No joke, I've come pretty close, if not actually gone higher. The funnest part of this sport is the immense amount of air you get. My record hang time sits at 7 seconds. Time that guy and see what you get, then compare it to my record.
it's a bit hard to explain since there's lots of kite terminology I'd have to use to explain it well, but the way it works, more or less, is you build up power in the kite by pulling on the leading lines (like the guy in the video does when he leans back right before launching) and the second you let loose and create some slack on the lines, the kite takes off and pulls you with it. Since you're hooked in and can control the kite with the control bar, you can maintain tension on the lines all the way until you land and by dropping your kite down into whats called the wind window, you can hit the water riding. Those are some extreme conditions that guy is riding in, but sometimes those are the best conditions to ride in. Its a crazy sport, and lots of people are getting hurt doing it. And I suggest everyone do it, or die trying.
Jesus Fucking Christ in a chicken basket! He looks like a rag doll on takeoff.
There was something in the news here about an American guy in Okinawa getting dragged off the sea into a the side of a pizza shack, bouncing off the roof and ending up hanging off a fence. With serious injuries of course. I thought it might've been a snowboarding mate of mine who just moved down there and is getting into it.
How do you know your hang time? I ask, not to throw any doubt on your personal time, but out of simple curiosity about the method. It seems like a difficult thing for you to measure yourself when you're hanging.
counting to myself while flying 30ft in the air probably wouldn't be that difficult, but I wouldn't think to do it. I'm too busy thinking about the pain I'm gonna feel if I don't stick my trick. My girlfriend would come out to help me launch my kite, and she was timing me.
The equipment cost is certianly steep (fuqin joe should be able to answer that) but like surfing, after you pay the inital sum it is free free free until you need new equipment. No damn lift tickets at the beach.
Did you hear that Chad Kagy over-rotated doing a double back and broke his neck?!?!?!? What the hell man...fucking over rotating a double back is just ridiculous...he is not paralized but that must really fucking suck to break your fucking neck eh?