found this and just was interested as to what people had to say about this kite, i bellive it folds so you only need one kite the guy has a video and a blog.
http://enginekites.wordpress.com/
Give him 5 years of heavy R&D and he might catch up the big names. In the mean time I wouldn't waste my money.
I assume it's a zip-together concept which must leave the centre section with a triple layer when zipped to the small size. A lot of weight there doing nothing, must cause flying issues. Also the weight of the zips when not in use is a handicap. Also I've found zips and salt water to be a bad mix unless you spray with lanolin regularly.
He said he's been told " people would pay an extra $200 -$500 just for having the zipper on there." I wouldn't, personally I'd pay $500 for a 2nd hand kite in the second size that I wanted and have 2 kites that are optimised for that size rather that one kite that compromises and flies both sizes poorly.
My initial thoughts, I'm sure others had the opposite reaction?
i suppose if there cheapish then it would bee like a travel fishing rod, they have there advanteges and disadvantages. if you wanted to go backpacking for a year and just cruze around then it would be ideal :)
way back when there used to be a kite that was two sizes in one...
a zip along the center strut turned it from a nine to an eleven and a half...
can't remember the brand, but this was back circa 2002/3
theDoctor said...
way back when there used to be a kite that was two sizes in one...
a zip along the center strut turned it from a nine to an eleven and a half...
can't remember the brand, but this was back circa 2002/3
Its was RRD who did the zip kite, cant remember the model name. It could work but i dont think a zip is the answer to reduce the size. It doesnt take 5yrs of R&D to make a good kite just a kite designer with 10 yrs experiece (there are a few around). Its an interesting idea.
Cool idea, but zippers and Kitesurfing don't mix. Just look at the zippers on your kite bag. My prediction is that you'll pack your kite away for winter then your first session for the season it's 15kts and you'll be stuck with a 6m cause the zipper has seized up.
Yeah, we have been talking about this subject for 10 years in hang gliding. Now that I'm kiting heaps, I reckon my preference is to have 2 kites rather than 1 kite with so so performance in all wind departments.
thinking outside box is what leads to design progression. What seems like a gimmick now may well be a standard feature in the future.
Flysurfer already have kites that can change the size of there projected area to create a massive usable wind range.
Yep it was RRD Type 6, full C kite
I had a 16m a while back. Plenty of power.
The zip overlap was bugger all. Somewhere around 200mm at the trailing edge.
Lucky to be half a meter in kite sizes
KSSALTONA said...
theDoctor said...
way back when there used to be a kite that was two sizes in one...
a zip along the center strut turned it from a nine to an eleven and a half...
can't remember the brand, but this was back circa 2002/3
Its was RRD who did the zip kite, cant remember the model name. It could work but i dont think a zip is the answer to reduce the size. It doesnt take 5yrs of R&D to make a good kite just a kite designer with 10 yrs experiece (there are a few around). Its an interesting idea.
