Kite boarding behind a boat?

(otiswunguy) · (otiswunguy) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 08-05-2006, 10:07 AM

Saw it today. The kite setup was attached to the handle. I don't know if this will catch on. They said they were testing prototypes for wakeboarding. One guy was getting about 10' up and floating about 30' into the flats. I am not into now

but I could be in another 10 years when my knees are done.

(gnelson) · (gnelson) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-05-2006, 10:54 AM

That sounds fun. Did you happen to get any picks?

(otiswunguy) · (otiswunguy) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 08-05-2006, 11:29 AM

no, i took some video on cliffs camera but i don't know if he can post it.

(surfer_ryan223)

If you do a search this has been talked about before.

(surfer_ryan223)

Thers a video of it at www.wakekite.com. It looks pretty sweet.

(otiswunguy) · (otiswunguy) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 08-05-2006, 4:42 PM

i am way to lazy to search. haha

(wakeeater) · (wakeeater) **Join Date: May 2002** 08-05-2006, 11:21 PM

for some reason i see kite tube type injuries coming out of this

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 08-06-2006, 8:34 AM

These guys have been working on this kite for quite a while. If I recall correctly they're based out of Hood River OR. The kite doesn't lift you 30 feet in the air like a kite tube. It adds a gentle lift, especially considering that speed is regulated (who want's to wakeboard at 27+?)

I believe the problem with the kite tubes is that they rushed them to market too quickly. Their fundamental design flaw is weighting. The Center of gravity is above the lifting surfaces. So it'd fly up, hit a bit of turbulance and dump the rider. Too bad they didn't employee some aircraft/aerodynamics designers/speciallists to engineer the thing. Could have been a fun toy. I still think someone could design one properly (stable/safe)

(wakeeater) · (wakeeater) **Join Date: May 2002** 08-06-2006, 11:35 AM

one thing i think was wrong with the kite tubes is the multitudes of people that pull them way over 25 mph like the label probally said. every person i saw with them at the lake were going like 40 mph and then it would flip

(treycleaton) · (treycleaton) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 08-06-2006, 7:00 PM

I agree, the next gen kit tube should have some aerodynamic stabilizer to prevent being dumped. I've been telling people that from day one, that it needed some wings or something

(xstarmeli) · (xstarmeli) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-06-2006, 7:13 PM

Something like this?

(otiswunguy) · (otiswunguy) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 08-06-2006, 7:53 PM

no

(xstarmeli) · (xstarmeli) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-06-2006, 8:31 PM

Sorry Mike, I was talking to cosmocat.