Kites.

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So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 11th August 2019
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One of my children has a Tribord stunt kite that we bought him for about £15 off Ebay. It's no more than a meter wingspan with a shortish tail and it's fine if the wind is fairly strong and consistent. If the wind drops it spirals to the ground; it will not ride out spells of lighter breeze.

Can anyone suggest a kite that will ride out flukey winds and that isn't hugely expensive please?




sjg

7,444 posts

264 months

Sunday 11th August 2019
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£25 on a HQ Symphony Beach, the smallest 1.3m one. Simple 2-line kite but really easy to control and have fun with. No poles or structure to it so very hard to do any damage!

Fine for kids as long as the wind isn’t too strong, and good fun for adults to fly too - I have one for really strong/gusty days when bigger kites would be a handful.

Edited by sjg on Sunday 11th August 20:37

C&C

3,281 posts

220 months

Thursday 15th August 2019
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sjg said:
£25 on a HQ Symphony Beach, the smallest 1.3m one. Simple 2-line kite but really easy to control and have fun with. No poles or structure to it so very hard to do any damage!

Fine for kids as long as the wind isn’t too strong, and good fun for adults to fly too - I have one for really strong/gusty days when bigger kites would be a handful.

Edited by sjg on Sunday 11th August 20:37
+1

Got one for my nephew and it's good fun in lightish winds with the advantage of being nearly in-destructable as no poles to break. It also packs up very small into a little pouch.

I recently bought the 2.2m version (£50) and have been having a laugh with it - strongish winds and it happily drags me (17 stone) around the beach, so not suitable for little ones!

Tycho

11,554 posts

272 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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[quote=C&C]
sjg said:
£25 on a HQ Symphony Beach, the smallest 1.3m one. Simple 2-line kite but really easy to control and have fun with. No poles or structure to it so very hard to do any damage!

Fine for kids as long as the wind isn’t too strong, and good fun for adults to fly too - I have one for really strong/gusty days when bigger kites would be a handful.

Edited by sjg on Sunday 11th August 20:37
+1

Got one for my nephew and it's good fun in lightish winds with the advantage of being nearly in-destructable as no poles to break. It also packs up very small into a little pouch.

I recently bought the 2.2m version (£50) and have been having a laugh with it - strongish winds and it happily drags me (17 stone) around the beach, so not suitable for little ones!
Big kites are great fun when the wind is light. I've got a Flexifoil 4.5m kite and it is scary when the wind picks up.

motco

15,919 posts

245 months

Friday 16th August 2019
quotequote all
So said:
One of my children has a Tribord stunt kite that we bought him for about £15 off Ebay. It's no more than a meter wingspan with a shortish tail and it's fine if the wind is fairly strong and consistent. If the wind drops it spirals to the ground; it will not ride out spells of lighter breeze.

Can anyone suggest a kite that will ride out flukey winds and that isn't hugely expensive please?


getmecoat

GappySmeg

242 posts

106 months

Friday 16th August 2019
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On recommendation I bought a SkyDog Learn to Fly sport kite... we've happily flown it as total novices in very light winds.
Blurb says it'll fly from 4mph and I'll say that tallies with my experience.

1ians

398 posts

192 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
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So bought the Symphony as recommenced on this thread for my 7 year old.

Well two blokes were struggling to figure it out... Got it to fly eventually but not a huge amount of control and we had one on each line about ten foot apart. It’s also now a tangled mess, to the point I’m thinking of binning it.

Probably all user error, so make sure you do your research on YouTube etc rather than heading to the beach with only the instructions.

BryanC

1,107 posts

237 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
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Great thread to stir up memories.
I flew a Dunford flying machine in my youth - what a great kite which was stable in all winds but sadly is no longer available ( or is it ? ).

I introduced kites to my son and he now takes his kids kite flying. A fantastic feeling to be in direct contact with the wind, whether with one or two control lines.

I ought to know better ( at my age ) but waiting for the right wind to try out a 1.8m wing.

sjg

7,444 posts

264 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
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1ians said:
So bought the Symphony as recommenced on this thread for my 7 year old.

Well two blokes were struggling to figure it out... Got it to fly eventually but not a huge amount of control and we had one on each line about ten foot apart. It’s also now a tangled mess, to the point I’m thinking of binning it.

Probably all user error, so make sure you do your research on YouTube etc rather than heading to the beach with only the instructions.
I remember mine coming with a manual like this which is pretty good at explaining how to launch and fly them: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_l1G9uyZCP3WmtMc... - but yes, maybe easier to visualise with a video.

Main thing to remember is that these kites want to get to or return to above you (at the edge of the wind window) - so keep a nice even pull on both lines to let it get up there, then start trying out pulling one or the other to change direction. If I have someone new to it using one of mine I just get them used to that before they try bringing it further down in front of them.

Make big pulls on one line or the other straight after launch and it can all go wrong quite quickly!

The Li-ion King

3,766 posts

63 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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motco said:
So said:
One of my children has a Tribord stunt kite that we bought him for about £15 off Ebay. It's no more than a meter wingspan with a shortish tail and it's fine if the wind is fairly strong and consistent. If the wind drops it spirals to the ground; it will not ride out spells of lighter breeze.

Can anyone suggest a kite that will ride out flukey winds and that isn't hugely expensive please?


getmecoat
roflroflrofl

Robbo 27

3,605 posts

98 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Book-Kites-Origin...

This book tells you how to make your own with drawings etc.

You will need to find a supplier of rip-stop nylon.

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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sjg said:
Make big pulls on one line or the other straight after launch and it can all go wrong quite quickly!
yes and having different people on each line is going to go wrong immediately.

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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Bill said:
sjg said:
Make big pulls on one line or the other straight after launch and it can all go wrong quite quickly!
yes and having different people on each line is going to go wrong immediately.
Quite. We’ve got one of these and it’s great, but very sensitive to inputs. There’s no way at all I and a friend could fly it with only half the controls each.

C&C

3,281 posts

220 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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SpeckledJim said:
Bill said:
sjg said:
Make big pulls on one line or the other straight after launch and it can all go wrong quite quickly!
yes and having different people on each line is going to go wrong immediately.
Quite. We’ve got one of these and it’s great, but very sensitive to inputs. There’s no way at all I and a friend could fly it with only half the controls each.
+1

Definitely cannot fly any 2 line kite with different people on each line easily, and something like the Symphony would be near impossible.

You basically need to attach each line to the kite, them unravel both lines fully and have them stretched out in a straight line parallel on the ground. Holding one line in each hand, with the lines straight, they will each be the same length to the kite. You ideally need to be stood facing the kite with your back directly to the wind. If you have a 2nd person, they can pick up the kite and when it fills with air, release it. It should then go straight up, provided you have equal pressure on both lines.

If it goes straight down, the kite is upside down. Get your friend to turn the kite 180 degrees so it is now facing up. You'll also need to swap the lines over to your opposite hands, ensuring that the lines are once again parallel with no twists in them.

Once the kite is released and goes straight up, gently pulling harder on the right line will cause it to steer right. Pulling on the left line will cause it to steer left.

The pull from the kite will be less when it's further off to each side, or really high (almost above you). If you steer it across in front of you lower down, it will pull a lot harder.

Here's a short video of my Symphony 2.2m on its first outing a few weeks ago...

Untitled by conradsphotos, on Flickr


Gee68

404 posts

135 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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Cheeky thread hijack.
I've got a couple of kites and boards sat in the garage (Blade 3 4.9m and a venom 13m) that haven't been used for years if anyone interested.

ColinM50

2,630 posts

174 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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Gee, my five year old Grandson would love any you're getting rid of. Something new for Grandad to introduce him to

Easternlight

3,424 posts

143 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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ColinM50 said:
Gee, my five year old Grandson would love any you're getting rid of. Something new for Grandad to introduce him to
Give your Grandson either of those kites and you'll never see him againlaugh

Gee68

404 posts

135 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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Hi Colin.
These are no way beginners kites,the Blade in it’s day was known as the widowmaker.
I’m 14 odd stone and these would rag doll me on a calm day,part of the reason I gave up flying them.

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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yes I have a Blade 4.9 I'm scared to fly. We should start a club. hehe

ThunderSpook

3,571 posts

210 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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I stopped kitting quite a few years ago, but still have my BladeIII 8.5m and my Venom 16m. Absolutely stonking kites!