Tiffie Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Hello, I'm very new to kites. I used to fly them when I was young in high winds--for southern california (y'know, the $5 grocery store ones). Well, we don't have very windy days aside from September when the Santa Ana winds blow through, and I have watched in awe as other people flew kites, and decided to get one of my own. I just recently purchased a Kamikazi Light Wind kite (Click Here) for a little less than this listing. I hope I made a good decision for our 2-5 MPH winds. I've been told that it's a good kite, and performs well even in higher winds. I haven't had lessons or anything, but I have read up quite a bit (I'm addicted to researching... ). Now, on to my questions... Is there anything I should know about this kite before I take it out for a spin? I know about keeping away from areas with people, power lines, storms, etc... Is there anything I ought to know that isn't common knowledge? Are there any items I should pick up before flying this kite? Thanks for your help in advance, ~Tiffie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Lingenfelter Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Yes, be sure and pick up a kite stake to hold the handles down while you untangle, or set the kite up for a launch. That way the wind won't take the kite off and make more tangles. A kite stake can be a good stick, or a tent stake or even custom made. You might already know this, but many people don't and you see them trying to launch their dual line on short lines and get back to their handles and make a mess... and ohhhhh it's ugly. Enjoy! BB penny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Hey Tiffie... I have the same kite. It's a cool little kite when nothing else in my bag will stay up. I find that it lacks precision, and oversteers alot. This can be frustrating if you're trying to do anything more than circles, loops, or figure 8s. I can get it to stall, and land, but no where near as easy as some of my bigger kites. I've broken it twice, but nothing a little super glue won't fix. Don't be tempted to fly it when the wind picks up above ~7mph, and you'll be fine. There's plenty of great kites out there to fly in 5mph+ wind, when you're ready for your second (3rd,4th, etc.) kite. I fly mostly New Tech kites, based on their 'Bang for the Buck' qualities. I have one called the Big Bang, and I think it's great. It will go up in 3mph+ wind, and flies like a Formula 1 race car. Good luck... ~Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiffie Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thanks a ton for your replies~ The reason I got this kite is because, since it's my first and I have limited funds, I wanted to get a non-Toys-R-US kite at $40 or less. With shipping, mthis came to just a hair over 40, and a couple of people reccomended it above some others in the price range. Since it's my first, I don't really need it to be able to do much more than loops and stuff, I think. I'm just excited about getting into kites. My fiance thinks this is a passing passion, but it's something I've been watching from afar for months. Can't wait to start flying! Thanks again for your help. In another month or two or three, I might be ready to get myself another kite. If I do, I'll definitely look into what to get in-depth. It would probably be in the 70-100 range second go-around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorsal Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Probably the biggest thing you need to learn as a new kite flier is WHERE to fly, since flying in turbulent bumpy wind is diffficult even for experienced fliers. Find an area that does not have any trees or buildings within 200 feet upwind, minimum. The turbulent area is downwind from any object for a distance of about 7 times the height of that object, and covers an area about 3 times as wide as that object. Your profile doesn't say anything about where you live, probably because you think that is "safe", but that also keeps anybody from your local area telling you where the good flying spots are. You want to fly with a more experienced kiter, at least a few times, because they can accidentally show you more things in an hour than you will learn by yourself in a month. Most kite fliers are really nice people, and we really do enjoy helping another person learn to enjoy our sport, so if you'll tell us what city you live in, maybe we can find a willing tutor. And if they don't treat you properly, come back and tell us and we'll go break their rods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiffie Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Lol, actually, I was just speeding through past all the IM information in the profile and didn't even notice that there was a location entry. I'm looking for a club or association in my area anyway, so I don't mind posting here. I live in So. California, in the Inland Empire (Riverside specifically). I know that the UC Riverside campus has some strongish winds (5-10+ mph at all times) because they're on a hill, and there are some great places to fly on the campus, but I wouldn't fly there due to all the sudents. There's a great park near my fiance's house, so I think that will be my main place to play around, since 1) few trees anywhere in the park, mostly just at the edge, 2) HUGE park (around 3 acres, i think), 3) great big open area little used on the side with the baseball field. So, when there are no little-league games, that will be perfect. No trees, no people, no buildings. However, since this area of Riverside is sort of in a valley-ish area, I needed a low-wind kite, since we hardly ever have much by way of winds. I'd absolutely LOVE if there were any kite associations or clubs in the area, but I havens't found them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdemonx Posted July 20, 2016 Report Share Posted July 20, 2016 I enjoy flying at a park in corona on the edge of riverside it has a nice uphill and shade during the times of flying usually after 4pm when the winds kick up . the wind is never slow enough for any ul or sul stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 Get together with drdemonx if you can. He can help you get past the "ouch" stage of your learning curve, and can tell you the best areas where you can fly. Kites normally require some adjustments to fly properly for any given conditions, and an experienced flyer's advice on set-up is worth it's weight in gold. It will save you much frustration. Most importantly, have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Materdaddy Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 I just picked up some kites from drdemonx this weekend. I hadn't seen your posts. My wife Tiffany and I met at UC Riverside! Small world! I didn't get into kiting until after leaving the area though. I grew up in Fontana where the Santa Ana winds wreaked havoc and I don't think vented kites would even be appropriate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Nuts, I didn't even notice the date on the first few posts. Doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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