Anyone try Sand Kiting (not KGB)

mamann · Since 16 Jul 2007 77 Posts Goldendale

I saw something on OPB last nite with people Sandboarding the dunes in Florence.

Has anyone tried the next logical step of adding a kite to the sport. Seems like Florence would be a great place too, because of the consistent coastal winds that blow over the dunes.

I looks like people have tried it in other places from a quick google search. Here's a picture.
http://www.extremesportsphoto.com/imgdetails.aspx?lbr=t&id=HsCcDiTR%2Fzcka%2BGoMa3aUA%3D%3D

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

all the time

I'm thinking of a landboard that looks a bit like a belt sander ,,

I have a MBS with 5 inch wide tires and it will go pretty good in soft sand but not blo sand
Something that can edge is a bit hard to do
Bearing off is pretty easy

Something with a large footprint and lightweight

the dunes go from Florence to Coos Bay,,,, 50 miles
Sandboards are too wide and cannot be edged
Alex Peterson used his skis' and said it worked but too much friction

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

I built a crazy one wheeled board that might work.
I think the guy who is using it added some foot straps.
I'll go claim it if someone else wants to hit the dudes
with it.

Probably need to thermo form a fender for it. And
submit something to the document depository at
the USPTO now that I've posted it. Cool

Design available
for license.

-Hein

pdxmonkeyboy · Fri Dec 14, 07 9:33 am

couldn't you use a really flexy board with a wheel on each end?

pdxmonkeyboy · Fri Dec 14, 07 9:37 am

ahhh hah, now I get the sander reference. I think that would work pretty well actually if you had a big wide industrial sanding belt..say 12" wide by 4 feet long, you could mount it on rollers over a teflon coated block..it would work pretty damn sweet I think. The rollers will need to be deeply grooved to allow sand to pass between the belt and roller without jamming it up.

Much like a belt sander, you would want to build in some kind of adjustment on one roller so that you could adjust the cant of the roller to ensure that the belt stays in place on the rollers and doesn't start to migrate off. Sounds like a fun project!!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

yup
I'm thinking that the ends would have 8-10 " wheels for running over everything
some little (2") wheels underneath with some type of belt(s) with grooves
like serpentine automotive belts to keep it in place or perhaps a convex belt and a "V" bottom
about 8 inches wide and 3 feet long
belt goes over wheels and under feet
about 15 lbs. so you could jump it easily

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

Yeah, definately get the fender on it. I saw what it could do to your leg at Lyle. Laughing

Nak · Wed Dec 19, 07 8:54 pm

I'm wondering if something simpler might work... Maybe a board with a UHMW base. The base could be replaceable. Not sure if the drag would be low enough, but possibly?

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

I've done a bunch of sand riding with a kiteboard and the drag is very high

UHMW is slick but still too much drag

maybe large wheels on the ends and some UHMW in the middle
to act as an edge
the sandboards work well with Formica on the bottom but are too wide to edge and when narrow enough to edge, too much drag