4 replies to this topic

[Billy]

I used to be quite a kite enthusiast but, career, family and living in a area with the most frustrating winds imaginable (Orlando FL), interfered. Recently though, my interest has been revived. Holy cow a lot has happened since I used to fly! Anyway, I pulled out my 30 year old Flexifoil to give it a rip and it was, well, a less-than-satisfying affair. The cells on the outer sides don't really inflate and the kite tends to pull in on itself leaving the cross spar poking out about 7-10 inches on each side. It just does't have any snap. Am I doing something wrong? I have 2 cross spars for it: the original, a heavy fluorescent green fiberglass model and a newer carbon version. Any tips to help revive this old girl?

Billy

[stroke survivor]

Weren't there some anchor points on the ends of the sail that attach to the spar and keep it stretched out??? Of course you could buy one of the new dualies or BUY A REV!!

[--Pete]

You need to put your flying lines THROUGH the loops at either side of the sail, and then larks-head them to the spar OUTSIDE the spacers. This lets the flying lines keep the sail stretched out and the joints in the spar pushed together.

There is a very short video somewhere that suggests putting the lines through the loops, larks-heading them to the spar outside the spacers (as above), and THEN using each side of the loop in the end of your flying line to put a half-hitch over the end of the spar outside the larks-head. This keeps pressure on the spar joints even when the flying lines go slack, as when you do a roll with the sail. The person who posted it had been having trouble with the joints pulling partially out when the lines were slack. Then when the wind came back there was a risk of damaging the joints that were partially disengaged.

I never had this problem since I only flew when the kite was pulling like a bandit!

[John Barresi]

Here's the video that Pete is referring to.



(I'm pretty sure)

[--Pete]

Yep, that was it. Thanks for tracking it down. (I have to say, the wind looked too brisk for any problems with slack lines. It must have taken three fast steps and a huge arm-swing to make the lines slack on that particular day.)

I think a larks head would be satisfactory for the first attachment; the clove-hitch can't hurt, but may be un-needed. The half-hitches made with each leg of the loop really would make a difference, both to keep the fabric stretched and to keep the spar joints from separating.

I will look for my solution to the spar separation issue and get a picture posted. My method adds a bit of weight to the kite, so perhaps it is less satisfactory than Blane's method.