John Barresi Posted August 5, 2018 Report Share Posted August 5, 2018 Hello @CaCondor, Welcome to KiteLife®! Although this is an automated message, it is written with heart - I love kites deeply, and I believe the KiteLife community represents this passion with a very friendly and helpful environment for everyone. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Need to tweak settings? Edit your profile here - View Member Edit your settings - http://kitelife.com/forum/settings/ Other than that, here are a few handy links that you might have a use for... Member ChatMember MapKL Shop And while it's never an obligation, we always love hearing about our new members if you'd like to share some of your kite stories, videos, and/or background... Tell us a little about YOUR kite life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaCondor Posted August 6, 2018 Report Share Posted August 6, 2018 I'm 73 and have been making and flying single line kites most of my life. When I saw a quad kite demo at the 2018 Berkeley kite festival, it impressed me so I want to learn this style of kite flying. Hi Flyer Kites were 10 cents when I was a kid. When school was out for the day, walking home, if I noticed that great March wind, I would stop at the little hardware store and get a Hi Flyer out of the nail keg. I liked the one with a moon on it. Also needed were 2 balls of kite string. After getting home and saying hi to my mom, I would quickly eat something and then get the kite ready and get my tail ready with extra if it was windy. Then, off to the flood wall to meet my friends. We sent notes of paper up to our kites on the string and also used large nails attached to the top of our kites to try and rip your opponents out of the sky. I also invented a paper airplane launcher on top of mine. We had so much fun. Looking forward to learning and sharing on the forum. Now to get that quad kite on the line...................lines : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted August 6, 2018 Report Share Posted August 6, 2018 Hi, CaCondor, and welcome to the forum. I'm 67, so it cost me twenty cents for the kite. The corner candy shop is where I got mine. To the park with my friends was the Saturday morning routine, then home to repair the damage. I've been flying those quads for nine years now and it still puts a smile on my face. I look forward to sharing a field with you someday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfish Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 @CaCondor, welcome to the dark side. Glad you were inspired by the Berkeley Kite Festival, and perfect timing on your post. The Bay Area Sport Kite League (BASKL) is doing a Learn to Fly workshop this Saturday Aug. 11 at Cesar Chavez Park a.k.a. the Berkeley Marina (where the kite festival was). We'll be happy to help you get that quad kite on some lines and off the ground. No kite yet? No problem. We've got a few you can fly. Some of us who were flying quad demos at the festival will be there on Saturday. Maybe you'll get to meet and learn from the very person who made an impression at the festival. We'll be there from 10am to 3pm-ish. Come for the whole day or drop by when you can. No set schedule; we help people as you show up. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaCondor Posted August 9, 2018 Report Share Posted August 9, 2018 Dragonfish, Thank You for the invitation to come and learn. The next time I am in the bay area I will check your calendar of events and at least come and watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACrop Posted August 11, 2018 Report Share Posted August 11, 2018 Don't be shy with the quad line pilots, they are the most generous and patient crew of people I have ever met. Learning from someone is the way to go, Andy a first try on thier kite is perfectly fine (they are harder to break than you would think!). If you have folks nearby the drive to go fly with them is seriously worth the effort. Note for the wise though, kite folk sometime can be oblivious to anyone on the ground who doesn't talk to them first. It can feel to an introvert that they are being unwelcoming, but they are just not aware that you are looking for a welcome. Walking up to them and being clear "I am new, I love what you are doing and I want to learn, how do I do that?" can save you time and frustration. Remember, we are used to others walking around us watching but never talking to us about this clearly most fascinating hobby- so be outgoing and clear about your interest and what you hope to learn. I have been flying long enough now to start to keep up with team flying and I still make it a habit to say to pilots I am just meeting "hey, what tricks can ya show me?" Or "I have been working on_____ do you know how to do it?"Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using KiteLife mobile app 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted August 11, 2018 Report Share Posted August 11, 2018 Definitely go and fly with them. You will accomplish in two days what would have taken two years on your own. (I'm exaggerating, but not much). If possible, have someone walk you through the entire setup and breakdown process. With a bit of instruction, you will have basic control of the kite by the end of one day. It took me 4 or 5 days on my own, and I understood flight dynamics before I started. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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