Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

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Surffx

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 10, 2005
Messages
133
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Ya know these this new forum format is getting frustrating. For those of you that are interested in reading the article I posted above, just copy the whole thing and put in the address bar of your browser. I couldn't figure out why it won't post the link correctly.
 
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craze1cars

Lieutenant Commander
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Dec 26, 2004
Messages
1,822
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

I was watching someone on one of these myself just last weekend while we were out skiing. I have considered the purchase myself as they look like a blast. But I have to imagine the dismount would be VERY exciting at times...

Check out some of the videos of this thing in action....they're all over the internet. One small gust of wind while you're 15 to 20 feet in the air sends it into a high speed nose-dive. Running one of these properly takes probably more boat driver skill and awareness than competition slalom. As the wind changes, the boat driver probably has about 1/2 second to respond appropriately and smoothly with the throttle before things go south REAL fast.

I imagine the poor soul in the article just landed badly and snapped his neck back or something similar...really could happen in any water sport at any time, very sad.
 
rickdb1boat

rickdb1boat

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Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

The Wife and I were on the Lake this past weekend and I saw one of these first time up close. They were behind us some distance at first and at first it just looked like someone was towing an empty tube the way it was flopping around and going up and down in the air. But as they got closer, I could see a small child inside of it who was probably about 10 years old. When they got right along side of us, the tube which was then about 15 feet in the air flipped over and came crashing down in the water. The girl was OK, but you could see she was pretty shook up. It was a hard landing for her. You could hear her "smack" the water pretty good. She abruptly got in the boat and off they went. I saw it being pulled again later further up the lake trying to get back in the air, but it wouldn't go. Don't know who was in it this time, as it was across the lake from us, but I bet it wasn't that girl..Point is, it sure was neat looking until it came crashing down, then it got kinda scary....
 
J

JustMrWill

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
877
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Surffx said:
Ya know these this new forum format is getting frustrating. For those of you that are interested in reading the article I posted above, just copy the whole thing and put in the address bar of your browser. I couldn't figure out why it won't post the link correctly.
Click to expand...

I am having the same problem...I ended up using HTML format for my signature and I can't seem to get my pictures to show up...looks good in preview...RED X in post...

Now on to the topic...

They always concerned me in safety...I mean... 10-20 feet in the air going 20+ mph...hitting the water wont be much softer than hitting the ground. It would only take landing head first at the wrong angle and SNAP goes the neck. I won't be getting one...I can't afford the price tag either.

-JMW
 
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cobra 3.0

Lieutenant Commander
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Jul 31, 2003
Messages
1,797
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Yikes! Scary stuff! Not interested in pushing up daisies either! Not for me!
 
Reel Poor

Reel Poor

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Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

:'(....:^:^:^:^
 
deejaycee_2000

deejaycee_2000

Captain
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Mar 28, 2006
Messages
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Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

awesome, now that is what I am talking about .......
 
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paulie0735

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
463
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

I borrowed a similar one to that for a day, it was a blast while we had it but I just wasn't confident that it was safe after seeing my adult sons obviously shaken after a couple of near big spills, it just didn't sit well with me so declined the sale................. and now I know I did the right thing!!
 
S

Surffx

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
133
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

That video was insane. How long do you think that rope was? He must have been 25+ feet in the air.

I could see my friends and I trying that kinda thing back when I was a teenager but now...forget it! I'm glad I survived those years and grew up and got a brain.
 
tashasdaddy

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Messages
51,019
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

i'm to old and sore from the crazy things i've already done.
 
studlymandingo

studlymandingo

Commander
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
2,716
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

I have one. It's fun! If you hang on, you're not likely to crash to the water because of the way the rope is attached to the tube. It's a pretty amazing feeling when you lift-off of the water.
 
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samsam

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Dec 30, 2005
Messages
121
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

studlymandingo said:
I have one. It's fun! If you hang on, you're not likely to crash to the water because of the way the rope is attached to the tube. It's a pretty amazing feeling when you lift-off of the water.
Click to expand...

"not likely to crash":% I bet that guy in the video was pretty amazed when he hit the water. d:) I have some slightly bloody Jarts for sale if anyone's interested. It's an easy bet that sellers of this thing will be sued, not to mention the regular people who buy it and make it available to others that get hurt. I can imagine the urgent memo circulating through the insurance industry. I wonder if people who buy it, get disenchanted with it and resell it can be held liable or at the very least be sued and have to $$$$prove $$$$ themselves innocent? Sam
 
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anyfishlldo

Seaman
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
72
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Ouch.




Screw that thing, I have no desire to even get close to one. Just a couple weekends ago at Powell there was a 12 y.o. girl with a concussion and a 30 some y.o guy with a broken neck on from of these things.
 
V

vipzach

Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
1,283
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Those things have been banned on a bunch of lakes here in Oklahoma, I heard on the news this morning. You won't catch me pulling one or riding one!
 
Admin5

Admin5

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 29, 1998
Messages
683
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

iboats stopped selling these flying tubes more than a month ago when we started hearing about the numbers and levels of injuries. Have fun out there but use your head and stay safe!!!
 
QC

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

I think you are wise Admin5 ;) I like crazy fun as much as the next guy, and I have pulled a parasail and would again. But I am hiding those things from my kids so far. Wish me luck and eventually strength . . .
 
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bamadave

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
391
Re: Guess I won't be getting a kite tube after all

Yeah, they're cool until you are looking at your child in intensive care wondering if they are going to live. The manufacturers should pull these on their own before anymore families are devestated from the life changing injuries.
 
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