h a l f b a k e r yRenovating the wheel
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Power-kiting looks like fun, but alas current funds aren't going to allow the purchace of a kite, rig and dirt board for a looong time (such amounts not normally factored into NERC grant provision, damn them, the short sighted fools!)
Here's an idea that may let one get involved in the sport cheaply,
and spice things up a little for the power-kiters themselves.
Take a small stunt kite and cross it with a self-flying single line kite. You now have a kite with two stunt control lines and a 'dead' (for time being) central line.
Half way up the central line position a spring-loaded clip that resembles callipers, with an action like a bear trap. find a location where power-kiters are doing their thing. Launch your hybrid and steer it to a position down-wind of the power-kite of your choice and at about twice the height. Now comes the tricky part, steer your kite so that the calliper clip on the central line comes in contact with the back edge of the power canopy. As the clip engages you detach the steering lines from you kite by pressing a button on each reel. If all has gone well there is now a parasitic kite (parakite) attached to the power kite.
Parakiting! It’s the new hacking; get out there and see how many canopies you can infect!
[link]
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What madness this? Inverse kite-theft. Surely a pirate kite would be better, which would involve the clamp clip cutting the control line of the host kite at its lower edge, and keeping control of the power kite itself. You then run off with the two kites. It would help out your funding situation, anyway. |
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RIght up until you open the door to a man with a blubbing child holding a flaccid length of twine and a nasty-looking grudge... |
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You could train attack Parakeets to dive on the power kite, cut its lines and fly home with the booty. |
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D'oh!. I hadn't factored in the 'not getting your parakite back' aspect of this. To be honest parakiting would mostly be enjoyed by power-kiter groups as an addition to their sport. I think the chinese used to do cutting opponents kite lines in kite duels, but this may be something I read in one of Terry Pratchett's books. |
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In reality, if two power kites become entagled, life is in danger. |
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One kite is enough to periodically lift the rider off the water (ground). Two kites is enough to send the rider hundreds of feet into the air. The second kite can not be controlled by the rider, therefore he is at fate's mercy. Hopefully, he can release his kite in time. This is why any kite entaglement during a sanctioned race automatically results in both riders being ejected. |
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