tips for the newbie

[ozzymat]

Here's some tips for the newbies to help get you flying sports kites.

If you want to get serious about sports kites you need set length flying line, that is lines that have been cut to a specific length and need to be totally unwound before you can use them.

For learning the minimum length of lines should be 23 Metres (75ft) ideally 30 Metres (100ft).

Most line sets will come with loops at either end, the knot that forms the loop is called a overhand knot.

The loops can have a protective covering called sleeved or have a separate braided loop called a pig tail.

Straps are used to protect your hands from the flying lines, these and the kite are attached to the lines with the most important knot in kiting and that's the larks-head knot.

You can self launch a sport kite, all you need is a kite stake and the simples kite stake is a screw driver about 200mm long.

Push the stake into the ground a little way and put your straps onto the stake, walk you lines out to the kite, connect the lines to the kite using a Larks-head knot paying attention to which line is left and right, put the pointy bit of the kite to the sky with a little tension to the lines just to allow the kite to lean back about 45 degs.

Walk back to the handles, remove the stake from the ground and put in your pocket, hold each strap in the correct hand (your right hand should control the right side of kite).

When you are ready to fly take a step back or pull arms back evenly and the kite should jump into the air.

You can use the same technique to re-launch the kite after a crash, don't be tempted to keep the straps in your hand when you walk to the kite as the line will just knot up.

The stake in the photo is home made from a tent peg and a golf ball.

One last thing, when it's time to go home you should start winding the lines from the kite first, that way the straps will be on top of the lines so next time all you need to do is put the stake out with the straps on it and wind the lines out to the kite.

Happy flying.

[Kamikuza]

Good write up

Not an issue with the lighter stunt kites I guess, but in soft soils like sand etc, I use a plastic T-section tent stake for secure the kite ... I find the round metal pegs just pull right out, specially with the power kites

I think I got a 6 pack of those plastic stakes for like $4 ... not as flash as the Peter Lynn ground stake but much cheaper