, 1 x8, 1 x6, 1 x4)
The Naish (7.5) pulls well but isn't made for the job, so the old Water foil is the best buggy kite thus far.
What of the Jojo's good kite?
What is an 840?
Sparky
what pl's you got? if arcs they are pretty sweet on a buggy, and i know that there is an 840 on the forums for sale for 350 i think, it is a great kite to use on the buggy, i should know it use to be mine.. not as fast a conventinal foil but still good, if you need a low wind kite the 6m is a good place to start..
Justin
schultzie
02-11-2004, 08:08 PM
an 840 is a Peter lynn kite and it is an Arc, the 840 is around 6m and would be good as for the jo jo rm i have not no idea have never flown one, but i think the Kite power is going to be selling them but not sure i know southern kites sell them. seeing that your mid range kite is the water foil mabey a suggestion that you look at getting a newer 3m kite and a 5 or 6 meter kite, those 2 sizes would cover quite a large part of your wind range.
when the buggiers come back from sandy point i am sure that they will have an oppinion on the issue.
Justin
The Water foil is my mid range, but a group of us fly with a 9.5, 11 and 14 meter kites regularly on land. (Sometimes with a 6 meter) The Water foil is therefore on the smallish side but the best in the quill for the buggy, thus far. None of the larger kites are ideal of course for the buggy.
Where is the 840? (Url hopefully)
nigel
02-11-2004, 08:54 PM
A 6m is a goog kite for light winds.
The Jojo's are race kites and like to be powered up.
They do not like gusty winds from what I have heard, in fact there are several people who refer to them not as Jojo's but luff luffs.
For inland flying you might want a medium aspsect kite to handle the gustywinds you might get.
Several kites to think about are the Libre Vampir, and the medium aspect from U-Turn kites (can't think of name right now, Oxygen?).
Both of these are getting good reviews, and the Vampir is only a tad slower than Libre's race kite the Bora 2.
goshen
03-11-2004, 11:53 AM
I also would highly recommend a 'medium aspect' kite. You could use an Arc, but doesn't sound like that's what would be best - the 3.5m Waterfoil would pull as much as an 840Arc (do a Google search).
Kitepower does stock Peter Lynn kites, and even a Guerilla II would be a better kite to use than the old 840. At least they are inredably stable kites - something needed for buggying in Canberra I believe.
The latest and best mid aspect foil I've seen is the Ozone Samuri - see them on our website under Buggying. We've also been trying out the JoJo's and the ET would be ok too - but is a little more expensive than the Samuri, for a slightly less professional package.
Cheers,
Goshen
The JoJo RM+ is definitely a handful to fly inland. You've really got to be on the ball to fly it well. The JoJo RF however is much more stable and does not tend to luff like the RM can. The ET would also suit your needs but is not as fast.
cheers,
Gav
schmik
03-11-2004, 01:22 PM
If money is tight, see if KitePower have any Little Devils left. These are the predecessor to the Samurai. They came in many sizes and should be cheaper than a samurai. Great kites for gusty winds.
schmik
schultzie
04-11-2004, 12:06 AM
well, there you go, at least now you have an idea for what u need, but i agree that a stable kite is a must. , if you want to know where the link is to that 840 here it is http://www.extreme-kites.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=190 but seeing that goshen said that your water foil woud have as much power as it the purchace may not be worth it.
mattyw
04-11-2004, 01:34 PM
Hi Sparky21,
Sorry to get a little off topic guys, but I visit canberra reasonably often to see rellos and keep driving past Lake George to drive there from Sydney...
Do you know if buggying on Lake George is allowed? If so where do you access the non-private land areas of Lake George from? It has been very windy there every time that I have past and looks like it would be quite good. Although inland it is an incredibly large and flat area.
Cheers,
Matt
Lake George nope sorry haven't been out there yet. Not for the lack of wanting but just that we are having fun locally, before having to travel around an hour from where we are. I have heard that a few have done it however and do have it on my check list of places to fly.
Believe you can get onto the surface real easy from a public car park.
Sorry that I am not much more help.
Sparky
mattyw
05-11-2004, 10:44 AM
Hi Sparky,
Thanks for the reply, never mind. I may try and give the lake a go next time I head down, although that may be some time away. I will try and find somewhere that doesn't look like private property!
If I'm successful, I'll let you know where I accessed it from and what the wind conditions etc were.
Cheers,
Matt
Very grateful for the feedback thanks. Very interested in the local knowledge. The other area of interest is out near Bungendore. Always lots of quite stable wind out that way, which is either blowing into the lake George area or out of it.
Sparky21
mattyw
05-11-2004, 02:36 PM
Cool, thanks! I'll pull my maps out when I next head to canberra and try some of these spots out. I live in Sydney, so not sure when I'll next be there, But I'll let you know how I get on when I do.
Met up with Paul Watson (Wato) in the weekend who tells us that Lake George is fine to buggy in. Farmers have never caused a problem, concerning access. Good solid wind without too many gusts.
He also knows about more spots in and around Canberra, including large car parks, with kites on 5meter lines to scream around.
Looking forward to the next few months.
Maybe this is the excuse to put together a web site for folks kiting in Canberra!
PS If anyone would like to join us drop me a line!
mattyw
21-12-2004, 08:27 AM
Hi Sparky,
That's great news about Lake George! It looks like an awsome spot.
I might head down to Canberra one weekend in January or February in the new year. If I get a chance to head down I will drop you a pm or post. If you are keen to hit Lake George, or another spot that would be great, and I'll make sure I pack the kite gear in.
Thanks for the info. Any idea where abouts they access the lake from, it's quite massive?!
Cheers,
Matt
I was just keying a note to the lads this end about what dsay we are likely to go out ot the lake. (4 guys and around 20 kites plus, with four buggies). As soon as we lock in some possible dates I'll come back to let you know. it would be great to hook up.
It looks like you can walk into the lake just off one of the normal car parks on the Federal highway, but Wato was talking about driving onto the Lake, so I am not sure about where he goes to gain access. Will come back once I know.
mattyw
21-12-2004, 10:13 AM
That sounds great! Thanks! :D
Matt
Try This:
To get onto Lake George (if you are going from Canberra), turn left (accross from the lookout) just where the road starts decending down to lake level (Southern end of the lake road). Turn right straight after and follow the road under the bridge (overpass for the highway you just left) until you get to the gate down near the trees (There is a paragliding sign on the fence next to the gate). The rest area is on your right. Go through the gate and MAKE SURE IT IS CLOSED after you. There are stock on the lake.
The best place to buggy is in the middle on one of the dirt areas. We normally follow the left track. Make sure that the track is not soft from rain as people have been bogged before. If the weather is hot, watch out for thermal activity which can lift you even if the wind is light. ALSO TREAT ALL FENCES AS IF THEY HAVE WIRE ? some of them do. Carefully check before you cross a fence line.
The nicest winds are the Easterlies that blow through in the afternoon when there are high pressure systems directing SE winds onto the coast. These winds are like silk. Westerlies are rough anywhere, but there is a lot of room for them to smooth out, so the Lake is one of the best places for Westerlies. There is heaps of room to buggy and the surface is usually soft but surprisingly fast.
mattyw
23-12-2004, 07:53 AM
Hi Sparky,
That's great info, thanks! I know that spot, I had a look at it last time I was down there, but was too nervous to jump someones fence. I didn't realise I could drive out into the middle! Even better!!!
I'll send you a PM with my mobile number if I get the chance to head down over the holidays.
Cheers,
Matt
Looks like at least three buggies will on the lake either on the 27th or 28th of December.
If you get the time drop us a not and once one day is confirmed will come back with which one we go for.
chowclb
01-01-2005, 07:28 PM
hi guys i lived in canberra for almost 1 year and land kited in the area if you need any info on spots when you get there go to 110 wollongong st
fyshwick to wetspot a kite shop and see scott harris he is awsome he can hook yous up with guys that kite and know the area
cheers chris
Hi Chris,
A group of us are going out to Lake George on Saturday around 15:00, to catch the late afternoon breeze. Please feel free to join us, contact me directly if interested. (see the article / review about the lake in the other article in Power and Traction Kites section).
Also if you would like to join us, we will be on the Lanyon Valley oval again today, as was the case twice yesterday, for a fly or two or three .... :-)
We use this oval becuase it is large, and very very handy to the homes of three in our group. Please feel free!
Gary
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