Kite boating

As planned, Dad D and I took the sailboat out yesterday. We first took the boat south to rock harbor and then looped up to the buoy which marks the spot where the SS. James Longstreet was sunk and used for target practice by world war II planes.

Cormorants (perhaps?) on the Targetship buoy

Sadly, the boat is now fully under the water. When we were little, the sun would set directly into the middle of the busted liberty ship.

Dad D Manning the Helm

And then we decided to have some bonus fun. We looped into shore where I launched my kite and jumped on the back of the boat. My dad extended the tiller and moved deeper into the boat. I flew my kite off the back, trying to maneuver it in such a way to provide some extra pull for the boat. This was challenging.

100% Drag Action Shot!!

Mostly, we had a hard time finding efficiency. My kite is very basic and only provides the best pull when the wind is coming from the back of its flyer. Sailboats are quite the opposite. As such, usually my kite was only hurting our forward speed.

We did find one orientation where I was able to swing the kite in a sinusoidal pattern and provide some distinctive umph to our forward progress.

The most exciting part of our kiteboating adventure was diving my kite under the boom whenever we changed directions. My Dad would shout that he was changing directions and I’d duck my head and swing the kite low for the change over.

So hilarious!!

Next up, we’ll have to try this with a big kite and anchor the lines to the boat. Of course, this will dramatically increase the potential for broken boats and broken bones – but such is life.

3 thoughts on “Kite boating

  • 8/10/2010 at 8:49 am
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    Do you and your dad have matching Boating Hats?

    Reply
  • 8/10/2010 at 12:04 pm
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    What if you put your kite on the front of the boat, and didn’t fly a jib?

    Maybe you could put a short rope from the middle of the control bar to the base of the forestay, and then steer the kite while sitting on the bow?

    Reply

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