Mitch

In my limited experience, all bols can have an edge lap or have the entire shape collapse. The deeper the cross section (more hemispherical) the more likely it is. I have seen some makers put "prairie points" on their bol...that is they are tethered to long wedges the project from the rim of the sail. I think that spilling wind off the edge like that may put pressure on the outer sail to keep it from collapsing. But that's an observation and I myself have not tried it.

Since seeing this about a month ago, I have tried it in a number of ways. I've sued the hitch on a 'biner as you show, but also on a ground stake as a back-up to a figure 8, and on the top of a metal fence post. quick, secure, super easy to take off, if you can give yourself a little slack.

I'd tie off with nothing less than 300# line. I like dyneema. Agree about the Storm Force tie down, and especially with a bol, which pulls at a low angle. It's what I use myself. If you are in a windy place, I'd also get a couple of strong carabiners and a figure of 8 to make line handling safe and easy. Learn the spanish knot. Write back here if you can't find it elsewhere and I'll post some pics.

I'll try it. I often fly alone and controlling the line as it pays out and then locking it off is a challenge with big stuff. I've used the Spanish knot but when the strain is on, it is sometimes hard to set the slack you need to tie it. If nothing else, this could provide that slack!

What a perfect tableau.

I have this kite. It needs the tail, or a drogue that pulls as hard. it hunts the wind otherwise. With the tail, though, it behaves well enough and it pulls like a truck. A nice lifter. I also have Gomberg's Double Delta Coyne which is worth a try and still on sale, as far as I know. It is somewhat better behaved.

thebbqguy, that's a nice deal.

The question of what line to use is not a simple one. Obviously for strong winds or buffeting wind that applies a sudden strain, a stouter line is needed. If you are flying on dyneema line, you can do that without much weight penalty, but that's the downside of using heavier dacron. There was an interesting experiment (I can't recall if it was in FB or Kiting Mag) where Ken Conrad actually put a strain gage on peoples fly line and it showed that they pulled far less than people thought. So for the small and medium sized lifters you are considering, what you are risking is the kite breaking free and landing in a tree or in the next state. There are safety concerns with big lifters that make using the recommended line imperative.

GombergKites has a nice sale of double Delta Conyne that are great lifters, easy enough for one person to handle and still get into the air with light to moderate wind. Here it is in our crummy inland wind carrying a 24 inch spinner tail and a 25 foot snake line for laundry. It has a unique crossing sparing that lets it fly without a tail and self adjust to wind conditions.

I love mine. I have three that fly in various conditions. I put spinning drogues on this one to get it to fly at a lower angle.

I hope you got some pics in the air. It looks like a beauty.

I'm just not getting that bug. Picked up a New Tech Sky Hook 60 last week. My second lifter if you don't count big Roks. Would you fly that on 500#? and were do you get your line?

Thanks

Wow! Sweet kite. Did he zigzag over black fabric to make the outlines for his appliqué, or is it just black zig zag? Very impressive image. Mitch

I'm in. Seriously. WOW.