Found this fascinating video of a pretty slick custom boat pulled by a kite..









If you visit project.kiteboat.com/ you'll also see they're working on gas filled kites!

campatrol said...

Anyone tried filling a kite with Helium?? bit more lift

How droll.

Interesting that the steering lines seem to be completely separate from the front lines, I wonder if the kite stalls much if the pilot trims in too far?

Needing two people looks like a pain too, I wonder if a foot pedal rudder is on the drawing board?

Cool. I wondered what happened to Don Montague.

..have a look at 1:40 / 2:08 .. looks like the front lines are secured to the boat, and kiter has just the rear lines attached to the bar? haha .. wild!

Wont work dude, to heavy

laurie said...

..have a look at 1:40 / 2:08 .. looks like the front lines are secured to the boat, and kiter has just the rear lines attached to the bar? haha .. wild!

And look at the hefty block system on that rope to depower/trim the kite... great idea - gives the front lines a fixed point on the boat but lets the trimmer move around in the boat in order to shift weight.

lostinlondon said...


No way I would want to be trying to steer this with foot pedals. Deep set rudder, tiller and tiller extension the only way to go. Having a foot pedal system prevents you from moving around the boat.

Yeah, that did cross my mind, but I can't think of any better way to set up a one person version. Ideas?

GreenPat said...

lostinlondon said...


No way I would want to be trying to steer this with foot pedals. Deep set rudder, tiller and tiller extension the only way to go. Having a foot pedal system prevents you from moving around the boat.

Yeah, that did cross my mind, but I can't think of any better way to set up a one person version. Ideas?

I'd make a smaller boat, use a smaller kite. You have to be able to control the kite with one hand and the beast they use looks to require two hands (although the photo laurie posted suggests otherwise) You'll notice there is a "leash" attached from the boat to the centre of the bar so if the trimmer drops the bar he doesn't lose the kite.

I'd then set the front lines up on a adjustable curved traveller that lets you pull the point of attachment to windward on the boat. This way you can access the depower pulleys. Either that or you have the depower set up with ropes that run either side of the boat to cleats so you can access the depower from either side.

At the end of the day, riding surf like they are, you would find advantage in having two people on the boat. You can bring a lot of weight to the stern when planing down waves. If you want to go solo why not just get out on a directional?