Introduction: Kite + Ice + Butt + Board
Your straining kite hurls you along at incredible speeds.
You are mere inches above the ice. Or suddenly wiping out all over it.
If polo is the "sport of kings", then surely kite-ice-butt-boarding is the sport of gods.
This week's Instructables TV episode shows you what you've got to do this winter.
For details and inspiration memorize, chew and swallow the following instructables:
Howtoons Ice Skate - Skate Board
ewilhelm's Ice Proa
radiorental's Convertable All Terrain Board
Attachments
Step 1: Ice Awls - Important Safety Equipment
Also called "ice claws", these enable you to crawl back onto the ice if you break through.
Without them you'll be in big trouble. You'd have to go up and over the edge of the ice, continually breaking the weak edge or sliding back and falling back in. These awls let you drag yourself back onto the ice, staying low and spreading your weight out more. These are standard equipment for ice fishermen along with life jackets and sleds big enough to be used as a boat.
This pair of awls was made by drilling an undersized hole, pounding a nail in, cutting off the head and filing a point on it. The nails are off-center so you can drill a larger hole in the other awl and plug them together so one sheaths the other. Very slick. Wear them around your neck. These were made from chunks of broom handle and stainless steel ring nails.
Step 2: Blade Guards
Freshly sharpened edges make a big difference in how much grip you get on the ice. Your buddy's nonslip skateboard deck is great for blunting your edges in the truck.
Also spectators like to use your spare board as a chair in the parking lot. That's bad for your edge.
The solution: blade guards.
To make these blade guards I sawed a slot in some plastic tubing, bent them with a hot-air gun, and drilled a hole for a chunk of bungee cord.
That black leash is a chunk of bungee cord. Use regular rope instead.
The bungee could shoot the board at you in a wipeout.
The pink spot on the ends of each axle is fingernail polish.
Fingernail polish is the poor man's threadlocker. It keeps the nut from coming off. You can still take it off with a wrench but it won't wiggle off by itself.
Step 3: "Tie Fighter" Style Blades
This is my favorite style of blades. They are stiff but light.
I got this first set by prying them off a junk louver from some heavy equipment.
They were a nearly perfect shape already.
In this version I'm using three nuts stacked up as axle spacers.
Later I added the tie rods and made better tubular spacers on the lathe.
Step 4: Kite Handles Made From Lawn Furniture
If you don't know what "kite handles" are, don't worry about it. Suffice it to say,
Back before kitesurfing made "kite bars" popular, people used to use handles.
Many of us still prefer handles for land, snow, and ice kiting. The ones shown here are set up for four-line kites.
Here's my favorite source of handles, trashpicked lawn furniture and handicapped persons equipment.
Just saw off the bent part, drill holes, add ropes, and you're good to go!
Sometimes you get a handy grip in just the right place.
Otherwise it's pretty easy to contact cement some colored foam on for a better grip.
Bare aluminum is pretty cold on the hands, you'll want to cover it with something.
