Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 23:20:15 -1000 From: rolf@login.dknet.dk (Rolf V. Oestergaard) Message-Id: Organization: DKnet / EUnet Denmark - Login Tjenesten Subject: Curly tail I just made a 11 meter tail for a flexifoil. The tail is made from ordinary ripstop, which is cut in 5.5 cm wide strips and sewn together to make the 11 meter length. After attaching the kite to one side of the flexifoil, and flying about 1-2 hours, the tail was all curled up. I know pigs are supposed to curl up their tails when happy, but does that also apply to kites? Now, should I change the tail to a tube-type tail by sewing it to another tail of the same dimensions? -Or should I try to change something in the very end of the tail, to stop it rotating (what?)? -Or should I just stop thinking of tails on stunt kites? Any advice would be appreciated! Looking forward to fly with You at One-Sky-One-World, Rolf V. Oestergaard, Copenhagen, Denmark -------------- \ /\ / email: rolf@login.dknet.dk \/ \/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 23:18:52 -1000 From: era_pul@ki.ericsson.se (Peter Ulfheden ) Message-Id: <1994Oct6.091852.5927@ericsson.se> Organization: Ericsson Radio Systems AB, Sweden Subject: Re: Curly tail Rolf V. Oestergaard (rolf@login.dknet.dk) wrote: [snip] : After attaching the kite to one side of the flexifoil, and flying : about 1-2 hours, the tail was all curled up. I know pigs are supposed : to curl up their tails when happy, but does that also apply to kites? : Now, should I change the tail to a tube-type tail by sewing it to [snip] Hi Rolf, According to what Esben Collstrup has told me, your problem is the width of the tail. If it is wider than one inch it will curl. Either you have to split your tails in two, or join them to tubes, two by two. Straight tail(s) Peter -- []-------------------------------------------------[] | Peter Ulfheden | era_pul@ki.ericsson.se | | Amorinav. 3 | or petulf@saaf.se | | S-191 44 Sollentuna | Phone: +46 8 751 02 15 | | SWEDEN | Fax: +46 8 35 04 29 | []-------------------------------------------------[] = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 22:58:52 -1000 From: crowell@teleport.com (Carl Crowell) Message-Id: Organization: Kites By Carl Crowell Subject: Re: Curly tail Just because i am feeling a little retentive today... Tail twisting (curl) can be controlled by limiting the stretch of the sides of the tail. If you have an 11 meter tail that is three inches wide, five percent differential in stretch down each side will mean a lot of twists. I build 3"-6" tails that if well hemmed, using stabalized cloth, have minimal twisting. The activity of a dual line kite will increase the twists that a tail will get, but you might be happy if you sew the side hems with kevlar thread. oh well... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 8 Oct 1994 06:45:05 -1000 From: johnsen@eskimo.com (Brian Johnsen) Message-Id: Organization: Cap'n Puget's Roadside Tako Stand Subject: Re: Curly tail In article , Rolf V. Oestergaard wrote: >I just made a 11 meter tail for a flexifoil. The tail is made from >ordinary ripstop, which is cut in 5.5 cm wide strips and sewn together >to make the 11 meter length. > >After attaching the kite to one side of the flexifoil, and flying >about 1-2 hours, the tail was all curled up. I know pigs are supposed >to curl up their tails when happy, but does that also apply to kites? I had this problem flying tails from the outside corners of my rev. The problem is that a vortex is generated at each end of the wing. On aircraft this is cured by adding a fin at the wingtip, but this is not always practical on a kite. What I did was to put very small ball-bearing swivels on them and let the tails spin freely all they like. -- "Eating Mangoes Can Give You Indian Kite Plague" Says J.P. Patches -- Brian Johnsen johnsen@eskimo.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 17 Oct 1994 04:54:29 -1000 From: rolf@login.dknet.dk (Rolf V. Oestergaard) Message-Id: Organization: DKnet / EUnet Denmark - Login Tjenesten Subject: Re: Curly tail Brian, > What I did was to put very small ball-bearing swivels on them and let >the tails spin freely all they like. Thanks for Your response. I made two experiments: 1) Used a swivel. Worked just fine. 2) Tubed up the 5.5 cm tail. Worked just fine, but with lower visibility of the tail (approx. 2 cm instead of 5.5 cm). Haven't tried a 1 inch tail yet, Rolf V. Oestergaard, Copenhagen, Denmark -------------- \ /\ / email: rolf@login.dknet.dk \/ \/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =