The most advanced production buggy on the Planet

The Hobbs McConaghy Buggy

• Chassis – Hollow one piece carbon fibre the manufacturing technique is the same process used for aerospace / formula one etc
• Front Suspension – twin fully adjustable air shocks mounted to a solid carbon fibre swing arm, this removes shock and vibration to both foot pegs and chassis
• Rear Suspension – twin fully adjustable air shocks
• Quick Release Appendages – aerospace quick release pins allow for rear wheels – rear axles – front end assembly to be removed from the light weight chassis / seat assembly - assembly can be achieved in under 150 seconds without tools and dis-assembled in 90 seconds.
• Seat – Ergonomically shaped race car style bucket seat with formula one inspired fairings

The prototype buggy has taken over a year and a thousand hours of labour and would have been unbelievable without the support of McConaghy’s.Well this buggy will be manufactured by McConaghy Boats (China) a world leader in grand prix race yachts

Who is behind this project?

I am a English Ex Pat Dave Hobbs who now lives in Sydney Australia (not a mecca for kite buggying I know) but i’m a mad kite nut and engineering designer and builder who just happens to work for a world class yacht builder.
Our website will launch on the 1st November From the 3rd November the buggy will be at extreme kites speed week. www.carbonkitebuggy.com

Buggy Lust - Libre Majestic

After finding out that the Libre Protask is being discontinued (insert sad face!) I have yet again transferred my affections - this time to it's replacement the Libre Majestic (slightly dodgy name though!)...

"Brand new race–Buggy with high safety potential. Together with the world's best Buggy pilots we created the new Majestic.
High speed and maneuverability are achieved through an extremely rigid frame design. The inward curved seat rails prevent the pilots from being lifted out of the buggy. The result is an additional safety feature for the race-pilot as well as for the ambitious recreational pilots.

The wide rubber pads on the foot pegs absorb the vibrations in hard use, offering a fatigue-free comfortable buggy ride."

I am a buggy tart!

Ozone Access SB Harness - with roller SB!

Last week I got a second-hand Dakine roller spreader the plan was to swap it onto my Ozone Access Harness...

The first problem was there was no way I was going to be able to pull the straps back through the strap adjusters they were obviously sewn after being threaded through and would not fit back through...

So I raided my wife's sewing box and found an un-picker, and un-picked all the stitching. Thought it was best un-picked so that it can be re-sewn...

So then I was able to thread the strap through and remove the hooked spreader...

Then it was just a case of placing the roller spreader and re-threading the straps...

Jobs a good 'un...

Now I just need to get the ends of the straps re-sewn, so will take it to a shoe repairers at some point - somebody with an industrial sewing machine!

Sunday slide-athon!

 After a week of this...

It was really good to get out in the buggy this morning, north easterlies meant shorter runs but a nicely powered up 5m Ozone Flow meant a great session with lots of going sideways!

Alfa75 from Extreme Kites was there and was getting some decent air. 

Just loved it today and was eventually driven home by 33 degree temperatures - I still don't think I have cooled down even after a cold shower to remove the dust and gravel. I seemed to end up with as much in my shorts and down my t-shirt as in the buggy seat...

Lock and load!

Keeping everything crossed we get some wind tomorrow...

The cars loaded ready for an early morning session.

New gear

It's always exciting to get some new kit, even if it's only somethingse small..

4000

4000

Page views that is - thanks for checking out my blog!

Buggy Lust - The Libre Protask

After seeing the Libre Protask on Extreme Kites I now have a new object of my desire...

"The design brief for the Protask was “Simple and Effective”: Three years of development work on the Protask has resulted in a design that has maximized frame-buckling resistance.

Harmonious handling: The perfectly balanced geometry produces excellent drivability, which for most pilots is achieved without extra weights.

Synergy: The combination of geometry and frame-buckling resistance offers, particularly on a cross wind where sideways stresses and power are greatest, high stability so that the Protask maintains a brilliant straight course.

Low depreciation: Because of the beauty of the unique design, its stability, ability to convert and high quality workmanship endows it with low obsolescence thus guaranteeing longer ownership."

For more info look at Libre Protask

Pictures and description from Libre - mmm sexy bug!

VIdeo - Do your own thing

I start to panic when I get lifted so have great admiration for anybody that does it on purpose...

Mojo!

I spent the weekend getting my buggying mojo back!

After a long winter of very little buggying and then a recent OBE, for the first time this weekend I felt I was back in the zone and able to start pushing a bit harder. Using the 3m Peter Lynn Core I was able to start kicking the buggy around a bit more and sliding harder and faster.

Saturday was great, after a couple of hours and my first attempt at the 1 hour challenge I was joined by my wife and kids...

and my wife got a couple of piccies of me...

I also had some help getting the buggy back to the car park...

Then Sunday brought stronger, gustier winds, a couple of times started to feel my backside leaving the seat! But persevered and kept on pushing through the gusts and gaining in confidence in the kite, the buggy and my abilities! Got a season best!

well off my PB but feel that I have got the buggy mojo back!

Due to operator error (and I checked twice!) I didn't start endomondo on Sunday, so no track and no entry to the 1 hour challenge. Had to give up after a couple of hours because of a sore back, not sure if it's buggying two days in a row, the PL seat or my age!

Lack of respect

Last weekend one of the model aero club stacked his plane on the salt lake. Today when I was down there I found the remains of his aircraft dumped in the bush!

We are privileged to be able to use this area for recreation and it pisses me off to see it treated with such an obvious lack of respect. I picked up the pieces and took them home with me to dispose of properly.

Green light

I have got the green light for a buggy session tomorrow. So that means this weekend I'm going to get out twice!

The wind looks ok for tomorrow, which will be a warm up for Sunday which is looking epic!

My chance to get myself in the 1 hour challenge rankings...

http://www.endomondo.com/challenges/7223114

Custom GoPro mount - modifications

I have had some pretty good results from the chase camera mount that I made for my GoPro.

Since that picture I have shortened the arm to reduce bounce (the actual mount was made from the packaging the camera comes in!).

I had some time and decided to tidy up the  mount to make it look a bit better and also added some more holes so that I can change the orientation of the camera.

The pipe clamps works really well and makes it easy to attach and remove...

1 hour challenge - fastest and furthest

The kite buggy one hour challenge - who can go the fastest (top speed and average speed) and furthest, on land in a kite buggy in an hour?

You will need the endomondo app on your smart phone, come on join the challenge -
http://www.endomondo.com/challenges/7223114

Pick your location, pick your day and pray for the wind!

I don't take any responsibility for OBE's and crashes during your attempt!

Come on give it a blast! Fly at your local site and compete against the world!

Video - Carpe Diem

A video from Sundays session-

Another laid back Sunday session...

Low winds made for a cruisey Sunday morning session, the 5m Flow took a lot of work to keep me moving and I spent more time un-hooked than hooked in (and can feel it this morning!).

A good crowd on the salt lake (there were three buggys and one kite board) made for a great session - spent some time chasing Alpha75 with his 15m Matrix. Also met tinman who was on his first visit to the lake, I'm sure he will be back.

Endomomdo sports tracker

Can't wait until next weekend and do it all again...

OBE - the Vapor bites!

It was an interesting morning and a good day for OBE's it seems! Yes I did it again, and I was joined by Bones who also decided to fly today!

The wind went from nothing to 30kph + with stronger gusts within about half an hour.

The 2.7m vapor took some work to start with but I was determined to stick with it. As the wind strength increased I realized the huge power that this kite can deliver. And a stupid mistake when trying to untwist my lines lead to me leaving the buggy...

Only a few bruises and scrapes and was lucky to get away with just that. Decided with the wind blowing as it was that discression is the better part of valour and went home! Have to say up to that point I was absolutely loving the vapor and thinking I need more of these kites...