Great to see we have our very own Forum , well done Spiglord !

Some questions for fellow landboarders :

I have just bought my first landboard and have started using it in-land, i get moving then get over-powered, does a harness help ? , i am using handles at present with a Bullet 4.5 , but have a bar also .Which works best for Landboarding .

The board is an APT Predator and is fairly loose in the springs , do i need to stiffen them up, what tyre preasure should i use on mowed grass , also best size foil kite for 10-20 knots.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated !!

McDee [/quote]

Hey buddy.

A harness helps a lot with landboarding it helps you to counter act against the kite by leaning back and it stops your arms getting so tired.i would suggest using a seat harness.I use a 5.5 bullet most of the time cause my inflatable is just to scary to go out with.i kitesurf and prefer handles with landboarding cause you have way more steering control and you are able to depower the kite by just tightning the back lines.this helps a lot going upwind in strong winds.

Everybody has their own preference on springs.some like them tight to stop speed wobbles and they just powerslide themselves up wind.some like them loose for better steering.

Tyre pressure is down to rider preference, some people like to change the pressure in their tires depending on the wind and the terrain their riding on.
The softer the tires, the slower the ride but more comfortable (less bumpy!) and more grip, whereas if the tires are at their maximum pressure they will get you rolling easier and faster as well as giving you the ability to slide easier.
If your on grass its generally better to have medium to hard tires, on soft sand a lower pressure will make the surface area in contact with the ground at any one point larger, making you sink less (but only to a certain extent!), on wet sand a higher pressure will allow you to blast along the beach at top speed.
When beginning you may find it preferable to have a lower pressure so that you don't go too fast.
Remember to only use a manual pump, anything producing too high a pressure may damage the tyre.

hope that helps.where you from anyways?
cya
southie

Welcome McDee, glad you found us...

Okay, as Southie said...

A harness for a bar, or a backpad/strop for handles is indeed a good idea as it will stop your arms getting either very tired or pulled off when landboarding for any period of time.

I'm guessing that when you talk about being "overpowered" you mean that the kite starts to pull so hard you are in danger of being pulled off the front of the board..? If so, then a harness/strop will help you with putting more of your own body weight against the pull of the kite, stopping you from doing a faceplant. The harder the wind pulls the further you can lean back with the kite attached to the harness.

Handles are supposed to be good for starting out, and they are certainly fine for just cruising and carving. A bar is good for tricks especially when you have to use one of your hands for a grab, which cn be kinda tough when using handles, (although not impossible). I went straight for a bar and have not looked back...

Spring resistance and 'Egg' usage, ('Eggs' are polyurethane inserts that sit inside the springs of a channel truck and add more compression resistance), are generally a personal thing. I ride on the beach with my trucks pretty stiff to stop speed wobble as I love to cruise. I use the same setting on mown grass also.

I use about 25 PSI tyre pressure for running on the beach or at the local park, but as Southies says, maybe a bit less if you are just starting out. You can always pump 'em up a bit once you get the hang of the kite and board in different locations.

Again, Kite selection can be a personal thing although I don't think anyone would argue with me if I suggested a fixed bridle foil in the 5.0 metre range for general beach or park flying. A 5.0m will certaily get you going in 10 knots but may be a bit overpowered much above 15 knots, so you might need to get 2 kites or even a depower in the 7.0m range. It really depends on your ability and if you like flying 'powered' or not, and what the local conditions are like mostly.

Where do you fly McDee...? If you are around CHCH, send me a PM and we can get together for a session. Otherwise put out a shout on these forums for some local riders and they will show you the ropes...

Glad to see new blood, and don't be a stranger Mc Dee...

Keep hangin in there
Spig

Thanks Spig & Southie for the helpfull tips . Southie can you buy a harness with safety release for use with handles ?

Born a Southie now a Westie (ALK ) , new to kiting but old blood .Windsurfed on the shore when Adrian Roper was up here helping lead local Windsurf development. The WIND Gods have got hold of me again , and reaaly enjoying it :!:

I am also currently making my own kites to increase my quiver at minimal cost . Have started building a 4.5 Inflatable and 2.6 Foil to use with my recently aquired Landboard. I am using Blue & Silver Taup for material which is keeping the build costs low especially for the Foil
( $20 for all the Taup ).

I will post my findings when finished and road tested in strong winds and will list the sites for anyone that wants to give it a go :?

McDee

Hey McDee

Yeah, keep us informed on your progress with your self-build kites, particually on how they handle and material strength.

Spig

hey McDee
when i started landboarding i just used a climbing harness with a quick release hook and attached a pulley and i got this all from a boat shop for under $20.

But now i kitesurf so i use a waist harness and dont use the quick release now that im quite experienced.So now whenever i get in trouble when im hooked in i just grab and pull in the bottom of the handles to depower the kite.

ill try get some pics for you that might help a lot.

cya