Where to attach tail on dualies?

[dragonfish]

I've been wondering where to attach a tail to a dual line kite. I'm sitting here looking at my WidowMaker double checking that there are no obvious loops (like my Wala (SLK) has) or tail attachment points, and there aren't.

So...where and how should I attach a tail? What if I want to attach 2 tails, one at each wingtip?

Some ideas I've had:

- Larkshead a scrap piece of line to the spine above the center T and attach the tail to that? (seems kind of high up though and will it stay put?)

- Larkshead the scrap piece of line to the spine above the tail velcro? (again, will it stay put? and the leech lines run next to the spine there so dunno if anything will get in the way)

- Do something with the tail velcro where it folds over the bottom of the spine (I don't know about this one, just looking for "loop-like" areas on the kite)

- There's also a bungee tied above the center T with a knot at the other end, but it's part of the leech line tensioning system and probably not a good idea to mess with that

Good ideas? Bad ideas? What do you do?

Thanks.

[West Australian]

Hard to tell without pictures...

I have put a loop around the Tail Velcro on a couple of Prism Kites.

It has always held up enough

If yours has a Shock absorber like the Hypnotist you can still use the spine.

I use to attach where the pen is pointing in this pic:

[Jim Mol]

I didn't think the WidowMaker was supposed to have a tail. Do you feel you need to add it for control issues or just for fun?

[RobB]

I have attached a tail on the WM exactly where WA shows in his picture. Don't mess with the bungee, that's there to keep tension on the leech lines. Not that I do it much, but a 50' tail is fun once in a while.

[Tmadz]

The WM wont have loops to attach a tail. You'll have to fashion something. High end sport kites generally frown on adding tails to their kites.

[Jim Mol]

50' tailtail on the WM would be fun to see. please post back if you ever get a picture of it. Back to the original post.

[dragonfish]

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, it's mostly just for fun. And maybe for slowing down the kite in the higher winds. I come from a Rev background and haven't quite gotten used to no brakes yet.

[SHBKF]

I don't have spectators too often but I have come to the realization that many people watching us are not interested in our amazing precision or tricks. It is a visual pleasure they see in kites. So a big SLK or a five stack with long tails may be more pleasing to them. Had a good audience watching me try to buggy for the first time. When I stopped that effort, due to lack of wind & skill, I got a Rev up in the sky & they wandered off. I say fly the tails for their beauty if anyone is watching.

[West Australian]

Years ago I perfected my first Dual line Slackline Tricks.

I would have people approach me asking why my kite was so "Unstable" and suggesting I use a Tail on the kite to steady it out. "To Stop it flipping over and spinning like that...."

I even had one helpful fellow offer to make me a tail out of a plastic shopping bag.

But every time I had some long tails on and just zoomed around. I would get lots of people watching and commenting on how great a pilot I was.

Freestyle Slackline is not everything. Old-school has its place too.

[Reef Runner]

This is what I did with a Delta Hawk, and the Velcro wrap, at the bottom of the center spine. I used a pointed soldering iron, to put the two small holes in the Velcro. I use a lark's head, to attache a tail to the knot.........

Improvise !

[West Australian]

Nicely Done Reef Runner! Top marks for that solution.

[dragonfish]

This is what I did with a Delta Hawk, and the Velcro wrap, at the bottom of the center spine. I used a pointed soldering iron, to put the two small holes in the Velcro. I use a lark's head, to attache a tail to the knot.........

Improvise !

Nice solution. Also convenient that you have a horizontal "tube" thing to work with there. I think I'm going to try some of the other less permanent options first though.

Thanks for all the replies. Now to hoping the wind cooperates so I can try some of this out.

Edit: Wheee! Post #50. Not a "Newbie" anymore.

[Reef Runner]

Nice solution. Also convenient that you have a horizontal "tube" thing to work with there. I think I'm going to try some of the other less permanent options first though.

You can always simply lark's head a loop of bridle line, around the Velcro strap. It will hold a tail, no problem...

I don't think you would want to attach it, much above the very bottom of the spine. As for wing tip attachments, I've also lark's headed tails right above the wing tip nocks. Pretty simple to attach. Make a short loop, about 4" long, then lark's head the loop to the wing tip, and then lark's head the tail to the knot in the loop. Easy fix, and not permanent.

[Reef Runner]

So dragonfish, did you ever get this figured out ? Just curious !

[dragonfish]

Sorry, haven't tried yet. Winds haven't been up there lately.

[chonkyfire9]

Hello Dragonfish! I am friends with a few people on Kitelife but I signed up just to reply to this particular thread. I fly a HQ Silent Dart 60 with two 100 foot Premier tube tails in the 8 inch diameter. The tails combined weigh 4 pounds. I initially made a small piece of kite rod that fit through the T Bar in the end of the spine and made a tow point there, almost exactly as Reef Runner suggested. It was less than 5 minutes before I shattered my spine. I now have a leader line that goes around my spine right above the T where your spreaders go in. It changes the pull the tail has on the kite, and it is the strongest part of the kite. I made the leader line just long enough that the knot on the end hangs just below the bottom of the sail in an upright position. If your tail is only a transition tail I think Reef Runners idea will work for you, but if you use a tube tail this is not advised. I learned the hard way.

http://kitelife.com/forum/gallery/image/5287-/

[Reef Runner]

I fly a HQ Silent Dart 60 with two 100 foot Premier tube tails in the 8 inch diameter. The tails combined weigh 4 pounds. I initially made a small piece of kite rod that fit through the T Bar in the end of the spine and made a tow point there, almost exactly as Reef Runner suggested. It was less than 5 minutes before I shattered my spine. I now have a leader line that goes around my spine right above the T where your spreaders go in. It changes the pull the tail has on the kite, and it is the strongest part of the kite. I made the leader line just long enough that the knot on the end hangs just below the bottom of the sail in an upright position. If your tail is only a transition tail I think Reef Runners idea will work for you, but if you use a tube tail this is not advised. I learned the hard way.

Hi chonkyfire9,

First of all, welcome to Kitelife. Please join us, we have a great bunch of folks here, and lots of great information, along with plenty of those folks, ready to help, at the drop of a hat.

Now, as always, I am very interested in learning new tricks. I understand what you eventually did, so far as attaching a leader around the spine, up where the spreaders meet, but what I don't understand, is the "first method" that you described, and it being similar to what I did? Are you saying, that you put a short piece of fiberglass rod, through the hollow tube, at the bottom of the tee - that tee being located at the bottom of the spine - and then attached your tail(s), out on the ends of this rod ? Also, was it 1 or 2 tails ?

If that is the case, then it is quite understandable, how that rod ended up, breaking the tee, and maybe even the spine. Uneven torque on that piece of rod, produced by the weight and pull of the tail, could easily cause the tube part of the tee section, to fracture and break, possibly even taking the bottom portion of the spine, along with it. Also, 4 lbs is a lot of weight, to be pulling behind any kite, especially it you are making erratic twists and turns, while in flight, as evidenced by your photo.

As for the method that I used, I have only a short piece of bridle line running through the hollow portion of the tee, and it's in there, mainly to hide the knot, however, the force, or pull from the tail, is really just on the strip of Velcro, which is pulled tightly around the end of the tee, and is supporting it fully and securely. There is nothing hard or ridged, going through the tube, and nothing to really cause any kind of leverage, inside of the tube, which would surely cause it to fracture or crack - all the pull is against the Velcro.

Not trying to be argumentative, at all, but just curious as to what exactly you really did, and not sure that I completely understood your explanation / description. I think I understand, but a picture is always worth a thousand words.............would love to see just how you rigged that piece of rod, through the tee section, as I can surely see how a bit of unequal pull, on either side of the tee, could immediately spell catastrophe.

[dragonfish]

Hi chonkyfire9,

Thanks for joining to share your experience, and welcome to KiteLife. It is good to hear what not to do in addition to suggestions for what to do. I don't expect to be flying a large tube tail any time soon, but I'll keep this in mind if I ever do.

[Captainbob]

I don't have spectators too often but I have come to the realization that many people watching us are not interested in our amazing precision or tricks. It is a visual pleasure they see in kites. So a big SLK or a five stack with long tails may be more pleasing to them. Had a good audience watching me try to buggy for the first time. When I stopped that effort, due to lack of wind & skill, I got a Rev up in the sky & they wandered off. I say fly the tails for their beauty if anyone is watching.

I started another thread about this, but I find the same thing, people seem to show very little interest in seeing a Rev fly.

[SkyPuppets LimitVoodoo]

People don't like watching the Rev fly?? Sounds like a pilot problem to me better get out there and practice till there's no way they dream of ignoring you! Oh, and if tails attract attention, and you like to fly the Rev, why aren't you putting tails on your Rev? Hook 'em up! I like attaching a tail to each vertical, or if you only have one tail, attach to the center loop bridle attachment point on the backside of the sail.

In all honesty, people are quite intimidated by the trick kites, at least MOST of the folks I've talked to. They don't understand our flight has INTENTION, and we are usually in full control.

[Wayne Dowler]

I tell you a "team" of Rev fliers gets it's share of lookers!! People see those lines get all wrapped up and wonder how in the world will they straighten that out? Then when it clears and everyone is "normal", they again scratch their heads!!!

Nope, "teams" get plenty of attention, believe me!!

[Captainbob]

I tell you a "team" of Rev fliers gets it's share of lookers!! People see those lines get all wrapped up and wonder how in the world will they straighten that out? Then when it clears and everyone is "normal", they again scratch their heads!!!

Nope, "teams" get plenty of attention, believe me!!

I agree, I saw this video this morning that was posted on Facebook, and was thinking the same thing about the lines never getting untangled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEmJvxCrDx0#t=11

[horsefeathers]

I would super-glue a small piece of string with a stopper knot on the end of the bottom/center of the kite. You can larks head your tail to that.