Long Live Freestyle!!! - Page 4

Bobby · #31 03-13-2008, 10:30 PM

As for Magnum the kiter policeman... come session the kicker with us this weekend. ive got somethin you can stroke

Brad, ill be down there friday-sunday.. I see theres no wind but hey, I got a place to stay in Big pine anyways. I dont know if you are headed to the collegian in key west, but I will stop by on the way down. Also Im bringing the ski, we can session the slider for a bit if its out. I wanna right on the wakeboard boat tho. So get ready to get stoked, and Ill cya down there.
Give ya a call tommorrow

Peace

ricki · #32 03-13-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby

Rick I, its all about trial and error.

Kickers and sliders have been used in kiting for a long time. I first saw them used in competition in 2003 in Corpus Christi during the Velocity Games. I recall Best constructed some in 2004 for use in the Keys. I think it is safe to say the days of trial and error are well past. So, how about some numbers? I can throw some out but where is the fun in that, I always put out guidelines, for many years. Some other guys should take a turn.

Anyone remember this shot of the legend himself?

how about this one of Andy Hurdman?

or this one of Jon Modica in 2004 in the Keys?

Blasts from the past

b-rad · #33 03-14-2008, 08:59 AM

As for distances from shore...it depends...

Obviously, you want them far enough away where you can fall, drag, drag and drag some more and still not hit land. It depends on the wind angle too. If it is side shore then they can obviously be closer to land (same with your jumps) and still be a safe distance away. (this was the case with the session Magnum is referring to above...but to the novice kiter it may look too close...I don't know if Magnum is novice, but he is acting like one) If it is on shore...you want at least a few line lengths...more if its really windy...and it depends on the rail, kicker and the shoreline too...and whose hitting them.

It could also be safer to have them in closer (within safe distance) where someone can run out and help a busted person out.

If it's offshore...heck, build it from the shore...

b-rad · #34 03-14-2008, 09:07 AM

oh yeah...bobby, the boat is in and the wawa is flat...

not sure if we're heading down...lots of lessons and stuff up here...and S makes smathers small fast...and I think nobody can ride...

if its south on sat we might put the slider really close to shore and hit it going out...the kicker too...

ricki · #35 03-14-2008, 10:20 AM

Sounds reasonable, distance is your friend in this sport, particularly when things go south. If you are only going 20 mph you are still eating up 30 ft. per second say while burning up an out of control kiteloop. Also, you don't want your kite coming close to overflying spectators onshore even if a kicker to kiteloop(s) gets stretched out. Setting up out of the way with three line lengths, ideally more depending on wind speed, direction, type of moves and nearshore traffic seems like a good starting point.

As far as offshore winds, as long as the kicker guys don't land through nearshore traffic and you have enough clean wind going closer should be less significant. Even in the flat Keys, don't you normally want to be about far off, approaching a 1/2 mile for cleaner winds on offshore days? That should limit nearshore congestion too.

Thanks for your input Brad. You have had this gear in place longer than anyone else I can think of in South Florida.

Magnum T.I. · #36 03-14-2008, 10:21 AM

Now I REALLY tried to quit bagging on you guys already, I really did.
Dumb replies get more smashing. You guys really should be wearing helmets, all tht crashing is affecting your ability to think and respond with sensible answers...
No thanks on sharing the stroke B-obby, I don't like group sex...
Side shore again?
B-Rad, first it was side shore, then side on... Let's call it side-on-on and I might agree with ya.
Assuming I am a newbie, wouldn't a slider pointed DIRECTLY at the beach be ridden in an "onshore wind"? Seems to me that side shore winds would have turned the slider parallel to the beach and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I heard the "we need to be close to the beach in case we get hurt" arguement many times, and my answer is this: Helmet,vest, and rigging your safety properly greatly reduces your chance of injury. Take the distance traveled from any kitemare or broken bridle scenario and apply it to the day in question. Thank goodness for those palm trees, or you would be in the parking lot.
And BTW, I'm not the "kite police", this is our first real try at self regulation.
Kent- Do you have those suits in Magnum-size? Next time, I'll just roll tape...
(You can hate me if you want for slamming you, but I actually did you ALL a big favor and saved you from REAL embarrasment. At least I have the sack to speak up about it....
Rick-
Normal kiting is 300' (100m)from shore, right?
onshore/ high winds add 200'
extreme riding (loops,sliders, etc) add 100
rigged suicide add 100
Thats 700' on any given sunday(onshore,windy)... probably about the distance to the_____.
side/side off winds could be much closer of course.
Later

kitehigh911 · #37 03-14-2008, 09:54 PM

drop it magnum

b-rad · #38 03-14-2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnum T.I.

Now I REALLY tried to quit bagging on you guys already, I really did.
Dumb replies get more smashing. You guys really should be wearing helmets, all tht crashing is affecting your ability to think and respond with sensible answers...
No thanks on sharing the stroke B-obby, I don't like group sex...
Side shore again?
B-Rad, first it was side shore, then side on... Let's call it side-on-on and I might agree with ya.
Assuming I am a newbie, wouldn't a slider pointed DIRECTLY at the beach be ridden in an "onshore wind"? Seems to me that side shore winds would have turned the slider parallel to the beach and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I heard the "we need to be close to the beach in case we get hurt" arguement many times, and my answer is this: Helmet,vest, and rigging your safety properly greatly reduces your chance of injury. Take the distance traveled from any kitemare or broken bridle scenario and apply it to the day in question. Thank goodness for those palm trees, or you would be in the parking lot.
And BTW, I'm not the "kite police", this is our first real try at self regulation.
Kent- Do you have those suits in Magnum-size? Next time, I'll just roll tape...
(You can hate me if you want for slamming you, but I actually did you ALL a big favor and saved you from REAL embarrasment. At least I have the sack to speak up about it....
Rick-
Normal kiting is 300' (100m)from shore, right?
onshore/ high winds add 200'
extreme riding (loops,sliders, etc) add 100
rigged suicide add 100
Thats 700' on any given sunday(onshore,windy)... probably about the distance to the_____.
side/side off winds could be much closer of course.
Later

I've got three things to say to that...

1st of all, as for as the direction of the wind that day...you're right, the rail was pointed directly at the shoreline...and it was set up slightly downwind...(that means as you approach it, you bear off the wind a bit) It was pretty close to across the wind...which would point it directly at the shore...also we were making tacks to the back of Bobby's sailboat from the launch...so call that wind direction whatever you want but that's the direction of the day...

2nd, this isn't our "first real try at self regulation" we have been doing that down here since 1999...it might be YOUR first real try at self regulation...and a weak one at that...

3rd...I wouldn't be talking so much about having sac while you are still speaking anonymously...

Magnum T.I. · #39 03-15-2008, 02:10 AM

props neil.....

lets just call them out....

it will make us all more responsible kiters....

I got your back, and will help you get numbnuts off your beach...there are plenty of laws pertaining to unsafe activity, public nusiance, potentially dangerous behavior....

maybe some officers reading this can give us some laws we can use to help us enforce our safety rules....

there are too many of us whose world would change if we couldn't kite...

so just to be clear...if you kite in Islamorada and you are a jackass...I will put your picture and a description of what you did everywhere...accidents can happen...sure, we are all human...but there is a difference between an accident and a donkey...we won't be stupid about this, but if you have no respect for all the work we have done...you're gone...

ride as hard as you ever have....just do it offshore...

Sound familiar?
(My advice to you is quit while you're B-hind, before I really embarass you.)
Water under the B-ridge, whaddya say pal?

b-rad · #40 03-15-2008, 08:46 AM

not sure how you think that embarrasses me...

there is a difference between an accident and a donkey...

which donkey do you want to call out from that session...because there were no accidents...

and go ahead...I'm a big boy...really embarrass me...

It still looks a little bad to be talking trash without a name...so anytime you really want to grow a sac, play in the big leagues and tell us who you are...go ahead...