Date: Sun, 21 May 1995 13:40:16 -1000 From: daveculp@bdt.com (Dave Culp) Message-Id: Organization: Beckemeyer Development, Oakland CA Subject: Kitesailing History Axel Voss of DRACHENmagazin, via email to me asks: >If there is anything vital you think it would be appropiate to be >included (in an upcoming kite traction article) I would be grateful for a >notification. I'm sorry, I have not seen Val's article (Kite Lines Vol. 9 No. 4), though I did see a similar one 5-6 years ago. I can tell you a couple of milestones I know of, and a breif history of my own work. 1977 Keith Stewart of Melbury Osmond, Dorset, England crossed the English Channel with 6 Gorden Gillett (Delta) kites pulling a small 2 hulled catamaran. He was the second to do this, William Cody did it in the 1880's 1977-80 Keith Stewart also patented, built and widely marketed kitebuggies which were amphibious and were powered by large kites of his own design. He was neither the first, nor the last to do this, and to claim invention of it. 1987 Ed Gillet of Dan Diego, California crossed the Pacific Ocean from Monterey, California to Maui, Hawaii on a stock Tolfino kayak, pulled (and paddled,I presume) by a single line Jalbert J-15 parafoil. Took him 63 days. 1979-84 Ian Day of Clarisbrook (near Southampton), England, held the outright world speed record for C-class sailcraft (150-300 sq ft sail area). He did it on "Jacob's Ladder" a 25 ft Tornado catamaran powered by a stack of 15-10 ft Flexifoils. He used 1/4" polypropylene line (Yes, the very same sold at your local hardware store for about a penny per foot; it's the one marked, "extra strong.") 1986-88 Dan Eisaman of Madison, Wisconsin crossed each of the US Great Lakes (except the largest, Superior), distances of from 50-100 miles, with a Jalbert J-30 powered rubber dinghy. I don't know if he's conquered Superior since, I know that 2 trys resulted in the Coast Guard bringing him back to shore and warning him not to do it again. Dan was in his late 50's at the time. In England, at the annual "Speedweek" at Weymouth, Dorset, kiteboats were entered in 1977,78,79,80,82,86,87,& 88. All but 77 & 88 were boats designed by me and built by myself or Keith Stewart. In 78 and in 80 also there were two kiteboats entered simultaneously. My boats took a 2nd in class in '78, '82, a second and a third in '87. In 1988 I assisted Cory Roeseler, of Hood River, Oregon, in winning first in class with a prototype of his "Kiteski" system; in this case a stack of Flexifoils pulling him on water skis. Hope this helps! Dave Culp = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =