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Ultraflex (was LONGITUDINAL STABILITY OF FLEXIFOIL?)

In article <1993May28.062334.921@plx.com> gaffer@plx.com (Andrew Beattie) writes:

[re the Ultraflex]

>Both.  It is much lighter, much more flexible, much more expensive
>and much easier to break.

"Much more expensive"?  How very odd.  Over here, the prices are much
better.  For a 6' kite, the Ultraflex is ~$25.  A stock spar is usually
just under $25.  For a 10', though, the Ultraflex is only ~$65, while
the stock spar will cost you over $80.  And the 8' Ultraflex is around $10
less than the stock spar.

A guy I know managed to get a set of 10 ultralight fiberglass spars (I'm
not sure where they came from, though they may have been made by Dave
Baressi), which are noticeably lighter than the Ultraflex, for $5 each!
He had bought 10, despite only having 5 Flexis, because he expected them
to break easily.  He hasn't had one break yet, though, and with luck he'll
remember to bring me one of them at Wildwood.  ;-)

>>In which situation we should use the lightweight spar?
>1) Low or zero wind

Actually, the Ultraflex on the 6' model is usuable in winds up to about 15-20.
Due to the increased flex, the kite is slowed quite noticeably.  I know folks
who compete with the Ultraflex even when the winds are high, just so the
kite won't be moving as fast.

I don't have the slightest idea what the upper range of the larger sizes of
Ultraflexes is.

Jeff
(who, between his Ultraflex and his stock spar, has flown his flexis in
wind ranging from almost 0 up to 55)
-- 
|Jeffrey C. Burka     | "When I look in the mirror, I see a little clearer/ |
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