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Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:46 am
by Zippy8
Old Greebo wrote:
Why is there such an antipathy here whenever tails are mentioned?

'Cos they are simply incompatible with flying a kite other than pulling some rudimentary shapes and we've moved past that.

Putting a tail on a decent, modern kite is like towing a caravan with an Aston Martin - technically it can be done but it is just wrong on so many levels. Any gains you might imagine are comprehensively outweighed by a raft of losses and limitations.

Back in the seventies, when I first got interested in 2-line kites, it was the done thing.

However, putting a caravan behind a clapped out Austin Allegro isn't making things much worse than it already is. :wink:

I'll admit it - I've put tails on some of my kites. In my defence I was young, I caved under peer pressure and I never inhaled. It's in the past. Even basic tricks get horribly fouled up by the tail and you end up with the it wrapped all over the kite (mainly over the LSs as I recall). I personally can do without that.

For something like the Bay Area Sundowners; OK, that's quite nice to look at. Anything else is just going to attract scorn. It's up to you as to whether you can deal with that. If you are enjoying yourself, bugger the rest of the world and their "opinions".

Image Image
Mike.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:11 am
by ObijuanKenobe
It takes a thread about tails (and a little sun, of course) to bring Mike to post. At least I laughed.

Man, it's still hardly spring here.

obi

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:48 am
by Vee
RoyReed wrote:
Vee wrote:
Oh, by the way, it IS possible to trick with a tail in situ. It just takes an adjustment in technique.

We want video evidence Vee. I'd like to see at least a yo-yo and a jacob's ladder!


As I can neither yo-yo nor jacob's ladder at the best of times I can only say that I'd love video evidence of me doing them too. :lol: I have seen axels, half axels and now refuels (in a stack with tails, no less!). I don't see any issue with flic-flacs and I'm now keen to try lazy susans seeing as I can (almost) do them consistently now.

You'd forgotten how slow my learning curve is hadn't you!

I admit a yo-yo is very unlikely and a jacobs ladder provides issues that I haven't clearly thought out and looking at your animation again might need a little adjusting as to direction of yaw. I think a strict alternating method would do it, rather than twice one way and twice the other.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:37 am
by RoyReed
Tricks that don't require a full rotation (e.g. half axel) should be possible, but tricks that require a full rotation (in any axis) will be severely hampered by a tail at the very least. Just imagine the knot from doing a yo-yo multi-lazy with a tail. :lol:

Tails would make refuels easier (IMHO) as the extra drag will make the follow kites more stable in the bumpy air you get from the lead kite.

But as Mike says, why buy an Aston Martin to tow a caravan.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:53 pm
by fworley
For my sins, I am the owner of a 100' tube sail. I bought it because we were headed on vacation with a couple of other families
and I thought the small kiddies would like to chase it. I also bought something nasty, a Prism Mirage IIRC, to pull it so that my
kites would be spared both the indignity and the noseplants when the other parents asked to have a go.

So, tails, they do have a place ... festivals, childrens entertainment as much ... but thats about it.

I've not flown that tube tail ever since ... :-k

Anybody wanna by nice tube tail ? C'mon you know you want one :D

-Frazer

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:55 pm
by pink
you can have great fun with tail on small fast kite like prism nexus, kids love it.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 2:33 pm
by Broady
I keep thinking of a tail to put on a kite to entertain the kids. I've got a HQ Dancer, but the tail with that is rubbish and if the kids get hold of it, well it won't have a tail for long.
Until recently, I hadn't even thought of putting a tail on a trick kite, but it would let me have more flying time.
Wonder what Carl would think if I put a nice long tail on the fury???

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 2:41 pm
by SteveC
pink wrote:
you can have great fun with tail on small fast kite like prism nexus, kids love it.


Yep, great fun - I have a 17m tail to fit to my Delta Hawk (on 35m lines) but that doesn't get used until the winds are blowing at least 20mph! ......I don't think I'd want one a trick kite though.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 2:44 pm
by Zippy8
Broady wrote:
Wonder what Carl would think if I put a nice long tail on the fury???

Image

Mike,
harsh but fair.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 2:51 pm
by Flying Fish
I don't think I'd want one a trick kite though.


I think that's exactly the point. A tail on a trick kite makes no sense whatsoever, but one or more tails flying from precision kites used in a pair or team ballet can certainly add to the overall spectacle. Depending on wind and kite, my wife and I can fly up to three tails per kite (one from the spine, two from the wing tips) in our pair routine. Looks great!

<ducks now to avoid the incoming tomatoes>

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:01 pm
by Broady
Lol, I was expecting a harsher reply tbh.
Might just try and build a better diamond kite and just use that.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:04 pm
by Broady
So when Carl hits me, I'll blame you Dromel.
So should I go for 100ft in rainbow on it? Lol

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:55 pm
by Zippy8
Broady wrote:
So should I go for 100ft in rainbow on it? Lol

Carl Robertshaw Aerostuff Fury


Image

Mike.

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:10 pm
by Broady
So Frazer, what colour is the tail you have and how much do you want for it?
And I'll get a picture of the fury with a tail on it when I dare!

Re: Tails

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:30 pm
by fworley
Broady wrote:
So Frazer, what colour is the tail you have and how much do you want for it?
And I'll get a picture of the fury with a tail on it when I dare!


Its rainbow ... and it'd prolly cost more to ship from the US that you'd want to pay.

This gives you an idea of what it looks like (needs plenty of wind)

Image

-Frazer