Zero to Sixty

Entry posted by SHBKF March 1, 2016

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February has been quite a month. Working six days a week passes the time quickly. I finally had a day when it wasn't bad weather and coincided with a day off. As I headed out Sunday afternoon I checked the thermometer, sixty degrees. Checked the lowest recorded temperature and it read zero. I had not reset it since the beginning of the month. The breeze was blowing gently in my little valley so there was hope for stronger wind at my nearest flight area about five miles away. Grabbed a few kite bags & headed out. It had been quite some time since I had flown any kite and over three months since I had flown quad.

So I started with a kite I had not flown before. I had high hopes for Will Sturdy's Saber II & I was not disappointed. I assembled it & leaned it against the rear of the car. Unrolled some 90# x 100' lines with Norm's straps on the ends. It launched nicely off the back of the car in a light breeze & immediately it showed fine precision. Even a flailer like me could do nice wide ground passes & figures in the variable wind. It flew a little slower than other kites I've flown of that quality & I liked that about it. Somehow it seemed like I had more time to think about the next move. I tried a few slack line moves. "Dang! this kite is just right for me", I thought. But maybe I am just making progress & it is more me now than the particular kite. I don't really know at this point. Regardless, I was not disappointed. I especially like to do a back flip launch to fade, rise a little & roll out. I will fly this one as my standard for a bit of time while going to the Sea Devil light or Solus UL as a light wind kite. I will also carry the Pro Dancer SUL for the puffy light air days. After a few years of collecting kites I have many other fine standards to choose from but the Saber goes back to some of my first flights when a friend let me fly his in a snow shower three years ago.

Below image is the Saber II.

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Next up, why not fly another kite I had not flown before. I laid out a set of 50# x 50' quad lines, attached some 11" handles & set up the little B2. The wind moved up a notch & I thought, "This is gonna be fun." So I like fast kites. Short lines make them seem even quicker. After a half hour of screaming across the little arc of lines, doing several mad spins, smiling a bunch, I parked it & went back to the Saber. Flew the dualie until it hummed & quivered. Landed it, weighted the nose down & got out one of my favorites.

The Sedgwick Rev 1 had a black race leading edge & Zen verticals in it so I thought I'd give it a go on 90# x 85' lines . Not too good! The wind was ten or so with gusts to fifteen. Flew it carefully but it was obviously being overpowered with the big sail & the light frame. Luckily I did not break it. Time for THE DARK ONE.

So some of my kites are named. My full vent Rev B 1.5 has dark blue & black stripes with a black center. It looks almost meanacing in the sky. A gusty wind is where it really shines. The wind began varying widely & a few times I flew to the side of the window with the lines singing as large long gusts nearly blew my Tilley off. Last I flew the Christmas kite, my Prism Bora 7. It is a looker & would have been willing to fly with all the line out. Had a few spectators that day so I tried extra hard. Round here I am the best flier, the worst flier, the only flier. SHBKF