New levels in water sports

[elli]

While we are playing with kites and surfboards, some creative minds are taking water sports to new levels. I would like you all to note some major developments in water sports. I think its time to move on to the next big thing.

I think they are trying to make stuff that they see in cartoons real. Or maybe they just smoke too much weed.

Due to the sketchiness of some of the ideas, I say wait for next years models as there are probably some issues with this first generation cutting edge technology. Or just buy the 2006 models next year half price.













There is a person inside of this:

[kitekarl]

Just gain 400 pounds and excitement like this can be yours.

[MehYam]

.... pretty much everything that's wrong with these ideas is summed up with this photograph:

[Kawika]

Oddly enough, we had one of those Sumo tubes at the place we were staying for my boat-powered vacation week on a freshwater lake (with insufficient wind for kiteboarding). It's, uh, a pretty exciting ride in that thing. Not exactly my first choice of things to do behind a boat, but the silliness factor is very very high. The guy in the photo looks like he is having a good time, but the ride in it is generally pretty brutal. It's sort of like tubing, but you're captive in the tube. The spray at startup is unbelievable. My guess is that guy may have had hair before he started the ride.
I don't think you'll be seeing much more of the Sumo tube. Ours developed a leak reasonably quickly along the reinforcements, and we were told by the local waterstuff dealer that that was showing itself as a typical failure mode for the Sumo. Sure enough, Sumo doesn't appear in this year's print catalog of water toys.
I do have some hilarious video, though! :)

[bdawg]

make sure you go here and watch the video.

Lets take a poll how long before someone dies on this???


Blair

[VanSimms]

Dude, I did this before it even came out, its called straping a life jacket on, geting in the water and holding on untill you reach 30 or so and start te feel your skin slowly getting riped off.
It a lot of fun. Especially when you go fast enough that you start skipping across the water.

[Pablito]

I think most people will die of boredom. So you get the tube off the water (like, 3 feet) and then what?

Seems like you also need a really long, straight lake or river. What you think would happen if the boat turned while the tube was in the air? Wouldn't the kite tube keep going straight?

[pipedragon]

I think this video pretty much sums up the safety factor.
http://ebaumsworld.com/2005/12/tubetakeoff.html

[elli]

Good find :)
The guy looked pretty helpless. Yikes.

Did the kite over flew the boat when it stopped? Stability in gusts not so good :)

This is ideal for a family vacation: "If you don't leave your little brother alone you are going on the kite tube"