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Which kite?


Torus34
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A question often asked in forums, whether they be about kites, photography, guitars or any number of topics is 'Which [sport kite/camera/guitar/etc.] should I get?' For kites, there's another interesting question; 'Given my local conditions, which types of kites will be best suited?' Kiters with easy access to beaches and other areas with clean, steady winds need never ask this question. For them, almost any type of kite will perform well and be a joy to fly. But not all of us are blessed with ideal conditions.

In my own case, there are two local parks with fields large enough for kiting. The nearer one is rather small. It's bordered by trees on one side and a high berm on another. Needless to say, the wind is gusty and fitful for the first 100 feet or so. The second field has somewhat cleaner winds and a large blacktop parking lot. I've recently returned to kiting and taken up the challenge of designing and building single-line kites which take advantage of the conditions at each site. I'm the only kiter who uses these fields so there's no possibility of, say, fighter kite competition. It's just me, the kite and the park.

For the smaller, gustier park I fly a modified Hata design of about 26" span with a 24" spar. While the smaller line-touch competition fighters such as the BASF are far more nimble in light winds, the park dictates a kite which can withstand a wide range of wind speeds and directions as well as occasional conflicts with the ground. The trade-off is the old one of sturdiness for maneuverability. Waxed 20# line is my standard. The phrase 'Dancing with the wind' applies, big time.

The other park provides a great opportunity to explore thermal soaring. Often in the late afternoon the wind just plain stops. On a sunny day the parking lot should produce prodigious bubbles of heated air. I'm presently building kites to explore this. They're very light bamboo-framed and mylar or tissue-covered. The accent is on keeping weight/unit area very low. Sizes will again be in the 2-3 square foot range.

Has anyone else tried this approach? What were your local conditions and how did you design and build to take advantage of them?

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rxburner:

Thank you for your reply. The link to the Ninja was a delight. The level of detail in the instructions made execution of the design a snap. I may well make one. ['Let's see - where did I put that 1/2oz ripstop?']

Fair winds to you.

Jim

Tottenville, S.I., NYC

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