Power Slide

How do you do a power slide?

Below are tips for this discipline, gathered from various buggiers

The way to get into side sliding first is to do it in degrees. On a nicely powered run turn upwind gently feeling the back end. If it stay connected gradually repeat the run increasing the degree that you snap into the turn, eventually the back will start to step out. As soon as it does ‘counter steer’ by turning the front wheel back towards the kite Once you’ve got an idea how
the buggy behaves when sliding you’ll be able to snap into it with confidence, and by using the front you control the attitude of the bug to the pull of the kite, and therefore the degree of slide.

So again, what you can see in the vid is the snap turn upwind, then as the buggy steps out the front is turned towards the pull as the buggy goes sideways.

If you approach this gently then the slides can become more and more aggressive, eventually you’ll be able to step out the rear end with a real crack, without any fear of it spinning right out.

During a race it’s a requirement to indicate when you are about to turn, and how you are about to turn, but other than that it’s about applying common sense, I doubt any one will think ill of someone being safety conscious, if they are it’s them that have a problem.

1) 1st rule long lines

2) down turn kite, carry on steering forwards, resist the temptation to turn

3) kite is now running through the down turn resist temptation to turn,
everything is starting to tension up at this stage

4) At the right moment as kite is coming out of down turn start to turn (hang
on) this is where you normally leave the buggy…

5) Raise kite, not too high though, and do a figure of 8 as you are turning to
uncross the kite lines (hang on even harder, pushing as hard as you can on the
foot pegs, lots of opposite lock at this stage too

6) If enough wind do another figure of 8 you may be about 1/2 way to 3/4 way
round the turn at this stage, this is where the power really comes on.. (hang
on even harder lol)

7) kite lines are now straight, after the figure of 8, trundle out of turn.

you dont need to be going that fast initially either, although the 30mark gets good results

Very inefficient turn, but looks good especially if there is a little loose sand to kick up

The aim in what’s called ‘down turns’ is to not slide the buggy facing upwind as you would to stop or slow down, but down wind. This would normally mean instantly slack kite lines, but if you also down turn the kite straight back into the power zone is powers up massively through simply being in the zone, and through it’s acceleration as it comes down. This keeps the lines tight. Get it right and you slide around the turn maintaining some speed to head back in the other direction. But, get it wrong and you’re out. This is actually simpler
on winds were the kite is fully powered, in marginal winds the kite might have to be braked on it’s way around to keep line tension.

From experience i have found that Barrows pumped up hard and long lines 30m (longer the line the bigger the swoop) are best as the kite is in the zone for longer, plus you get a little more time to think, a 2-3m kite will be going fast enough anyway without short lines to be worrying about.

Probably best to start out on a smaller kite than you would normally use as you will be putting it right through the window, creating more power than you are usually used to.

I can guarantee that you will be ejected out the front of the buggy while learning. i have been fortunate and not hurt myself

4m is probably best to start on in 15mph winds, small enough to move quickly yet big enough for sliding….

Be careful start in sensible winds, its taken years to gain the confidence to down turn at 30+ in 25mph winds, remember kite and lines will be maxed out with buggy/you fighting against the pull, when it goes wrong…. it goes wrong big time.