An idea - A kite propulsion system for boosting

It's not really a propulsion with jets or anything like that, but I was thinking of a tension system that makes the kite pop more.

Allow me to explain:

* You have leading edge with bladder, etc as normal
* Along the underside of the LE, there is the seam that connects the LE to the canopy of the kite
* Why not make a small 5-10mm pocket seam to allow one to place fibreglass rods (like tent rods) all the way along the length of the kite?
* If the rods were pre-bent in a way that they contour the shape of the kite then it serves two purposes: 1. They allow the kite to be "preshaped" at pumping stage so no more bridle twists or loops over the wing tips and 2. they hold the shape of the kite without too much pressure on the LE bladder and therefore reducing risk of blowing the leading edge on a crash for example.
*Downside - weight!

However ...

The point is, when you pull on the bar hard or when you do a load-n-pop on water, the kite will arc more, but with the rod system it will open out more quickly, giving you more boost as it ejects "air mass" under the canopy outwards

Think of a jelly fish swimming. How does it do it? By opening and pushing. Opening and pushing the kite could do something similar and one could get some great boost heights without the need to be in overpowered situations.

Heck this might even remove the need for a bladder at all, as it could shape the kite for you! With the right canopy shape (similar to the Flysurfer Peak single skin kites), the wing effect could still be there in flight.

The kite struts? Hmmm haven't thought that far into it yet.

Discuss

Well its good to think weird and whacky ideas.


I think this idea is lacking basic understanding of aerodynamics/fluid dynamic. IE a good portion of the lift on a wing occurs from the high velocity low pressure zone on the top surface. The wing gets sucked up.

There is a lift verses drag scenario. More lift = more drag. More speed = more lift. less speed less lift. Then somewhere in there stall occurs when speed is too low and drag is too high..................................

Your belching jelly fish idea would cause too much lift leading to too much drag, slowing board speed and causing stall.

Well that's my uneducated guess.

loftwinds doesnt need an alternative account to sound more like an idiot. this is clearly a wind up how can you not understand how a kite flys?

That reminds me of the times I see noobs pull the bar in and out trying to make their kite "flap" to make more power

At least I am thinking outside the box. Who knows? I may quietly come up with the next kite design sensation and who's gonna look like a stunned mullet then? It takes years of trial and error, but if you believe in something to work, or most likely will work, then guess what? It just might.
Besides, my idea above is not ignorant of the fact a kite is a wing, but curved. And not withstanding the fact that pumping the kite does give you some pull in light winds to give you that extra little bit when water starting. You can't deny that.

we'll see kiddies. We'll see....

height? if all you want is height it comes down to speed. more importantly controlled speed.

so look at who and how there getting the most speed.

for you lofty rather then worrying about these things just work on basic technique rather then relying on equipment to do the job for you.