Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 23:15:56 -1000 From: stucaruk@pacifier.com (Stuart B. Caruk) Message-Id: <48evgc$r27@news.pacifier.com> Organization: Pacifier Internet Server (206) 693-0325 Subject: Manlifting I saw 2 guys at Longbeach Washington flying (quite literally) what looked like an oversized quadrafoil 4 line style kite. They had a rope hooked to the bumper of their truck, to a climbing harness, then to the kite. When the kite took off they went up in the air 25 - 30 feet as well. They could do flips, and all sorts of stunts. The wind was blowing steady around 30 MPH. Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 00:21:06 -1000 From: pp@win.tue.nl (Peter Peters) Message-Id: <48f3ai$ncq@svin09.win.tue.nl> Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Subject: Re: Manlifting In article <48evgc$r27@news.pacifier.com>, stucaruk@pacifier.com (Stuart B. Caruk) writes: >I saw 2 guys at Longbeach Washington flying (quite literally) what >looked like an oversized quadrafoil 4 line style kite. >They had a rope hooked to the bumper of their truck, >to a climbing harness, then to the kite. When the kite took off they >went up in the air 25 - 30 feet as well. They could do flips, and all >sorts of stunts. The wind was blowing steady around 30 MPH. >Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like >a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... If the wind dies, so do you.... (Sorry, couldn't resist) Peter = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 13:52:37 -1000 From: Bill Parker Message-Id: <30ABCEC5.2266@mns.bt.co.uk> Organization: BT Labs, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, UK Subject: Re: Manlifting s'not parascending is it? Most modern parascenders use ram-airs nowadays and just drive the 'rover up and down a length of beach/grass/runway whatever to supply the 'wind'. Can get up to about 1500' with no real problem. And being a parachute it can be landed safely enough. But your description of flips etc. means maybe not... Bill -- #!/usr/local/bin/perl -s-- -export-a-crypto-system-sig -RSA-in-3-lines-PERL ($k,$n)=@ARGV;$m=unpack(H.$w,$m."\0"x$w),$_=`echo "16do$w 2+4Oi0$d*-^1[d2 Sa2/d0 Organization: Bayer Corporation Subject: Re: Manlifting > >Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like >a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... I believe that "DIES " is the operative word here ! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 05:49:43 -1000 From: mielse@euronet.nl (Emiel Stroeve) Message-Id: <48fmif$f65@news.euro.net> Organization: Euronet Internet Subject: Re: Manlifting stucaruk@pacifier.com (Stuart B. Caruk) wrote: >I saw 2 guys at Longbeach Washington flying (quite literally) what >looked like an oversized quadrafoil 4 line style kite. >They had a rope hooked to the bumper of their truck, >to a climbing harness, then to the kite. When the kite took off they >went up in the air 25 - 30 feet as well. They could do flips, and all >sorts of stunts. The wind was blowing steady around 30 MPH. >Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like >a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... Yes, it's called: how-to-die-the-quickest-way, It's best done at a hard surface, without a helmet, away from any medical attention, looking like MAD-MAX, growling like a bear, having no brains at all, wanting to impressing al of the people around, I could go on, but you probably get the general picture ! When the wind dies you'll get the ultimate thrill of kite jumping: falling down flat (litterelly) on mother earth. see you, Emiel Stroeve ---------------------------------------------------- miel@knoware.nl http://www.euronet.nl/users/mielse/index.html = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 06:49:48 -1000 From: neitzke@elk.miles.com (Robert C. Neitzke) Message-Id: Organization: Bayer Corporation Subject: Re: Manlifting > >Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like >a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... I believe that "DIES " is the operative word here ! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 22:05:40 -1000 From: daveculp@bdt.com (Dave Culp) Message-Id: Organization: Beckemeyer Development, Oakland CA Subject: Re: Manlifting In article <48evgc$r27@news.pacifier.com>, stucaruk@pacifier.com (Stuart B. Caruk) wrote: > I saw 2 guys at Longbeach Washington flying (quite literally) what > looked like an oversized quadrafoil 4 line style kite. > > They had a rope hooked to the bumper of their truck, > to a climbing harness, then to the kite. When the kite took off they > went up in the air 25 - 30 feet as well. They could do flips, and all > sorts of stunts. The wind was blowing steady around 30 MPH. > > Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like > a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... This was rather popular, back in the early '80s. At least until all the guys who where doing it became quadraplegics... Cool "flips and stunts" will eventually (statistical certainty) smash heads into the sand. Think about it--preferrably before you try it. Dave Culp Speedsailing = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 03:28:19 -1000 From: sc5@prism.gatech.edu (SPC) Message-Id: <48fe9j$pvo@acmex.gatech.edu> Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology Subject: Re: Manlifting In article <48evgc$r27@news.pacifier.com>, Stuart B. Caruk wrote: >Does anyone know anything about this sport. I thought it looked like >a kick, but what happens if the wind dies.... Yup, it's tethered kite lifting/jumping/whatever. Can be a blast. But also, it _can/is_ quite *dangerous*. Just ask Dean Jordan. In addition to coming down when the wind lulls, if you zig when you should have zagged, the flier can be slammed into the ground resulting in very serious injury. Some things to think about.... Steve *************************************************** * I'm not a participant in any organized hobby... * * I'm a kiteflier! * ******************** aoxomoxoa ******************** http://server1.admin.gatech.edu/fac/steve/kiting/kiting.htm = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 19 Nov 1995 18:19:38 -1000 From: griebeno@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Kai Griebenow) Message-Id: <48ovkq$4b8@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU> Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Subject: Re: Manlifting Hi, what you describe isn't manlifting - it is just insanity. Never ever ever place your body on a line with a harness with the kite in front and a ancor in the back. When you get liftet, everything might be ok. When the wind dies, no problem. But when you get a gust and unfortunately your head decides to go towards the center of gravity - you break your neck. As simple as that. It happened before. There were several accidents in Europe a couple of years ago when sport kites started to flood Europe and the people were not all very experienced and started experiments like that. A couple of people I know did something like that - they are still ok, just had a few blue spots. But they all wouldn't do it again. Not one of them. Most of them got in a very scary situation and decided to give up on it. Today they are all converted to single line fliers ;-). Manlifting, by the way, if performed in a professional way using Cody-Systems, with local reports from the airports nearby on the wind on-line, isn't as dangerous as it sounds. Alfons Karsten did it a couple of times with success. I, anyway, wouldn't do that either. Like to have my feet on the ground when flying kites. Happy Kiting Kai = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =