Kite flying - important lessons

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Our new parafoil kite arrived today, so we took it down to the beach to give it a go.

Lesson 1 - Don't try to fly a kite in wet sand conditions
Lesson2 - Don't drag it through a pool of wet sandy water in an attempt to self-launch
Lesson2 - The most important one, don't ask son no.2 to pick it up and launch it after failing to self-launch it. As he turned it over for launch and raised it above his head, all the sandy water poured out the flight vents and soaked him in wet sand. It was all I could do to just stand there and turn purple as I suppressed the laughter. After the spluttering had finished I heard the words, "Dad! you bl**dy idiot, why did you drag it through the water". He's in the shower now, I expect to get the full lecture when he's warm and dry again.
 

arallsopp

Post of The Year 2009 winner
Location
Bromley, Kent
I can add another.

Don't launch a Blade IV in a strong wind when you're well aware that the lines don't appear to be the same length on the assumption that "once its up, I'll be able to see which way it needs to spin, then I can quickly loop it as required and reverse it down calmly".
What actually happens (of course) is that the kite rockets up, veers wildly to the left, picks up speed, narrowly misses the ground, then launches itself (and handler) way up into the sky. :biggrin:
 
OP
OP
C

Crackle

..
I can add another.

Don't launch a Blade IV in a strong wind when you're well aware that the lines don't appear to be the same length on the assumption that "once its up, I'll be able to see which way it needs to spin, then I can quickly loop it as required and reverse it down calmly".
What actually happens (of course) is that the kite rockets up, veers wildly to the left, picks up speed, narrowly misses the ground, then launches itself (and handler) way up into the sky. :biggrin:

There was somebody on the beach with one of them on Sunday, they looked great fun but the wind wasn't quite strong enough to get him off the ground far.
 

arallsopp

Post of The Year 2009 winner
Location
Bromley, Kent
They're awesome. I've never dared take mine anywhere near a beach though. Blackheath is more than enough for me. 4.9 metres of kite coming out of a spin will easily lift me. Infact, I've shied off using it of late, as it scares the hell out of me :smile:
 

threebikesmcginty

Corn Fed Hick...
Location
...on the slake
When we were kids me and my brother both had Peter Powell stunt kites - they were fantastic fun and so easy to fly, the one I had before that was a box kite and it was a pig to get off the ground.

Sigh...
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Another tip:

Don't try and fly a large kite from the top of a mountain in the Lake District in very windy conditions, and if you do, don't get the control lines wrapped round your wrists! 

A mate of mine did just that and he took off and almost ended up being dragged off the mountain...  :eek:
 

upsidedown

Waiting for the great leap forward
Location
The middle bit
If i may add another:

Don't unwrap your Flexifoil Bullet 4.5 metre kite and launch it directly into the wind window and expect to escape with your teeth intact.
 
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