mwp Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 So you get to your flying spot and its 15mph... You set up and get flying your biggest, slowest, heaviest kite and suddenly the wind is completely dead. Does this happen to others or is it just me, what do you do? For the most part there is no in between: just 0-15 at 11am and 15-0 at 7pm. Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansas Flier Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 1 hour ago, mwp said: So you get to your flying spot and its 15mph... You set up and get flying your biggest, slowest, heaviest kite and suddenly the wind is completely dead Does this happen to others or is it just me, what do you do? And the wind will suddenly change direction like 90 degrees? Or land at what was the edge of the wind window only to get your kite blown over by a change in wind direction? Other times, during those nice long lulls, the wind direction is best described as "Down"? Nope, never heard of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 Isn't it amazing how you never paid attention to that before you started flying kites or flying other things? Same crazy crap here in the Midwest, only we get some "Up" wind also. Great for RC sailplanes, not so much for kites. Plus the gusts from 0-25, plus the 180 degree shifts in direction. Other than that it's quite predictable -- 99% chance of crap winds. Sometimes it makes you believe there are evil forces working against you because you fly a kite. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 Murphy is into kites too, you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Dragut Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 i had something new yesterday. sunny with a bit of clouds and a steady 5 wind. prepare to test a super blast 2.4 and suddenly when to take the handles 18 Mph wind. i said "ok, fine" and unpacked the extra-vent. with 2 fits before to get at the steak started to rain. now both kites and lines are on living room to dry so....i am mad on Murphy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 Did you ever notice how much kiting is just like fishing? The wind only hit 17mph and he was still 5 feet away from the stake when it started raining and the bass he caught only weighed 8.7 pounds. Murphy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyB Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 30 minutes ago, makatakam said: Did you ever notice how much kiting is just like fishing? The wind only hit 17mph and he was still 5 feet away from the stake when it started raining and the bass he caught only weighed 8.7 pounds. Murphy. I wouldn't be surprised if he also had to walk uphill both ways when setting up the kite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwp Posted September 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 I dont understand should I just show up with a vented and a sul and unpack both? I guess I have been pretty spoiled by the steady west coast summer winds before the storms started coming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 2 hours ago, TonyB said: I wouldn't be surprised if he also had to walk uphill both ways when setting up the kite. Actually, if you fly from the wall of a crater, that's possible, and therefore, you will. Murphy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 7, 2017 Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 27 minutes ago, mwp said: I dont understand should I just show up with a vented and a sul and unpack both? I guess I have been pretty spoiled by the steady west coast summer winds before the storms started coming in. If I had a dollar for every time I did that I could buy another set of lines and handles. Do what it takes. The smile is worth the time. And if you want to really appreciate coastal winds, come fly in the Midwest. You will love them after that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 I dont understand should I just show up with a vented and a sul and unpack both? I guess I have been pretty spoiled by the steady west coast summer winds before the storms started coming in. Almost every time I fly I have to change kites and usually have 2 set up for the constantly changing gusty winds. SUL and UL or on the good days UL and STD. Some times in the spring a mid vent and a vented. Western CO is a frustrating place for a kite flyer. I've had to become a collector of kites to be prepared for the wind or lack of to be able to fly when I have the time. Sent from my IPhone Solus UL and STD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 I generally set-up Zen/or SUL first thing in the morning, but I might be on a shook mesh by lunchtime. One of our members (dave Ashworth) has covers velcro mounted over his venting, so the kite won't go as a SUL, but pretty much anything else wind-wise he either opens or closes off panels to match the conditions. At the end of the day I have 3-5 kites to put away ALWAYS. 5 months out of the calendar year the Mid-Atlantic states are "indoor conditions with an unlimited ceiling" I wear out an SUL in 18 months, a full vent will last me for a entire decade My most commonly used line-set is 50#/100 feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted September 11, 2017 Report Share Posted September 11, 2017 I am generally set up in "double barrel" configuration with two kites as well when I fly on personal time, sometimes "triple barrel" with SUL / STD kites and a quad, or just a variety of flavors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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