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Re: Tails

Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:13 pm

OMG....do I have to mention Hitler to get this locked?
Rob
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Lex B
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Re: Tails

Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:56 pm

[personal opinion mode:/ ON]
If An SLK needs a tail I did not design it well enough.
When tricking a kite it only gets in the way.
There might be practical or educational reasons to put a tail to a team kite; still not my thing.
A good use for tails is putting them on a pair of stuntkites and chase them untill their OFF.
[personal opinion mode:/ OFF]

Annnnnnnnnnd.....
Where's Old Greebo's reaction...
Man you got somthin started here :lol:
remember: amateurs built the ark ..
professionals built the Titanic.

PLEASE......NO TAILS ....
 
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Vee
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Re: Tails

Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:16 am

True. I have tails to make the crowd go "ahhhh".








But I can't help but experiment!
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Re: Tails

Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:35 am

So does this mean there may be lots of tails flying next time at Hinckley?
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Old Greebo
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Re: Tails

Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:09 pm

A nice lot of responses, everyone. Thanks to you all.

Sorry I didn't come back earlier with my reactions. I've recently been bitten by a different obsession, and it takes up time that would formrly have been devoted to the kites. And fyi, I've now discovered that astronomy plus astro-photography can dig an even bigger hole in your bank accounts than kiting!

But I do still enjoy the kites. So OK, LexB, here are my reactions...

First of all, I wouldn't DREAM of making a tail a permanent fixture on any of my kites! But like I said, tails certainly featured far more in the seventies than they do now, and I just had this irrational urge. It hasn't gone away, yet.

I like SteveC's idea of the hazard warning tape. Pretty cheap, and so easy to renew if I buy a big roll. Vee's idea of the sliced-up black bin-liner appeals even more strongly though, mainly because I've already got plenty of black bin-liners!

Tricking with 2-liners isn't really high on my list of priorities, so there's no problem for me there. I've never really been able to convince myself that intricate and prolonged tricking looks graceful. If I didn't know better, I might even think the kite was simply out of control and the kite-flier was struggling to keep it in the air. Adding a tail, for me, is a way of introducing a bit of variety to my enjoyment of the sport.

The last time I flew a kite with a tail, it was a diamond-shaped two-liner I'd made for myself in the seventies (ripstop sailcloth and aluminium spars), from a pattern in that famous Penguin kite book. I forget the title, but wasn't it written by Peter Powell?

It was interesting to see all your comments. Not as wall-to-wall 'anti' as I was expecting, and it was good to know I'm not alone in enjoying the spectacle that a long kite tail can present.

I shall persist! Not all the time though ...
Brian. (Past it, but reaching back!)
Silver Fox 2.5; HQ Shadow SUL; Rev 1.5 SLE; Spiderkites URO; Etc...
 
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Zippy8
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Re: Tails

Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:17 pm

Old Greebo wrote:
And fyi, I've now discovered that astronomy plus astro-photography can dig an even bigger hole in your bank accounts than kiting!

Amen to that. Luckily for me it won't get dark again here until about September-ish.

that famous Penguin kite book. I forget the title, but wasn't it written by Peter Powell?

David Pelham.
Image

Mike.
 
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Old Greebo
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Re: Tails

Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:31 pm

Yeah, that's the one! I think I've still got it somewhere, but I'm not at home right now so can't check.
Brian. (Past it, but reaching back!)
Silver Fox 2.5; HQ Shadow SUL; Rev 1.5 SLE; Spiderkites URO; Etc...
 
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Lex B
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Re: Tails

Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:33 pm

Zippy8 wrote:
David Pelham.
Image

Ahhhh, the kite Bible
remember: amateurs built the ark ..
professionals built the Titanic.

PLEASE......NO TAILS ....
 
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stuartF
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Re: Tails

Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:34 pm

... David Pelham .. Not so much a book, rather a pile of loose pages gather together in a blue cover. Good stuff nevertheless.

Anyway, back to tails. If one wrote to Chris, saying something like "If my superfly turns up in the next 3 weeks, I promise never to fly it without a tail", would it help?

Best Wishes
Stuart
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Old Greebo
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Re: Tails

Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:24 pm

<<... David Pelham .. Not so much a book, rather a pile of loose pages gather together in a blue cover.>>

I got home this morning. Yes, I've found mine, and it's falling to bits too!

[edit] Furthermore, I discovered a little post-it size note I'd left in it!

Stunter kite 48" long
Cost:
Tubing 11ft £2.42
Cloth 1½ yds (incuding for cover) £1.12½
Control lines £0.60
Steel wire spring £0.15
Poly tube; cotton; edging; keyrings £0.60½
Ribbon tail £0.60
Total £5.50.

What did a need a steel wire spring for?
Brian. (Past it, but reaching back!)
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Zippy8
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Re: Tails

Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:59 am

Old Greebo wrote:
What did I need a steel wire spring for?

Spring clips for attaching the flying lines to the bridle ? :-k Used to be all the rage.

Mike.