RS @ Mablethorpe - 1st beach buggy session

Got back earlier from my first session at the beach with the buggy. The intention was to go to Cleethorpes but there was fencing around the beach when Paul and I got there so we headed south to Mablethorpe.

When we arrived there was very little wind and what there was was coming cross-off but we'd come a long way so we chanced it, especially as this was our first beach outing with our buggies.

There were a couple of other lads there but none of the regulars so we setup.

I tried a bit of everything, started out with a recently acquired Ozone Razor 4.5m - just a pain to handle and too twitchy for me.
Next out was the 16m Venom II but the winds were just too light so it just kept dropping out of the sky and refused to relaunch when heavy & wet - more wind required for that I think.
Finally resorted to 'old faithful' and the 8m Access II, it was underpowered but enough to trundle about.

I had a great session but rapidly discovered why people wear drysuits on the beach as there's so much wet sand gets thrown up and the low seat is at exactly the right angle to catch everything the front wheel throws up. I ended up completely soaked with a face full of sand but that was part of the fun.

I headed towards what looked like a shallow sea channel to find it was actually quite deep and I ended up sat in waist high cold sea water with the buggy seat holding it in. Turns out I was sat on the drain hole so it wasn't going anywhere! A quick weight shifted resulted in the water draining away but I was soaked.

Despite the soaking, light winds and constant kite swapping it was still good to get out and have a blast in the buggy. I think Mablethorpe is a little too far unless the weather, tide and time guarantee a long session.

Roll on good Easterly winds!

2/Feb - New RS Buggy riding out

Paul and I went to Pontefract park again for the 1st time out with my RS Speed buggy. Winds were OK and the 8m Access II was about right for the day. Got a few runs up and down and quickly got used to the buggy.
Another day full of grins.

6/Jan - board blast w/ Paul

Met up with Paul again today on Herringthorpe Fields for a quick blast about on the boards. Usual gusty winds but my 8m Access II was flying nicely.

I've realised that in hindsight I've been too much of a wuss and need to have more power in order to be able to do this properly, this means bigger kites in higher winds. It would explain my slow progress and frustration at not being able to get moving.

I think it was too gusty and changable for Paul's Rage 2.5m but he got a few runs in too. One day we'll both have a good day.

Also, the field was covered in dog eggs. Both Paul and my board were covered in the stuff. Not happy. :(

5/Jan - Another gusty day

Another gusty day landboarding at Herringthorpe with the 8m Access II, winds were stupidly gusty again and my skills need improving but I'm getting there

HPF lunchtime session

I got out today for some more lunchtime boarding action, it's slowly starting to come together now but I need more hours under my belt.

JugglerJon was there too having one hell of a time - he's just posted this in the forums:
"Just had a long dinner break. Went out to my usually gusty local spot to find 15mph clean winds cross/up the hill.

I cracked boosting big off the hill, landed my first inland back loops. And best of all kitelooping on the way down the hill to get boosted up into the air and back up the hill.

Amazing session. This grin on my face is gonna last"

It's always good to see someone who knows what they're doing as you can pickup so many tips just by watching.

Beach Boarding

Got to cleethorpes today, I'm determined to crack landboarding.

It's been a while since we've had anything remotely beyond a gnats fart recently.

Had fun today but whoah was it gusty! seemingly from 0 to 30 winds quite rapidly. Even the seasoned pros packed up after lunch and went home as it was just crazy and unpredictable.
It was fun at times but I had to pull my safety once as even max-depower and brakes wouldn't get the kite down during a prolonged gust! Big Fun.

I also tried out my 3.6m Beamer II in the high winds but it just kept collapsing and was nothing other than hard work. I think this will be the last time I fly it now I've gone over to de-power.

1st Beach - Cleethorpes

My family and I all headed off to Cleethorpes today partly to take a look at the kiting area then if we couldn't find it or it was rubbish then we'd spend the day in the amusements.

We finally found the place near Thorpe Park and walked out to see who was about, there were a few people there with lots of kites but I hadn't a clue what it all meant.

In the end I decided to stay and the others went off and left me for the day. I watched for a while and I wasn't really sure what I was doing but I plucked up the courage to give it a go.

After some initial skudding around with the AII I tried boarding but didn't get very far and only in one direction, it was also frustrating to see kids bombing up & down with such ease. I kept getting stuck in sand/mud along with falling off the board a lot.

I was on the beach for over 4hrs in the end but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Still, its hopefully only the beginning.

1st depower - 8m Access II

By sheer fluke I won an auction for an 8m Access II! and on my birthday too!! :D

After struggling with the handles on the Beamer I've been looking for one of these for quite a while now as they're supposed to be a fantastic introduction to depower as they're low lift and stable. They're allegedly a damned site easier to board with as you take all the power through your harness.

Now all I need is to figure out how to fasten this onto my quadrafoil harness and I should be ready to go. I suspect this isn't quite right as it's a roller harness and I believe it should be a straight hook, we'll see.