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Those who have had the opportunity to fly power
kites already know they are designed a specific
way. These are geared to actually pull the person
flying it. There are 3 prime power kites you
will see today; the supported leading edge,
leading edge inflatables and foils. Individuals
who enjoy these are usually just having a good
time and adding doing so on ground boards or
from vehicles. If you want to try this with
a vehicle there should be everything from a
kiteboard, buggy and landboard to all-terrain
skates, skis, and various other options. They
also come with anywhere from 2-5 line and some
sort of bar to grip on to while enjoying them.
It's also important to understand that the sizes
will drastically vary. You can find power kites
that are as small as 1.5 square meters to as
large as 50 square meters. It all depends on
the vehicle you're using and whether or not
you'll be taking advantage of this sport on
land or water. A good example of this is back
in 82', a boat called Jacob's Ladder used a
power kite to hit 25 knots in sailing speed.
In 2008, someone exceeded 50 knots on a kiteboard.
It's definitely entertaining and if there are
plenty of power kites out there waiting for
you. Here's a few tips to help you get started.
1) In the beginning you should always start
off with a two-line trainer kite. This will
allow you to easily control your power kite
and stay within the safety measures. These are
also highly recommended for children and small
adults due to the pulling issues. They should
be somewhere in between 1.2 to 1.4 meters. However,
if you find that a little more power is okay
you can go as high as 1.8 meters before it becomes
a real issue. Just remember, the same sized
power kites can still lift and handle differently.
It's in your best interests to stay with a predictable
power kite and just fly in a forward direction.
2) One of the most important parts to the learning
process is the "wind window." This is the area
in the air where power kites fly. If you hit
different areas of the wind window you will
notice different pulls and directional issues.
You'll know when you hit the edge of a wind
window though, because the power vanishes quickly.
The best avenue to figure out what kind of power
you'll get is starting at the edge of the window
and dropping your trainer kite into the power
zone. If you struggle in this area then it's
safer to cut back.
3. At minimum, wear a helmet when power kiting.
There are helmets specifically for land uses
and helmets specifically for water use. Knee
pads and wrist guards are also a good idea for
land use. For using power kites over water,
impact vests, gloves, and goggles are recommended
to maximize safety. But whether you're power
kiting on land or water, a helmet is a necessity.
4) If you're just starting we recommend starting
on land first. The power kites for water purposes
are more powerful because of water resistance.
Even when you feel as though you mastered land,
still take a few lessons on using power kites
with water.
Once you start enjoying power kiting you will
realize how addicting it can be. It's all about
progressing through the sport, and once you
get a handle on the two-line trainer kite, you
will want to jump to kite sailing, kiteboarding
and all the other options available. Just keep
in mind it can be a dangerous sport, so safety
gear is a requirement.
Eventually you will try so many different option
you will find a favorite amongst them. Whether
it's with buggies, boards, skates, skis, snowboards
or anything else, each one has an appeal like
no other. In the end, do the necessary research
and find the best trainer kite to use in the
beginning. The more you understand about power
kites and how they work, the easier it will
be to progress through this fantastic sport.
About The Author
Learn more about power
kites.
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