J\J~!J~~J~~~~/ !Jj ~jj~ j~J~~ ~!J~]~~.Y !Ji !JJ ~::Jl ..:.l.rl] ~::JJJJ KITEWORLD Large selection of Rev Kites Skyper New Year New Kite! Check out our range of H Q kites, windsocks, H o f f and many more flying m a goodies Prism Flip Kite n n s A m u l e t Prism E3 Line Laundry www.kiteworld.co.uk 01255 860041 The Kiteflier, Issue 122 The Kite Society of Great Britain January 2010 P. O. Box 2274 Stacking Sports Kites 4 Gt Horkesley Colchester Events News 6 CO6 4AY Tying Knots 8 Tel: 01206 271489 Email: [email protected] Danish Meteorological 10 Kites http://www.thekitesociety.org.uk Kite Design 12 Dear Reader Editorial Pothecary Corner 14 Welcome to 2010—let us all hope that the flying season is dryer than last year and we can all get where we want to fly. Ship Kites 16 Important Changes. As you no doubt know costs have been rising Alox Kites 21 steadily over the past few years and we have reluctantly concluded that we have to increase the membership fees (the last increase was 2006). Bits & Pieces 28 The main element of cost increase has been printing the magazine and STACK News 31 postage (which goes up again in April!). In general membership rates have increased by just £1.00 (with Roman Candle 32 higher increases for overseas members—sorry!). Events List 36 In addition we have decided to offer an Electronic Subscription rate which has all the same benefits as a normal subscription EXCEPT you re- Front Cover ceive the magazine via the Internet. This will cost just £5 per year for in- dividuals and families. Aerial shot of Portsmouth Details are shown below. 2009. Photo by: Peter Schmidt Kiteflier of the Year: You may remember Tony Cartwright proposed a ‘Kite Flier of the Year’ award in a recent issue. George Webster has sug- gested a ‘Hall of Fame’ with a similar aim of recognising a person’s contribution to kite flying in the U.K. There are several ways of selecting a winner for such an award—from the complex selection panel (as suggested by George) to the simple public vote. To avoid any conflicts of interest we feel the simplest method is best—so a public vote will be used. Aligned with this is public nominations which consist of a brief written proposal (200-250 words) from an individual or group submitted about the nominee to The Kite Society for publication in the maga- zine and on the web site. If this does not work well in 2010 we will look again at the method used and maybe go more to- wards the World Kite Museum Hall of Fame method with a nomination and selection panel. Nominations can be made now in writing or via email and will be published in the July issue and on the web site. Voting opens at that point (via email, post or through the web site) and continues until 1st December and the results published in the January 2011 issue. So send those nominations NOW!!! Membership Type Fee Individual £12.00 Family - all members in the same household. £13.00 Over 60 - Individual or Family £11.00 Overseas - Europe and Surface Mail £14.00 Overseas - Airmail £18.00 Electronic Subscription (Individual or Family) £5.00 Whilst every effort is taken to get the details correct The Kite Society cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that occur. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editors or The Kite Society. Page 4 The Kiteflier, Issue 122 Pothecary Corner—Stack the Kites Stack it up neering principles exactly right down the last There will be, of course, many pre-tried, pre- detail. So, what is the optimal distance between tested theories and projects, all of which we the kites to give the best control and ensure shall be pleased to hear about and publish for that they all follow in harmony, easy lift off and you either in this magazine or on a special page no wobble in flight particularly in the tightest of on the Close Encounters Kites website. There is the turns? a video on the site already to prove that we did- n’t do a bad job – or maybe it was just some I remember someone once telling me that the good, excellently choreographed flying by spacing should be two thirds of the length of Marilyn in some good (makes a change) wind. the leading edge – Oh well - that’ll do then! Another piece of advice was to join from one kite to the next in five places – both ends of the top and bottom spreaders and from the T-piece. Now that’s a fair bit of string! OK, we’ll try that All I am going to do is write about how we did it idea as well then! and extracted a bit of enjoyment along the way. This won’t get too complicated because, as you We already fly a stack of two Eolo, Neox kites – probably know, I don’t do fiddly. we flew them at a few festivals when there was enough wind in 2009 and will be using them It started when I saw on the HQ site an article again next year, so we are aware of the prob- written in German about “Emotions in Rhythm”. lem of transporting the kites and storing them I thought that this was going to be a new re- when you get back home. lease from HQ of a stack of kites already made up and ready to fly. Wrong! It was an article If you take the standoffs out, the limbos will lay done by one of their associates about three flat one on top of each other but if you need to “Limbo” kites made up in to a stack of three. separate them it’s best to give a little thought on how you are going to tie the links. This won’t be a repeat of that article because one of my many talents is that I don’t speak We reckon that our way of making a permanent German and therefore, have no idea what was tag on each kite was a pretty good way to do said! this and you can then put each kite back in its bag if you want. It takes a while to cut and tie The Limbo is a strong kite with a fibre-glass twenty tags and ten lengths of line keeping frame, just about large enough to work with good uniformity but you soon start to invent lit- and relatively inexpensive at under thirty tle shortcuts to speed things along. pounds. We ordered up three, keeping in mind that if this were successful, we could add two more stacks, some tails and have a fine show with three of us flying in the arena to music. The Project Firstly we had to have a plan to get the engi- The Kiteflier, Issue 122 Page 5 Pothecary Corner—Stack the Kites If you are planning to make bigger stacks with (2.3mtrs) stood up next to the wife and then bigger kites it has to be remembered that the continued along with a launch and had it danc- front kite in particular has to suffer a lot of pull ing gleefully to music. from the pack that it is leading and may have to be strengthened with stronger rods. I have seen It nearly didn’t work because this kite needs a people use what they call a Ghost Frame – no good and steady 8mph minimum to get it away sail just a frame – in the shape of the joining and see it at its best. The WW really is a joy to lines, attachment points, sometimes with the watch on its own – if you had the pockets or frame made from a light but strong metal. The enough friends with one each, several all at flying lines are then attached to the frame. once would be fantastic! Marilyn doesn’t like green and is not particularly Even I found this kite very quick and simple to fond of red kites – the blue one at the front erect. Similar to the Amulet, from the same sta- then? ble, most of the rods pleasingly stay in place when you put it away and assembly is by join- The Launch ing three rods down the top half of the spine We used 100ft lines for the test flight – perhaps ensuring that they slip through all of the a little too long for a solo stack but that is what sleeves and lay against the back of the sail. we would use for kites this size flying pairs or The kite costs less than seventy pounds but dis- team. Immediately we had difficulty in powering appointingly doesn’t come with line. up at low level and it took some considerable effort to get the kites high and moving. We found it easiest to get someone to hold the back kite, keep the lines tight and throw the stack up. This wouldn’t be necessary in a strong wind though. Once they were going however, all that messing around in the garage at home was soon forgotten. The pull was good without being strong and the stack was easy to control. How- ever if you did not pay attention to keeping the kites powered up near the ground where the angle of attack is different, the kites quickly lost it and there is no forgiveness once they start to go.