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I remember these kites!


daZZa-S

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Having a trip down memory lane as I just pulled out part of my instruction manual to my S-ARC I used to have... god I loved that kite :(

 

Mate used to have a Modulus. Might point him in the direction of this one as he loves his old kites. Flys NPW's and that's all he flys at the moment (well, is a poor student)

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Mick Parsons, the guy who made the spider modulus was a guest at the Euro's last week.

 

There are a great many accolades that could be bestowed upon him - one of the fathers of buggying, one of the original buggy racers, started the European Championships in 1985, his kites have been used on countless artic and antartic trips....the list goes on.

 

A really nice bloke....but don't get Him and Chris Croft together..."During the war...."....sheesh...lol

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Mick Parsons, the guy who made the spider modulus was a guest at the Euro's last week.

 

There are a great many accolades that could be bestowed upon him - one of the fathers of buggying, one of the original buggy racers, started the European Championships in 1985, his kites have been used on countless artic and antartic trips....the list goes on.

 

A really nice bloke....but don't get Him and Chris Croft together..."During the war...."....sheesh...lol

 

or telling jokes that nobody could understand:D

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On the subject of "old school" kites;

 

A friend of my dads went through a phase of powerkites a good while ago. He has since given up and has offered to lend me his kite if i ever want it; i think it was called a mosquito 4 or something like that;

 

Is it any good? because ive never ever heard of these

 

the mosquito kites were ahead of there time many moons ago!!!

It had a bite and were very powerfull machines...

I know the wind welder use to fly them..

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Mick Parsons, the guy who made the spider modulus was a guest at the Euro's last week.

 

There are a great many accolades that could be bestowed upon him - one of the fathers of buggying, one of the original buggy racers, started the European Championships in 1985, his kites have been used on countless artic and antartic trips....the list goes on.

 

The guy is a legend, 1 kite for any wind not like the kites now, you've got to have 1 kite for low winds and 1 kite for high winds and 24 in between.

I've found his web-site here

I've got a 8m Rebble in my bag, what a kite, it picks me up (15 stone ) and throws me about like a rag doll.

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Mick Parsons, the guy who made the spider modulus was a guest at the Euro's last week.

 

There are a great many accolades that could be bestowed upon him - one of the fathers of buggying, one of the original buggy racers, started the European Championships in 1985, his kites have been used on countless artic and antartic trips....the list goes on.

 

The guy is a legend, 1 kite for any wind not like the kites now, you've got to have 1 kite for low winds and 1 kite for high winds and 24 in between.

I've find his web-site here

I've got a 8m Rebble in my bag, what a kite, it picks me up (15 stone ) and throws me about like a rag doll.

 

Think companys should seriously think about going down the same route as spider and vio. Vio have got the idea sorted for depowerables. Would like to see some other brands try.

 

Hmm ... I have a couple of 4 meter zip some where and a venom waiting to be modded :D

 

Maybe pick up an old S-ARC and give it a go

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http://www.spidertraction.ic24.net/images/58ani.gif

 

that would be so cool if it was actually a decent kite :D i hope someone develops the idea again but BETTER :D

 

Define decent! Considering what else was available at the time, this kite was ahead of it's time.

 

@ Dazza...like your thinking. The twinskin would be a perfect candidate...no cross cell bridling - as long as the zips could manage the forces.

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@ Dazza...like your thinking. The twinskin would be a perfect candidate...no cross cell bridling - as long as the zips could manage the forces.

 

I was thinking about modding the internal strapping with a buckle so the main force is on the straps. Have a few ideas of how to build it but got so many half finished projects laying about and so little time :(

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  • 4 years later...

Well well well,

 

Took my time to find this subject, but, I used to work with Mick Parsons, Mike Johnson and Pete Hughes at Spider Kites - both in Sandfields in Swansea and at the legendary Pembrey farmhouse.

 

Fairs fair to Mick - he was a difficult guy to get on with, BUT, his ideas were WAY ahead of their time and, to all of those who scoff at the kite's performance today, I say - go out, generate a half-decent idea, get a team together, design, fabricate and produce that idea, then go and race AND BEAT Peter Lynn's team (and a host of others)- all while establishing the PKA (Parakart Association), affiliating with FISLY (International Land and Sandyachting Federation) to ensure access to their sites for the future of the sport (unlike the glibley-named BBC - FFS!), become an accredited Land Yacht instructor, organise the FIRST power kite festivals in the UK (The Gwithian Sport Kite Classic I and II), travel all across Europe spreading the word of 4-line traction kites, have a family, help to set two World Records in antarctic travel, train guests including Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Roger Mears in traction kiting...

 

THEN and ONLY then - come back and claim your prize...

 

Incidentally, Mike Johnson was one of the best, if not THE BEST buggiers in the UK / Europe for many a year (UK Champ for a number of years I think) and Peter Hughes (Ex-RAF Parachute technician...) was the creator of the 'parapacking' system which, for anyone who DOESN'T use it, is THE BEST way to pack a kite (we used to 'throw launch' kites at festivals and races, and that really REALLY un-nerves people - including, evidently, Peter Lynn and his team at Scheveningen in Holland in around 2004/5...)

 

RIP Mick - I know where you are whenever I need inspiration

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  • 2 weeks later...

mmmm really good find, had not seen them before, I've tried increasing NASA's centre panels when building but had not thought about adding sections to increase/decrease the kites area once built. Should be much easier to do on a single skin kite. Food for thought indeed.

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  • 12 years later...

Hi everyone.

A very old thread and I'm sure nobody will read this, but I'm Micks daughter. 

It's been so lovely to read your comments on his lifes work, Spider.  My whole childhood revolved around kites until he sadly passed in 2009 when I was 15. I'm 30 now, with a bunch of skills and lingo that I forgot I knew so much about untill I googled his name and found this thread.

If anybody has any memories of him or his kites, I would love to hear them.

I still fly my Dad's kites from time to time. They are as robust as they were 25 years ago! 

Amie x 

 

 

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