Power kites

Power kiteing is the most extreme thing you can do with a kite. It's probably also the most dangerous thing, so you have to know some importand rules before you start.

Buggys

There are different ways of power kiteing, but the most popular way is to use a buggy. The buggy is a small "cart" that is pulled by a big kite. If the wind is good, the driver experienced and the ground appropriate the speed can get very high. Speeds over 60 km/h aren't unusual and the record is around 80 km/h. With a little common sence you understand that protection is important when you ride a buggy. Do not forget the helmet. Buggies are mostly driven on beaches and on dry lakes. A large lawn may also work well.

         A standard buggy

The first rule to learning the buggy is to use the smallest kite that will work and medium winds. Don't let anyone (or yourself) talk you into more than you can handle. Work the kite to gain power and learn to steer the buggy to turn the power into speed. Get comfortable with the kite before jumping on the buggy. If the kite crashes, get off the buggy and point it downwind before relaunching the kite. Trying to relaunch without pointing the buggy downwind can pop you out sideways. Keeping the kite overhead and dropping it into the power when you want to go lets you apply power gradually. The bottom lines of quad-foils only brake the kite, not the buggy. The result is slack lines and wrapping them around your buggy's wheel axle.

There are three ways of stopping the buggy:

  1. Steer the buggy into the wind with the kite overhead.
  2. Drop the kite behind your direction of travel for a moment then bring it back overhead.
  3. Spin a quick 180 turn with the kite overhead.

The surface you are buggying on is a consideration as well. Hard-pack dry lakes and pavement need less power, while sandy beaches and grass fields require a bit more for the same performance. Winds 8-16 mph and a really big place (100-200 yds minimum) with a clear area downwind (in case anyone has to release their kite) is acceptable. The bigger the space the better. Add power a bit at a time. Use the larger kites for lighter winds. Smaller kites can go faster (less sideways drag). On quad lined kites, around 10 to 15 -metre lines offer the best compromise between control response and power. Long lines (> 20 metres) allow the kite to develop more power, but drag increases
significantly.

kite and car
Do you think petrol is
expensive? This is the
environmental and cheap
way of driving your car.

Boats

A kite pulls a boat, similar to the buggy - but on water.

kite sailing

Kites used for power kiteing

An example of a kite-type called foil

The most used kite for power is the foil. A foil usually doesn't have any spars, and it relies on the wind to make it steady. The wind fills the holes in the front of the kite with air, using the same principle as todays parachutes. The size of these foil-kites is measured in square metres or in square feet. The starting kite-size for buggy use is around three square metres. A big foil measures about six square metres, and creates a large pull.
For kite jumping you may need an even bigger kite. The size depends on the wind and your skill.