Arthur Hebert wrote: > > This summer I have three friends with jet skies that will enhance my safety. > I question my abilities during certain conditions when being propelled across > the water with a kite. Several test will be preformed with the jet ski on > standby in the event a rescue is needed. I will use three different kites a > 7.5 SF, 15 SF, and a 16 SF during different test. The test will be preformed > using each kite at different times in different wind and sea conditions. > While flying the kite with the kayak in tow I will capsize and allow myself to > be drug by the kite. I will not be tethered to the kayak. Hopefully I will > roll back up..... If the roll fails I will exit the boat. The jet skies will > go fetch my boat that is still being pulled by the kite. During another test > I will try being tethered to the kayak, capsize and then exit the boat. > Curious to how much drag my body in the water will produce. Will it slow the > kayak down enough to retrieve the kite while I am still in the water? Note; > Between the tether and PFD used there's three points to detach in case of > danger. Look's like a useful experiment under controlled conditions. Jet skiiers are often bored just jumping boat wakes and chasing down a runaway kite propelled kayak will give them something to do. A technical point. I don't see that you mentioned to where you attach the boat end of the kite cord. I ask because the tie-off point makes a big difference in the potential tipping forces you might get from a kite. Take single kayaks. Normally in a hardshell one you tie off on the deck cleat or ring in front of the cockpit. So you get a certain amount of torque at some angles of kiting in which the kite may want to flip your boat. In a folding kayak single, especially ones with the open cockpit setup like Folbot and Klepper, kite sailors tie off to the keelboard or keelbar. This tie-off point is so low (actually below the waterline) that the torque that may be trying to turn you over is virtually negligible. You may capsize for other reasons of your own, but not because the kite pulled you over. Another experiment you may want to try with jet ski buddies is to have them tow you boat with you in it. I am not really certain what is the best way to do this and would like to see some experimenting done. Here in NYC we have a round Manhattan swim with kayak escorts. The way the race is run, invariably many of the kayakers are caught in a situation where they face 3 knot currents against them to get back to the takeout, and this after having paddled 30 miles. Motorboat escorts have attempted to tow the paddlers back and in most cases the kayakers being towed dump. I suspect that some pattern of towing would eliminate this unfortunate development but I don't know what. One would be for the kayaks to raft up in twos and threes and make certain the motorboat doesn't go too fast. To my knowledge the swim escort kayaks have not done that. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Feb 26 2000 - 06:37:57 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:20 PDT