Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 11:32:32 -1000 From: Michael=HalpinPCB-AgencyPCPD=Hou@bangate.compaq.com Message-Id: <77395875234n12@131.168.114.12> Organization: Compaq Computer Corporation Subject: First Timer Who Wants to Kite Hi Everyone, First timer here. I am interested in getting my first kite and I would like some suggestions from you. I am being cautious, so for my first one I do not wish to spend more than 100 dollars. I have been scanning an "Into the Wind" catalog and have seen a great number of good looking kites, but am overloaded by the data. Can anyone suggest a kite that I can use for fun flying, but still be able to perform stunts or aerobatics (not serious competition stunt flight). If my terminology as applied to kites is rusty I apologize. Thanks for any help, Michael Halpin = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 15:17:12 -1000 From: dickbell@netcom.com (Dick Bell) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Subject: Re: First Timer Who Wants to Kite : I am interested in getting my first kite : and I would like some suggestions from you. : I am being cautious, so for my first one I do : not wish to spend more than 100 dollars. Mike, may I suggest either the 3/4 edge or the griffin. :-) -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dick Bell dickbell@netcom.com Dallas, Texas = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 18:54:44 -1000 From: pbc@ufl.edu (Philip Chase) Message-Id: Organization: CIRCA, University of Florida Subject: Re: First Timer Who Wants to Kite In article <77395875234n12@131.168.114.12> Michael=HalpinPCB-AgencyPCPD=Hou@bangate.compaq.com writes: >From: Michael=HalpinPCB-AgencyPCPD=Hou@bangate.compaq.com >Subject: First Timer Who Wants to Kite >Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 21:32:32 GMT >Hi Everyone, >First timer here. >I am interested in getting my first kite >and I would like some suggestions from you. >I am being cautious, so for my first one I do >not wish to spend more than 100 dollars. >I have been scanning an "Into the Wind" >catalog and have seen a great number of >good looking kites, but am overloaded by >the data. If you are set on mail order, you may wish to check into other vendors. I find the ITTW is a bit pricey for mail order (though they have an excellent catalog). Contact Adventure Kites at 203-426-9786, BFK at 818-912-1272 or eye-z up at 800-51KITES. The downside of these vendors is that you will sometimes encounter restrictions as to the choice of color or availability of a kite. This may or may not be a problem for you. I find I care much less about the color than how it flies though I did once reject a black, blue, and orange Quad 25. I have purchased most of my kites from Adventure and have had no problems. Incidentally, some of these guys are showing up on the net. I think Hang 'em High Fabrics is on the net. >Can anyone suggest a kite that I can use for >fun flying, but still be able to perform stunts or >aerobatics (not serious competition stunt flight). I'm not really knowledgeable enough to recommend a kite that fits your needs and price range, but I suggest your determine the typical wind speed in your area and buy a kite that fits that. ITTW does good job of covering this in their catalog. It is possible that you could pay for a kite that you simply won't have an opportunity to fly. Many of the low end stunters can be a bit heavy--and thus unable to fly in low winds. You may have a lot of wind, but I don't know. Philip = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 12 Jul 1994 04:17:23 -1000 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <2vu8lj$8i2@umd5.umd.edu> Organization: University of Maryland, College Park Subject: Re: First Timer Who Wants to Kite In article pbc@ufl.edu (Philip Chase) writes: >I find I care much less about the color than how it flies though I did >once reject a black, blue, and orange Quad 25. I'm *very* particular about buying kites in colors I like; I care a good deal about how a kite looks. For the amount of money I'm likely to drop on a kite and the amount of time I'm likely to be staring at it, I won't get something I don't absolutely love. Building kites is a bit different, because even if I'm not crazy about the colors I have, I can usually piece together something interesting from it. >>Can anyone suggest a kite that I can use for >>fun flying, but still be able to perform stunts or >>aerobatics (not serious competition stunt flight). > >I'm not really knowledgeable enough to recommend a kite that fits your needs >and price range, but I suggest your determine the typical wind speed in your >area and buy a kite that fits that. Yeah. What he said. If you only have one kite, it's got to be tailored to your local conditions or it will sit in the closet. Jeff (who notes that the Ugliest Kite Ever is a custom EFM built for Chuck Connor, long before the 'ray' pattern was settled on, which is brown on yellow with some weird honecomb graphic; fortunately, the aforementioned kite has not left Chuck's wall for a couple of years) -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | "Everything is still with a fear of never coming out | |Suffering Bad Grammar| Never following through / Never ever finishing | |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu | What we wanted to do." -- Melissa Ferrick | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 12 Jul 1994 09:40:19 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Harvard University OIT/NSD Subject: Re: First Timer Who Wants to Kite In article , pbc@ufl.edu (Philip Chase) writes: >I'm not really knowledgeable enough to recommend a kite that fits your needs >and price range, but I suggest your determine the typical wind speed in your >area and buy a kite that fits that. ITTW does good job of covering this in >their catalog. It is possible that you could pay for a kite that you simply >won't have an opportunity to fly. Many of the low end stunters can be a bit >heavy--and thus unable to fly in low winds. You may have a lot of wind, but >I don't know. I have to disagree about the Into the Wind doing a good job of wind range and such with kites. I have different impressions than they do. BFK does a similar thing as ItW for rating kites. Compare kites from both catalogs and then see if you can find someone in the area who actually owns one of the kites you have decided on. Buying a kite is like buying a car in this respect, you can get a good idea from the numbers, but you don't know for sure until you drive it around the block. -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =