I built one of these. I hooked the kite to the boat too. If you put a ring at the four corners of the tramp and then run a line through the four rings so that you form a U. then put a line across the U with jam cleats. This allowed me to move the kite to any point on the tramp for some hull flying! Cheers!
Hey Jeff Logosz...Can you imagine how far you and Toni have taken this Voyage and brought so much to others lives....I look back on the day we drove from Hood River to the beach with your prototype kite and buggy....Now look...Good Job!
I love this type of horsing around. You could take a second bar and connect it with extensions to the main bar. You should also put a tiller on the rudder. I think you could see gains with better weight distribution. Keep on pushing
Awesome project! I think it could be improved by installing an extension to the bar, connect two lines to the bar about 4 to 6 ft long each and put another bar at the end so you can sit more on the edge of the boat and not where you sit now. The second bar can be just a 2 ft piece of broomstick with two holes drilled on the ends. That way your weight can be better distributed on the boat. Have fun!
Awesome. Had a Hobie 18 and the rig was a HEAVY pain in the backside. Makes me want to revisit. I know where there is a hull sitting that I'm sure the owner would be happy for me just to cart away...
Real Nice 👍, what about another cross beam say 700mm back for attaching the kite too and then being able to plant feet then on the front beam. I’m sure you have loads of ideas 💡. But with some though and trial runs, I bet you could get one hell of a set up and a bit more comfort . Top vids by the way, great drone footage. Makes me want to be there. 🪁🚤🌬🌊
Sam, make a bar extension so you can sit further away from it. Lines from the ends of the bar down through a karabiner or 2 down by the chicken loop and then back to another bar. That way you are still controlling the bar in the same way, but where you want to be on the boat. You might be able to use a windsurfing harness line with the Velcro ends to attach it to your bar easily
You should be able to solo sail the cat if you used your feet for steering the rudders. Using a bar bolted to the center beam extending forward to support a center bolted pole for your feet to rest on which would have lines at its ends going back to control the rudders. This would probably also help you to better support yourself and mostly if you add a back rest. I Don’t know if this navigating seat would need to swivel or if it can stay fixed? I’ve also been thinking of using a kite to navigate a foiling cat. Shouldn’t be that complicated. Thanks for sharing mate!
What about moving the point of contact with the catamaran and kite slightly more aft for a better planning effect ?? I have no idea if would work but might slightly move c of g back. Pull the boat slightly higher and therefore more speed
Have your considered mounting the wind sail base plate slightly up on a sliding Sampson post-like device so the sail operator could kneel or even possibly stand to aid trim, crucial for speed and also excellent for comfort on long reaches and runs? Emulating the body position of a kite surfer and the ability to instantly maneuver the kite could wring out a few more knots. By having it slide fore and aft, you'd achieve nearly infinite adjustment for trimming the boat. Or would there be too much windage and slow you down? At 25 knots, you're probably right at designed hull speed and it's sailing flat. It can't get too much better than that from your current design parameters. A bit of glass work on the dagger boards by working in a bit of foiling effect might get the boat up into the mid thirties but increasing the risk of pulling her out of the water and then pearling back in. Have fun, be safe and thanks for taking us on the rides.
Maybe put a steerable skeg, or foil at each corner, and sit in a central position with a purpose built control bar. Oh, right, we did that 15 years ago. . . Best of luck, kiting is exciting.
@@SamLight I am afraid I dont. There must be a few people who race CATs in the solent, maybe try a sailing club? They might be interested to see how it compares also :)
I recognized the Hobie 18. Got a Hobie 21 SE ... I have converted (part time option) as a paddle boat w anchor and Bimini shade roof, ... to promote some group snorkeling fishing aerobic exercise adventures. That boat glides like two knife blades in the water. QUESTION: Is the mast base a good place to anchor a big kite, ...or would have a frame at front of cat, maybe with pivotable seat ... Be Any Better ??? in your opinion ???
This is fascinating from a sailing perspective. Quick observation. Take it for what it's worth. A sail boat moves through the water on a combination of Center of Effort and Center of Lateral Resistance. The Center of Lateral Resistance is fixed somewhere on your hull or Keel/dagger board and is used more so when sailing up wind, when your center of effort pushes you more sideways with the sails in tight over the bow-stern center line of the boat. When you ease your sails sailing down wind, the keel/dagger boards become less important. There is more to it that that, but I didn't see a lot of up wind sailing, so if it does not seem like your dagger boards are useful, maybe just chuck them? Especially in a Cat. The two hulls act like keels, more so that a mono-hull. Picture of CE and CLR. www.jet14.com/get-your-centerboard-vertical Not trying to be a know it all, just really excited seeing you try to crack this code. I live in San Francisco and I am just starting to Kite sail. You have inspired me to see how far kite sailing can take me. I like that its on a smaller cat. It seems more manageable. I can't wait to see what is next for you guys. Best of luck! Subscribed.
thanks for the tips, all good points. the dagger boards do help to go upwind, i found only 1 is enough, its still pretty good going upwind without them, no need for them going downwind, give it a try, its actually super easy and fun!
Can you extend just the steering line's only so your not stuck in that back breaking position. Obviously the steering line's would have to go through two swivel rollers then out to a power kite two line bar with a couple of knots either side keeping the normal throw of the bar. This will allow you to move about the boat side to side. Utilizing this with a tiller extension the boat could be used single handedly. The only other option would be to have a sliding mainsheet traveler but that's alot of work.
It'd be interesting to see a the same boat with a similar sized sail next to you to compare the efficiency of the sail vs the kite. I'd imagine the sail might do better since the boat is designed for that, but it's possible the kite would surprise.
@@SamLight That's great to hear! So kite beats sail. I guess because it can generate more apparent wind? I'm a kiteboarder so I was rooting for the kite. Looks like you're having tons of fun! Best of luck continuing to improve the sport.
That's what the middle line is for to basically stall the kite it can also be used to take the kite off from the ocean if you crash down into the water. I think.
Yes, I want to do exactly that. This method takes away all hazards for the student. Once the student understands the handling and wind window, then give em a board.
@@Jadan888 It's possible to do, but not out of the box. You'd just have to have someone readjust the strings on the trainer kite to make it a 4 liner then use an appropriate bar.
