Wing tip weighting

[Mike Eibey]

I'm trying to figure out a decent way to weight the wingtips of a couple different kites.

My Hydra has brass tail weights but want to experiment with moving some weight from the tail to the wing tips or potentially at the lower spreader connector if wing tips aren't a good option.

I'm trying to think of a way to do that without causing lines to get snagged easily on the wing tip or spreader.

[Zuul]

Lead tape.  Golf or Tennis department of every sports store .... and Amazon, of course.  

[makatakam]

You should know that weighting the wing tips makes the kite harder to trick and control because you are giving the leverage advantage to the kite. It will make an unruly kite more stable but at the same time it slows response.

[Mike Eibey]

Hmmm. I was hoping to give it a little more momentum on its back side mainly. This kite has 4 brass tail weights. Planned on removing 3 of them and putting about an equivalent weight near each wing tip and just see how it felt.

Mainly just to keep trying new things and playing around with it and seeing how things change by doing certain things. I tried a cross active bridal on this same kite which taught me a fair amount of relatively useless things haha

[Edmond Dragut]

redistributing the weight on wings you will give momentum to side to side but you will lose all you have now on the spine axe. so basically will flip better but on to a different vertical axe and will be more incontrollable than before, also the imputes will need to have more force and made in "advance" to prevent over reaction  

[Mike Eibey]

I'm gonna try it. I think the stock tail weight is 20 grams, I'm gonna put about 2-4 grams on each tip and 5 at the tail.

[mebeatee]

Go for it!!!

Sounds quasi counterproductive as to the "function" of weights and where they go....but ya never know! The only way to know is to experiment and find out what works for YOU. I found out by experimenting I don't like any weights on any of my dualies. I did tape some weight onto the wing tips of a dualie many moons ago and knew about 20 seconds in I wouldn't like it/them. Took me about a minute of flying with the tail weights to go ugh...not for me.....but then again I'm no kite trickster at all but do understand the concept of tail weights. You may uncover a whole new set of maneuvers!!!!

Keeping that in mind Rev 1.5's used to come with weights for a bit. I experimented and went meh....then tried them on a Rev 2 and went hmmm interesting..... I still keep one of the Rev 2's with weights on the bottom of the vertical's for fun and that effect.

bt

 

 

 

[frob]

Plenty of people experiment with weights. Experience can teach you a lot. Designers have settled on the spine for good reason. 

If you like destabilizing effects for unpredictable flight, as some freestyle pilots do, you may enjoy it. 

[Mike Eibey]

Still haven't gotten to experiment with this yet. Wind has either been very light in the SUL range or 20mph and flying the rev instead. 

I'll get a chance soon hopefully over the long holiday weekend!

[mebeatee]

15 hours ago, frob said:

If you like destabilizing effects for unpredictable flight, as some freestyle pilots do, you may enjoy it. 

Or find a Stranger Level 7...

bt

 

 

 

 

 

[makatakam]

13 hours ago, mebeatee said:

Or find a Stranger Level 7...

I have one of those. This kite is for advanced pilots. Way beyond my ability. I remember that someone once called it "madder than a box of frogs", whatever that means.

[Mike Eibey]

Got to try a couple different ideas. Man I thought you guys were all conspiring against me to not learn some secret trick! I was wrong. Haha. It definitly made the kite more finicky and unruly. Ended up thinking it really flew best with no weights at all but that was definitly as the expensive of yoyos from any flare postion.

[SparkieRob]

I found some stainless steel rod that fitted inside some spare APA wing tensioners. Think it was 4mm. Shaved them to 5 grams and tried that in my Temptation Std. A little funky but a lot of fun.

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