144m longest lines in the world kite ride - WR

[a99]

[Trent hink]

What angle can you get upwind, and how's that work for jumping?

I tried a double line set once with my 16 meter Flysurfer Warrior.

It was on Lake Michigan, on one of those days when the water was cold but the wind was warm, and you could see the wind line way out, but there was practically zero wind at ground level close to shore.

...Pain in the ass to get the kite to inflate, and had to run like hell to get it airborne, but once it got up where the wind was, the kite was well-powered.

I got out and was cruising around and going upwind just fine on my big light-wind twin-tip, until the harbor-master came around in a boat and shouted that he would call the cops if I did not get the hell out of where I was riding.

That was in Milwaukee, and I launched at South Shore Yacht Club. After maneuvering around the moored sailboats, I decided to head up inside the breakwater.

Maybe not the best plan, and even though it felt totally safe and easy, I can understand why other people thought otherwise...

[a99]

very cool !

Would love to see the kite looping.

[leeuwen]

What angle can you get upwind, and how's that work for jumping?

Jumping doesn’t work. It takes ages for the kite to get anywhere in the wind window.
Eg getting the kite from 10 to 12 for a jump: you will be taken off your board edge a longggg time before the kite is in a position where it can provide lift for a jump.
That is why in the video you only see the guy popping the board not jumping.

Staying upwind is probably also a problem: drag by the kite lines will be significant at this point which presumably makes the kite sit deeper in the wind window creating a more downwind pull from the kite. Changing direction is a problem since it will take forever to get the kite to the other side of the wind window. During this time I imagine you cannot stay upwind or even ride.

[grigorib]

My record was only 57m with 15m Turbine. It looked like a 6m up there

[Regis-de-giens]

What an experience! Probably using a HydroFoil would sort out thé upwind ! But certainly suggère from expremely poor depower because of long lines

[edt]

I've done 100m before. Even at 100m the lines sag so much and the kite is so far away

When you loop the kite on 100m lines it just spins around high up in the sky no yank no nothing just a spinning kite far away.

I might do a 200m line video just for laughs

You can definitely jump but you have to adjust your timing. Instead of going from 10 o'clock to noon in 1 second you go from 11:55 to noon and it takes you a minute. This guy didn't ride long enough to adjust his timing properly.

I was getting 10m jumps on my 100m lines but it took me an hour to adjust to the new timing.

[Trent hink]

I sort of had an idea about the upwind and jumping based on my very old experience with now very outdated gear.

I found I was able to get airborne, but every jump I managed was very low and very long.

Might be the way to rig if you want to set a record for the longest dark-slide or Jesus walk....

[fernmanus]

Kind of silly, but like stacking kites, long lines are something every light wind kiter should try just for kicks and giggles.

The problem with long lines is the inevitable line drag and slow response time of the kite. It takes forever to turn the kite, but you can ride in super light wind and even be over-powered in extremely light conditions as the wind can be much stronger over 100 feet above the ground. Still it is more of a stunt than a solution to light wind.