Can ya teather a space ball

[airdrew20012001 0]

Has anyone ever tried this? My thought is to teather the thing so I don't loose it, sort of like training wheels. Just a thunk.
Drewfus McDoofus

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

If you could, you'd want to make it releaseable in case of emergency.
When you participate in sporting events, its not whether you win or loose, its how drunk you get.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Somehow this doesn't sound good to me, how long a leash are you talking about, and how would you manage the leash as you track, dump and try and clear all the mess.....
If you could master it you would be onto a winner though, and may even retire early.......
Something retractable like one of those doggie leads might be a good idea......
Cya
D

[skygeek 0]

What would you use to secure it? If you didnt have a hold of it what would it take to stop it?
IItywimwybmab?

[AggieDave 6]

When I saw that, my thought on implementing was a simple one. Make a Spaceball and run a line of 550 cord straight through it, make it about 20ft long. Construct a quick release and attatch it to your ankle, with the quick release up somewhere like on your chest strap.
Although, my luck, I would have engtange with everything and would have a double mal...*shrug* so not gonna happen with me.
A human cannonball, I rise above it all
Up higher then a trapeze, I can fly

[Zennie 0]

Beyond the entanglement stuff, I'd think the tether would interfere with the flight of the spaceball. The tether is going to encounter drag, and it's going to have to pull on something. Since the spaceball is lighter than the jumper, it's going to get pulled. Exactly how that would play out I have no idea.
Better idea is to find someone with an AD who can ballmaster for you (over an uninhabited area).
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[CanEHdian 0]

I agree with Zennie, it would surely affect the flight of the ball. Training with it "teathered" would be defeating the purpose.
CanEHdian

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Good catch Zen, I didn't think about the tether "horse shoeing", and snagging the rest of the swarm.
Cya
D

[Trent 0]

I would go so far as to say that if you can't and/or haven't flown well (meaning stay VERY close to it and able to grab it at any time) with a spaceball and a ballmaster several times already, don't even think about messing around with one on your own. It's dangerous to people on the ground, cars, houses, cows, etc. It's just too much to worry about. Tethering the ball is another story... raises the possibility of having the tether wrap around you, sealing off your container for a total. Or it could wrap your canopy lines on opening, or hit you on opening, or the snap of the ball still at terminal when it reaches the end of the tether could dislocate something.
How about this? This is how I learned to fly on my head and how to fall down the tube in a sit. Get an experienced freeflier to do a 2 way with you. Have them simply lay base for you and hold still. This will GREATLY improve your flying, and it's better than a spaceball because it'll smile back at you!

[Levin 0]

i say tether it with a bungi cord ;0D

[Trent 0]

Can you imagine what the bounce-back on the bungee cord could do to your nuts?

[rapper4mpi 0]

Glad you're thinking, it is this kind of thought process that contribute to innovation, BUT this idea would most likely put you in the running for a Darwin Award...don't do it! :)
-Rap
www.darwinawards.com

[flyingferret 0]

I have seen it done succesfully. One of the camera flyers at my dz, and a much better jumper than me tried it. We are a small DZ, not the place to find a ball master. He was having a rough time getting the weight right. So for about 20 jumps he tethered it. I think it was about only 5 or 6 feet. He was getting a lot of drag and started minimizing the streamers on the ball. Eventually, he had it pretty down. So, he tried without the tether...the ball hauled ass at the ground and landed in some deserted field. So it did work, but I think it also did affect his calculation of the ball's speed.
Malachi

[CanEHdian 0]

"So, he tried without the tether... the ball hauled ass at the ground and landed in some deserted field. So it did work, but I think it also did affect his calculation of the ball's speed.
Aside from all the important safety issues mentioned before... your statement itself brings us back to the relevancy of flying with the spaceball the way it was intended to be used. Any other way is not only that much more dangerous, but as mentioned before, it defeats the purpose and you accomplish nothing.
Find a ball master, if needed, travel - it's a much fruitful experience.
CanEHdian

[rapper4mpi 0]

I bet if you were to talk to a ball master, explain your situation they might give you the exact specifications on how to make them. I've got a buddy who did just this and then made one for belly flying too!
-Rap