Bullet Boy
Grommet  
Member #: 383 Posts 12
Registered: 30-9-2003 Location: Cornwall, UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 12-11-2003 at 14:42 |
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Bullet 3.5 shaping up
Well, I've had my 3.5m Bullet for a few weeks now and I'm beginning to get the hang of it! My biggest problem has been with lines
getting twisted and tangled. The first day I took it out it was quite gusty. I managed to attach all the lines, but had a hell of a job
keeping the kite in one place while I ran up and down the beach sorting the handles. After half an hour of this I gave up and decided
to wait for a calmer day!
since then, A Mate Who Knows Things has given me a few pointers and I'm now finding it much easier. You can be told what to do, but
seeing someone else do it is a big eye-opener.
My lines are still getting a bit twisted, but by winding them around the handles and keeping the handles steady and winding in a figure
of eight i'm having to spend less time untangling at the beginning of a sesh.
This morning I had a great time on Godrevy beach. Was gonna go surfing, but wind was onshore and it look big and messy, so instead
spend half an hour investing in some serious arm ache.
Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they've been carrying two heavy suitcases and they've lost the ability to grip after about
five minutes?
I've flown the bullet about half a dozen times now, if you include a very dissapointing half hour at Porthtowan untangling in a fresh
breeze only to have it go utterly calm when I was ready to launch. I'm getting a bit bored with being dragged around on my feet, I
think it's time to start considering transport - either on the water or on land.
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justal
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| posted on 12-11-2003 at 17:53 |
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Good to hear you're getting the hang of it. When you say you had trouble keeping the kite in place whislt you ran up and down the beach
sorting out the handles, do you use a sand stake to 'park' the kite on the beach??
It certainly makes things a lot easier. I always leave the kite in the bag, then unwind the lines, stake the brake line end of the
handles and then return to the kite and unfurl it... The kite just sits there on the beach then (assuming the lines are set up
correctly)... And as you have found out, if you wind the lines in a figure of eight fashion then there shouldn't be any need to do any
untangling.. I don't wind mine around the handles though as that tends to lead to tangles, I always use a plastic winder to wind them
aroudn instead..
It now sounds as though you're gonna have to get yourself a mountain-board. Just do it, its a lot easier than it looks.
Have fun.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Bullet Boy
Grommet
Member #: 383 Posts 12
Registered: 30-9-2003 Location: Cornwall, UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 17-11-2003 at 09:09 |
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I asked in our local kite shop for a 'peg', but they didn't sell em and recommended a pet shop! Do you reckon a tent peg would do the
job, depends on the strength of the wind i suppose. I Flew my Bullet at the weekend, having tried the figure of 8 thing for the first
time and I managed to get it unwound with few problems apart from a couple of twists in the lines, but nothing like the nightmare
tangles I had before.
It was my son's 11th birthday on saturday and I bought him a 2.2m 2-line Symphony from the airborn kites website, which I'd recommend -
arrived by first class post next day. We flew together at Watergate Bay in a light x-shore easterly breeze - which was the perfect warm
up for 2ft cleanish surf at Towan beach in Newquay in the afternoon. Pretty much a perfect day really.
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justal
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| posted on 17-11-2003 at 16:26 |
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Sounds like a more successful weekend than we had... Although I did manage to get out for a little kite-surf session.
I don't think a tent-peg will be strong enough or big enough really. but the sort you can get from pet-shops to tether dogs to will be
fine.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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SeanBo
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 135 Posts 337
Registered: 9-2-2003 Location: Poole Member Is Offline Mood: Optimistic!
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| posted on 18-11-2003 at 09:53 |
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Never tried the trick with kites, but my 'dog' style 'ground screw' bought from a pet shop for about £10 will hold 2 windsurf sales
down in strong winds (gusting 45mph).
They even work in the sloppy mud/sand in Poole harbour although I would not trust it as much
Is there wind on the way??
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justal
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| posted on 20-11-2003 at 22:38 |
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Just to get you back for the sports / sprots typo in a recent message Sean.... Are you sure you mean sales and not sails!!!
Tut tut. 
Do you really need stakes to hold your sails down?? Whats wrong with attaching them to a board!!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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SeanBo
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 135 Posts 337
Registered: 9-2-2003 Location: Poole Member Is Offline Mood: Optimistic!
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 posted on 21-11-2003 at 09:35 |
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ooppsss
Mind you I could try and argue that I have never paid full price for any of my sales/sails
Is there wind on the way??
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trebor
Member 
Member #: 368 Posts 4
Registered: 15-9-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 22-11-2003 at 18:56 |
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have you tryed para packing your kite it works for me
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shem
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| posted on 22-11-2003 at 21:31 |
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If you need any advice on kite flying matters, and your obviously in the newquay area. Call in at AIR JAM, next to north shore at
newquay, Theyre top blokes, and more than willing to lend a hand.
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Bullet Boy
Grommet
Member #: 383 Posts 12
Registered: 30-9-2003 Location: Cornwall, UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 28-11-2003 at 16:36 |
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Thanks for all the advice and sorry If I appear to have been ignoring this thread - I checked the 'receive email notification of new
replies' box, but have had no emails, so, reasonably enough assumed no replies.
I'm now in the market for a mountain board! Any advice/recommendations for a beginner? I'm going halves with my son who's 11 and I
expect there'll be some unpleasant scenes as we fight on the beaches..
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Bullet Boy
Grommet
Member #: 383 Posts 12
Registered: 30-9-2003 Location: Cornwall, UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 28-11-2003 at 16:42 |
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Soddit! I was ten metres away from Air Jam earlier today, If I'd read your post I'd have gone in and had a look around. As it was I
spent my time making the most of a gutless 1ft swell in newquay bay. I did, however pop into Newquay surf centre looking for a new
rashy and got a Skin thermal neoprene one. Never had one of these before, v cosy.
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk