Date: Mon, 28 Aug 1995 06:28:05 -1000 From: jeremy bunford Message-Id: <41sqql$bat@bright.ecs.soton.ac.uk> Organization: Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton Subject: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? sorry forgot to put a subject... does anyone know how many 6ft stackers produce about the same pull a 1 10 ft stacker does. has anyone used their power kite to pull an inflatable dingy, and what happened. what happens if your stacker goes in the sea, is it salvagable? does the salt water bugger it up....? i've got a little web page on kites at http://f11011a.civil.soton.ac.uk/kites.htm has anyone got any good KITE links they think i should put on there? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 28 Aug 1995 13:51:44 -1000 From: bforest@bliss.demon.co.uk (bruce forest) Message-Id: Organization: Tunes, VRML and Fine Cheeses.. Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? In article <41sqql$bat@bright.ecs.soton.ac.uk>, jeremy bunford wrote: > sorry forgot to put a subject... > > does anyone know how many 6ft stackers produce about the same pull a 1 10 > ft stacker does. > has anyone used their power kite to pull an inflatable dingy, and what > happened. > what happens if your stacker goes in the sea, is it salvagable? does the > salt water bugger it up....? > > i've got a little web page on kites at > http://f11011a.civil.soton.ac.uk/kites.htm > has anyone got any good KITE links they think i should put on there? The usual formula is four Stackers equals a 10'. I've used my Sky Tiger to pull me in a rubber dinghy. It's ok, but loses it's appeal rather quickly. Much more fun to jump in the water and let it pull you around. I've dumped my 3 x 10 stack in the ocean more than a few times. The water isn't the problem..it's the sand. Just hose it off, and it'll be fine. Then let it dry and shake the sand out. Cheers.. -- bruce forest... bforest@bliss.demon.co.uk bforest@bliss.co.uk bliss@ibm.net 100135.173@compuserve.com PGP pubkey on your friendly neighborhood keyserver. Throw back the little ones, and pan fry the big ones.. Use tact, poise and reason, and gently squeeze them.. Becker/Fagen... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 02:47:42 -1000 From: oakden@vo5.ph.liv.ac.uk (M.N.Oakden) Message-Id: Organization: nil Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? In article <41sqql$bat@bright.ecs.soton.ac.uk> jeremy bunford writes: [double apologies if this reply appears two or three times... my news posting software hung after each previous attempt to post and the article didn't appear on the newsserver] [snip] does anyone know how many 6ft stackers produce about the same pull a 1 10 ft stacker does. [snip] The figure I've most often heard is that one 10' pulls like three or four 6'. [From what I've seen of 10' flexis and felt of 6' stacks, I'd be more inclined to believe three than four... but I've never flown a 10', only seen them flown] There are some differences though... the stack power up gently while the single 10' will "snatch" more when it powers up. This may lead to you feeling like the 10' pulls more than it actually does... (If you like that sort of thing). The 6' stack will be easier to steer, requiring less arm movement than the 10'. Aside from the pull issue, ... stacks look *way* cool :) just a few random musings.. Cheers, Mark. -- oakden@dice2.desy.de oakden@hep.ph.liv.ac.uk | Squid-seller, I'm not politically incorrect, | harping cuckoo - I'm just differently articulate. | one voice. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 28 Aug 1995 17:27:32 -1000 From: david.chapman@ptinfo.com (David Chapman) Message-Id: <950829102124312@ptinfo.com> Organization: HCS/PTInfoSys, Kansas City Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? (plenty of stuff deleted but noted.....in a post from Bruce Forest) -> I've dumped my 3 x 10 stack in the ocean more than a few times. The w -> isn't the problem..it's the sand. Just hose it off, and it'll be fine -> Then let it dry and shake the sand out. -> Please pardon my ignorance but what is the best way of launching a flexi for water activities. I've been tempted with my 10 but the problem is how to best launch. The areas at my access are all limited beach or shoreline with trees. Any suggestions? Dave *---------------------------------------------------------* | Dave Chapman | e-mail:drc@ptinfo.com | | HCS/PTInfoSys | Aj PGP public key available: | | Kansas City MO,USA | keys@ptinfo.com | *---------------------------------------------------------* = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 07:34:47 -1000 From: jtavo@aol.com (JTavo) Message-Id: <41vj3n$1c5@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? Just got off the phone with Ray Merry (co-inventor of the flexi) He sez, three 6 footers = 1 ten footer. The feel is a little different 'cause stacks fly slower than single foils. Can't argue with that! (why don't I believe that?) Happy Flexi-ing! John Tavolacci = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 08:48:37 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? david.chapman@ptinfo.com (David Chapman) writes: >Please pardon my ignorance but what is the best way of launching a flexi >for water activities. On the land, just like normal. >The areas at my access are all limited beach or shoreline with trees. Then it's going to be difficult, but don't forget that you can launch the stack on the land while *you* stand shivering in the water... Andrew -- New to rec.kites? START HERE! | To: www@kfs.org send an email message like this->| Subject: service /-\ () >< () |\/| () >< () /-\ | http://www.kfs.org/kites/welcome/index.html Leave the kite jumping to the teddy bears = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 3 Sep 1995 13:11:07 -1000 From: bforest@bliss.demon.co.uk (bruce forest) Message-Id: Organization: Tunes, VRML and Fine Cheeses.. Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? In article <950829102124312@ptinfo.com>, david.chapman@ptinfo.com (David Chapman) wrote: > (plenty of stuff deleted but noted.....in a post from Bruce Forest) > > -> I've dumped my 3 x 10 stack in the ocean more than a few times. The w > -> isn't the problem..it's the sand. Just hose it off, and it'll be fine > -> Then let it dry and shake the sand out. > -> > Please pardon my ignorance but what is the best way of launching a flexi > for water activities. I've been tempted with my 10 but the problem is > how to best launch. The areas at my access are all limited beach or > shoreline with trees. Any suggestions? Well, you have to keep the kite dry. Unless you have a serious wind, forget about flying a soggy flexi. There is one beach I fly at that has a short dry sand area, but then a huge flat drop off at the water. I put the kite(s) at the top of the sand, and let out the lines into the water. Launch, and get dragged around, but don't get the flexi wet. It's a lot more fun with a Sky Tiger, and easier to relaunch. It's fun, but the novelty wears off. Try a boogie board on a sandbar with three inches of water. That's fun. Cheers.. -- bruce forest... bforest@bliss.demon.co.uk bforest@bliss.co.uk bliss@ibm.net 100135.173@compuserve.com PGP pubkey on your friendly neighborhood keyserver. Throw back the little ones, and pan fry the big ones.. Use tact, poise and reason, and gently squeeze them.. Becker/Fagen... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 8 Sep 1995 10:43:05 -1000 From: daveculp@bdt.com (Dave Culp) Message-Id: Organization: Beckemeyer Development, Oakland CA Subject: Re: how many 6ft stackers does it take to make a 10ft stacker? > > Please pardon my ignorance but what is the best way of launching a flexi > > for water activities. I've been tempted with my 10 but the problem is > > how to best launch. The areas at my access are all limited beach or > > shoreline with trees. Any suggestions? > Here's my two cents worth: I've seen several ways, and used others which don't work ;-) I usually launch a 5-8 stack from another boat. I anchor my kiteboat by cleating it to a buoyed anchor (I can thus abandon it and find it later). I then bring my supprot boat alongside, hand them the flying lines and they drift off to leeward. They (two guys) then let one kite at a time out, keeping a *firm* hold on the top kite in the stack. Line tension between the boats keeps all the kites up out of the water (they usually stand up in the boat, for a little more height.) The whole stack "flaps," or undulates slowly. They just time this so that their release coincides with an "up" undulation, and we're off. This could easily be done by: 1) the boat/kiter in shallow water and the launcher on shore (onshore wind) or 2) vice-versa in offshore wind (*Don"t* do this unless there's land in sight) or 3) both in shallow water for along-shore winds. Jacob's Ladder, a 20 foot catamaran sporting a 15 stack of 10ft Flexis, used seeveral novel approaches. At first, they only launched with alongshore winds, even if it meant miles of sailing back to the race cource. Later they rigged a *massive* controllable dog-stake set-up, whereby they could launch in off-shore winds (typical with speedsailing), by leading the flying lines up the beach, around a big snatch block and back down near the boat. After launch, they'd have a *big* crowd slowly let out a line on the dog-stake block, until it was all the way back to the boat. They'd then disconnect the snatch block and sail away. Lots of technical difficulties, especially in big winds -- they once "launched" the entire boat; over 30 ft altitude and 150 ft clear broad jump, when an anchor line parted. Their last efforts used an anchored barge -- 100' long -- and then anchored the boat to windward of this. Their crew then layed out the kite stack on the barge, launched it "dry" and off they went. (Don't try this at home ;-)) Dave Culp Speedsailing daveculp@bdt.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =