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Flying in sandy areas - any tips?


Hasek
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I just moved and have never flown in sand, it's been all grass and asphalt flying. Other than sand and the end caps, is there anything else to be aware of? The amount of forum search results for "beach" and "sand" were mind numbing. I went through 20 pages of beach and about 10 of sand. Each with pretty minimal information gained.

Other than ocean beach flying, about 30-ish minutes away, I've scoped out about three potential areas much closer to home! I'm pretty psyched.

TIA.

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Congratulations on your move ! Don't worry one bit about flying on sand. I fly mostly on the beach, and the thing I don't like the most about flying inland is the dirt, the mud, the goose poop... I can deal with less than ideal wind.  I would so much prefer to fly on sand, there isn't even a close second for the dirt field. Try it, you'll like it !

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Routine cleaning is all you'll need! For the kites - just a gentle spray with fresh water on sail and bridle. For your lines - just place lines on winder in enough water to cover and watch the sand run out! Rinses off the salt too!

 

The "O" ring idea works if you don't have too fine a sand. Some use a piece of slingshot tubing to cover the cap/rod connection. Either way it prevents sand from getting between the cap and rod, making it much easier to take apart!

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11 hours ago, RobB said:

Congratulations on your move ! Don't worry one bit about flying on sand. I fly mostly on the beach, and the thing I don't like the most about flying inland is the dirt, the mud, the goose poop... I can deal with less than ideal wind.  I would so much prefer to fly on sand, there isn't even a close second for the dirt field. Try it, you'll like it !

Thanks Rob. The potential fields closer to my home are also sand. When I first moved down here 30 years ago, my sheltered self was like "what, sand for dirt?". Actually the sand helped in my move; My brother and I backed the 26 foot moving truck to the side of the house. It took some angular maneuvering so the truck's rear bumper wouldn't bottom out getting past the drainage ditch. We finished unloading and my brother-in-law was there. He went to pull the truck out and went straight, even after my brother told him to watch the angle. Anyhow, digging a big butt truck out of sand is A LOT easier than digging it out of dirt! ;)

 

12 hours ago, SparkieRob said:

Shaking sand out of the LE pocket.

Putting an "O" ring on the rods pushed up against the end caps.

That's all I got...

Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app

10 hours ago, Wayne Dowler said:

Routine cleaning is all you'll need! For the kites - just a gentle spray with fresh water on sail and bridle. For your lines - just place lines on winder in enough water to cover and watch the sand run out! Rinses off the salt too!

The "O" ring idea works if you don't have too fine a sand. Some use a piece of slingshot tubing to cover the cap/rod connection. Either way it prevents sand from getting between the cap and rod, making it much easier to take apart!

Thanks guys. I will try both the slingshot tubing and O ring. I am thinking the O ring would be better as far as assembly/disassembly. I wouldn't think the tubing would be too bad with one kite, but the stack is a different story.

I am protecting all six spar caps, not just the leading edge, yes?

 

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Thanks Rob. The potential fields closer to my home are also sand. When I first moved down here 30 years ago, my sheltered self was like "what, sand for dirt?". Actually the sand helped in my move; My brother and I backed the 26 foot moving truck to the side of the house. It took some angular maneuvering so the truck's rear bumper wouldn't bottom out getting past the drainage ditch. We finished unloading and my brother-in-law was there. He went to pull the truck out and went straight, even after my brother told him to watch the angle. Anyhow, digging a big butt truck out of sand is A LOT easier than digging it out of dirt! ;)

 

Everything is sand where I live, the Island is in reality one big sand bar. I guess you just get used to having sand everywhere, in the car, in the house, in the kite bag... Funny that you sank a big truck into the sand & didn't need a tow truck to get it out... I can't imagine hand digging a 26 foot truck out of a sand hole ! I hope that was the worst thing that happened to your move !

 

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On 4/9/2016 at 11:36 PM, RobB said:

 Funny that you sank a big truck into the sand & didn't need a tow truck to get it out... I can't imagine hand digging a 26 foot truck out of a sand hole ! I hope that was the worst thing that happened to your move !

Yup, a pretty successful move. 4 broken dishes, 15 minutes of pondering, and 2 people digging for 15 minutes.

Thank you Wayne and Paul.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎09‎.‎04‎.‎2016 at 5:36 AM, RobB said:

I guess you just get used to having sand everywhere, in the car, in the house, in the kite bag...

I also use to fly on sand. It is pretty right, what Rob writes.
Maybe if you get a new kite, you like to assemble it in the living room to examine it or just have a look on its beauty.
But when you once have been out at the beach, it is not a good idea to unpack it indoor.

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