From: daveb@pogo.wv.tek.com (Dave Butler)
Subject: Re: Power Kiting and kite skiing
Message-ID: <14237@pogo.wv.tek.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 20:53:42 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville,  OR.

In the idea of the "hottest thing" in power kiting and kite skiing, the Mad 
Hata states:

> As for myself, I recently learned that sand skis are being manufactured 
> by someone in Ohio I believe. They run $50 - $125 approx. I will probably
> get a pair and give it a shot come this summer up at Myrtle Beach.
> 
> The kites of choice these days for power kiting are the Peel, the 
> Quadrifoil or Hawian Team Kites. Of course Flexi's are the old stand by
> and lots of people use them.
> 
> The hottest thing is buggies. Next year ther is going to be an informal
> buggy jam after the KTA Convention in Las Vegas (AKA sanction specifically
> NOT requested) and they are going to buggy till they drop, according
> to Corey. For more info, get in touch with Corey Jensen (all kite folks
> should know of whom I speak).

Well, buggies may be hot, but there's a guy here in Oregon who arguably has
something hotter, but before describing it I'll need to give some background
info.  In this case, it is important to know that the Columbia River Gorge
reputedly has some of the "hottest" wind surfing in the world.  This is
because the predominant (and almost omnipresent) winds are *from* the west,
and the river flows west.  With this in mind, one kite flyer in Hood river
came up with the idea of kite water-skiing, using Flexi's (I don't know if
he's still using them, or has gone onto peels or something else).  When he 
puts the kite it the power window he goes east with the wind, and when he 
wants to go west he goes north or south which is at the edge of the power 
window and the river current takes him west as well.  This means that he 
doesn't have to stop at the end of a ski "run", and simply goes back and 
forth across the river until he is far enough west to make another run.  
He's rather impressive and has shocked a wind surfer or two.  Now there's 
even supposed to be a wind surfing shop in Hood River which will rent you 
the equipment to try it yourself. 
  
				Later,

				Dave Butler

    Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: What more could you ask of life? 
    Aviation combined all the elements I loved...  I began to feel that I 
    lived on a higher plane than the skeptics of the ground; one that was 
    richer because of its very association with the elements of danger they 
    dreaded, because it was freer of the earth to which they were bound.  In 
    flying I tasted the wine of the gods of which they could know nothing... 
				Charles A. Lindbergh Jr.



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