Kitebuilder.com - Fly... with a little help from your friends.

thekitedude · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 191 Location: San Diego, Ca

Okay, now it is finished. First test flight after work today. Winds were very squirrelly and didn't last long. Flew fine with the tail, not so much with out. Will try again later when I have more time and can play more with the tow point and bowing. Anyway glad I made the taii. In the pictures at least the bridle really stands out, might experiment with something a little less robust. Thoughts?

TwelveWinds: What is your strategy for managing those long tails? think I would get frustrated quickly. Look cool though.

First Flight by Rick, on Flickr

First Flight 2 by Rick, on Flickr

dthompson · Joined: 27 Mar 2018 Posts: 8 Location: Southampton UK

Thanks for all the help.

Lancman · Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Exmouth UK

twelvewinds - Nice, I really like the applique work on the dog. The long tails look great too.

thekitedude - Looks great. I'm thinking of using black bridle lines on mine so they don't stand out too much.

DarrylW · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 1956 Location: Holland, Michigan

I had got a couple spools of light gray line that Kitebuilder was selling back in the day. That line completely vanishes in the sky.

Hummm, I wasn't planning on making tails, but now that I see some with them, I might have to.

Darryl
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twelvewinds · Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 1:25 pm Post subject:

Kitedude, my tail management strategy is usually to wind them around my arm like I'm coiling rope, and then just roll them up in the sail when I put the kite away. I don't even detach them from the kite. In yesterday's case, because it was so cold, I already had the kite assembled in my car. The tails were just coiled and rubber-banded. Ran out, took off the rubber band, attached the flying line, bowed the kite, and flew for 3 minutes. No muss, no fuss.

OldGoat · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 3718

I didn't make a tail for mine but after seeing you guy's I may have to. Not sure I have enough scraps though Wink

With regard to storing fluffy tails I have done it several ways. I finally got tires of trying to untangle them while on the kite. Mine were always getting tangled up in the bridle. Now take them off and stuff them in a bag of their own. I make the main kite bag large enough to handle the smaller "tail bag." When I get to the field I first assemble the kite. Then lay the kite on the ground and let the wind help me untangle the tails. Hook'em up and away we go.
Smile

tonyotis · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 19 Location: Westbrook, Maine

Skybum1 · Joined: 17 Dec 2020 Posts: 27 Location: UK

All kites looking great. Well done guys. Might have to start using tails as well though I do like an unadulterated shape sometimes. Laughing

DarrylW · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 1956 Location: Holland, Michigan

I just wrap my tails around the kite. Only takes a minute to do, and undo, and there's nothing additional to carry or lose.

Darryl
_________________
If I knew what I was saying, I probably wouldn't have said it.

Lancman · Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Exmouth UK

Finally got the second flight in thanks to a break in the weather after weeks of gales and rain. Since the maiden flight I have added the bowlines but have kept the 3-leg bridle. It works fine so I see no need to change it at this point.
Final specs are 3mm carbon tube horizontal spars and 4mm verticals. Sail is 1m wide and just under 2m tall. She flies well and will cope with quite a wide wind range.

Many thanks to twelvewinds and the Morgans for this project. It's been very enjoyable and I've learnt a couple of new tricks. I particularly like the bowline setup and will be using that on future builds I'm sure.

Skybum1 · Joined: 17 Dec 2020 Posts: 27 Location: UK

Lancman. Looks really good against the blue sky. Glad you tried the bowing and it's useful. As to the bridle if it ain't broke don't fix it. Wink