Just floating the thought to see if theres any serious interest.
Idea is to invite to all the old masters out there to dust off their original kites and bring them along for day of hard core retro-kiting somewhere (very safe) on our near Perth coastline.
Initial thinking is it must be at least a minimal depower; say pre 04; C kite but with the real pioneering heroes sporting their pre chicken loop 4 or even 2 line dinosaurs. Boards should also match - nothing post pickle fork allowed.
A day of hard core edging, old school tricks, totally over-powered speed landings etc. etc.
All the modern day depower junkies would be welcome to come along and see what kiting was all about when it really was an extreme sport. Those game enough to try could also be handed the bar of one these torture machines to find out for themselves that not knowing how to edge just doesnt cut it when its a matter of 'real mans kiting'.
Post here or PM me if you want to see it fly. With enough support we can make it happen. Thinking full council approvals, WAKSA endorsement (of course) and some sort of festivities thrown in to make it a great day out for everyone - new or old.
Great chance for a reunion of all those who kited back in the day when everyone who kited knew everyone who kited.
Also a great opportunity to get some great pics & footage by our new age photography buffs.

Watcha reckon ? post or pm if ur keen.

Hey Puppet,

"Post Pickle Forks" means anything after 2001 isn't welcome. I doubt there are more than a kiter or two would have anything that old still kickin around.

I have an old 05 Airush Reactor "C" kite with a pulley bar on 20 m Lines. No depower at all Excellent for kiteloops!

DM

Sounds like a great idea Puppet, I unfortunately was a late starter and missed all of that 'fun' so would have nothing to contribute though.

You are probably right Darren.
Only brought up the pickle fork cos I learnt on one. But hey - it was probably 4 yrs old already !
Gawd and didnt I think it was a pure joy to behold the day I bought it.

Nothing anywhere near set in stone here Darren. Just fishing.
RU up for it - wouldnt be a masters event without you.

Might add too - no disrespect intended in the start up post re 'depower junkies'.
Id have the most expensive habit going on that score

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tightlines said...

Sounds like a great idea Puppet, I unfortunately was a late starter and missed all of that 'fun' so would have nothing to contribute though.

No problem TL. Gladly; I cant claim to date back to the super scary days either. But I found a near new 2 line Wipika ??? (something-or-other) buried in the storeroom last week. We can share it - if ur game

ha ha, sounds good if I was in WA. Have a circa 1999 Naish 7m AR3.5 but lost the bridle so it is in 4 line. Also a 9.5m Naish ARX - been meaning to get it out for a fly.

Funny, we have been floating the idea of that over here in Newcastle

I've still got an 11.5m and a big ass 15.5m air-rush lift, pre 04. The 15.5m isn't big in today standards, but the old ones truck like you wouldn't believe. Actually think the 15.5m only flies now, might do a repair job on the 11.5m if needed.

Shame i don't have any of my 2 line foils left... and the old peter Lynn kites ha ha ha...

Epic idea!

For the Sydney day, I could supply foils, arcs, and a plethora of little to no depower 2, 4 and 5 line c kites, all still working as well (or as badly) as the day they were made.

Now to be really hardcore we need to find some c-quads as mine went to a watery grave...

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puppetonastring said...

Initial thinking is it must be at least a minimal depower; say pre 04; C kite but with the real pioneering heroes sporting their pre chicken loop 4 or even 2 line dinosaurs. Boards should also match - nothing post pickle fork allowed.
A day of hard core edging, old school tricks, totally over-powered speed landings etc. etc.
All the modern day depower junkies would be welcome to come along and see what kiting was all about when it really was an extreme sport. Those game enough to try could also be handed the bar of one these torture machines to find out for themselves that not knowing how to edge just doesnt cut it when its a matter of 'real mans kiting'.

Back in my day... grumble grumble grumble... now get of my lawn!

Would be fun puppet but I think I would be back on the new gear in 5 min.
Maybe you could get sponsorship from airtime or kitefix cose I reckon there would be valves leaking every where, and who wants to pump up every single strut.
I must admit though I would love to have a go on an old wipika classic

P.S. congrats on the new shop

Funny you mention that I was fanging around on my cabrinha directional (2002) the other day and whilst in the shed noticed my dusty 2002 2 liner CO2 sitting there and had a similar thought. Sounds like fun

It could be an excuse to see if the Wallend still works. Two line foil, how could you go wrong

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coreyb said...

It could be an excuse to see if the Wallend still works. Two line foil, how could you go wrong

Could team it up with the Asylum picklefork if you like. Got balls?
Now where's my copy of Awake?

Those were the days.

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coreyb said...

It could be an excuse to see if the Wallend still works. Two line foil, how could you go wrong

A mate went very wrong on an 8m wallend air and a pair of rollerblades at the Karratha drive in.

To do it properly the riders should wear fluoro retro boardies and mullet wigs. Someone should bring a big ghetto blaster boombox and crank out an AC/DC cassette.

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coreyb said...

It could be an excuse to see if the Wallend still works. Two line foil, how could you go wrong

You got the Wallend??
My first love in 2000, I didnt know any better.... Im dying to meet her again and find out what made me foolishly lose my mind

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wishy said...

To do it properly the riders should wear fluoro retro boardies and mullet wigs. Someone should bring a big ghetto blaster boombox and crank out an AC/DC cassette.

Just the style of the 'festivities' I had bubblying away in the back of my mind. Retro dress day as well YEAH

great idea puppet..It was only the other day I unwrapped my 12m Octane (05 I think it was) would love to get it out n have a crack...all for it mate sounds like a great idea

I will have to blow the dust off my old Visions and one of the orginal best boards. Actually pulled the old 8m out a few months ago, it didn't take long to remember it turned like like a mother f*ker, went up quick and down even quicker and one kiteloop to remember just how much power it generated.

Hi Puppet,

I have a collection of foils in the shed, including:
2004 4.5m Flysurfer (still in use)
2004 7m Flysurfer.
2005 10 m Speed1 Flysurfer (the legendary original light wind weapon)

They all fly. I'd love to try them again, in particular the Speed1.

Might be fun.

Fred

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fver said...

Hi Puppet,

I have a collection of foils in the shed, including:
2004 4.5m Flysurfer (still in use)
2004 7m Flysurfer.
2005 10 m Speed1 Flysurfer (the legendary original light wind weapon)

They all fly. I'd love to try them again, in particular the Speed1.

Might be fun.

Fred

Still use flysurfers? if not what now? Just out of interest

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RayQ said...

coreyb said...

It could be an excuse to see if the Wallend still works. Two line foil, how could you go wrong

You got the Wallend??
My first love in 2000, I didnt know any better.... Im dying to meet her again and find out what made me foolishly lose my mind

Wow I remember that bloody mattress! I was flying another two line foil, but can't remember what is was called. The wally air, use to jump big though!

If you're going back to the style of the day then everyone will need to be riding in Jet Pilot long pants, they were the rage in 2001!

DM

PS @ Coreyb; Wallends didn't fly well when brand new!

ive been wanting to bring kitepants back for ages, just couldnt find any

Sounds like a great idea!

Make sure you are only allowed to pump up your kites with those ridiculous little hand pumps.
It would also be good see to see some of the pre twin tip directionals being brought out of hiding!

This is as retro as I get

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Charl dv said...

ive been wanting to bring kitepants back for ages, just couldnt find any

And flanno shirts....

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NJPornstar said...

This is as retro as I get

The good old wipika hand pump. - Hope it is only a 6m you are pumping up.

I've got a 1999 naish AR3 9 meter converted to a 4 liner now still use it when it thumps but the leading edge is a patch work quilt now but still fly's well.

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LouD said...


It would also be good see to see some of the pre twin tip directionals being brought out of hiding!

I still have a K-motion around 7 feet. The shop-keeper did not know much more about kiting than I did, so he hooked me up to a 9m Co2 two liner as well. After 2 weeks of surviving (just), I knew I meant to be a kitesurfer. If someone has an 8m Naish Ero, I'd love to try the combo. It was a sweet kite: it had DEPOWER about 20%. That was when I started to experience more endorphines out of joy instead of that constant adrenaline out of fear.