I have swapped my 3m Peter Lynn Core for a 140cm Peter Lynn Gigastrong Axle - the aim is to improve the stability and allow me to hold down more power in the buggy.
I will then look at getting some of the extended side rails. That is the great the about the comp xr+ you can adjust it to meet your needs...
I'm just hoping I get some time to buggy next weekend...
I have been trying various kites to really try and push my
speed, I own a 3m Peter Lynn
Core and have also owned a Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m – until it pulled me out the
buggy.
When I sold the vapour I was looking at where to go next and
to try and fill a gap in my quiver – I initially ordered a 4.4m Peter Lynn
Reactor II, but this was out of stock, so I was offered a 4m Ozone Method for
the same price (saving about $100) – I jumped at the chance, I already have an Ozone
Flow and in a previous life had a Ozone Samurai and I have always loved the
stability and build quality of both kites.
The Method is billed as having that stability but with
race-car performance. We would soon see…
Kite Power have
always offered fantastic service and the kite had arrived within a couple of
days. The kite comes in a similar bag as the Flow, different colour and
graphics. And comes with, 20m lines, handles, a strop, key-ring, instructions,
stickers and repair kit. No kite-killers.
I took
the Method to the footie oval to attach the lines and have a quick go! Like all
Ozone’s the Method has numbered lines to make for easy set-up. But true to form
I still managed to get the lines twisted and tangled just unwrapping them from
the winder - this is why Ipara-pack!
Once the lines were attached the kite sat there partly inflated, the Method has
its air intakes covered by mesh like my Flow but unlike the Flow only has
seven. It has the familiar dirt-outs at the end of the wing tips and the Velcro
to hold the bridle when packing.
The construction of the sail is immaculate with not a seam
out of place or a single loose thread.
A quick tug and up it went, even flying static the kite was
quick through the air and turned easily without brakes and with a bit of brake
would spin in its own length.
It
looks incredible the graphics are great and I love the green, with the sun
behind it and against the sky it is an awesome looking kite. The handles are
the same as my Flow and were reassuringly familiar – I do prefer the Ozone
handles to those of my Core.
Despite gusty conditions, the kite
was great to fly and definitely develops some serious power and speed. I couldn’t
wait to try it in the buggy...
The first
flight in the buggy and I was down at the salt lake just after 6am, there was a
reasonable easterly forecast and I was determined to put it through its paces.
Most of the time it was
under-powered but behaved well and would get me moving at a reasonable pace
with a bit of sine-waving! A few times the wind would come to the party and the
true speed and power of the Method would become apparent - then it would switch
off and the kite would float gently down!
Ozone kites don't seem to bow-tie!
Well neither of mine do, the tips may fold in a bit but are easily
shaken out again! I have even inadvertently let go of the handles (I think I
went to hook in and missed!) and ended up chasing the kite as it tumbles across
the ground. On catching the handles and a couple of tugs the kite is inflated
without being wrapped in the bridles – maybe I was just lucky!
The wind direction meant that I
could use the whole length of the lake. With the wind dropping I put up the 5m
Ozone Flow and used that to buggy back up to the car park - no long walk for
me!
Since then I have taken it out in varying wind conditions
and really got some great use out of it, I have hardly used the 5m Flow and the
PL Core hasn’t been out of the bag! The Method has a huge wind-range, but this
does mean that it does lack some of the lower end grunt; but once you push it
and get it moving through the air the speed and power start to build – quickly.
Up-wind performance is good; I usually just stick the kite
into the zone and let it do all the work.
Along side the performance it has the stability that makes
it such a joy to buggy with, it feels like my flow, but on steroids, you can
set it on a track and it just keeps going, finger tip control to reposition or
to sine-wave and I just know what this kite is doing without having to keep
looking at it.
It offers minimal lift, so I have no hesitation in pushing
it up to the top of the window to slow down or flipping it through 180 degrees
to slide the buggy. Don’t get me wrong this kite is not all sweetness and light
– there have been occasions when it has got scary and threatened to kick my
arse! But my confidence in the kite has enabled me to hold onto the side-rail
of the buggy with one hand and control the kite with the other and keep on
trucking, rather than sprawling in an undignified manner on the ground.
Ultimately I hope this kite is going to allow me to push my
speed and increase my personal best, I know since owning it my average speed
has increased and I am already starting to get some kilometres under my belt.
If you are looking for a kite with great performance, but
none of the real aggression or temper of a full blown race-kite, that is stable
and user friendly, coupled with fantastic build quality and great looks - then
you can’t go far wrong with the Ozone Method. I hope that I will be able to add
a couple more to my collection!
It is well over 12 months now since I started kite buggying
and nearly 12 months since I started my blog. Reading back to the early days
and my first tentative steps, that first downwind turn, my PB’s and the kites I
have owned and sold, the distances travelled, the frustrations of winter and
the OBE’s – it has been a blast!
I am still in my trusty Peter Lynn Comp XR+, mainly as I can’t
afford anything better! And it is still doing the job, the tyres are bald and
one is showing canvas, the bearings aren’t quite as smooth as they once were and
the buggy is a lot dustier, it has a custom made belly pan to protect my …
seat! – But it has taken me over 60kph and provided me with hours of enjoyment;
though as I write this, it has been relegated to the shed as I am borrowing a
Sysmic S2.
I still have my Ozone Flow 5m, this is the kite that is responsible
for getting me hooked again and it comes out regularly as my low wind kite – fantastic
construction, super stable and can generate a reasonable amount of speed. It
has taken some knocks, as this is the kite I learnt to buggy with; it does look
a bit worn but is an excellent all round kite.
Then I have my feisty Peter Lynn Core 3m, I bought this as
my high wind kite to enable me to push my speed and this is the kite I got my
PB with. It is on 20m lines and does need a fair breeze to get it going;
otherwise it floats to the ground. And when it gets going it pulls and pulls,
and can be pretty aggressive and scary – this kite was responsible for my first
OBE as it lifted me un-gracefully and then dropped me. This may now have been superseded
though…
I bought a second hand 8.5m Blade II as my low wind kite, it
was in first class condition – I think I used it once before selling it on. It
was bloody huge and slow and soon as the wind picked up started to become lifty
– I’m not into buggy jumping or jumping out of buggies. So this now has a new
home in Queensland.
Then it was the time for the Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m – the fastest
kite on the planet. This was an attempt to eventually replace the Core and push
my speeds to the next level. An amazing kite, looked incredible, was very fast
(as to be expected) and powerful. But could also be a bugger! This was the kite
that caused my second OBE after a hot launch - in the end decided that this was
too much kite for me and sold it on – practically as new.
Now I have another Ozone, a 4m Method, this is rapidly
becoming my kite of choice and is replacing the 3m Core as my high wind kite.
Superb Ozone construction, minimal bridals, super stable – with sports car
performance. In low wind it lacks the grunt but as you work it the speed
develops and give it a decent blow and it certainly performs but without any
nasty surprises. I think this kite is going to take my buggying to the next
level and how I would love to get the full quiver…
Bones has also lent be a 2m HQ Beamer as a seriously high
wind kite, but this is yet to see the light of day.
Lake Walyungup is a great
location to buggy and is good with the wind from pretty much any-direction. The
surface is rock hard with a loose covering of sharp gravel, great for
power-slides but chews the rubber off your tyres. We share it use with a model aero-club
and the land yacht, but there is plenty of room. Given a good easterly or
westerly then you can buggy all the way from the car-park!
The downside is the winter restriction which prevents
vehicles driving onto the lake (the land yachts and model aero-club have vehicular
access) which prevents us using it as well.
I would still like to try buggying on a beach – I have been
told it’s a whole different experience. But with LakeWalyungup
only 5 minutes from home I count my blessings. At some point I would like to go
to LakeLefroy and the beaches near Esperance –
but in my opinion I have buggy heaven on my doorstep.
I am lucky to be able to get out most weekends usually early
on a Sunday morning and most of the time the process of flying and buggying is instinctual
with regular shots of adrenaline, this enables me to enjoy the whole
experience. It has an addictive quality and if I miss out then I become sullen
and depressed.
Throwing the kite around in the turns, power-sliding the
buggy, pushing it to go harder and faster, kicking the rear end out to scrub
the speed; all these are natural and require little or no thought, they just
happen. I know my kites, I can tell what they are doing (even when I did an unintentional 360 the flow stayed in the air), where they are positioned
through the pull through the harness and it only takes a quick glance to affirm
this – yet there is not a better site than a kite against the perfect blue of the
Western Australia sky.
None of this intuitive buggying takes away any of the pleasure
but just goes to enhance the feelings and experiences of pushing your limits
with the aid of the wind.
My other kit includes my Ozone SB harness, I have replaced
the hooked spreader with a roller. This harness is great, comfortable to wear,
spreads the load evenly and is the usual Ozone quality. Though does seem a
little looser these days!
I have my GoPro HD Hero, which is a fantastic bit of kit, at
present I just have my helmet mount and my custom buggy mount, as well as a
tripod. It provides great HD video – which I like to watch again and again. I
would love to be able to mount this on the kite and see that aerial footage.
My other couple of essentials are my ground stake and hammer
(you need the hammer to get the stake into the ground!) and my Masters Mocha
One – and of course the other items of morning tea! That all live in my little blue
cool bag! Of course I have a few different spanners and a spare strop that
usually all live in my Peter Lynn buggy bag.
I had forgotten the GPSr which attaches to the down tube of
my PL with the Popeye the welder GPS holder. I use this to keep an eye on my
speed (max), distance and average and always have some spare batteries. Along
with this I often use the Endomondo sports tracker on my iphone to keep track
of my tracks!
Where to from here?
Faster?
A new buggy?
More Method’s?
Semi-professional? I joke about this with my kids; I am a
semi-professional kite buggier! - No sponsorship deal on the horizon – but I
would if I could!
I am considering selling my 3m Peter Lynn Core (again) -
I seriously do need some new tyres and don't have the cash to but any, I am looking at about $50 a pop for some 6 ply highway rated tyres. To replace the barrows that I have worn out!
And I am not sure how much use I am going to get out of it now I have the super smooth and fast 4m Ozone Method...
I have done the e-bay listing ready to go, I just need to see if my wife can save the day - as she is the financial guru in our house!
Had a great time on the salt lake on Sunday, the wind was an easterly and was blowing pretty strong when I got down there. I met Rob and Alfa75 in the car park at 6am!
On the lake decided to start off on the 3m Core and at times this was feeling over-powered and a little bit scary - I had left the 2m Beamer (that Bones has lent me) at home as hadn't thought I would need it. So decided to sit it out for a bit and have some breakfast while I waited for the wind to ease...
Had a few good runs on the Core and as the wind dropped off a little more decided it was time to pull the Ozone Method 4m. And I am so glad I did, it was nicely powered up most of the time and with the wind gusting as strong as it was before the stability and performance really came into it's own. A couple of times I let go of a handle so I could hold onto the side rail of the bug! The kite would just sit there and continue to do it's thing...
the cars of the model aero-club
Why didn't I put it up from the start? The rest of the time I spent cruising the length of the lake - the model aero-club were on there, but we could easily stay out of each others way. I did have a pit-stop to swap one of my rear tyres onto the front - more about that later.
After four hours in the buggy, over 60kph, a top speed of 54.8kph and moving average of 27.4kph (it did hit 28 at one point!), I was exhausted, so it was time to pack up, head home for a drink and a swim!
I don't know but it was gusty and lumpy today, started with the 3m PL Core but the wind was a bit more off than on so put up the 5m Ozone Flow, but that soon became over-powered so went back to the Core!
The PL Core really doesn't like gusty conditions as it is a temperamental beast, and in the gusts it was being a bit scary so in the end decided - it's better to be safe than sorry and that discretion is the better part of valour! So packed up and went home...
This buggy belongs to Bones, from Extreme Kites, he has had it for about a month or so now and very kindly let me try it while he used mine.
Wow - what a hip hugger, I have lost weight over the last couple of weeks but still had to squeeze between the rails and was then held nice and firmly. The seat was great and the back support did exactly what it was supposed to - supported my back. I could still shift around to reposition my weight.
The wind was gusty, a southerly that would have you powered up one minute and the kite drifting slowly to the ground the next. I had started off on the 5m Ozone Flow, but when I had ago in the Sysmic I was on the Peter Lynn Core 3m - this kite can be temperamental and really didn't like these conditions much!
At times the kite was taking a lot of work to get the buggy moving, then it would gust and we be fully powered - this is where the S2 started to show it's value, the buggy pulled straight and thanks to it's hip hugging rails I stayed firmly in the seat. No lift and no lateral drift.
The increased stability over the PL comp was noticeable and this would definitely inspire me to fly much more powered up and I don't think it would be too long before I started pushing my speed as it boosts your confidence.
After only 15 minutes the wind was more steady and I was pushing harder, I found that with a slight shift of my weight I could un-stick the back and coax it into a slide - an essential as far as I am concerned!
The down sides-
The tyre pressure was a bit high (which Bones agreed after trying my bug and having a smoother ride!) so the ride was a bit jarring - easily rectified.
I haven't got one! And 15 minutes wasn't long enough...
But again I have to say thank you to Bones for letting me have a taster.
"Make no mistake about the Reactor II, this is a serious powerhouse designed for the discerning pilot wanting the challenge and performance of a competition kite while retaining many user friendly characteristics usually associated with a more docile kite"
I want power and performance, but like to be friends rather than getting my arse whooped! That is why if I sell my Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m I am going to look at getting a 4.4m Reactor 2, I think it would sit nicely above my 3m Core.
Foolishly I have decided to sell my Vapor, I have only had it a couple of months - but I can't get the best out of this kite as it is so powerful, it scares me! I only feel comfortable flying it under-powered and then it takes a fair bit of work, soon as it gets powered up then it is brown undies time!
Loved my 3m Core when I flew it recently and am so glad I didn't sell that! I am thinking I may look for a 4.4m Peter Lynn Reactor, so some performance but not the pure power of the Vapor.
The Vapor has only been flown twice and is still very crispy and almost as new, comes as kite only with the bag.
There is some marking on it from when I bled on it after an OBE (4th Picture), otherwise it is immaculate...
Blood!
It is listed on Extreme Kites, just don't tell my wife!
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!
I have decided to sell my Peter Lynn Core 3m, as I have just bought my first race kite and now think I need to back it up with another (3.5m ish) to cover the wind range of the core!
It is kite only, it is in excellent condition, a little bit dusty otherwise perfect and comes with the Peter Lynn rucksack. It is red, white and black. See it in action here -
and here
between 28 & 37 seconds is me with the core doing my PB.
... Did Brian Holgate use to break the kite buggy speed record?
A Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m
What kite... have I just bought?
A Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m
A Peter Lynn Vapor 2.7m!!!
My first step into the world of race-kites and seriously pushing my limits, probably will look at selling my 3m Core and getting a 2nd race-kite around the 3.3m size - but don't tell my wife!
Video from Bones and his wife, though does have a some of me! Here is the story -
"Featuring some of my first efforts learning to buggy, with cameos by gum-nuts doing his usual constant 55km/h for every run, and my wife flying a 4.4m Reactor II in 3.5knots...
Midway through there is a noticeable upgrade in camera and kite, but a downgrade in wind."
I spent some quality time the other day with my kites - unpacking,
checking them over and then repacking them away. So that next time the wind is
good I am ready to go with out any knots or tangles.
The need for this came about when I last tried to fly the
Blade, and I unpacked it to find the lines in a complete twist. I had quickly packed
it away the last time I flew it, ahead of a rain-storm and obviously hadn’t
done a very good job – then trying to sort it out on the salt lake with a
couple of beefy Rangers breathing down my neck was impossible!
All my kites are in excellent condition and after a couple
of hints (thank-you Bones), including one from the team at Peter Lynn kites I
found the Velcro to hold the bridles on my Core – hidden inside the openings to
the cells!
Velcro tab
Now all I need is the go-ahead from the DEC, some wind and
we are ready to go…
Maybe a couple of vapors and a Sysmic S2, wouldn’t go amiss –
I’m not sure if my wife reads my blog but - hint, hint!
Earlier this week I was re-reading some of the stuff I had
written in my blog and particularly my Tale of a Newbie in a Kite Buggy…
I have now been buggying for nearly 10 months and when I
look back to when I started and those first tentative steps, the concentration
and effort that was required to roll those first few meters, successfully
pulling off that first down-wind turn. The frustrations of stacking the kite
and getting the lines and bridle tangled and the exhilaration of flying with
the kite powered and increasing my speed.
Eventually venturing from the relatively confined area near
the car park to the wide open spaces of the lake – and being able to buggy down
there rather than having to walk.
I had my first (and so far only) OBE, thanks to a seriously
over-powered Core and have gradually pushed my speed up to just over 60kph I
regularly hit the mid to high 50’s.
I am now flying hooked in and what a difference that has
made to my buggying, I am now able to hold a lot more power and can buggy
longer and faster – how did I manage before? When cruising I can now fly one or
no handed!
My buggy is still the standard Peter Lynn Comp XR+, I have
added a home made belly-pan and foot-straps. The rear tires are now bald and
have had punctures repaired – the surface of the salt lake has scrubbed them
smooth coupled with my love of sliding! This buggy continues to take everything
I put it through and has been a great place to start – ultimately as I continue
to push my speed and limits I am going to need to upgrade and I have my eyes on
the Sysmic S2.
Flying the kites in conjunction with piloting the buggy has
become instinctive, I no longer need to be watching the kite to see where it is
and what it is doing – the force is strong with this one! I can throw the kite
around to get the most out of it, flip it through 180 degrees and use it to
pull me through a power-slide…
And boy, do I like going sideways? Wether it is kicking the
rear end out, setting the buggy sideways to scrub speed or throwing it hard in
to a glorious huge power-slide – it is always guaranteed to bring a huge smile
to my face! And remove another layer of rubber from my tires.
I am quite happy cruising around taking things easy and
enjoying the ride, but of course there is also the part of me that likes to
keep pushing harder and faster. I use my Garmin Etrex GPS to keep an idea of my
speed and the Endomondo sports tracker app to track my route.
There are also now a couple of other guys who come down to
the salt lake regularly and it is always good to have some company and I love
seeing other kites down there. But also love a solitary session when I have the
lake to myself! I am very lucky to have such an amazing place to buggy so close
to home.
I think that in the 9-10 months I have been doing this that
I have clocked approx 100 hours in the buggy! The fact that I dream about
buggying – I reckon I am truly addicted!
As somebody once said to me welcome to tree watchers
anonymous!
