Kite Kayaking

The "K-Parafoil"

by SP Designs - made in the USA

 

From time to time we get reviews from customers. This one I had to share.

11/27/2007 - C. Rosamond writes: "Thanks for the Amoka parafoil, Scott. I used it sea kayaking a couple hundred miles of coast in the sea of Cortez....worked great, and left my (non-kite) partner trailing far behind my wake every day. Ahhh...the beauty threading my toes thru the sand while sipping agave based beverages and waiting on the beach every afternoon for him to catch up....."

 

Vitals: *10mph+ winds for towing, one color choice as pictured, two sizes available:

• K-Parafoil 7.4 ( bottom surface 28 x 38 ") ( use 100 - 200 lbs line) - $89
• K-Parafoil 12.6 sq ft ( bottom surface 37 x 49 " ) (use 200 - 500 lbs line) - $129

We've expanded on the proven pulling design of a standard parafoil giving you a superior towing parafoil kite. The first improvement is the kite is constructed using strong 1 oz impregnated ripstock. Unlike standard ripstock nylon that soaks water up like a paper towel, Dilon 100 impregnated ripstock tends to repel water. Also the Dilon ripstock has a low porosity thus air rammed in the front vents stays in giving the kite a stiff air frame. Another improvement is the length of kite is about 10% longer than a standard parafoil with a third set of bridal lines on the trailing edge. By adjusting the rear and middle bridal lines you can quickly adjust the AoA (angle of attack) increasing or decreasing the pulling power. Another feature is the back corners of the kite have vent holes that quickly drain any water and help dry the kite when flying in moist sea air. Also the ribs have vent holes that help keep pressure equal in the cells and gives you better cross inflation making launching an easier task. The last upgrade we want to mentioned is that the bridal lines used are of 200# braided dacron which besides being strong is also very tangle resistant.

Tthe K-Parafoil does not need a tail even in the worst of gusty wind conditions. Not needing a tail is perhaps the kite's best feature as kite tails tend to get caught and tangled on the kayak during launch. However there are two cases where using a tail is advised. Winds are turbulent near the surface so if you fly low (under 50 feet) then using a tail is a good idea. The other case is in extreme wind conditions (over 35mph+). We sell a cone tail called the P-Cone.

*Please note if the wind is 10mph and you are moving 4mph then the apparent wind to the kite is only 6mph. So in general you need 10mph+ winds for going straight downwind and less if using a sea anchor.

The K-Parafoil is available in the kayak section of our online catalog each one hand built in the Amoka loft. Please note if the K-Parafoil listed in the online catalog shows quantity of zero then we are temporarily out of stock. Please check back in a few days. For international shipping information please see this page.

Below is a close-up of the Dilon 100 ripstock fabric.
Also you can see that a small zigzag stitch is used throughout the kite.

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Which size, 7.4 or 12.6 is right for you?

For most people the K-Parafoil 7.4 is power enough and in stiff winds over 20 mph it pulls so hard that you'll need at least 200 lbs test line. For the causal kite flyer who just wants to have some towing fun this kite and 100 lbs test line is all you need.

The K-Parafoil 12.6 is for those young at heart with a big load to pull. This kite will test your equipment!. In very strong winds 500 lbs test line is recommended. It's near twice the size of the smaller model and thus near double the pulling power. In nornal winds of 10 to 15 mph with wind lulls use 200 lbs test line to reduce line weight.

Here is an size comparsion image of a 7.4 and 12.6 side by side and here is a picture of a person standing by the 12.6.

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Tuning your K-Parafoil

If a center keel flaps in the wind then shorten the bridal line on it a bit. That only takes a few seconds to do, don't be lazy! If a back side keel flaps in during flight shorten the line an inch on it and try again. Ideally the kite should fly straight but if it files more often towards one side especially in the extra strong gusts then try shortening both the keel lines on one side just a bit.(shorten the side it is flying towards).

In very strong gusty winds at low levels a tail cone will help greatly to stabilize kite. Usually at heights over 75' a tail is not needed with this kite.

Adjusting the AoA(angle of attack) using the three bridal lines is an art. Though the knots on the attach line are three inches or so apart you likely will want to add some more knots for finer adjustument once you get a high normal flying position set.

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The A-Patriot-Sled Kite

more info here

 

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SP Designs Sea Anchor

 

This is a new design for 2008 with 6 oz dacron panels. It can be purchased in the kayak kite section on the online catalog($19.00). The stiffness of the folded edges makes it open easily in the water. When moving in water the front opens up and it assumes a cone shape. It is 10" long and the sides are 8" in the front, there is an opening in the back so water flows through. It comes with 4 x 48" 200# test each lead lines.

The other term for sea anchor is what fisherman call them, "drift socks". They are used to slow boat drift down in windy conditions and can be found online at fishing/sporting goods type sites. The problem with them is that even the smallest of them is usually very large.

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Information on Kite Kayaking

Normally a kite is flown staked or hand held so when attached to a kayak going downwind the line can go slack if you are not alert during a wind lull. The technique to void this is normally to just use the paddle as a brake. That can become work on a long run so the better alternate is to tow a small sea anchor which is our preference. This allows you to just sit back and enjoy a nice slow kite tow.

 

It is wise to attach a float to your hoop spool or string winder!

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Going Upwind

We get asked so often about going upwind by kite power on a kayak that we felt we needed to start a separate section for this topic. In order to go upwind with kite power you need a traditional quad line traction buggy kite. These kites having pulling power even when flying at 45 degree angles to the wind.

Unlike a sailboat that has a large center board or keel there is little "lateral resistance" on most kayaks thus the side forces from a kite pull the craft more sideways then ahead. Also most kayaks are rolled easily from a side force such as a kite line pulling from your shoulder area. If you have a rudder or centerboard then going upwind is going to be a breeze. Because you need both hands to fly a quad line kite you can't use an oar or a paddle for a centerboard like you can with a single line towing kite.

I use an inexpensive sit on top kayak, a Jitterbug from ClearwaterDesigns that is wide and has small keel fins. It does sail quite well using small quad line power kites but still one must be careful to not get the kite powered at a 90 degree angle causing you roll over. However by keeping the handles low and in front and by leaning a little on a nice wind day I can actually make a little upwind progress. In the picture I'm using a Q2002 on 75 foot lines. Please note the Q2002 must be launched on shore.

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Going Downwind or Across the Wind

Any single line kite will work and most use small parafoils to pull a kayak downwind. By using a big old canoe paddle as a rudder or center board you can sail across the wind. The trick is to fasten a ring to the very front of the kayak you run the kite line through so you are always pulled straight. A word of safety here is that you should hold the kite spool end in your hands and not tie the string off. If you should somehow fall off or go to sleep, you don't want the kayak sailing away by itself. Also never fasten the line to your paddle!

An inexpensive kite I keep in stock that works well for kayak kite towing is the NewTech 38 parafoil which is about 38 inches in length. It comes with a nice 3 streamer plastic tail and though it's a mass produced kite the construction is solid. I recommend this kite size as it's easy to launch it while on the water. This kite pulls like a horse in a stiff breeze.

The wind is usually much more steady and strong at 150' so that's a good height to plan on. It takes a good 10mph+ plus breeze for the kite to tow nicely. Please note we say this because if the wind is 10mph and you are moving 4mph then the apparent wind to the kite is only 6mph. So in general you need at least 10mph winds for going straight downwind and less if using a sea anchor.

 

Here is what you need: $38.00 Newtech Parafoil 38 (as pictured with tail) comes with carry bag $ 8.00 100# x 500 ft Infinity Braided Dacron line $ 4.50 6" plastic hoop spool winder These three items listed in online catalog under kayak/kites.   Thanks to the offshore fishing guys in Texas for sending this picture of the Newtech 38 doing it's thing.   Inland lake kiting.