ABOUT BUDOBOY : Page 1

Born July 1963, In Plymouth, in a district called St Budeaux, hence the name "Budoboy" being slang for a person from St Budeaux.

How did I get into this sport & what was my first couple of kites ? - I got into this sport in 2007, after seeing some guy on a beach in Cornwall playing about with a large kite on a board and jumping up in the air etc, and thaught to myself, "that looks cool got to get into that"

So after doing a little bit of searching around the kite shops / websites I settled on a Beamer TSR 5m & a Scrub landboard. I spent the next year flying static only, and getting used to flying the kite, I was loving it...everyday if there was wind, I could be found over Central Park flying and being pulled around with a big grin all over my face, learning "scuds", reverse flying & generally just trying to get all there was to get out of the kite. Before long I found I needed a new challenge, so the plan was to get a bigger kite, and take it to the land board which as yet had not been used.

Beamer TSR 5m

So I got myself an HQ Apex 10m, I stayed with HQ as I liked the TSR,s quality, I only got a 10m cos it was on special offer (half price), so the price was right. It was a depower kite and I had no idea what that was when I ordered it, I just thaught "well thats something new to get to grips with". It came, and I spent a few months just flying it and getting to grips with it, and of course with how to use de-power.

After a few months I was ready for the board. So I tried for a few weeks to land board, but it was certainly harder than I thaught. I spent most of my time just getting toppled off the board as soon as the kite pulled, but thaught got to keep trying and hopefully get going soon.

I soon got to know the kite forum sites "Racekites" being my favourite, and read some articles on how to landboard, and what kites are good etc, and decided to get a third kite - a Peter Lynn Bomba 13m (Twin skin ARC kite), as I read these kites give good lift and loads of long float, which after all was what I wanted, nice air and loads of float. I got one on ebay for a tad under a ton, so thaught that was good.

I continued to landboard with very little success throughout the remainder of 2008, just realy managing to get going along nicely when on New Years eve 2008, I got yanked off the board by the Bomba and ended up breaking my colar bone - I was gutted, it hurt like mad, and put me out of the sport for about 4 months during which I thaught about my Kite future within the sport.

HQ Apex 10m (The "Judge")

Peter Lynn Bomba 13m

Why did I choose Buggying as my discipline in this sport ?- I was out of the sport for about 4 months and I knew I didnt want to give the sport up for good, Landboarding was ruled out as the doc said another bar ending on the collar bone could have serious consequences for my shoulder, so having to protect it, I thaught I would give buggying a go and see how I get on with it. I baught a Peter Lynn Comp XR plus buggy from my mate, and then everything just clicked into place from day one. I originally thaught buggies were no good and boring, but I was wrong very wrong. I took to buggying like water off a ducks back.

I decided to get rid of the Bomba as I wanted to do cruising in the bug, didnt want to do freestyle as, to be honest, I dont want to knacker my shoulder up, and anyway I get an immense feeling of fun just cruising and power sliding, puts a mahoooosive grin on my face.

I decided to "pimp" my bug up a little, so used some blue leatherette to cover the side rails, and I got a backrest welded on just to make it that much more comfortable - and the "Budobug" was born.

The "budobug"

Backrest - best mod ever

Oh so comfy - buggy for hours

So all I have so far is a Buggy and an Apex 10m (my TSR is now retired, I wont get rid of it ever, as it was my first kite, sentimental value is greater than cost) and with the winds picking up from time to time I am easily overpowered so I need some more smaller kites. I want to stay with de-power cos I like them, and having tried to fly fixed bridle on handles, well lets just say I preffer bars and de-power. I chose to opt for Pansh Blaze II, only because at the end of 2008, they were on a "Buy one get one free" offer, so I get a 7m and a 5m hoping they will be good. Well I need not have worried, they arrive, and I am happy with the quality of their build and they fly very well and are very stable, so I am chuffed. So I now have 3 de-power kites and as such I am able to fly in nearly all wind strengths.

Pansh Blaze II, 5m

Pansh Blaze II, 7m

The PKC (Plymouth Kite Club)- I meet the PKC in July 2007 at Westward HO!, and joined the club immediately. The PKC is an ace club and all its members are friends first and foremost. The club has a real family feel to it. We all get on with eachother and the banter between us is well humoured. I have learnt so much from all the members of the club which has improved my own skills both as a kiter and a buggier, and would recommend anyone to join a club if one exists nearby. Joining the PKC is the best single thing I have done in this sport, kiteing with the guys just imporves the fun and enjoyment of this sport 100%.

One of the larger gatherings of the PKC at the HO! 2008

One of my favourite pics PKC on the HO!

Eating burgers before a HO! sesh is quite a tradition

What is my favourite kite ? - Well for me its the Apex 10m or the "Judge" as I affectionately call it. It flys in relatively low winds (3 mph will get it going lovely), and pulls like mad. I enjoy flying this kite every time, its ubber stable and doesnt over fly the zenith, it just sits there and awaits input. I am considering getting a full quiver of these next year (2010), so that will give me a 3m, 5m, 7.5m and of course the Judge himself. If the others within the range fly as well as the 10m, then whoo hoo what a quiver that wud be.

The "Judge" in action at Westward HO!. This kite was flying in & pulling in no / low wind where most other kites had given up the ghost.

I also have my Pansh Blaze II's, 5 & 7m. I am very happy with my kites at the moment, and although like I said I wud get a quiver of Apex's, that wud only be subject to them being on a special offer, other than that I will continue happily with what I have. I enjoy flying all my kites and if I am honest (blow my own trumpet) I fly them all extremely well, and know each of their characteristics and limitations.

What are my ambitions within this sport ?- Like I said I like to cruise in the buggy and get a thrill out of cruising for long periods of time and clocking up as many miles as I can in one sesh (check out Budo's Diary) and to date have a PB distance of 60 miles which was completed at Pembrey in wales. I would like to get into the racing scene cos that looks good fun and I would just like to give it a try and see what I think of it. I will try the SWATK race season for 2010 I would choose SWATK as I know some of the guys who race and it seems a little low key and more fun, which might suit a newby to the scene like me.

Speed is cool too, I have done 43.8 mph at Westward HO!, and to be honest would like to go about 70 ish or beat the current UK record that would be nice, but in the short term just to do over 50mph would be a great personal achievement for me.

So to summarise, my short term ambitions (say for 2010) would be:

1. To do over 100 miles distance in one sesh (without getting out the buggy).

2. To do a speed of 30 + mph on grass.

3. To do a speed of 50 + mph on a beach.

4. To just participate in a race season (not too bothered how I do, just want to check it out and see if its the sort of thrill for me).

Anything over and or above these ambitions for next year would be a bonus.

My lid, Pimped and personalised with the kind help, time and effort of "Jerry" of the PKC.

Lid modeled by "Alfie", my partners little lad.

Longer term ambitions ?, well not too sure realy, I would like to clock up over 10,000 miles overall in the buggy before my time is up, that would be nice. I suppose I would like to meet as many other kiters as possible, its allways great to meet and put faces to names, and share common interests and just chat. The people make this sport and some are clear characters which make me laugh when reading their posts on the fourm threads.

I just want to keep enjoying this great sport, keep grining from ear to ear whilst buggying, and sharing moments of fun and laughter with me mates of the PKC...

2010:-

2010 has started well, and I have achieved 70 miles in one sesh (thats not getting out the bug, non stop - not bad since the sesh was done at Westward Ho! which is only some 2 - 3 miles long) and am hoping to achieve over the 100 at Pembrey later this year.

During February I and a few other PKC,(Bear, Titch, Nudge, Rocky, Trucknut, Fitter & Fibre) also took our race licence tests, and am happy to say, not only did we pass but we also had a fantastic weekend at the HO!. Just waiting for the licence to arrive now, and am hoping to attend the "Hoy Lake" 24hr event during 2011. It should be a good event and kiteing at night should be an awsome experience.

I do like flying the Pansh's but I have allways wanted a full quiver of Apex's, and during March and April 2010, I secured the Apex 7.5m & the Apex II 5m, dont think its worth getting the 3m as this would be a mahoosively high wind kite, and to be honest I dont feel very comfortable kiteing in winds that are too high, so think I will give the 3m a miss, and settle for the 5m being the smallest in my quiver, and if the wind is too much for the 5m, then I guess I dont fly (better safe than sorry - I know my limit). I got the mk 1 in the 7.5m and the mk 2 in the 5m - am well chuffed with my quiver...

I am also (with some of the PKC) building a big buggy now (hopefully it will be ready by the summer) because to be honest my skill level has now outgrown the small standard PL bug, and I need a bigger wide axle bug now if I am to get more speed, and hold a better edge whilst under power, in order to have more fun powersliding without the increased risk of overturning / OBE especially when turning on wet sand.

Back to the top

Apex 7.5m in action at Westward Ho!.

Nice and pulls just like to 10m, easy flying ability and stable.

Go to page 2