Beach-skates - kiting shoes from bottles.

My local beaches are all too soft for kite ground boards (KGBs), and I can't really justify buying a buggy, since I get out so rarely these days.

I don't do kite surfing (that's the North Sea out there - people that work out there wear survival suits in the Summer, and you want me to go out there in my keks??), so that leaves little choice but to stand still and fly.

Enter the beach-skates.

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Step 1: The concept.

On other beaches, with flatter, hard-packed sand, I have been able to skid quite far on the soles of my shoes. Unfortunately, as I said, my local beaches are all too soft for that.

Beach-skates are simple things - they provide a smooth surface to skid on, and can increase the size of your foot-print so that you do not sink so easily.

canucksgirl says: Jun 4, 2012. 1:00 PM

Now you must add something about being mentioned in the New York Times! That's a huge accomplishment. Congratulations. This is a very cool Ible! ;-)

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Kiteman (author) in reply to canucksgirlJun 4, 2012. 8:19 PM

I think I was doing that while you posted that comment!

canucksgirl in reply to KitemanJul 4, 2012. 10:34 PM

And yet another congratulations is in order. Well done Mark!

http://www.instructables.com/community/New-York-Times-Whiteboard-Innovation-Challenge-W/

kz1 says: Apr 18, 2012. 4:59 AM

Now that's what I call recycling! Cool idea, Man. Now where did I put that kite...

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Kiteman (author) in reply to kz1Apr 18, 2012. 9:37 AM

Hehe, thanks.

bouncebackability says: Jan 27, 2012. 12:26 AM

This is such a simple, but brilliant idea! Tres cool. Just a thought for people who have kayak sized feet - 3 liter bottles will comfortably fit size 14+ shoes. Thanks again.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to bouncebackabilityJan 27, 2012. 9:52 AM

Thank you!

ilpug says: Aug 28, 2011. 9:56 AM

This is probably one of my favorite of your Instructables that i have come across (i have kinda been loosely sifting through them recently).

I would like to try these on packed snow, wet grass, or just on sand dunes with no kite at all. I have little to no experience (yet) with large kiting, so the being-pulled-by-a-kite concept is a little inapplicable for me right now.

I also had a thought on how to improve these a bit. After you have cut the side open, and before you put in your boot, tape a piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe onto the opposing inside edge, in such a way that when you put your boot in, you will sandwich the pipe in between the sole of the boot and the wall of the bottle. Since the bottle is relatively flexible, the pipe will make a ridge like a keel running along the bottom of the bottle, therefore improving the side-to-side stability.

Also, i would love to see a video of them in action, if in any way possible, and I'm sure that others would too.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to ilpugAug 28, 2011. 11:42 AM

I never tried them without being pulled, and I don't think I ever will now - it's well over a year since I even unpacked my traction kite - my wrists are too bad even for ten-pin bowling now.

ilpug in reply to KitemanAug 28, 2011. 1:27 PM

Well, that is a major bummer. maybe you could make some kind of things you put on your arms to divert the load off of your wrists? I for one, am definitely going to try this idea in multiple environments, as soon as i get around some sand dunes!

BillyK12 says: May 20, 2009. 2:12 PM

whats up with all of the math equations?

Lance Mt. in reply to BillyK12Jun 26, 2009. 7:09 PM

What isn't up with all the mah equations?

Stephen D. Alverez in reply to Lance Mt.Aug 20, 2009. 11:22 AM

ooooooooooooooooohhhh

fidgety2 says: Jul 2, 2009. 8:31 AM

hey people I am currently at A BEACH (hilton head south Carolina and need awesome beach transportation ideas I like this one and was wondering if any one knows how to make a large kite for propulsion using these the idea sounds really fun and I would really like to try it out but need a really big kite like device to pull me.

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Kiteman (author) in reply to fidgety2Jul 2, 2009. 10:37 AM

How about trying one of these?