G'day,

Outleaders (www.kiteship.com) are different to board kites. They are launched from the boat not the beach and they do not have anywhere near the power zone. They are 20-50% more effective than a spinnaker due to flying higher in clearer, stronger air and not being affected by other sails or the boats motion.

Mostly though, they are safe. All the lines lead to the deck, so there is no heeling or nosediving. Biggest worry is getting airborne, more a problem on a beach cat than a large cat.

They have been used on big, slippery tris, a dismasted Newick was bought back from the Carribbean under a kitewhich was smaller than their assymetric. Went just as fast as the assy and main.

They don't need winches. We launched, flew, gybed and retrieved a 420 sqm/4,515 sq' Outleader on AAPT, a 20m/66' skiff in Sydney without once winding a winch. You do need snubbers, I have a bank of sawn off hardwood fenceposts mounted on a piece of 12x2 timber for my small kite. This can be strapped to a cross beam, a seat or a hull.

Conventional assy's have an aspect ratio of about 2:1. They are twice as high as they are wide, triangular and area is limited by the height of the mast/luff. 9m mast, max area is about 20 sq m. Outleaders are 1:4. Max hoist is 9m, but the max area is 162 sqm! And don't forget, they do not cause heeling or nose diving!

Outleaders are just getting going. As more and more hotshots use them, so will the techniques for flying them improve. Afterburner's first experience was not a good one. The Kiteship team will be sailing with them this summer to reverse this.

None have been used on beach cats yet, although I will be trying my 40 sqm/430 sq footer on my 7.5m/25' proa http://www.harryproa.com/Elementarry/SailingPhotos_4.htm in a couple of weeks. Will let you know how it goes.

Peter Lynn's little cat was an awesome beast. Peter told me where to sit, how to steer with the pedals and how to trim and steer a kite. I climbed on, sailed off the beach (4 fixed stainless steel rudders, turned on a dime), through the surf and back and forth, upwind and down, for an hour or so. No problems, enormous fun. This was the first time I had used a kite, or steered with my feet. He was developing a 6m/20 footer while I was there, and I think he is now selling these.

regards,

Rob