Kites.

[longers]

Or make them?

I'm planning on buying one of these for my dad for his birthday, does it look reasonable? Any better suggestions?

 

[vernon]

I have a 3 metre power kite lurking around somewhere. Haven't flown it in ages.

 

[Archie_tect]

[QUOTE 1394944"]
Get him one of http://www.kiteworld...ction_Kite.html them. One good gust and he'll be away over Kansas!
[/quote]

£421 for a kite? Wow!

 

[lilolee]

Try this site. Both a shop and a forum http://fracturedaxel.co.uk/

 

[swee'pea99]

Am I the only one who looks at that and thinks: hmmm - that looks durable...

Seriously tho', it depends what you're after, and what your Dad's like. We got our daughters one of these and it's been a massive hit - but it's pretty vigorous exercise, especially when the wind's up. They come in different sizes - this one's fine for the feeble/small...the bigger they get, obviously, the harder they pull. Anything over about 1.7m needs to be treated with respect.

 

[numbnuts]

I've just bought this one, haven't flown it yet
http://www.skyhighki...op/product/124/
got it for £28 with free P&P

 

[Zoiders]

I haven't touched a kite since a class mate was carried out to sea - never to be seen again, by the giant kite we made at primary school.

 

[darth vadar]

I had trouble with wind a while ago, so I went to the doctors.

He gave me a kite.

 

[longers]

I'm after something he can "play" with on the beach with his grandkids, both under 4 yr old. I think that would restrict us to something with a single line only?

You thought the one I linked to didn't look durable? Hard to tell from here but will probably end up getting it and report back.

My uncle takes a group of cubs up Hartshead Pike every year with kites they've made themselves from binbags and bamboo. They love it.

 

[swee'pea99]

Ah - that's a whole nother ball game! Indeed - a nice one-string one sounds right. I'm not sure about the one you linked to tho' - I could be wrong, but it looks a bit complex to me. I think I'd look for something a bit simpler/more basic - especially considering it sounds like it might take a dip in the sea at some point.

 

[Salad Dodger]

In my campervan I have 2 kites:
a 6 foot "power" kite for days where I want to frighten myself a bit
and a tiny little one string "pocket" kite from the RNLI shop that my wife bought for me , for days when the breeze isnt strong enough for the power kite

 

[just jim]

I make them, or at least used to. I especially like Rollers as they are so graceful and achieve a high angle of flight. I designed a bit of a big kite based on a Roller in order to lift a camera - but this was several years ago before sport -cams were around.

So I put it together and attached a MD-80 to it. You can see the results here. In the description I describe the kite as a new design - I suppose that is accurate as it was never flown up till that point! I hope to make some more films this summer, and experiment with the camera angle and perhaps attach a front and rear cam, since they weigh nothing.

 

[Munchkin100]

I have 3 kites, 1.5 and 2m power kites and a stacker for when its too windy to fly the other 2. Usually on get time to give them an airing on holiday but always have a kite in the boot of the car just in case there is an opportunity!

 

[Aperitif]

Nice video JJ!
Kite flying is very theraputic I think. Although 'The Kite Runner' by...by... Khaled Hosseini (I'm useless, but the PC isn't!) put a different perspective on the sport. Nice thought, longers!

 

[vernon]

There's a kite festival at Harewood House 21st and 22nd May.

I hope thst there's enough wind to make the event a success. Today would have been perfect.