Quote:
>I am interested in seeing some opinions expressed about what kites
>are good in high winds. The situation is: you are out flying
>your favorate kite and the wind gets up to 20 to 30 and your
>kite starts to ... (chatter, pull you around, crash too hard, etc)
>So you reach into your bag and out comes the perfect kite for high
>winds, your ________. Please share your thoughts as this is the
>situation I would like to be in (having a high wind kite that
>other people have proven works great in that situation).
>Opinions on the best low wind kite may also be of interest to some
>and with the kind of winter wind we get here is probably the
>question I should be asking as well.
>Thanks in advance :^) Allen
Well, when you say "high winds", I expect you mean winds over 25 mph. Most
kites at this kind wind are not very happy. Some will "take it", but won't
be "at home" in this much wind.
Well, here at the Marina Green, San Francisco, the wind in the summer is
20-30 mph almost every day (days when the wind is lighter are exceptions
to the rule). Gary Hanson built the Merlin especially for the Marina Green
winds. The Merlin will take that kind of wind, and will be *very* happy
in it. They're built tough, and fly real fast and track real straight.
That's what I will generally pull out in that kind of wind (i.e. when I can
no longer practice my routine). You can get Merlins from Kite Flite, Pier
39, San Francisco, I think Highline kite of Berkely carries them, etc. (I
think I saw that you are somewhere here in the Bay Area).
Another good high wind kite is a 4 foot flexifoil. This kite will take _any_
amount of wind, and I've never had to fly it on anything more than 80# test
line--even on the days here at the Green when the wind gets really heavy (i.e.
40+ mph).
As for a light wind kite, I'm compelled to mention the kite I compete with:
the XTC by Buena Vista Kite Co. I used to fly the Phantom for competition,
now I fly the XTC--it's a better light wind kite, but doesn't break like the
Phantom does--I also fly the kite in 20+ mph winds). Peter Werba of Buena
Vista Kite Co. is pretty new on the scene, and there's only a few stores
carrying his kites--the Peir-39/San Francisco store to name one. Email me
if you want more info on the XTC.
Steve Thomas
VisionAire
p.s. I'll be judging at the event at Ocean Beach, SF on Labor Day--there
will be several XTC's competing there--perhaps I'll see you...
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Steve Thomas