se..d ffi - GWTW Forum

loN
lpnsm
lHassle-frq threeposhbn Bridle
Mjustor makesttn
lon easierto adjust
than any kiteon tllr,
market-
lThe Pism Cttide
comesfrec with every
lon, and takesyou all
the way from your
ftrst flighr ro
advancedtthnQues
and comptition-sryle
flvrns.
Its the best built, most versatile6-footeron the
market. Fliesbeautifullyin 4 mph, even if you're
not an expert. Challengesyour reflexeswith its
s p e e da n d q u i c k t u r n s i n 2 0 m p h . l f y o u ' r ea
beginner,set the Attitude Adjustor for easy,
forgiving flight. When you're feeling like a
hotshot, switch it to the radicalsetting for
lightning fast turns, tight spins and fingertip
response.Comes completewith the latest
edition of the Prism Guide,our famous 68 page
book that'll take you from ;aourfirst flight to the
most adnancedmaneuversbeing done anyrhere
today.
lVingspen0n.)
n
Wingercefr.z)
Aspcct Retio (span./erca)
5 6
|.t3
lvelght (oz.)
75
lVindRengc(mph)
1.20
Recommcndcd llnc
Ffi;-
d
80ftof l0Ol 50lb Spccrre
z t o0 AviasponG6on rnaAlfiound- rrbcrgiiii
SailMatcrlal
se..d
purr
WindR.no.
lldul introdudbn to
sprt kiting
I Graphiteframe with
ftberglassluding
edgesw6 wts
stiffnesswhere you
needit for pefiormance,rcsiliency
whereyou wantit
for durabiliry.
6.6
tfing loading(oz./ftr)
lTwo-psition Attitude
Mjustor givesyou
instantconttolover
flying sryle Chas.
standard to ctart
with, then try radical
for a rul thill.
P38 lcar"x-gm'l fWf"r h.inar"
I Excelle.ntlieht wind
ffi
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o 5
mBeglncr
ExpcricnccRenoc ffi
t
o
t
5
llnrrrmdbrc
2
0
I
2
5
t
Adven<ed
O
ap"*MlcR.oN
lThe ftrst
high pejomurce
miniawre
I
Graphite pultruded
frame
lWidewitd
It's a fast but amazingly stable miniature
freestyle kite, capable of all the latest
maneu\rersincluding stalls, axels, backflips,
and groundwork. Great fun in a tiny package,
it's ready to fly and includes 50' line and
handleson a miniature card winder.
The Micron'stiny size makes it easyto travel
with. Take it when you go mountain biking in
Moab, hiking in the Himalayas,driving in the
desert, vacationing in Venezuelaor just
walking to !rcur local park.
lvlngspan0n.)
lVingareafi.2)
t.9
Asp.d Rrtb (rpuzluca)
1.73
WlndReryc(mph)
4-25
runge
I Readyto fly with litps
and handlu on a
miniaturecard
winder.
I Suwr fastand
fespns,ve
lEary snaVtogethu
assenbly
G0 &.O98 A\,iasporrCarbon
SallMaterld
5 oz. lcilex, .gmll Myler lamlnata
lCapableof all tlr-,
Iatest nutptvets
lcglnmr
-
llnrermdletc
I
Advenccd
|'l
L
#
l.pnsmmAcRo-loN
lRespnsiveyet
forgiving handling.
I Hassle-frez instant
adjust bidles
s not ultra-expensive.lt's not ultra-fragile.But
the Macro-lonwill give,youawesomeperformance in 2mph when you friends are either
grounded or gingerly flying that delicate
ultralight that they took out a second mortgage
to buy. In the lightest winds, the Macro is stable
and forgiMng with a solid, positiw feel. When
the wind comes up, keep on flying! The Macro
h a n d l e sw i n d s u p t o l 6 m p h w i t h a s o l i d p u l l ,
rock-steadytracking and no frame distortion.
Creat for anyonewho needs fantasticlight wind
performancein a kite that's stableenough and
rugged enough to lend to a first-timeflyer.
Wingspan
0n.)
Wingarcafi..)
|225
Wcight(oz.)
l0s
WindRange(mph)
2 - l6
t O Oo t t S O t US p c n [
ffi-a
z roolvia sporrc*on
sailMalerial
I
I
I
lC,$,EXd sil
llncredible bwwind
p.rformarrce
I So.phist icated highlift
wtng aes,gn.
lRugged, allgraphite
Aia Spon frame
Wingloading(oz./fr1
wlndRlnqc
l.6oz.
.5 oz. lcarcx, .gmilMylar laminate
q
ffi
5
to
t5
?0
2s
lo
I
Low wing bading:
.86 oz./sq. ft
'PNSMECLIPSE
lStablq antrcllable
stallsand floas.
lFully reroverafu,
backflips.
lNl<arbn
frame-
Avia 1pn
lTwo tanovaHe
arbn hnens.
Do the New Stuff! The Eclipse'ssuperb balanceand
agifity fet you succeed at radical maneuversyou've
I Effortless
axtes.
never e\ren tried before. lt will put today's
world-classflying technique within your reachwith
stalls, floats, axels, backflips,flat spins, groundwork and maneuvers so new we haven't even
named them yet. Unlike most radicalkites,
however,the Eclipseisn't tricky to handle.Wth
smooth, silent flight and accuratetracking, it will
I Excdlent tracking.
reward you the first time you take the controls. Fly
it a little longer and the Eclipsewill become the first
kite you reach for every time you head for the field. lRadknl groundvwrk
tti]#E,*n,'r*,
Soccd
\,bry Slor
Very FIt
ffil-'t
Pu[
ry
WlndRenoc
Q
ffi
5
to
t5
ECUP1SE
20
25
,O
3.UL TCUFSI
Wngspan0n.)
Wnguee(i-)
ArpecrR.rlo 6pan2/.rea)
lMng loedkrg(oz./ft2)
Wclght(oz.)
WlrdRrtge(rnph)
Rccommcndcdllnc
S.il Matcrt l
FJ8 he{
.9mlll4Arhm.
krcl
.9mllllulem,
VINIED ECUPISE
itffL,.*,EC
^i;li
L t PSE' WffiH"
conditions
I Silkysmurh, ilent
flight in ttu lightest
conditbns
After two yearsof contlnuousdevelopmenton the
compctitlon circult,the Suprr UlrralighrEclipsels
now In production.Perfectlybalancedand lmpeccably
constructed,the SULperformsthe newestand most
radicalmaneuverswith easeand takes Eclipse
pcrformanccinto the lightestwinds.
lGglnrcr
-
I
lnrcrmdlerc
I
I Nlcarbon AiaSwrt
Qforce ulvalight
lraftte-
Adv.n(Gd
VEIITED
EGtT PSE'WffiL'*^,.
rduce lift, pull and
sped for high wind
conatu)ns.
I Perfecdy balarced to
provide ideol Eclipse
pe.rformarczin
heavy cotrditions.
Dont let the wind shut you dolnl The Vcnted Eclipse
allowsEclipseperformanceIn medium to very strong
winds. Reducedpull and the ablliryto sralldownwlndin
20mph put performanceback into hlgh-windflying
A must for the seriouscompetltor.
6cslnmr
-
I
Inre,mdl.t.
I
Adv.d(ed
I Nl<arbon high-wind
heavy-duty frame.
lf you'reseriousaboutcompetitionor
1.6 oz. EREX-sail
competition-levelflying, the Total Eclipsecan
take you as far as you want to go. A linle slower
and more stable than the Eclipse,the Total is
unbeatable for serious pairs or team flying where
rock-steadytracking and consistentspeed are
critical. lt's dominant 9-foot wingspangives it an
impressivepresencein the sky, but the Total
retains the agility and fingertip responseof
a much smaller kite. Stalls,axels and radical
maneuvers are easy with this perfectly balanced
flying machine, and its impressive wind range
keeps you flying in almost allconditions.
llmpa,abledeailitrg
&wo*manship.
lAvia Spn GForce
tape.relgraphite
frame for perfect
balancz,and
respnsive handling
lWrdewind range
Wlngspen0n.)
Wlngarc. n.,
1 2l {
AspcctRailr (span?.rca)
6.S6
fVingloadlng(oz.fi.)
t .0
\Yclght(oz.)
|2 . 4
lVlndRangc(mph)
2-2s
GForcctaperrd graphirc& ProSp.r CompCP-16
SailMaterl.l
= - - - - = = - - -lcclnmr
Z
5 oz. lcrrex, .9mlll\,lar l.rnlnd.
I
Intc.mdhl.
I
Advtrccd
1 Strikinggraphk:s
a g-footwittgspn
IPNSM
RADIAN
t|,LHY'oviasPrt
lf you're looking for something different,the
Radianflies in a class by itself. Ultra-highaspect
ratio wings give it a completelyunique look and
feel. Expectincrediblylight pull even in very
strong winds, radicallytight spins, and
responsi\reness
that may take some getting used
to. Four-positionAnitude Adjustor lets you
control stabilityand spin tightness.8 removable
battens let you change sail camber for efficiency
in different conditions.The Radian'sradical
personality and adjustability are ideal for the
technicallyoriented pilot looking for a new
challenge.
lFour-psition
Aniwdc
Mjustor givu you
instant antrcl over
flying style K@p
things smath and
graceful, get
completely radical, or
anything in btween.
Whgspan(in.)
I Radknlly highaswct
fully battend wina
gives light pull an7
sm@th, silentflight,
even.in tt'p, strongegt
wrncts.
96
AspcctR.tb (sprn./rrca)
t l
wlngloading(oz./nt
t.2f
Welght(oz.)
tl I
WindRengc(mph)
5.30
Rccommended lina
75 ft. of80 lb.Spertra
--
gilMateriat
lUninal€
lEight rennvaHe
banens giw.you
control over sail
shap and performanc.ein diffuent
concttoons-
220O& 2 300 Avh SoonCerbon
prSk rcx, s.iil,M"i
Vrry slor
spcca
ffi
P"il
t'o
WlndRenqc
o
m
vcry [.rr
\trvUoS
hglnnr
-
I
5
t0
I
t5
lnrcrndlerc
20
I
25
Advrnccd
10
I lncredibly titjht spins
with no lossof
altiwde.
lcrble of Conlenls
Introduction.
Safety
Wind and h/eather
WindSpeed............
Wind Direction
T u r b u l e n c ea n d P i c k i n ga P l a c er o F l y . . . . . . . . .
I
2
3
4
6
7
E a s i cF l y i n g . . . . . . .
G e t t i n gS t a r t e d . . . . . .
Launching.
L e a r n i n gr o F | y . . . . . . . .
r0
t2
t4
IntermediateFlying...
Patterns....
O t h e rS k i | | s . . . . . . . . .
Stacking...
F l y i n gW i t h a F r i e n d . . . . . . .
T h e B r i d l eA d j u s t o r . . .
The Attitude Adjustor
l9
20
22
24
26
27
29
9
AdvancedFlying
3r
F l y i n gi n L i g h tW i n d . . . . . . . . .
32
Z e r oW i n dF l y i n g . . . . . . . .
37
Sta11s.........
39
Axe|s........
43
Groundwork..............
44
Launches
46
B a c k f l i p sL,a z yS u s a n sa, n d B e y o n d . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2
Competition...............
54
U s e f u ll n f o r m a t i o n
M a k i n gL i n e s e t s . . . .
F i e l dK i t . . . .
C a r ea n d R e p a i r . . . . . . .
Troubleshootlng.........
Glossary...
56
57
60
62
63
66
|995 hlsm D.rlgni Inc. All righB rcrerycd. No rcproductlon o. innrmljrlon,
clcctronlc or
mcchenlal without axprcrr ;xrmlssion of thc publirhcr. Artitudc AdJu3ror, 8ridl. Adjurtor,
lon, lrllcron, Mrcrolon, Ecliprc, Rtditn, end Totel Eclipsc erc tll tredemerkt of ftism Oeslgnt
Inc. Prlrm kltes erc protccredunder U5 F.tanr #a.7El,345.
lnlroduction
T h a n k s f o r c h o o s i n g P r i s m .w e t a k e g r e a t p r i d e i n t h e q u a l i t y o f o u r
products and in the thought which goes into their design. lf you have
c o m m e n t so r i d e a st h a t y o u ' d l i k e t o s h a r ew i t h u s , p l e a s ed o n ' t h e s i t a t e
t o c a l l o r w r i t e . B y s e n d i n g i n t h e e n c l o s e dr e g i s t r a t i o nc a r d , y o u c a n
receive information about the latest products and innovations from
P r i s m .Y o u r a d d r e s sw i l l b e u s e d f o r o u r m a i l i n g so n l y .
Our Word
There's no need for fine print here. we're proud of what we make and
we guarantee it. That means that if you're not happy, we're not happy. lf
f o r a n y r e a s o ny o u a r e d i s s a t i s f i e dw i t h a p r i s m p r o d u c t , l e t u s o r y o u r
P r i s md e a l e r k n o w , a n d w e ' l l d o o u r b e s t t o m a k e t h i n g s r i g h t .
Goodflying!
Mark& Scobie
P r i s mD e s i g n sI n
, c.
425 North36th Street
S e a t t l eW, A 9 8 1 0 3
( 2 0 6 )5 4 7 - r1 0 0
( 2 0 6 )5 4 7 - 1 2 0 0f a x .
People tell us werre crctryt...
t o _ i n c _ l u dae 5 8 p a g e b o o k w i t h e v e r y k i t e w e s e l l . w h y a l l t h e e x t r a
effort? Becausewe want to share the things about sport kiting that
make it a passion for us. we know that getting your new kite up and
flying is one of the greatest joys in the sport. gut we also know that it,s
o n l y t h e b e g i n n i n g .T h e r e a r e s o m a n y e x c i t i n g t h i n g s t o l e a r n , a n d
f i n d i n g a g o o d t e a c h e r i s n o t a l w a y s p o s s i b l e .T h a t ' s w h y w e ' v e m a d e
t h e P r i s m c u i d e t h e m o s t c o m p l e t ea n d i n f o r m a t i v e i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l
in the industry.
You don't have to read this book cover to cover to have a great time
w i t h y o u r P r i s mk i t e . 8 u t w h e n y o u ' r e r e a d y t o t r y s o m e t h i n g n e w , w h e n
you need the solution to a problem or the answer to a question,
we
hope that our Cuidewill make it a breeze.
Safefy
Y o u a r e r e s p o n s i b l ef o r t h e s a f e o p e r a t i o no f y o u r k i t e . U n d e r s t a n dt h a t
f l y i n g i t c a r e l e s s l yc o u l d s e r i o u s l yh u r t b o t h y o u r s e l f a n d o t h e r p e o p l e .
Sport kites are not toys. In strong winds they can travel at speeds
approaching100 m.p.h. and can pull hard enough to pull you off your
f e e t . P l e a s ef l y w i t h c a r e a n d d o y o u r p a r t t o k e e p k i t i n g s a f e .
. Never fly near power lines. Don't even consider it. Both
the kite spars and the flying lines can conduct
electricity. You could electrocute yourself or cause
damage for which you would be entirely liable.
. Never fly in thunderstormsor In stormy, unpredictable
weather.
. Never fly over people for any reason. One slip or a
broken line and you could causea seriousinjury.
. Never fly over roads or anywherethat your kite could
intefere with automobiles.
. Neverfly near airports or low-altitudeaircraft.
. Give people in the area a friendly warning about your
kite and its lines.
. In crowded areas, be considerateand fly with shorter
lines to take up less space.We often fly on only 75 feet
and find the kite to be quicker, more responsive,and
even more fun to fly.
. Be sure your kite ls properly assembled,adjusted,and
untangled before you launch.
R9J!R1
B@
2
MEffilH
The Prlsm Gulde
Wind crnd
Weclther
A s y o u b e c o m ea k i t i n g e n t h u s i a s ty o u r h e i g h t e n e da w a r e n e s so f
t h e w i n d m a y s e e m s t r a n g e t o n o n - f r y e r s .y o u ' l r f i n d y o u r s e r f
staring out the window more often, looking for that perfect
breeze that forces you to drop everything and head for the field
w i t h y o u r k i t e s . B e f o r el o n g , y o u m a y f i n d a w i n d y d a y a f f e c t i n g
y o u r c o n c e n t r a t i o ns o m u c h t h a t i t ' s d i f f i c u l t t o g e t a n y
wor[.
d o n e . l f a n y b o d y a s k s f o r a n e x p l a n a t i o n j,u s t t a k e l h e m f i y i n g .
Wind Speed
Wind Direction
Turbulenceqnd picking o
ploce ro fly
Wind ond Weother
Wind Speed
"read
An ability to
the wind" will go a long way towards making your
k i t e f l y i n g a s a f e a n d s a t i s f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e .y o u d o n ' t n e e d a w e a t h e r
s t a t i o n o n y o u r h a t t o m a k e s u r p r i s i n g l ya c c u r a t ej u d g m e n t s a b o u t t h e
w i n d ' s s p e e d a n d d i r e c t i o n . W i t h a l i t t l e p r a c t i c ej u d g i n g w i n d a n d
t u r b u l e n c e ,y o u c a n c h o o s ea r e a s t o f l y w h i c h w i l l h a v e t h e s m o o t h e s t ,
m o s t c o n s i s t e n t w i n d . A n u n d e r s t a n d i n go f w i n d w i l l a l s o a l l o w y o u t o
s e t u p y o u r k i t e t o p e r f o r m a t i t s b e s t i n a l l c o n d i t i o n s .H e r e a r e a f e w
indicators to look for:
. Tall grass moves when the wind is almost too light to feel on
your face, | -3 m.p.h.
r Terture on the surface of water. lf you fly near water, this is the
m o s t u s e f u l o f a l l c l u e s a b o u t w i n d s p e e d .T h e r i p p l e s a n d w a v e s
on the surface are noticeably different for every 3 m.p.h. change
i n w i n d s p e e d .T a k e a l o o k a t t h e w a t e r w h e n y o u g o f l y i n g , a n d
y o u ' l l q u i c k l y g e t a f e e l f o r w h a t t e x t u r e c o r r e s p o n d st o w h a t
wind speed. A good rule of thumb is that the first whitecaps
u s u a l l y f o r m o n t h e s u r f a c ew h e n t h e w i n d i s b l o w i n g a t | 2 m . p . h .
. You can tell a lot by watching how vigorously flags are flapping in
t h e w i n d . A f l a g u p h i g h i n u n o b s t r u c t e da i r i s a m o r e r e l i a b l e
g a u g e t h a n a f l a g s u r r o u n d e d b y b u i l d i n g s o r s h e l t e r e db y a h i l l .
F l a g sw i l l s e l d o m e x t e n d i n l e s s t h a n 7 m . p . h .
. M o v i n g t r e e s a l s o i n d i c a t e w i n d s p e e d. l n 4 - 7 m . p . h . y o u , l l s e e
r u s t l i n g l e a v e s .l n 8 - l 2 m . p . h . y o u ' l l s e e s m a l l e r t w i g s i n m o t i o n
a s w e l l . A s t h e w i n d i n c r e a s e sp a s t | 2 m . p . h . y o u ' l l s e e s m a l l
b r a n c h e s ,t h e n l a r g e b r a n c h e s ,a n d t h e n e n t i r e t r e e s s t a r t i n g t o
sway.
. S w a y i n g s t o p l i g h t s a t i n t e r s e c t i o n si n o u r c i t y o f t e n i n d i c a t e I 5
m . p . h . o rm o r e .
. Telephone wires start to whistle in 25-30 m.p.h. Be sure to
r e s p e c t t h e w i n d r a t i n g o f y o u r k i t e a n d e x e r c i s ec a u t i o n w h e n
deciding to fly in strong winds. Do not fly your kite anywhere
near overhead wires!
. Weather reports will sometimes give you expected wind
strengths. Weather forecasts for mariners and pilots tend to be a
bit more precise.
4
The Prism Guide
. lveather maps can be useful to look at, especially if they show
t h e i s o b a r s( p r e s s u r ec o n t o u r l i n e s ) .W h e n t h e i s o b a r s a r e c l o s e l y
spaced over your area, expect stronger winds. lf they are far
apart, you may be in for somedays of light wind flying.
r With local knowledge, you may find that in your area there is a
t i m e o f y e a r w h e n t h e w i n d b l o w s c o n s i s t e n t l ya t o n e s p e e d f r o m
o n e d i r e c t i o n e v e r y d a y . S o m e a r e a s h a v e p r e d i c t a b l ew i n d s t h a t
come up each day as the result of the sun heating up the ground
surface.
Wind ond Weqther
Wind Direction
w i n d d i r e c t i o n i s p a r t i c u l a r l y e a s y t o j u d g e b e c a u s ey o u c a n a l m o s t
a l w a y s f i n d s e v e r a l g o o d i n d i c a t o r s .J u s t t h e f e e l o f t h e w i n d o n y o u r
face will always give you at least a rough idea of the wind's direction.
Hereare some other things to look for:
. Passing clouds will give you a good idea of the prevailing wind
d i r e c t i o n . 8 e a w a r e , h o w e v e r , t h a t s o m e t i m e st h e w i n d n e a r t h e
ground will be quite different.
. F l a g s a r e g o o d i n d i c a t o r s ,b u t c a n ' t t e l l y o u m u c h i n l e s s t h a n 5
m . p . h .o f w i n d .
. A few bits of grass or dry leaves releasedoverhead will provide
a g o o d l o c a l i n d i c a t o ro f d i r e c t i o n .
. S m o k e d r i f t s d o w n w i n d e v e n i n t h e l i g h t e s tw i n d s .
. Other kites, particularly single line kites, will always hover
pointed into the wind.
r B o a t s a t a n c h o r u s u a l l yl i e w i t h t h e i r b o w s p o i n t e d i n t o t h e w i n d .
. Birds usually land and take off facing the wind. you can also
w a t c h t h e m c i r c l i n g o v e r h e a d .I n t h e p a r t o f t h e i r c i r c l e t h a t f a c e s
the wind, they will appear to slow down and be lifted upwards.
. Trees, particularly tall narrow ones, bend over away from the
wind.
o Weather teports, particularly forecasts for boaters, will usually
give an expected wind direction and strength. Needless to say,
they are not always accurate.
. Smell. As you become more tuned to the wind, you will find that
y o u c a n o f t e n t e l l i t s d i r e c t i o ns i m p l y b y t h e s m e l l o f t h e a i r . l f y o u
live near water, you may find that the air has a wet, fishy smell if
i t h a s b e e n b l o w i n g o v e r w a t e r b e f o r e r e a c h i n gy o u . t f t h e a i r h a s
passed over a pine forest, a city, or a factory before reaching you,
i t m a y a l s o h a v e a t e l l t a l es c e n t .
o UYeta finger. This is the oldest one in the book. Lick a finger and
s t i c k i t u p i n t h e a i r o v e r y o u r h e a d .T h e s i d e o f y o u r f i n g e r t h a t
feels coldest is the direction from which the wind is cominq.
6
The Prlsm Gulde
lurbulence crnd Picking Gr
Pleice to Fly
An ideal kite flying field is flat and broad with nothing nearby to
interrupt the smooth flow of wind. tf, like most of us, you live in an
a r e a w h e r e c o n d i t i o n s a r e l e s s t h a n p e r f e c t ,y o u ' l l s t i l l w a n t t o p i c k a n
area to fly which will give you the smoothest,most consistent wind
p o s s i b l e .T h e k e y i s t o a v o i d t u r b u l e n c e .Y o u ' l l b e a b l e t o f e e l t u r b u l e n t
air as an irregulartugging on your lines as your kite flies through it.
You will also notice that the kite has difficulty "hanging" in one place
d i r e c t l y o v e r h e a do r a t t h e e d g e s o f t h e w i n d w i n d o w . T u r b u l e n t a i r i s
formed when the wind flow is disturbed by obstructions in its path.
M a n y p e o p l e d o n ' t r e a l i z e t h a t t u r b u l e n c eo c c u r s b o t h d o w n w i n d a n d
upwind of obstructions. Consider downwind obstacles as you pick a
place to fly.
Turbulence
lVtnd Dlrectlon
&*,
Wind qnd Weother
8
The Prlsm Gulde
BcrsicFtying
W h e t h e ry o u ' v e n e v e r f l o w n o r y o u j u s t n e e d a q u i c k r e v i e w , t h i s
s e c t i o nw i l l g i v e y o u t h e b a s i c s .
Getting Sfqrted
Lounching
leqrning to Fly
Bqsic Flying
9
Geiling Started
A r m e d w i t h y o u r n e w k i t e , a s e t o f l i n e s , a n d a s u i t a b l ep l a c e t o f l y , y o u
a r ej u s t a b o u t r e a d yt o t a k e t o t h e a i r :
Wind
You'll avoid a lot of frustrationby taklng your first flights in moderate,
steady winds from 6-12 m.p.h.In lighter winds, you may need practice
t o d e v e l o p a g e n t l e t o u c h t h a t d o e s n ' tj e r k t h e k i t e f r o m t h e s k y . l f t h e
winds are stronger than l2 m.p.h. the kite witl fly and turn extremely
f a s t , t e s t i n g y o u r r e a c t i o n t i m e a n d i n c r e a s i n gt h e r i s k o f a d a m a g i n g
crash.
Setup
Y o u r f i r s t s t e p s h o u l d b e t o a s s e m b l ey o u r k i t e w i t h t h e h e l p o f t h e F i e l d
Card that comes with it. The Field Card will also show you how to set
t h e k i t e u p f o r t h e e x i s t i n g w i n d c o n d i t i o n s .P a y s p e c i a la t t e n t i o n t o t h i s
t u n i n g i n f o r m a t i o n n o w , a s i t w i l l s i g n i f i c a n t l ya f f e c t h o w e a s y t h e k i t e
is to fly.
Lines
You'll need a pair of lines on which to fly your kite as well as suitable
handles or flying straps. Lines made from Spectra fiber are by far the
best for dual-line flying as they are low-stretch and slippery, allowing
you to control the kite easily even when the lines are twisted around
"recreational
each other. Other
grade" line materials are appearing on
the market that can get you started at a reasonable price, but as you
p r o g r e s s y o u ' l l w a n t t o u p g r a d e t o t h e h i g h e r p e r f o r m a n c ea n d l o w e r
s t r e t c h o f p u r e S p e c t r al i n e s .
B e s u r e t o s t a r t b y u s i n g l i n e s o f t h e r e c o m m e n d e dw e i g h t a n d l e n g t h
for your kite. This information is on your Field Card and in the prism
K i t e d e s c r i p t i o n sa t t h e f r o n t o f t h i s b o o k . l f y o u u s e h e a v i e ro r l o n g e r
lines than recommended, your kite will fly slower and may feel
s l u g g i s h .l f y o u r l i n e s a r e t o o l i g h t , y o u r i s k b r e a k i n gt h e m i n s t r o n g e r
winds.
You can save yourself frustration by making sure that your lines are
e x a c t l y t h e s a m e l e n g t h ( w i t h i n a h a l f i n c h o r l e s s ,t h e c l o s e rt h e b e t t e r ) .
lf your lines are Spectra, they'll need protective sleeving or loops of
Dacronline at either end to prevent them from chafingthrough. lf your
to
The Prlsm Gulde
l i n e s a r e n o t a l r e a d y m e a s u r e da n d s e t u p f o r y o u , t u r n t o p a g e 5 7 a n d
w e ' l l s h o w y o u a q u i c k a n d e a s yw a y t o d o i t .
Tips:
. DO NOT try to coil lines in your hand or wrap them around your
a r m . T h i s i s i n v i t i n g a m i s e r a b l et a n g l e w h i c h c o u l d e a s i l y t a k e t h e
r e s t o f y o u r d a y t o u n d o . A L W A Y SW I N D Y O U R L I N E O N T O A
WINDER.
r Always unwind your lines off the same side of your winder that
you wound on to. Unwindingoff the oppositeside will put a twist
in your lines for every wrap on your winder.
. D e s i g n a t ea r i g h t a n d l e f t f l y i n g l i n e b y m a r k i n g y o u r r i g h t - h a n d
l i n e a t b o t h e n d s w i t h a p e r m a n e n tm a r k e r .
Hcrndles
Lastly, you'll need some handles to attach your lines to. We,ve
e n g i n e e r e dP r l s m F l i g h t s t r a p s f o r u l t i m a t e c o m f o r t a n d r e s p o n s i v e n e s s ,
but just about anythingyou can grab on to at the ends of your lines will
suffice to get you started. lllustrated here are a few different types of
h a n d l e s .S o m eo f t h e m a r e c o n v e n i e n tb e c a u s et h e y a l s o p r o v i d e a w a y
to wind up and store your lines. others will require a separate flat
w i n d e r t o s t o r e y o u r l i n e sw h e n t h e y ' r e n o t i n u s e .
ffi/d {
Bosic Flying
tl
Lcrunching
E e f o r el a u n c h i n g ,t a k e a m o m e n t t o g i v e y o u r k i t e a p r e f l i g h t c h e c k :
. Upper and lower spreaders are fully inserted in their rubber
c o n n e c t o rf i t t i n g s .
. All bridle lines are completely clear and not wrapped around
s p r e a d e r so r s t a n d o f f s .
. B r i d l eA d j u s t o r 1 p . 2 7 1 i s s e t p r o p e r l y f o r t h e w i n d c o n d i t i o n s .
. l f y o u ' r e a b e g i n n e r f l y i n g a P r i s m l o n o r a R a d i a n ,c h e c k t h a t t h e
Attitude Adjustor is on the forgiving factory setting. See Attitude
Adjustor, page 29.
. l f y o u r k i t e h a s b a t t e n s ,b e s u r e t h e y a r e i n s e r t e di n t o t h e s a i l . l f
you are flying a Radian, you may want to fly without certain
b a t t e n s i n l i g h t e r w i n d s . S e ey o u r R a d i a nT u n i n g c h a r t f o r d e t a i l s .
Now attach your flying lines using a Lark's Head knot as shown below:
With your kite on its backand pointingawayfrom the wind, unrollyour
linesas you walk directlyinto the wind.
Standin a relaxedpositionfacingyour kite.Yourhandsshouldbe out in
front of your chest,but not fully extended.Keep your arms relaxed
and close to your body. You'll lose controlquickly if you spreadyour
handsapartor hold them high aboveyour head.
Gently pull fhe lines, raisingyour kite to an upright and slightly noseback position. Check to make sure that your kite and lines are not
snaggedby anythingon the ground.Keepingthe kite in posirion,fully
l2
The Prlsm Gulde
e x t e n d y o u r a r m s i n f r o n t o f y o u a t a b o u t s h o u l d e rh e i g h t . I n o n e r a p i d
motion, take a step backwards while sweeping your arms sharply
d o w n w a r d s a n d b a c k a l o n g s i d ey o u r h i p s . y o u r k i t e s h o u l d l e a p f r o m
the ground. once the kite is moving, keep your hands together and at
t h e s a m e d i s t a n c ef r o m y o u r c h e s t a n d l e t i t f l y s t r a i g h t u p w a r d s . w a i t
u n t i l t h e k i t e i s f a i r l y h i g h i n t h e s k y b e f o r et r y i n g a t u r n . T h i s w i l l g i v e
you more time and space to react before you get too close to the
ground.
lN)
lf you are flying with a friend, lt is equallyeasy to have him or her help
you launch as shown below:
Bosic Flying
l3
Lecrrnirg to Fly
Your kite will fly straight in the directionits nose is pointed as long as
your control handles are held evenly at the same distance from your
chest. lt will turn as soon as you pull one of the handlesso that your
hands are no longer even.The kite will continueto turn as long as you
h o l d y o u r h a n d s o f f s e t . T h e m o r e y o u o f f s e t y o u r h a n d s ,t h e f a s t e r a n d
t i g h t e rt h e k i t e w i l l t u r n .
You should start off controlling your kite with simple pulling motions.
T o m a k e a r i g h t ( c l o c k w i s e )t u r n , g e n t l y p u l l y o u r r i g h t h a n d f o u r t o s i x
i n c h e s t o w a r d s y o u r c h e s t . R e m e m b e rt h a t a s l o n g a s y o u h o l d y o u r
r i g h t h a n d c l o s e t o y o u , t h e k i t e w i l l c o n t i n u e t o t u r n c l o c k w i s ea n d w i l l
even complete a loop if held long enough. Any time you return the
c o n t r o l s t o a n e v e n p o s i t i o n ,t h e k i t e w i l l f l y s t r a i g h t i n t h e d i r e c t i o n i t s
nose is pointed.
T o t u r n l e f t ( c o u n t e r - c l o c k w i s em) a k e t h e g e n t l e p u l l w i t h t h e l e f t h a n d .
Some people find it helpful to steer by imagining that the control
h a n d l e sa r e t h e h a n d l e b a r so f a b i c y c l e ,a n d t h a t p u l l i n g o n o n e h a n d l e
will cause the kite to turn in the same way that pulling one handlebar
will turn a bicycle.
Once you have a comfortable amount of altitude, begin to experiment
with turns. Keep your control motions small at first (4"- 6") and keep the
kite generally out in front of you, not too far left or right. After a little
practice you should be able to fly the kite back and forth in a sweeping
motion by alternately pulling on your left and right lines.
l4
The Prlsm Gulde
As you gain control and confidence, you may want to try some
r e f i n e m e n t s .P r a c t i c em a k i n g e a c h s w e e p s t r a i g h t a n d h o r i z o n t a l . p l a n
the timing and size of each turn and try to stick to it. Expand your
sweeps to the left and right to explore the edges of your flying space.
The Wind Window
Y o u ' l l n o t i c et h a t t h e r e i s a l i m i t t o h o w f a r o v e r h e a da n d t o t h e s i d e t h e
kite will fly before coming to a stop and hovering. These areas define
the limits of your flying space, or, in kite flying terms, the Wind
lVindow. At the edges of the wind window, your kite will slow to a
hover and requiremore gentle control motions to initiate a turn, In the
middle of the wind window, rhe power Zone, you'll see that the kite
m o v e s a n d r e s p o n d sm u c h m o r e q u i c k l y a n d w i l l d e v e l o p i t s s t r o n g e s t
pull. As your flying skills develop, you'll get a feel for how diffeient
kinds of maneuvers are best performed in different parts of the wind
window.
loops
Once you can comfortably fly the kite back and forth, try a loop.
S t a r t i n gh i g h u p i n t h e s k y , g e n t l y p u l l o n o n e o f t h e l i n e s a n d t h e n
hold one of your hands offset. The kite will fly down, around, and
b a c k u p t o c o m p l e t ea l o o p . A s s o o n a s t h e k i t e i s a t t h e t o p o f t h e l o o p
again and pointed upwards, straighten your hands out and fly to a
h o v e r i n gp o s i t i o no v e r y o u r h e a d .T h e k e y t o a s m o o t h l o o p i s t o h o l d
your hands steady and offset by the same amount through the entire
Bosic Flying
l5
c i r c l e .O n c e y o u c a n l o o p t h e k i t e i n e i t h e r d i r e c t i o n ,t r y p u l l i n g h a r d e r
on one of the lines to causethe kite to go into a tight spin. To come
o u t o f t h e s p i n w i t h o u t c r a s h i n g , A N T I C I P A T Eh o w q u i c k l y t h e k i t e
i s t u r n i n g a n d s t r a i g h t e ny o u r h a n d s o u t d u r i n g t h e s p l i t s e c o n db e f o r e
the kite is pointedup.
lfs O.K To Twisl Your Lines!
l f y o u s t e e r y o u r k i t e t h r o u g h a c o m p l e t el o o p o r a s p i n , y o u ' l l f i n d t h a t
your lines have becometwisted around each other. Don't panic!While
it's disorienting at first to fly with twisted lines, nothing at all has
c h a n g e d a b o u t y o u r c o n t r o l m o t i o n s .Y o u r r i g h t h a n d s t i l l p u l l s o n y o u r
right-hand wing, and your left hand still pulls on your left wing. By
keeping rough track of how many loops you have flown in one
direction, lt's easy to keep the number of twists in your lines under
control by looping the kite the opposite way. lf you're just getting
started and have crash landed, you may find it helpful to untwist your
lines beforerelaunching.
A BcrsicLonding
lf you haven't already accidentally landed your kite and you are ready to
end your first flight, try this basic landing. Fly the kite far off to your
l e f t o r r i g h t a n d s l o w l y l o s e a l t i t u d e .W i t h l e s s w i n d o n t h e s a i l s ,t h e k i t e
w i l l s l o w d o w n a n d s e t t l eg e n t l y o n t o t h e g r o u n d .
Unplonned Londings
Early on you may find yourself crashing into the ground despite your
w i l d e s t a t t e m p t s t o p r e v e n t i t . D o n ' t b e i n t l m i d a t e d ! E e g i n n e r sa n d
experts alike crash their kites as they learn more challenging
maneuvers. lf you have tried our suggested maneuvers and haven't
c r a s h e dy e t , y o u s h o u l d g o d i r e c t l y t o t h e p r o c i r c u i t !
lf you're not yet a pro, here are a few tips which may help you to keep
y o u r c r a s h e st o a m i n i m u m .
. Crashing usually occurs when the kite is flying downwards and
y o u c a n ' t d e c i d e w h i c h w a y t o t u r n . P l a ny o u r m a n e u v e r sa h e a d o f
time so that you know which way you will turn as you near the
ground.
t6
The Prlsm Gulde
lf you get into a situation where you can't avoid a crash, crash
softly by stepping quickly towards your kite before it hits the
ground. This slows the kite before impact and changes a
p o t e n t i a l l yd a m a g i n gc r a s h i n t o a n u n p l a n n e dl a n d i n g .
Keep in mind that the higher in the sky you perform your
m a n e u v e r s ,t h e m o r e t i m e y o u w i l l h a v e t o t h i n k a n d r e a c t .
Check Before Relqunching
Before you launch again after a hard crash, give your kite a careful
c h e c k . l f s o m e t h i n g i s b r o k e n o r o u t o f p l a c e ,y o u r i s k d a m a g i n g t h e
k i t e b y f l y i n g i t . l f y o u h a v e s o m e b o d yh e l p i n g y o u l a u n c h , b e s u r e t h a t
t h e y u n d e r s t a n dw h a t t o c h e c k f o r :
. All spreaders are inserted as far as they will go into their
c o n n e c t o rf i t t i n g s o n t h e l e a d i n ge d g e s .
r L o w e r s p r e a d e r sa r e f u l l y i n s e r t e di n t o t h e c e n t e r T ' , f i t t i n g .
. s t a n d o f f sa r e i n t a c t a n d s t i l l p l u g g e d i n t o t h e i r v i n y l f i t t i n g s
. B r i d l el i n e s a r e n o t s n a g g e da r o u n d t h e s p i n e ,t h e w i n g t i p s , o r t h e
back sideof the kite.
. T h e k i t e l o o k s g e n e r a l l ys y m m e t r i c a lf r o m o n e w i n g t o t h e o t h e r .
s i n c e l e s s - t h a n - p e r f e cl at n d i n g sa r e a n o r m a l p a r t o f k i t e f l y i n g , w e b u i l d
P r i s m k i t e s r u g g e d l y t o w i t h s t a n d p l e n t y o f a b u s e .R e m e m b e l h o w e v e r ,
that damaging accidents are always possible. lf you ever need to
perform a repair or replace a part, the section on Care and Repair, page
62 will give you some helpful tips. your prism dealershould carry spare
parts for your kite if you should need them. you may also order t'hem
directlyfrom us.
Boslc Flying
17
IE
The Prlsm Gulde
lntermediclte
FlVing
lf you can basicallykeep your kite in the air, you']reready for
intermediateflight. This sectionwill show you a variety of
techniques
that will expandyour flyingskills.
Flying Pqlterns
Other Skills
Stocking
FlyingWith q Friend
The Bridle Adiustor
The Attitude Adiustor
Intermediote Flying
19
Flying Pallerns
Some Bqsic Potterns
Flying your kite in geometric patterns such as the ones shown below
w i l l h e l p y o u r c o n t r o l m o t i o n s t o b e c o m es m o o t h e ra n d m o r e p r e c i s e .
,$,
Figuro
8
20
[oopPass
PowerDive
Vertical
figure8
Cloverlea
I
The Prlsm Guide
The PunchTurn
S h o w n b e l o w a r e s o m e m a n e u v e r st h a t w i l l r e q u i r e a n e w t e c h n i q u e
for turning your kite. The punch turn helps the kite to turn sharp,
a n g l e d c o r n e r sa n d w i l l g r e a t l y e x p a n d y o u r r e p e r t o i r eo f m a n e u v e r s .
I n s t e a do f s t e e r i n g y o u r k i t e b y p u l l i n g o n o n e l i n e o r t h e o t h e r , t h e
p u n c h t u r n r e q u i r e st h a t y o u t u r n b y m o m e n t a r i l yr e l e a s i n g o n e l i n e .
S t a r t i n gw i t h b o t h h a n d s c l o s e t o y o u r c h e s t , m a k e a s h a r p p u n c h i n g
motion with one hand and then pull it back to your chest as if you
w e r e a b o x e r w i t h a l i g h t n i n g f a s t j a b . T h e s h a r p e ry o u m o t i o n i s , t h e
more crisply the kite will turn. At first it may be confusing to
maneuver by pushing with one hand instead of pulling with the
other. You may find that you tend to turn the kite farther than you
meant to, causing a wobble in its flight path as you get back on
c o u r s e . W i t h p r a c t i c e ,h o w e v e r , y o u ' l l h o n e y o u r t i m i n g s o t h a t t h e
k i t e c o m e so u t o f a n g l e d c o r n e r sc r i s p l y .
v'
Square
: t ' a , : : ' l i i . ; : . rl:F: : . .
,ili,triiii,,,,l,i:
ti;tiii
Oice
Infermedicfe
Square
Spiral
Flying
StairSteps
21
Orher Skills
Ground Pqsses
A p a r t i c u l a r l yu s e f u l s k i l l i s t o b e a b l e t o f l y s t r a i g h t h o r i z o n t a l p a s s e s
l o w t o t h e g r o u n d . W i t h p r a c t i c ea n d a l i t t t e l u c k , y o u c a n e v e n l e a r n t o
d r a g a w i n g t i p a l o n g t h e g r o u n d w i t h o u t c r a s h i n g .A g o o d w a y t o l e a r n
t h i s t r i c k i s t o u s e t h e h o r i z o n a s a r e f e r e n c ea n d p r a c t i c e d r a g g i n g
your wingtip along the horizon before you try dragging it along the
ground.
An EosyLonding
Here is a basic landing that takes practice but looks great and is
particularly useful for easy relaunch. Make a low pass to the edge of
the wind window. The kite will slow down and hover. Now combine
two actions: Turn upwards so the kite is pointing directly up and
s i m u l t a n e o u s l yw a l k q u i c k l y t o w a r d s t h e k i t e . T h e k i t e s h o u l d s e t t l e
onto the ground in takeoff position.ln the lightest winds this landing
can be made directly downwind. ln moderate or stronger conditions
you will have to make it closer to the edge of the wind window.
Tip Slonds
H e r e i s a g r e a t w a y t o i m p r e s sy o u r f r i e n d s .F l y y o u r k i t e t o t h e e d g e o f
the wind window and hover it just abovethe ground. Let the kite settle
g e n t l y d o w n o n t o o n e w i n g t i p a n d b a l a n c ei t t h e r e f o r a s l o n g a s y o u
can by leaning the kite slightly backwards or fonrvards in the wind to
k e e p i t f r o m t i p p i n g o v e r . T h i s t r i c k w i l l b e e a s i e s tt o d o i n v e r y s t e a d y ,
moderate winds. With practiceryou can also do tip stands in other parts
of the wind window.
22
The Prlsm Gulde
Speed Confrol
For many of us, it was a great surprise to learn how much you can
r e g u l a t et h e s p e e d o f a k i t e a s y o u f l y t h r o u g h t h e w i n d w i n d o w . y o u ' l l
notice that few expert fliers stand in one place while flying. They
constantly move forwards and backwards as their kites flow smoothly
f r o m o n e m a n e u v e rt o a n o t h e r .T h i s i s b e c a u s ei f y o u s t a n d i n o n e p l a c e
w h i l e f l y i n g , t h e k i t e f l i e s s t r a i g h t d o w n w a r d sf a s r e r t h a n i t w i l l f l y u p . l t
w i l l a l s o f l y m o r e s l o w l y a s i t g e t s c l o s e rt o t h e e d g e s o r t h e t o p o f t h e
wind window. To perform especially graceful maneuvers, lt is often
helpful to control the speed of the kite by moving towards lt when you
want to slow down and moving backwards to speed it up. lf you can add
t h i s k i n d o f c o n t r o l t o y o u r r e c h n i q u e ,y o u ' i l b e e s p e c i a i l yw l l l p r e p a r e d
to have a great time flying in light winds.when you're ready, light'wind
f f y i n g i s d i s c u s s e di n d e t a i l i n A d v a n c e dF l y i n g ,p a g e 3 1 .
Intermediote Flying
23
Stackirg
l f y o u l i k e t o b e p u l l e d b y y o u r k i t e s a n d w a n t t o t u r n s o m e h e a d sa t t h e
field, you should try stacking two or more kites. stacking is fairly
straightforuvard,but does require very good accuracy in measuring and
k n o t t i n g t h e l i n e s t h a t w i l l t e t h e r y o u r k i t e s t o g e t h e r .s t a c k i n g d i f f e r e n t
k i t e m o d e l s i s a b i t o f a b l a c k a r t b u t c a n b e a c c o m p l i s h e ds u c c e s s f u l l y
t h r o u g h e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n .w e s t r o n g l y r e c o m m e n d t h a t y o u s t a r t w i t h
two or more kites of the samemodel.
T h e f r o n t k i t e i n y o u r s t a c k w i l l s i m p l y b e a t t a c h e dt o y o u r f l y i n g l i n e s
by its bridles in the normal way. The next kite(s) wiil be attached to the
f i r s t w i t h f i v e s t a c k i n g l i n e s ,a n d y o u w i l l n o t b e u s i n g a n y o f i t s n o r m a l
bridle lines as you fly. lt's a good idea to remove thesi or attach them to
the frame with rubber bands to keep them out of the way.
E a c ho f t h e f i v e s t a c k i n g l i n e s s h o u l d b e o f e q u a l l e n g t h , w i t h l o o p s t i e d
in both ends, and should be attached at the points shown above. To
start with, make your stacking lines about as long as the leading edge
of one wing of your kite.
24
The Prlsm Gulde
T o m a k e a t t a c h m e n te a s i e r ,u s e a l a r k ' s h e a d k n o t t o t i e a s m a l l l o o p o f
line to each attachmentpoint on the second kite as shown in the top
portion of the split figure below. Lark's head your full length stack lines
to the front kite at the same attachment points. Finally, lark's head the
free looped end of each full length stack line to the knot on its
c o r r e s p o n d i n gs m a l l l o o p o n t h e s e c o n d k i t e . A d d i t i o n a l s t a c k k i t e s w i l l
use the sameprocedure.
lf your stack does not fly tightly coordinated, it's likely thar your
s t a c k i n g l i n e s a r e n ' t t h e s a m e l e n g t h . A q u a r t e r i n c h o f d i f f e r e n c ec a n
easily cause problems.check your lines against each other and also
c h e c k t h a t y o u h a v e t i e d t o e a c h a t t a c h m e n tp o i n t w i t h e x a c t l y t h e s a m e
knot. Stackinglines can stretch unevenly with use. Try making them
f r o m p r e - s t r e t c h e dS p e c t r ao r K e v l a rt o r e d u c et h e p r o b l e m .
Inlermediofe
Flying
25
Flying Wirh cr Friend
l n t h e l a n g u a g e o f k i t e c o m p e t i t i o n ,f l y i n g w i t h a f r i e n d i s c a l l e d p a i r s
flying. Pairs flying is probably the best way to begin to explore the
c h a l l e n g e so f f l y i n g w i t h m o r e t h a n o n e k i t e i n y o u r w i n d w i n d o w . A l l
y o u n e e d t o t r y i t i s a f r i e n d w i t h a k i t e , p r e f e r a b l yt h e s a m e m o d e l a s
y o u r s , a n d t w o s e t s o f l i n e s o f s i m i l a rw e i g h t a n d l e n g t h .
Start by simply getting comfortable with flying near one another. Next,
p l a y f o l l o w t h e l e a d e rw i t h o n e k i t e r r y i n 9 t o c l o s e l yf o l l o w t h e p a t h o f
t h e o t h e r . T h e n b e g i n t o c o o r d i n a t em a n e u v e r s .l f y o u p l a n m a n e u v e r s
in which your kite flies around your partner's kite, be prepared to watch
both of your control lines wrap around both of your partner's lines.
Don't panic!Wrapping linesa few times is no problem if you eventually
turn and fly around each other the opposite way until the two sets of
control lines are free again.
Tips:
. Stand close together when wrapping and fly close together in the
window as you wrap and unwrap. The further apart you stand or
f l y , t h e m o r e d i f f i c u l t i t w i l l b e c o m et o c o n t r o l y o u r k i t e s .
. l f o n e o f t h e w r a p p e d k i t e s c r a s h e s ,l a n d t h e o t h e r k i t e a s q u i c k l y
as possible and unwrap the control lines by hand before
r e l a u n c h i n gt o t r y a g a i n .
r Set up your two sets of flying lines so that one set is about five
feet longer than the other. This makes it more difficult for the two
k i t e s t o c o l l i d ed u r i n g m a n e u v e r s .
. H a v e t h e p e r s o n f l y i n g o n l o n g e r l i n e s b e t h e l e a d e r .T h i s k e e p s
the follower out of the turbulence caused by the lead kite.
. L i n e s o f d i f f e r e n t s t r e n g t h so r m a t e r i a l sc a n c u t o n e a n o t h e r . U s e
S p e c t r af i b e r l i n e s o f t h e s a m e s t r e n g t h f o r b e s t r e s u l t s .
26
The Prlsm Gulde
lhe Bridle Ad uslor
NOTE: Prism'sproprietary Bridle Adjustor fitting is located at the
'T"
center
or at the tip of the spine on your prism kite. YOUR
ERIDLE ADJUSTOR IS USED TO ADJUST YOUR KITE FOR
D I F F E R E NW
T I N D C O N D I T T O NaSn d s h o u l d n o t b e c o n f u s e d w i t h
t h e A t t i t u d e A d j u s t o r ,d e s c r i b e do n p a g e 2 9 .
To perform at their best, sport kites require different bridle settings for
d i f f e r e n t w i n d c o n d i t i o n s .W i t h m o s t k i t e s t h i s i s d o n e b y m o v i n g t h e
b r i d l e a t t a c h m e n tc l i p s o n e a c h w i n g t o c h a n g e t h e k i t e ' s a n g l e t o t h e
w i n d . U n f o r t u n a t e l y ,t h i s a d j u s t m e n t i s o f t e n d i f f i c u l t a n d r e q u i r e s
untying knots and a fair amount of guesswork.
P r i s m k i t e s m a k e b r i d l e a d j u s t m e n t h a s s l e - f r e eo
. ur innovative Bridle
A d j u s t o r f i t t i n g s a l l o w y o u r o s i m u l t a n e o u s l ya d j u s t t h e b r i d l e s f o r b o t h
sides of the kite with one snap-out, snap-in motion. lf conditions
c h a n g e ,o r i f y o u j u s t w a n t t o t r y s o m e t h i n g n e w , y o u c a n r e s e t y o u r
k i t e i n l e s st h a n f i v e s e c o n d s .
Y o u d o n ' t h a v e t o u n d e r s t a n dt h e p r i n c i p l e sb e h i n d b r i d l e a d j u s t m e n t t o
h a v e a g r e a t t i m e w i t h y o u r k i t e .J u s t g l a n c e a t y o u r F i e l d c a r d a n d s n a p
i n t h e r e c o m m e n d e ds e t t i n g . 8 u t i f y o u ' r e c u r i o u s a b o u t t h e d e t a i l s , a n d
you want to learn about some ways that bridle adjustment can fine-tune
the performance of your kite, then read on.
Bridle Adiustment:The Detoils
Changing the setting of your Bridle Adjustor changes the angle of
attack of the wing. This is the angle that the wing presentsto the air
f l o w i n g o v e r i t . A n y s a i l o r w i n g i s p a r t i c u l a r l ys e n s i t i v et o t h e a n g l e a t
w h i c h i t i s h e l d t o t h e w i n d . l n a s a i l b o a t ,t h i s a n g l e i s a d j u s t e d f o r
m a x i m u m e f f i c i e n c yb y t r i m m i n g t h e s a i l i n o r l e t t i n g i t o u t u n t i l i t i s
p r o v i d i n g a s m u c h f o r w a r d p u s h a s p o s s i b l e .w i t h p r i s m k i t e s , t h e a n g l e
of attack is set using the Eridle Adjustor. The illustrationbelow gives
a n e x a g g e r a t e dv i e w o f h o w y o u r k i t e ' s a n g l e o f a t t a c k s h o u l d b e
changed for different conditions. In reality, the difference in angle
b e t w e e n s e t t i n g si s o n l y a f e w d e g r e e s .
Intermediore Flying
27
Y o u r k i t e w i l l f l y w e l l u s i n g o n l y t h e s e r t i n g sr e c o m m e n d e do n y o u r
F i e l d C a r d , b u t y o u c a n e n h a n c e s p e c i f i c f l i g h t c h a r a c t e r i s r i c sb y
e x p e r i m e n t i n gw i t h o t h e r s e t t i n g s :
Settings near the last knot (the knot closest to the end of the
bridle):
r A l l o w a l o w e r a n g l eo f a t t a c k
. D e c r e a s ep u l l .
o E n c o u r a g ea c c e l e r a t i o u
n p w a r d s ,e s p e c i a l l yi n l i g h t w i n d s .
r I n c r e a s es p e e di n m o d e r a t ew i n d s .
. De-powerthe kite by spilling air in strong winds.
o R e d u c eo v e r s p i n .
Settings near the first knot:
o Allow a higher angle of attack
. l n c r e a s ep u l l .
o F a c i l i t a t es t a l l s , h o v e r i n g ,s k a t i n g s i d e w a y s ,a n d g r o u n d w o r k ,
e s p e c i a l l yi n m o d e r a t et o s t r o n gw i n d s .
o D e c r e a s es p e e d ,e s p e c i a l l yi n l i g h t a n d m o d e r a t ew i n d s .
o Increase overspin, which can be used to great advantage in
s o m e r a d i c a lm a n e u v e r s .
. Allow the kite to turn more tightly and crisply.
2A
The Prlsm Gulde
Ihe Attitude Adiustor
lf you are flying a PrismRadianor a prism lon, you can easlly set your
kite to fly more radicallyas you continueto challengeyour flying siills.
our innovativeAttitude Adjustorbridlingsystem lets you chooie from
one of severalsettingswhichcontrolhow tightly and quicklyyour kite
will turn. The AtritudeAdjustorlineson the lon run to the noie of the
kite, while on the Radianthey run to a fitting wherethe upper spreader
crossesthe spine.on the factory setting,your kite will feel easy and
forgiving to fly. on the more radical settings the kite wirr reipond
quicker,turn tighter, and take on the balancedoversteernecessaryfor
some radical maneuvers.Experimentwith different settings of the
Attitude Adjustoras you gain confidencewith your kite. yor.rmay find
one setting that suits you perfectly all the time, or you may find
yourselffrequentlychangingthe personalityof your kite to match your
mood. The lon's Attitude Adjustor has only two settings,normal and
radical.
NOTE:Unlikethe BridleAdjustor,the Attitude Adjustor is a
completelyoptional adjustment.lt is not necessary
to resetlt
for flying in differentwind conditions,althoughsome fliers do
prefer tighter turns and more responsivesettings in lighter
winds.
lon Affitude Adiustor
w
ffifi
Infermediore Flying
29
30
The Prism Gulde
AdvcrncedFtying
5o you want to fly like the pros. This section of the book is
d e s i g n e dt o h e l p y o u o n y o u r w a y . K e e p i n m i n d , h o w e v e r , t h a t
m a n y o f t h e m a n e u v e r sw e a r e g o i n g t o d e s c r i b e m a y r e q u i r e
many hours of practice to execute smoothly. The advanced
m a n e u v e r si n t h i s s e c t i o nw i l l t e s t t h e l i m i t s o f y o u r f l y i n g s k i l l s
and provide a continual challengeeven if you are already an
expert.
A Word of Cqution
S o m eo f t h e s e a d v a n c e dm a n e u v e r sc a n p u s h t h e l i m i t s o f a k i t e
nearly as much as they push the limits of your skill. We build
Prism kites ruggedly to take a beating, but you should
u n d e r s t a n dt h a t l e a r n i n g r a d i c a l m a n e u v e r sc a n b e h a r d o n y o u r
k i t e . W e o f f e r n o g u a r a n t e e sa g a i n s t b r e a k a g e f r o m t r y i n g t h e
m a n e u v e r sd e s c r i b e dh e r e .
Flying in Light Wind
Zero wind flying
Stqlls
Axels
Groundwork
Bqckflips qnd Other Crary Tricks
Competition
Advonced Flying
3l
Flying in Lighr Wind
An ability to fly in extremely light winds is one of the most rewarding
kite flying skills you can develop.When the wind quits, as it does so
o f t e n i n o u r p a r t o f t h e w o r l d , t h e r e ' s a g r e a t s a t i s f a c t i o nt o b e i n g a b l e
to reset your bridle and ghost around in the sky as everybody else
p a c k s u p t o l e a v e .T h o u g h i r h e l p s r o h a v e a k i t e w i t h a g o o d l i g h t w i n d
capability, most people underestimate the practice needed to fly
s u c c e s s f u l l yi n w i n d s b e t w e e n 0 a n d 4 m i l e s p e r h o u r . T h i s s e c t i o nw i l l
s h o w y o u s o m e h e l p f u l t e c h n i q u e st o g e t y o u s t a r t e d .W i t h p r a c t i c e ry o u
may find that light wind flying allows you to do more with your kite
than any other wind condition.
Picking the Right Kite
In expert hands, almost any kite can be made to look like a competent
light wind performer.8ut a kite designedfor light winds will be much
more rewarding to fly when the wind drops below 4 mph. Here are the
t h r e e P r i s m k i t e s w e r e c o m m e n df o r f l y i n g i n 4 m p h . o r l e s s :
THE MACRO-ION:Rugged, affordable, and very forgiving to fly.
THE SUPER ULTRALICHT ECLIPSE:Quick, responsive, and perfectly
balanced for radical light wind maneuvers.
THE TOTAL ECLIPSE:Silky-smooth ECLTPSE
performance wirh slightly
l e s s s p e e d . R o c k - s t e a d yt r a c k i n g a n d a n i m p r e s s i v ep r e s e n c ei n t h e s k y
make it ideal for competition flying.
A s y o u m a s t e r t h e s k i l l s i n t h i s s e c t i o n ,y o u ' l l b e a b l e t o d o l o t s m o r e i n
light wind no matter what kite you're flying. So even if you'renot set up
y e t w i t h o p t i m u m l i g h t w i n d e q u i p m e n t ,g o o u t a n d g i v e t h i s s t u f f a t r y .
It'll only add to your fun.
Lighr Wind Tuning
I n l i g h t w i n d , i t b e c o m e sm u c h m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a t y o u r k i t e b e s e t u p
c o r r e c t l y f o r t h e w i n d c o n d i t i o n s .T h e e x a c t s h a p eo f y o u r s a i l , t h e a n g l e
at which it is held to the wind, and the overall weight of the kite all
become crucial to developing enough lift, or driving force, to fly. Every
Prism kite comes with a tuning chart that will show you exactly how to
s e t i t u p f o r l i g h t w i n d s . T h e g e n e r a lp r i n c i p l e sf o r l i g h t w i n d t u n i n g a r e
outlined below:
32
The Prlsm Gulde
Bridles
In light winds it is important to set your kite's bridle to let the kite fly at
a l o w e r a n g l e o f a t t a c k t o t h e w i n d . l n p l a i n E n g l i s h ,t h i s m e a n s t h a t t h e
bridles should hold the kite so that its tail is tipped farther AWAY from
y o u t h a n i n m o d e r a t ew i n d .
On Prism kites, this adjustment is made at the special BridleAdjustor
fitting at the center T" or at the end of the spine. Shift the knotted
bridle out of its locked position and slide it through the keyway until
t h e l a s t k n o t o n t h e b r i d l e t a i l i s a g a i n s tt h e f i t t i n g . S h i f t t h e b r i d l e b a c k
into its lockedposition.
By moving the bridle to the last knot, you have effectively lengthened
the bridle legs which run to the tail of the kite. This tips the tail away
from you and angles the nose more INTO the wind. lt is a common
m i s c o n c e p t i o nt h a t a s p o r t k i t e ' s t a i l s h o u l d b e p u l l e d t o w a r d s y o u i n
"catch
light winds to
more wind."Try not to think of it this way. lnstead
imagineholding your hand outside the window of a moving car. lf you
hold your hand out with your palm facing the wind, it will only be
p u s h e d b a c k w a r d s .l f y o u n o w t i l t y o u r h a n d s o t h a t i t s u p p e r e d g e i s
leaning more into the wind, your hand will be lifted upwards. Because
l i g h t w i n d s r e q u i r e a s m u c h l i f t a s p o s s i b l e ,T I L T I N GY O U R K I T E M O R E
I N T O T H E W I N D W I L LM A K EI T M O R EW I L L I N CT O F L Y .
SpeciolRADIANTuningInstructions
RADIAN Botlens
lf you are flying a PrismRadian,your sail is equippedwith 8 battens,
thin fiberglassor carbon fiber rods that are used to stiffen the sail.
Thesebattensare designedto be removedfor light wind flying. Without
battens,your sail is lighterand takes on a fuller,curved shapemore
adding battens
appropriatefor low-windflight.As the wind increases,
will flattenthe sail,allowingthe kite to fly smoothlyand silentlyat
much higherspeeds.Referto the tuning charton your PrismFieldCard
but as a rule of thumb use only as
for specificbattenrecommendations,
many battensas you need to keep the trailingedge of the sail from
flappingin flight.
RADIAN Top Spreoder
designedto be flown in lessthan | 0 mph.
The MDIAN is specifically
without its upper spreader.Removingthe upper spreaderreduces
weight and allowsthe inner seclionsof the wing to take on a fuller
of the upperspreaderalso
lift at low speeds.Removal
shape,increasing
"snappier"
feel
allowsthe leadingedgeto flex slightly,givingthe kite a
Advanced Flying
33
i n c e r t a i nm a n e u v e r s A
. s t h e w i n d i n c r e a s e sb e y o n d l 0 m p h . , y o u w i l l
f i n d t h a t f l y i n g w i t h o u t t h e u p p e r s p r e a d e rc a u s e st h e l e a d i n g e d g e t o
f l e x i n w a r d s t o a c o n c a v e s h a p e a n d t h e l o w e r s p r e a d e r st o b o w . B E
C A R E F U LI!N W I N D SC R E A T E R
T H A N I O M P H .Y O U R I S KB R E A K I N C
YOUR
LOWERSPREADERS
BY FLYINCWITHOUTYOURTOP SPREADER.
RADIANStondoffs
The Radian's four standoffs control what sailmakers call "twist" in the
w i n g . T w i s t i s t h e c h a n g ei n a n g l e o f a t t a c k a l o n g t h e w i n g w h i c h a l l o w s
the kite to fly and be controllable. ln the Radian, you can see it in the
way that the sail near the wingtip is flared backwards by the outer
standoffs.
The amount of twist in a kite's wing affects both its speed and stability.
A wing with little twist (a small amount of flare at the wingtips) can be
quite fast but may not track well or "hang' comfortably at the edges of
the wind. A wing with lots of twist will be slow and stable but may
sacrifice an ability to fly in very light winds because it crearesadditional
drag.
The Radian is set up at the factory with an amount of twist that we have
found to be the best compromise between these extremes. lt is possible,
however, to fine-tune the twist by sliding the inner standoff fittings
towards the center T" by one or two inches. This will slightly reduce the
twist at the wingtips and is well suited for flying in the very lightest
winds. In stronger winds, sliding the standoffs inwards will speed the
kite up and increase oversteer but may make it slightly less stable.
Linesqnd Hqndles for Light Wind
lf light winds are at all common where you fly, you may want to
consider investing in some short, extra-lightweight flying lines for those
days when the leaves are barely moving. Don't underestimate the
amount of weight and drag that lines add to your kite, especially in light
w i n d s . B y u s i n g l i g h t e r l i n e s ( 5 0 t o 8 0 l b . b r a i d e d S p e c t r a )a n d f l y i n g o n
shorter lengths (50 to 75 feeOyou'll help your kite to feel quite a bit
more lively.
When the kite is not pulling very hard, lt's best to use flying handles
"feel"
which give you as much
a s p o s s i b l ef o r t h e k i t e . W e l i k e t o u s e
finger straps which loop around one or two fingers and let us control
the kite with subtle finger and wrist motions.Many fliersalso like to fly
with one finger directly against the sleeved portion of the flying line. lf
you do this, avoid cutting yourself by touching unsleeved parts of the
line.
34
The Prlsm Gulde
Keeping your kire moving
lf in light winds the kite comes to a stop and starts to float sideways or
backwards, it will be more difficult to control. KEEpyouR KlrE FLylNc
8Y LEARNINCTO USEA PUMPINGMOTION TO ACCELEMTE THE KITE
WHENEVER
IT STARTSTO SLOWDOWN.
To pump the kite, extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
ln one rapid motion, sweep your arms sharply downwards and blck
a l o n g s i d ey o u r h i p s . D o n ' t b e s h y a b o u t t h i s m o t i o n . T h e h a r d e r y o u
p u m p , t h e m o r e y o u r k i t e w i l l s h o o t f o n v a r d s .l f y o u a r e t r y i n g t o g a i n a
good bit of altitude, you can repeat the pump severaltimes in quick
s u c c e s s i o nJ.u s t b e c a r e f u l t o r e l e a s et h e l i n e s s l o w l y b e t w e e n p u m p s t o
keep the kite's motion smooth.
T h e p u m p i s y o u r s e c r e t . w e a p o nf o r g e t t i n g y o u r k i t e o u t o f t r i c k y
situations. lf the kite has lost its fonryard motion and is starting to fail
out of the sky, a sharp tug is often all you need to get up ani going
again. with practice and a little stamina, it is pos;ible to combine
pumping with moving around on the field to fly your kite around on
d a y s w h e n y o u c a n b a r e l yf e e l w i n d o n y o u r f a c e .
N o t e :w h e n y o u c a n k e e p y o u r k i t e c o m f o r t a b l yi n t h e a i r f o r a s l o n g a s
y o u w a n t b y p u m p i n g , t r y s m o o t h i n go u t y o u r m o t i o n s . C o m b i n e l a i g e ,
-to
slow-motion pumping motions with moving around on the field
develop a smooth, seamless style that doesn't reveal the fact that you
are sweating to keep the kite in the air. lf you can do this, you,re ready
for the next step: Indoor Flying (Seepage 37).
Getting bcrckdownwind
Early on, you may find that flying in light winds forces you to move
backwards, and farther backwards, until you are so far upwind that you
have run out of flying field. This can dampen your "nthusiasm about
light wind flying in a hurry. The solutionis to get your kite high in the
sky and then use any opportunity you can to make ground dJwnwind.
B y p u m p i n g , m o v i n g b a c k w a r d s ,a n d t a k i n g a d v a n t a g eo f s m a l l p u f f s o f
w i n d , y o u c a n w o r k y o u r k i t e u p w a r d s .K e e p i n gt h e k i t e h i g h i n t h e s k y
in light winds is like having money in the bank. you havJ much more
time and room to maneuver, and you can move downwind farther
before your kite sinks close to the ground. once you have some
altitude, here are some techniques that can help you make ground
downwind.
Advqnced Flying
35
Flootingbockwords
o n e o f t h e s i m p l e s t w a y s t o t a k e a d v a n t a g eo f a l t i t u d e i s t o c o m e t o a
stop high in the sky and rhen walk downwind, letting the kite float
d o w n b a c k w a r d sw i t h i t s n o s e p o i n t e d u p . K e e p a g e n t l e t e n s i o n o n t h e
lines by controllingthe speedof your walking, and see if you can get
t h e k i t e t o f l o a t s m o o t h l y b a c k w a r d sa l l t h e w a y t o t h e g r o u n d .
TheDownwindGlide
w i t h a l i t t l e p r a c t i c e ,i t i s p o s s i b l e t o m a k e y o u r k i t e g l i d e d o w n w i n d
away from you as you walk or run downwind. starting with the kite high
over your head, make a gentle turn downwards as if you were about to
begin a power dive. As soon as the kite starts to fly straight downwards,
ease tension on the lines by letting your arms out in front of you and
walking or running fonryards.The kite will nose away from you and start
gliding horizontally downwind. The trick is to keep just the right
t e n s i o n o n t h e l i n e s a s y o u r u n . l f y o u l e t t h e m g o t o o s l a c k ,t h e k i t e w i l l
nose au,ay from you and flip over onto its back. lf you don't give them
e n o u g h s l a c k , t h e k i t e w i l l c o n t i n u et o d i v e t o w a r d s t h e g r o u n d a n d y o u
won't make much distance downwind. Keep an alert finger on each iine
and learn to control just how fast you move downwind to give the kite a
smooth,even glide.
The Prlsm Gulde
c e t t i n g o u t o f y o u r g l i d e s a f e l y i s a l i t t l e t r i c k i e r t o d e s c r i b e .T h e m o s t
i m p o r t a n t t h i n g t o r e m e m b e ri s t h a t y o u s h o u l d g i v e y o u r s e l f p l e n t y o f
timeto recover.
DONT8Eso tMpREssED
wtrH youR cLtDETHATyou
FoRcET
To PULLoUT! Recovery
requirespullingbackon your linesro
go back into a power dive and then making a last-minut" iurn close to
t h e g r o u n d . A m o r e i m p r e s s i v et e c h n i q u e i s t o l e t t h e k i t e g l i d e u n t i l i t
i s c l o s e t o t h e g r o u n d a n d t r u l y h o r i z o n t a l .w i t h a q u i c k t u g o n o n e
w i n g , y o u c a n c a u s et h e k i t e t o m a k e a | 8 0 d e g r e e h o r i z o n t a l r o t a t i o n
so that the nose of the kite spins around towards you ror a moment
before the kite starts to fly upwards.
BellySpins
lf the single| 80 degreerotationfeelseasy,impressyour friendswith a
doubleor even a triple flat spin beforepulling out. This move is shown
closeup in the ECLIPSE
sectionof the 1995 prismvideo.
Zeto wind flying
Flyingin no wind at all ls one of the newestfrontiersin sport kiting,and
it's probablythe singlebest way you can improveyour flying technique.
High-techmaterialsand more sophisticatedkite-designsire allowing
the developmentof a whole new dance-likestyle for ftying indoorsand
in other zero-windsituations.
lf you want a taste of no-windflying, we recommendthe MAcRo-loN
with about25 feet of 50 lb. line to start.lts high-liftwing and forgiving
personalitywill get you started without a huge invesiment in ultral
specialized
equipment.lf you get seriousabout it, specialized
designs
specificallyfor indoor flying are becomingavailable.Here are some
basicmovesto learn in a gymnasiumor on one of those days when
smokerisesstraightup. All of theseand more are shown in the t,lncRoIONsectionof the 1995 PrismVideo.
360's
cet the kite into the air and then guide it horizontallyas you walk or
r u n b a c k w a r d si n a b r o a d c i r c l e .l f t h e r e i s t r u l y n o w i n d y o u ; l l b e a b l e t o
w a l k a t t h e s a m e s p e e da s t h e k i t e f l i e s i n a c o m p l e t ec i r i l e a r o u n d y o u .
Advonced Flying
37
Tips:
.
T h e s h o r t e r y o u r l i n e s ,t h e e a s i e ri t i s t o c o m p l e t ea 3 6 0 a n d t h e l e s s
d i s t a n c ey o u w i l l h a v e t o m o v e t o c o m p l e t ea c i r c l e .
o
Keep your hands together and in front of you as you fly the 360.
This lets you pull on the kite if you need a bit of emergency
acceleration.
Over fhe Top
Withoutwind, it's possibleto fly upwardsover the top of your head and
down the other side.Pump,run backwards,
or do whateverit takesto
get the kite directlyover your head.KEEptNc
rENStoNoN THE LlNEs,
use one large downward pump to accelerateit over and past yourself.
start moving fonvardsand keep tensionon the lines as the kite dives
towards the ground behind and "upwind"of you. Turn before you hit
the ground and run half of a 360 to circle the kite aroundto your
startingpoint.Bringa towel and plentyof liquidto drink if you plan to
spendmuchtime practicingthis maneuver!
Throws
This should be practiced with the MACRO-|ONon very short (20-2Sft.)
lines. With the correct control line In each hand, pick up your MACRO
and hold it belly-up with rhe nose pointing away from you. Hold the tip
of the spine in your throwing hand and use the other hand to suppon
the kite from underneath so that the nose of the kite is pointed up at
about a 30 degree angle. Be sure that the pile of line at your feet is free
t o r u n o u t w i t h o u t s n a g g i n ga s y o u t h r o w .
Now throw the kite up, away from you, and directly downwind (if there
i s a n y w i n d a t a l l ) . T h e k i t e w i l l p r o b a b l y c r a s h .T r y i t a g a i n . A n d a g a i n .
A n d a g a i n . l f y o u ' r e p e r s i s t e n t ,y o u ' l l e v e n t u a l l y f i n d a c o m b i n a t i o n o f
throw angle and speed that lets the kite glide away from you on its back
like a paper airplane and flip into flying position as it reachesthe end of
i t s l i n e s . l f y o u c a n d o t h i s t h r o w c o n s i s t e n t l y ,g i v e u s a c a l l . W e , d l o v e
to hear from you and give you some even trickier stuff to try!
38
The Prlsm Gulde
Sterlls
Stalls have become a standard part of the competition flier's repertoire.
l n a n y t h i n g b u t t h e l i g h t e s t w i n d s , s t a l l i n g r e q u i r e sa d e l i b e r a t e m o t i o n
to SToP your kite from flying forwards and then small corrections to
h o l d i t f l o a t i n g i n a h o r i z o n t a lp o s i t i o n .T h e a b i l i t y t o s t a l l w i l l o p e n u p a
huge family of advanced maneuvers for you. To get started, it'r helpful
t o u n d e r s t a n da l i t t l e a b o u t w h a t h a p p e n sw h e n a k i t e s t a l l s .
A stalled kite hangs floating in a part of the wind window where it
would normally be flying fonryards.when this happens, the airflow over
t h e k i t e ' s w i n g c h a n g e s d r a m a t i c a l l y .B e l o w a r e t w o d r a w i n g s w h i c h
show a simplified picture of the difference between airflow over a
stalled wing (righO and flow over a wing which is flying forwards (left).
t
?
N
F
?
You'll notice that the flying wing has relatively smooth air flowing past
both sides of the sail. when the wing is stalled,the airflow over the
w i n g b e c o m e st u r b u l e n t , e s p e c i a l l yo n t h e b a c k s i d e o f t h e s a i l . T h i s i s a
very inefficientand unstablecondition for a wing. once stalled, your
kite no longer has the. lift needed to fly upwards ind insread wili hang
s o m e w h a t u n p r e d i c t a b l yi n t h e s k y . K e e p i n g t h e u n s t a b l e k i t e f r o m
n o s i n g o v e r o r f l y i n g a w a y t h e n b e c o m e sa b a l a n c i n ga c t s o m e t h i n g l i k e
t r y i n g t o s t a y b a l a n c e do n a b i c y c l ew h i c h h a s r o l l e d t o a s t o p .
Tuning for stqlls
Ruleof lhumb:
T o s e t u p y o u r k i t e t o s t a l l m o r e e a s i l y ,t u n e i t a s i f y o u w i l l b e
f l y i n g i n m o r e w i n d t h a n t h e r e a c t u a l l yi s .
Advqnced Flylng
39
There are a few ways that you can tune your kite to make it more
willing to hold a stall.Most of them involvesetting up the kite so that it
i s a l i t t l e m o r e r e l u c t a n tt o f l y . K e e p i n m i n d t h a t a l l k i t e s h a v e d i f f e r e n t
s t a l l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c sa n d t h a t i t w i l l t a k e s o m e e x p e r i m e n t a t i o nt o f i n d
the right setupsfor your kite and your flying style.
BridleAdiustment
for Stolls
SETTINC
YOURBRIDLE
TO PULLTHE TAIL OF THE KITETOWARDS
YOU
WILLHOLDTHE KITEFI-ATTER
TO THEWINDAND MAKEIT EASIER
TO
STALL.This higherangle of attack will make the kite less willing to
accelerateand may increasethe kite's oversteer.(Oversteeris a kite,s
tendencyto continue to rotate beyond the point when you even out
your handsto finish a turn. Though it takes some getting used to, a
certainamountof oversteerwill makesomeradicalmaneuverseasier).
Reducing
the Fullness
of YourSoil(RADIAN
only)
Botlens
l f y o u a r e f l y i n g a P r i s m R a d i a ni n l i g h t t o m e d i u m w i n d s , y o u m a y b e
flying with some of the battens in the sail removed to let your sail fill
and develop more lift. lf you add more battens, you will make the sail
flatter and easier to stall. On the Radian,add the longest battens first.
Upper Spreoder
lf you are flyingyour Radian
in lightto mediumwindswithouta top
spreader,
addingthe spreader
earlierthanyou normally
wouldfor the
wind conditions will bow the leading edge of the kite. This will facilitate
s t a l l s b y f l a t t e n i n g o u t t h e c e n t e r p o r t i o n so f t h e s a i l .
VentedKitesfor HighWind
Stalls are much more difficult to perform in high winds. lf you fly or
compete regularlyin high winds and want to do stallsand other radical
maneuversryou may want to consider a vented kite. The VENTED
uses an extra-rugged frame and panels of screen in parts of the
ECLIPSE
s a i l t o r e d u c e t h e l i f t o f t h e s a i l i n h i g h w i n d c o n d i t i o n s .T h i s s l o w s t h e
k i t e d o w n , r e d u c e si t s p u l l , a n d a l l o w s y o u t o h o l d a s t a l l d o w n w i n d i n
20+ mph.
Sfoll Mnneuvers
The easiest way to get your kite into a stall is to fly to the edge of the
wind window about | 5 feet above the ground and wait for the kite to
40
The Prlsm Gulde
come to a stop. Once the kite is stopped and hovering, turn the kite
and
up*irat and walk forwards. The kite will start to settle backwards
is
This
window'
the
wind
of
center
the
towards
sideways
may slide
a
esslntially the same motion that you would use to drop the kite into
s
k
y
'
i
n
t
h
e
u
p
f
u
r
t
h
e
r
l a n d i n go n i t s w i n g t i p s , b u t a l i t t l e
Another way to initiate a stall is to fly to the edge of the wind window
fairly close to the ground and then pull the kite into a very tight
to finish the loop in a
upwards loop. Releaie your hand sharply in time
'spin
you
the wind out of the
After
sialled position pointeJ upwards.
THE KITE'
TOWARDS
WALKINC
BY
THE
STALL
sail," MAINTAIN
r F o r t h i s m a n e u v e ri t i s p a r t i c u l a r l yh e l p f u l t o h a v e y o u r k i t e s e t t o
s p i n a s t i g h t l y a s y o u c a n h a n d l e .F o r t h e P r i s m l o n a n d t h e P r i s m
Radian, sie Attitu'deAdiustor, page 29. The Micron, Eclipse, and
T o t a l E c l i p s ew i l l t u r n t i g h t l y e n o u g h f o r t h i s m a n e u v e r w i t h n o
s p e c i a la d j u s t m e n t .
A simifar stall involves looping the kite sharply downwards once or
twice at the edge of the wind window insteadof upwards.Again, time
the release ,o tlh"t the kite comes out of it in a horizontal position and
quickty move rowards the kite to keep it from flying away. The
u n d e r h a n d e dl o o p w i l l c a u s e t h e s t a l l e d k i t e t o s l i d e s i d e w a y s t o w a r d s
the center of the wind window. See if you can float the kite sideways
across the whole wind window before it starts to fly again'
Snop Stqlls
Fly the kite across the wind window at full speed and then use a sharp,
punch-turn like motion to snap the kite to a dead stop in a horizontal
position. The exact motion requires a careful combination of timing and
coordination, but the basics are illustrated below'
Advonced Flying
4l
A s y o u f l y h o r i z o n t a l l ya c r o s st h e s k y , u s e t h e m o t i o n s i l l u s t r a t e da b o v e
in rapid succession:
. S t a r t i n gw i t h b o t h h a n d s v e r y c l o s e t o y o u r b o d y , p u n c h o n e h a n d
forward as if you were going to do a 90 degree corner upwards.
P u l ly o u r h a n d b a c k t o y o u r b o d y .
. R e l e a s eb o t h h a n d s b y p u s h i n g t h e m b o t h f o n v a r d s a n d p e r h a p s
moving forwards yourself.
THESEMOT]ONS MUST HAPPENALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY
AND ARE
SIMILARlN FEELTO CRACKINGA WHIP.Use a flick of the wrist to make
t h e c o m p l e t e m o t i o n a s q u i c k a n d s n a p p y a s p o s s i b l e . P r a c t i c ey o u r
timing to keep the kite from turning farther than you want it to as you
stall.
Holding o Stoll
So you've figured out how to initiate a stall but you can't seem to keep
the stalled kite from nosing over to one side or the other and flying
away. Don't despair! This is probably the part that requires the most
practice. Here are a few tips that will help:
o ANTICIPATEthe movement of the kite and make gentle steering
corrections early.
. Tug sharply on the wing that starts to drop. You will cause that
"fly"
wingtip to
upwards a bit, re-balancing the kite. Alternate
these tugs as necessaryto maintain balance. This method is a bit
c o u n t e r - i n t u i t i v e ,a s i t r e q u i r e s p u l l i n g o n t h e w i n g o p p o s i t e t h e
one you would normallypull to turn the kite upwards.
. Move forwards and backwards to keep the kite from flylng
upwards or sinking towards the ground. The amount of movement
required to stay stalled will depend in large part upon how hard
the wind is blowing. In strong winds you may have to run
downwind as fast as you can to maintain a stall.
. S h a k et h e s a i l . A t r e m b l i n g m o t i o n o f o n e o r b o t h h a n d s c a n h e l p
to keep the airflow around the sail disturbed and prevent the kite
f r o m d e v e l o p i n ge n o u g h l i f t t o f l y .
42
The Prlsm Gulde
Alrels
Since its invention in Seattle and San Francisco, the axel has spread
around the world as the hot new maneuver on the competition circuit.
O n c e y o u ' v e g o t t h e b a s i c sf i g u r e d o u t , t h e a x e l w i l l i n t r o d u c e y o u t o a
w h o l e c l a s s o f r a d i c a l m a n e u v e r s .c h e c k o u t t h e ' 9 5 p r i s m v i d e o t o s e e
s o m e o f t h e w i l d n e w v a r i a t i o n so n t h e a x e l .
Here's how to do it:
.
srALL YouR KlrE COMPLETELY
and hold it horizontal and stationary
in the sky.
.
T u g o n o n e l i n e W H I L ES I M U L T A N E O U S LTYH R O W I N GY O U R O T H E R
HAND ALL THE WAY FORWARD.
.
AT THE SAMETIME, take a step or two fonryardsto keep both lines
c o m p l e t e l ys l a c k a s t h e k i t e c o m p l e t e si t s s o m e r s a u l t .
Easy,right?
l f y o u ' r e h a v i n g p r o b l e m s ,h e r e a r e a f e w t h i n g s t o t r y :
CIVE MORESLACKWITH ONE HAND WHILEYOU TUC WITH THE OTHER.
Move forwards as the kite somersaults so there is no tension on the
lines until you are ready to fly again.
D O N T Y A N K o N T H E L I N E !D o n e w e l l , a g r a c e f u l a x e l r e q u i r e s o n l y t h e
g e n t l e s tt u g w i t h o n e h a n d b u t l o t s o f s l a c k f r o m t h e o t h e r .
BE SURE THE KITE IS COMPLETELYSTALLED EEFOREYOU TUC. If
necessary,go back to STALLS,p. 3g and practice your stails. To have
the control necessary for good axels, you need to be able to stall your
k i t e a n d f l o a t i t s i d e w a y sa c r o s st h e e n t i r e w i n d w i n d o w .
KEEP
YouR LINESFROMsNAcctNcoN youR wtNcT|ps.you are the
master of your control lines. lf you don't want them to snag on your
wingtips, you can prevent itl Learn to watch your lines as your kite
rotates over them. lf you give them both enough slack during the
maneuver, they'll sag downwards and give the wingtips enough
c l e a r a n c et o p a s s o v e r t h e m w i t h o u t s n a g g i n g . w a t c h i n g y o u r l i n e s i s
t h e k e y t o l e a r n i n g a l l s l a c k - l i n em a n e u v e r s .o n e o f o u r b e s t l o c a l f l i e r s
p r a c t i c e sw i t h s h o r t b r i g h t r i b b o n s t i e d t o h i s f l y i n g l i n e s a b o u t s i x f e e t
d o w n f r o m t h e k i t e . H e s a y si t l e t s h i m s e e h i s l i n e t e n s i o n b e t t e r d u r i n g
s n a g - p r o n em a n e u v e r sl i k e f l a t s p i n s a n d t r i p l e a x e l s .
Advonced Flying
43
Groundwork
G r o u n d w o r k i s t h e b l a n k e t t e r m u s e d t o d e s c r i b et h e c l a s so f m a n e u v e r s
which involve deliberately touching the kite to the ground. These
m a n e u v e r s i n c l u d e a v a r i e t y o f l a n d i n g s a s w e l l a s s e v e r a lw a y s t o r e l a u n c h y o u r k i t e f r o m a c r a s h e dp o s i t i o n w i t h o u t w a l k i n g t o s e t i t u p .
Cqution
Many of these tricks require dragging or scraplng some part of the kite
a g a i n s t t h e g r o u n d . C r o u n d w o r k c a n b e h a r d o n y o u r k i t e , e s p e c i a l l yi f
you are just learning. We can offer no guarantees against breakage or
damage to your kite if you choose to try them. Your Prism kite can
w i t h s t a n d a n a m a z i n g a m o u n t o f p u n i s h m e n t ,b u t l f y o u w a n t t o k e e p i t
in mint condition you should probably practice these maneuvers
carefully.
Londings
TheSpinLonding
Fly to the edge of the window and spin the wind out of the sail so that
the kite stallsand drops down onto both wingtips.lf you haveyour kite
set up to spin radicallytight and with a bit of overspin,you can spin it
practicallywithin itself very close to the ground, landing perfectlyon
both wingtips as you comeout of the spin.This moveworks best when
you go into your spin by turning upwards.Wathpracticeyou can usually
do it in other parts of the wind windowas well.
TheWingtipStob
While flying horizontally very close to the ground do a snap stall to stop
t h e k i t e a n d d r o p i t o n t o a w i n g t i p . B a l a n c et h e k i t e o n i t s t i p f o r a s
long as you can by leaning it fonrvardsand backwards against the wind.
l f y o u r t i m i n g i s p e r f e c t a n d y o u r s n a p i s s h a r p a n d a g g r e s s i v e t, h e k i t e
w i l l j a m d r a m a t i c a l l yi n t o t h e g r o u n d o n i t s w i n g t i p .
F l o r eL o n d i n g
This one should be practicedin light winds. Startingwith the kite over
your head and your handscloseto your chest,turn downwardsinto a
power dive towardsthe ground.At the last possiblemomentbeforeyou
hit the ground,throw your handsforwardas far as they will go and let
44
The Prlsm Gulde
the kite flare to a horizontalpositionon the ground with the nose away
from you.Timingis obviouslycriticalfor this one.lf you slackyour lines
too early,the kite will flare beyondhorizontaland flip onto irs back. lf
you wait too long you'll hear the heart wrenchingsound of your kite
plowing nose first into the ground. Once you've landed flai on the
ground with the noseaway from you, try one of the launchesdescribed
next to get your kite backin the air.
Advonced Flying
45
Lqunches
lf you're willing to risk a little extra wear and tear on your kite as you
l e a r n , t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l w a y s t h a t y o u c a n r e - l a u n c hy o u r k i t e f r o m a
crashed position without walking out to the kite to set it up. lf you're
like us and crash your kites all the time as you try to perfect new
m a n e u v e r s ,t h e s e l a u n c h e sw i l l r e d u c e t h e a m o u n t o f t i m e y o u h a v e t o
spend walking back and forth to your kite.
LeodingEdgeLounch
| . Fly your kite closeto the ground rowardsthe right hand edge of the
wind window. When you are about halfway between the center of the
wind window and the edge, nose the kite down into the ground so that
it rests on its right hand leading edge WITH ITS NOSE POINTING
TOWARDSTHE EDCE OF THE WINDOW. Now slowly pull on the wing
which is pointed into the air.
46
The Prlsm Gulde
2. Tip this wing slowly rowardsyou unril it is just about to fall flat to
the ground.
3. JUSTEEFORE
lT FALLSflat to the ground, pull gently on both wings
and start running backwards.The kite will skid foruvardson its leading
edgeandthen lift up inrothe air.
Tips:
Be sure to orient your kite so that it flies AwAy from the center of
the wind window as you launch.
lf your kite is too closeto the centerof the wind window (directly
d o w n w i n d ) ,y o u m a y h a v e d i f f i c u l t y w i t h t h i s l a u n c h . W a l k t o t h e
left or right to give yourself a better angle.
Advonced Flying
47
The CortwheelLounch
T h i s i s a p a r t i c u l a r l yv e r s a t i l el a u n c h t h a t c a n b e d o n e i n m o s t p a r t s o f
t h e w i n d w i n d o w . D o n e c o r r e c t l y ,i t l o o k s g r e a t a n d i s a l m o s t c e r t a i n t o
i m p r e s sy o u r f r i e n d s . H e r e ' sh o w t o l e a r n :
I . Fly close to the ground towards the right-hand edge of the wind
window and nose the kite into the ground about halfway between the
c e n t e r o f t h e w i n d w i n d o w a n d t h e e d g e .T h e k i t e s h o u l d b e r e s t i n g o n
its right hand leadingedge.
Gently tu9 on the wing which is pointed Into the alr. This will rock the
kite over onto its nose so that the opposite leading edge is resting on
the ground.
2. Slowlylet the wing which is up in the air lean away from you until the
sail of the wing on the ground is flat to the ground. your right hand
should now be extended in front of your left.
3 . W i t h a q u i c k g e n t l e m o t i o n , s i m u l t a n e o u s l yp u l l w i t h y o u r r i g h t h a n d
and push your left hand forward. The kite should spin around and pivot
on its right wingtip into launchposition.
48
The Prlsm Gulde
Tips:
Donecorrectly,this movedoesnot requirea very forceful motion.
Insteadof yankingon the kite, try to do it with just a subtle flick
of the wrists.
Experimentwith exactly how far back you lean the kite before
flipping it anto launch position.you may find that the type of
ground at your flying site affectshow far back you should lean it.
We find that soft surfaceslike loose sand or tall grass require
tippingthe kite backless,while hard ground such as short grass
or hardsandrequirestippingit backmuchfarther.
Always be sure to orient your kite correctlyaccordingto which
side of the window you have landed on. THE KITE SHOULD
ALWAYS8EPOSITIONED
TO CARTWHEEL
INWARDS
TOWARDS
THE
CENTER
OFTHEWINDOW,
Advqnced Flying
49
T h e B e l l yL o u n c h
T h i s l a u n c h i s b e s t p r a c t i c e di n f a i r l y l i g h t w i n d s .
l. Fly your kite most of the way to the right side of the wind window
and nose it into the ground so that the kite is restingon its right hand
leading edge. Slowly pull the wing in the air rowards you until ft falls
flat to the ground.
2 . C i v e t h e l e f t h a n d w i n g a s h a r p j e r k , 3 . a n d s i m u l t a n e o u s l yr u n
b a c k w a r d s .T h e k i t e w i l l f l i p i n t o t h e a i r b u t w i l l t r y h a r d t o n o s e o v e r
into the ground. Be ready to correct quickly with the opposite hand as
soon as the kite is launched.
50
The Prlsm Gulde
Tips:
. When you try this in other parts of the wind window, be sure that
whichever wing you pull on is pointed significantly more into the
wind than the other.
. With the Prism lon, try launching from a belly down position by
t u g g i n g b o t h l i n e s g e n t l y . T h e k i t e w i l l l i f t b a c k w a r d si n t o t h e a i r
and with practice you can tug it around into a flying position.
r lf you can't get this launch to work, experimentwith how gently
you tug on the kite to launchand how you orient the kite on the
ground to the wind.
Advcrnced Flying
51
Bcrckflips and beyond
H e r e i s a t r i c k w h i c h i s p a r t i c u l a r l yw e l l s u i t e d t o h i g h a s p e c tw i n g s s u c h
a s t h e P r i s m R a d i a n , t h e E c l i p s e ,a n d t h e T o t a l E c l i p s e .W i t h t h e k i t e
hovering over your head, bring your hands down to your knees. Cive
both lines a quick tug from both wrists and then instantly throw your
hands upwards as high as they will 9o. The kite will flip over onto its
back and float in the sky. While the kite floats upside down, keep just
enough tension on the lines to keep them from going slack.With time
you can learn to gently control the kite In this flipped position. When
you're ready to fly again, tug both lines and the kite will flip back into
normal flying position.
This maneuver can lead to tangling your bridle llnes around the tail of
your kite. A great way to make your kite almost tangle-proof is to take a
length of lightweight spectra flying line or a piece of monofilament
fishing line and rie it from wingtip to spine to wingtip. Tension it
enough so that it is straight, but avoid flexing the wingtips by pulling
the string too tight. We're seeing more and more competition flyeri
"bowstring'
using this
trick to make their kites snag-proof during radical
maneuvers. NOTE: The bowstring may prevent you from doing certain
e x t r a - r a d i c a ls l a c k - l i n em o v e s l i k e t h e s p i n s d e s c r i b e db e l o w . F o r t h e s e ,
you'll have to learn to watch the drape of your lines carefully during the
m a n e u v e r .S e eA X E L S ,p . 4 3 .
The LozySuson
The newest trick in this book. The Lazy Susan takes the backflip one
step further. With your Eclipse or Total Eclipse flipped and fully
s t a b i l i z e do n i t s b a c k , C E N T L Yt u g o n e l i n e a n d g i v e s l a c k t o r h e o t h e r
to spin the kite around. After one full rotation the kite will be in its
starting position and you can recover by pulling on both lines. When
this move feels easy, try for 2, 3, and 4 rotations before pulling out!
With practice, the Lazy Susan can be accomplished near the ground as
well. Pop the kite into a stall a few feet above the ground, flip it on its
back, spin it around, and pull our of the backflip into a landing on both
wingtips.
52
The Prlsm Gulde
Advonced Flylng
53
Gompetition
I n t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s , s p o r t k i t e c o m p e t i t i o n sh a v e b e c o m e a p o p u l a r
g a t h e r i n g p o i n t f o r k i t e e n t h u s i a s t sa c r o s st h e U n i t e d S t a t e sa n d a b r o a d .
Even for those not directly involved in competition, these events can be
a great source for inspiration, new tricks, and new ideas. Most
c o m p e t i t i o n s t o d a y h a v e t h r e e g e n e r a l c a t e g o r i e s ,P r e c i s i o n ,B a l l e t ( o r
Choreography), and Innovative. In Preclsion events, competitors are
j u d g e d b y t h e a c c u r a c ya n d s m o o t h n e s sw i t h w h i c h t h e y e x e c u t ec e r t a i n
geometric figures in the sky. In Ballet, prepared routines are flown to
music and judged for artistic as well as technical merit. The Innovative
category is a less restricted opportunity to Invent new, creative ways of
flying kites, and allows the inclusion of props, dancing, acrobatics, and
other tricks.
In most competitions, these categorles can be entered by lndividuals or
teams of two or more persons. Team events are judged separately and
are often particularly exciting to watch. lf you are interested in
competing, or just want to get a better picture of what it's all about,
here are some ways to get started:
o Contact the American Kiteflier's Association (A.K.A) and get
yourself an International Rulebook. This book outlines the
structure of International competition and is usually the
foundation for organizing almost any competitive event even if
it's Just a local informal fly. lf you become a member of the A.K.A.
you will receive the A.K.A. journal Kiting which contains, among
other things, listings of kite events all across the country. The
A.K.A. can also direct you to clubs In your area, another great
source of support and information for competition fliers.
A.K.A.
I 559 Rockville
Pike
R o c k v i l l eM, D 2 0 8 5 2
| (800)AKA-2ss0
r ( 4 0 8 )6 4 7 - 8 4 8 3
54
The Prlsm Gulde
. Your local kite shop, if you have one, is a great place to find
i n f o r m a t i o n .Y o u c a n g e t y o u r h a n d s o n t h e k i t i n g m a g a z i n e s ,t a l k
to the owner about local teams and clubs, and get the news on
eventsin your area.Most kite shops show videos of competitions
around the country, or have them available for sale or rental. This
is a great way to get a picture of competition if you've never been
to one. Support your local shop in any way that you can. lt's a
valuable resource for all fliers.
. Co to a competition! This is the best way by far to get a sense of
what it's all about. You'll find many people ready to help a
newcomer to the sport in any way they can. Seeing experienced
f l i e r s d o t h e i r r o u t i n e s c a n a l s o b e a s o u r c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n .l f y o u
want to get involved right away, many competitions offer some
competitive events at an entry level.
. Call us! Prism attends and sponsors many kite festivals and
c o m p e t i t i o n se a c h y e a r i n t h e U 5 a n d E u r o p e G i v e u s a c a l l a n d
we'll let you know if we or our sponsored pilots will be attending
one in your area. lt's a great chance to meet us in person, try out
our latest kites, and get tips from some of the hottest pilots
around.
Compelition
55
Useful
lnformcltion
lines qnd Sleeving
Field Kit
Ccrreqnd Repoir
Troubleshooting
Glossory
56
The Prlsm Gulde
A linesel for your Kire
Flying a sport kite requires two low-stretch flying lines of equal length,
with loops in each end for attaching the line to the kite and to the
control handles. Pure Spectra fiber is the best material for these lines,
though other good quality lines such as 'sport grade'spectrablends are
also popular for their lower cost.
It's very important that the two lines that make up a lineset be of equal
l e n g t h . l t ' s p o s s i b l et o f l y o n u n e v e n l i n e s b y c o m p e n s a t i n g w i t h y o u r
hands, but you'll learn faster by flying on carefully matched lines. Take
the time to re-tie an uneven lineset. lt's worth the effort.
The loops on the ends of the flying lines are the points at which the
lines are most likely to wear and break. Adding a tied loop made from a
stronger, more wear-resistant cord at each end of your lines will give
y o u r l i n e s e t a l o n g e r l i f e . S o m e m a n u f a c t u r e r so f ' s p o r t g r a d e ' b l e n d s
c l a i m t h a t p r o t e c t i n gt h e e n d s o f t h e l i n e s e ti s n o t n e c e s s a r yw h e n u s i n g
t h e i r b l e n d e d l i n e . T h e f o l l o w i n g s e t o f i n s t r u c t i o n sw i l l s h o w y o u a
quick and convenient method for making a simple lineset with or
w i t h o u t p r o t e c t e de n d s .
Start with a single roll or spool of line that is at least twice as long as
the finished lineset that you want to make. Make a loop in one end
using the double overhand knot shown below. This knot provides
m a x i m u m s t r e n g t h a n d w i l l n o t a l l o w t h e S p e c t r al i n e t o s l i p .
Lines ond Sleeving
57
Now go outside and hang the loop over a nail or any kind of secure
h o o k t h a t i s f r e e f r o m b u r r s o r s h a r p e d g e s .W a l k a w a y , u n r o l l i n g t h e
line as you go. When you reachthe length that you want your lines to
be, pass your line around another secure hook (you can use almost
a n y t h i n g t h a t i s c o n v e n i e n t ,a f e n c e p o s t ,a n a i l i n a b u i l d i n g , w h a t e v e r ' s
handy) Don't cut your line at this point! Simply walk back to your
starting point, trailing out the rest of the line as you go. When you reach
y o u r s t a r t i n g p o i n t , t i e a n o t h e rl o o p j u s t l i k e t h e f i r s t o n e a n d h a n g i t o n
t h e s a m e h o o k . C u t o f f a n y e x c e s sl i n e .
N o w w a l k b a c k o u t t o w h e r e y o u r l i n e d o u b l e sb a c k .
T h e n e x t s t e p i s t o p r e - s t r e t c hy o u r l i n e s . T h i s i s i m p o r t a n t . w i t h o u t i t ,
you may make what looks like a perfect lineset only to find that the two
lines stretch unevenly the first time you go flying. Take a screwdriver
and loop the line around the shaft at the point where the line doubles
back. Now, holding the screwdriver, pull evenly on the line. you should
p u l l h a r d e n o u g h t o f e e l s o m e g i v e a s t h e l i n e s t r e t c h e s .w h e n t h e l i n e
n o l o n g e r h a s m u c h g i v e t o i t , t h e p r e - s t r e t c h i n gi s d o n e .
Keeping tension on the line, make a mark using a permanentmarker
across both lines at once about 5" away from the shaft. Now you can cut
the line at the point where it was wrapped around the screwdriver.
N e x t , s e l e c te i t h e r l i n e e n d a n d f o l d i t b a c k e x a c t l y o n t h e c e n t e r o f i h e
m a r k . w h i l e c a r e f u l l y m a i n t a i n i n gt h i s f o l d , t i e a n o t h e r d o u b l e o v e r h a n d
knot to form a loop in this marked end. Now repeat this procedure for
the other marked end. You should now have two perfectly equal lengths
of pre- stretched line with loops at both ends.
58
The Prlsm Gulde
Your neighborsmay havedecidedby this point that you have lost your
mind. Walking around outdoors with long lengths of string can be
difficult to explain to those uninitiatedto the thrill of sport kiting. lf
anyoneasksyou what you are doing,offer to take them flying!
lf you are using pure Spectra,protect the ends of your lines by tying
four equal 'pigtails"from a heavierstrongercord (l 50-200 lb. Dacron
works well) and attach one to each line end using the knot shown
below.
Now lark'sheadyour linesonto your wrist strapsor handles,wind them
up on your winder,and headfor the field.
Tip:
Designatea right and left flying line and mark the flying lines
accordinglyat both ends, either by using different colors of
pigtails, or by coloring one line's pigtails with a permanent
marker.This will avoid confusionon the field over which line is
which,evenif the linesaretwisted.
Lines ond Sleeving
59
'sleeving'
N o t e : M a n y d e a l e r sa n d p i l o t s w i l l r e c o m m e n d
the end of
y o u r l i n e s e t b y t h r e a d i n g t h e e n d s o f y o u r l i n e i n t o a b r a i d e dt u b e
'sleeved'
of cord, and then tying this coveredor
end into a loop.
T h i s t r a d i t i o n a l t e c h n i q u e i s f i n e b e c a u s ei t p r o t e c t s t h e l i n e f r o m
c h a f e a n d s l i g h t l y s t r e n g t h e n st h e k n o t i n t h e e n d o f t h e l i n e . W e
recommend the alternate technique described above, however,
because it's easier, faster, and doesn't require special sleeving
t o o l s . T h e o v e r a l l l i n e s t r e n g t h i s o n l y s l i g h t l y l e s s ,a n d t h i s c a n b e
an advantage because if the line is overstressedit will break at the
k n o t a t t h e v e r y e n d r a t h e r t h a n i n t h e m i d d l e . R e - d o i n gy o u r
l i n e s e to n t h e f i e l d a n d g e t t i n g b a c k I n t h e a i r a g a i n t h e n b e c o m e s
only a minute or two of work. We've used this sleeving method
e x c l u s i v e l yf o r t h e l a s t f o u r y e a r s w i t h e x c e l l e n tr e s u l t s .
Field Kir
It's a good idea to assemble a basic repair kit that follows you wherever
you fly. For the most part, indivldual preference should dictate the
contents of such a kit. Keep in mind, however, that the larger the kit,
the less likely it is to follow you to the field. The following list includes a
few indispensable items that will serve as the foundation for a good
field kit.
r Ripstop repair tape is available through your kite parts dealer. lf
you can't find tape to match the colors of your kite, a
semitransparent white repair tape is available which will be
inconspicuous on most colors of sailcloth.
. Needle-nosepliers are a handy tool for kite work.
. Cyanoacrylate glue (Super Glue, Krazy Glue) reattaches stops,
n o c k s , a n d f e r r u l e sa n d l e a p st a l l b u i l d i n g s l n a s i n g l e b o u n d .
. A cigarette lighter will singe frayed ends on shock cord, stacking
l i n e s ,e t c .
r An X-Acto or other hobby knife is probably the most versatile
c u t t i n g t o o l y o u c a n i n c l u d ei n y o u r k i t .
. A g o o d p a i r o f s c i s s o r si s a f i n e t o o l . A d u l l p a i r i s a l m o s t u s e l e s s .
. A permanent magic marker marks linesets and lets you sign
autographs for your fans at the field.
60
The Prlsm Gulde
Spore Porls:
. A spare spar or two is great to have around in case you find
yourselfreallypushingthe limits.
. Bring a few arrow nocks to fit your wingtips. They can wear or
breakfrom lots of groundworkon hard surfaces.
. | /8" black shockcordreplacesyour wingtip shockcordsif they
eventuallywearor fray.
Llnes ond Sleeving
6l
Core ond Repair
Y o u r P r i s m k i t e h a s b e e n c a r e f u l l yd e s l g n e dt o t a k e t h e p u n i s h m e n tt h a t
i t w i l l i n e v i t a b l ys e e d u r i n g i t s l i f e t i m e .A k i t e ' s e l e m e n t ,h o w e v e r ,i s t h e
s k y . W h e n o u t o f i t s e l e m e n t t h e k i t e i s m o s t v u l n e r a b l et o d a m a g e .B e
c a r e f u lw h e n a s s e m b l i n ga n d h a n d l i n g t h e k i t e o n t h e g r o u n d , e s p e c i a l l y
i n s t r o n g w i n d s . O n c e y o u r k i t e i s f u l l y a s s e m b l e d ,i t i s o f t e n h e l p f u l t o
carry it by holding it at the nose reinforcement and letting the rest of
the kite trail off downwind.
lf your kite gets wer, just shake off the water and let it dry unfolded to
discourage mildew. ICAREXripstop polyester is basically unaffected by
water. lf your kite gets salt water or sand on it, though, treat it to a
r i n s e i n t h e s h o w e r o r t h e h o s e b e f o r ed r y i n g .
Beachescan be wonderful places to fly, but sand ls very abrasive and
can wear through any kite in short order. Erush off the kite frequently
and thoroughly, and try to keep sand from accumulating inside the
l e a d i n ge d g e a n d c a u s i n gw e a r f r o m t h e i n s i d e o u t .
Small tears in the sail can be easily repalred with an appropriate color of
adhesive-backedripstop repair tape, available from most kite dealers. lt
helps to round the corners of the patch slightly to keep them from
peeling up. For a really secure repair, apply one patch on either side of
the sail. lf you manage to tear the transparent center panel of your kite
(very uncommon) we can provide you with a special UV resistant
adhesive film to patch it with. Clear packing tape will do in a pinch but
won't hold up as well in sunlight.
l f y o u b r e a k a s p a r , d o n ' t d e s p a i r .R e p l a c l n gs p a r s i s r e l a t i v e l yq u i c k a n d
easy. Your dealer should have the appropriate size and length
replacement. lf not, you may order parts directly from us.
Standoffs are also easlly replaced by removing the black vinyl retaining
cap from the standoffs aluminum fitting on the back side of the sail.
Cut it off very carefully using a sharp razor knife. Then pull the standoff
out of the sail from the front. When you insert the new standoff, put a
few drops of a cyanoacrylate glue (Super Clue, Krazy Clue, etc.) in the
new retaining cap before pushing it onto the
aluminum fitting
protrudingthrough the back sideof the sail.
Work carefully when making repairs to your kite. There's nothing more
frustrating than causing additional damage while trying to complete a
repair.
62
Core ond Repolr
The Prism Gulde
froubleshooting
KITE HAS DIFFICULTYI-AUNCHING:Kite won't fly easily into the air.
r 8e sure to read sectionon Launching,page | 2.
. Be sure you are launching in more than 3 m.p.h. See the Wind and
Weathersection,page 3.
o B e s u r e t h e k i t e h a s n o t a n g l e db r i d l e l i n e s .
. Checkthat your flying handlesare not reversed.
r Be sure that the klte is propcrly adjusted for the wind conditions.
Seeyour Prism Field Card. Also see BridleAdjustmenton page 27.
KITE CAPSIZES/FALLS
OUT OF THE SKY: Kite flips over on its back when
y o u t u r n t i g h t l y a n d f a l l s t o t h e g r o u n d .M o s t c o m m o n i n l i g h t w i n d s .
r You are probably using control motions that are too large or abrupt
for the conditions..
. lf you are flying a Prism Radian or a Prism lon, try snapping the
Attitude Adjustor in at the factory setting. See Attitude Adjustor,
p a g e2 9 .
KITE ALIVAYSVEERSlN ONE DIRECTION:Kite is uncontrollable or turns
differently in one direction than in the other. Kite turns to one side even
when you try to fly straight.
o Checkto be sure your bridle lines are not tangled on any pa6 of the
kite.
. C h e c kt h a t y o u r f l y l n g l i n e sa r e e x a c t l yt h e s a m e l e n g t h .
. C h e c kt h a t t h e s h o c k c o r d o n e a c h w i n g t i p i s p r o p e r l y e n g a g e d i n
its nock.
. Check that the spreadersare fully inserted lnto the fittings at the
l e a d i n ge d g e .A l s o c h e c kt h a t l o w e r s p r e a d e r sa r e f u l l y I n s e r t e di n t o
t h e a l u m i n u mf e r r u l ea t t h e c e n t e rT " .
. Check that all standoffs are in place and that the standoff retainer
f i t t i n g sa r e i n t h e s a m e p l a c e so n b o t h l o w e r s p r e a d e r s .
. l f y o u a r e f l y i n g a P r i s m R a d i a n ,c h e c k t h a t y o u h a v e t h e s a m e
n u m b e ro f b a t t e n si n e a c hw i n g .
Troubleshooting
63
T U R N SA N D S P I N SA R E T O O T I G H T T O C O N T R O L :K i r e s p i n s t o o r i g h r l y
f o r s u c c e s s f urle c o v e r y .
r Be sure you are not over-controllingthe kite with hand motions that
a r e t o o l a r g eo r j e r k y .
. lf you are flying a Prism Radian or a Prism lon, try flying with the
Attitude Adjustor set to the factory retting (See Attitude Adjustor,
p a g e 2 9 ) . T h i s w i l l l i m i t t h e t i g h t n e s so f y o u r s p i n s .
K I T E B U C K SO R S H U D D E R Sl N F L I G H T :K i t e s e e m st o b e s h u d d e r i n gi n
s t r o n g w i n d s , e s p e c i a l l yi n f a s t , t i g h t s p i n s .
r Kite is overpowered. Be sur€ that you are flying within the
recommended wind range and de-power by moving the Bridle
Adjustor to a lighter wind setting.
. lf you are flying a Prism Radianor a Prlsm Eclipse,be sure that the
upper spreaderis properly insertedthrough the top 'T" fitting.
r Be sure that your kite is set up properly for the wlnd conditions.See
the assembly and tuning instructionson your Prlsm Field Card.
. lf you feel bumplness in lighter winds, be sure you are flying In an
area as free from turbulent air as possible. See the section on
Turbulence,page 7.
KITE OVERSPINS:Kite rotates far beyond the poinr at which you want to
come out of a tight turn or spin. Most Gommonin light winds.
r Be sure you are not over-controllingthe kite with large hand motions
that are too large.
o Be sure that all standoffsare properly in place.
o Be sure that the Eridlc Adjustor ls at an appropriatesetting. A bridle
setting which tips the nose too far back for the wind strength can
cause overspin. For an in-depth discussionof bridle adjustment, see
Bridle Adjustment, page 27.
. lf you are flying a Prism Radian or Prism lon, adjust the Attitudc
Adjustor to limit the tightness of spins. See AttitudeAdjustor, page
29.
KITE FLIES STUGGISHLYOR IVONT CLIMB: Kite seems to want to fall
backwardsand is reluctant to accelerate.Most common In light winds.
. Be sure that you have enough wind to fly. lf the wind is too weak,
you may have to walk or jog around to keep the kite in the alr. See
Light Wind Tunlng, page 32.
64
The Prlsm Gulde
Be sure that your Bridle Adjustor is ser properly. lf the tail of your
kite is pulled too far towards you for the wind conditions, your kite
wif f be refuctant to fly. See Bridle Adjustment, page 27. and your
Prism FieldCard.
lf you are flying a Prism Radian,be sure that you understand when
to remove the upper spreaderto lmprove light wind performance.
S e eT u n i n g f o r L i g h tW i n d ,p a g e 3 2 , a n d y o u r P r i s m F i e l dC a r d .
lf you are flying a Prism Radian,be sure that you are not using any
more battens than you need to stop the sail from buzzing. See the
t u n i n g c h a r t o n y o u r P r i s mF i e l dC a r d .
B e s u r e t h a t y o u r l i n e sa r e n o t h e a v i e ro r l o n g e r t h a n r e c o m m e n d e d .
Linesthat are too heavycan significantlyaffect flight performance.
Troubleshooling
65
Glossqry/
aspect ratio
A n u m b e r d e s c r i b i n gt h e s h a p eo f t h e k i t e w i n g .
Computed ar the ratio of the square of the
wingspan to the surfacearea of the wing. A high
aspect ratio contributer to wing efficiency
yielding lower drag and greater lift. Hlgh aspect
r a t i o k i t e sa r e l i g h t p u l l i n ga n d t i g h t t u r n i n g . L o w
aspect ratio kites are harder pulling, more
precise,and more stable.
engle of rttack
The angle at whlch a kite's wlng ls held to the air
passing over lt. A Prism kite's angle of attack can
be changedfor different wind conditions by using
the Bridle Adjustor. Seepage 27.
Attitude Adjustor
Prism's trademarkedlnnovativebrldle fitting that
allows the flier to choose from a full range of
ffight characteristics.See Attitude Adjustor, page
29.
batten
A thin rod made of fiberglassor carbon fiber that
reinforcesthe surfaceof the wing, contributing to
silent flight and wing efficiency.
bias
Fabric bias refers to a direction along the surface
of the fabric diagonal to the square grid of the
woven threads. Fabric ls more prone to stretch
along the bias. The relnforcements along the
trailing edges of the Radianand the Eclipsehelp
to prevent this stretching.
bridle
The harness syrtem used to connect the kite's
frame to the control llnes.
Bridle Adjustor
Prism's trademarked innovation allowing for
quick and easy bridle adjustments to tune th€
kite for any conditions. See Bridle Adjustor, page
27.
cambercd eirfoil
An airfoil whose shape is determined by sewing
subtly curved panels together to create a curved
wing surface. Properly designed, a cambered
wing can be more efficlent than one sewn only
with rtraight edged panels.
66
The Prlsm Gulde
carbon fiber
center "T"
"crash
soft"
Long chains of carbon molecules used in
composition to create a stiff, lightweight spar
material.
The machined fitting which connects the lower
spreadersto the spine of your Prism kite.
This phrase helps the flier remember the
technique of slowing down a kite when a crash
becomes inevitable. Throw your arms fonvard
and walk towards the kite when a crash is
imminent to avoid serious damage. See Basjc
Flying, page | 6.
downwind
The direction that the wind is blowing towards. A
free floating object will always be blown
downwind.
dynamic twist
The convex planform of the trailing edge on the
Radian and the Eclipse allows the sail to twist
appropriatelyin responseto gusts or strong pull,
on the controls.
fiberglass
Long strands of glass fiber used in composition
with epoxy to create relatively light and flexible
r o d sa n d t u b i n g .
ICAREXTn
A high-tech ripstop sailcloth woven from
polyester rather than nylon fibers. Lower stretch
ICAREXkites have a tighter, more responslvefeel,
improved stalls, and brilliant colors that stay
bright five times longer than nylon. gecause lt
absorbs no moisture, ICAREXwill not stretch or
make your klte heavieron wet or humid days.
isobars
On many weather maps, isobars are drawn to
show differencesin air pressure across the map.
They will appear as long, curved lines which
n e v e r c r o s s o n e a n o t h e r . T e c h n i c a l l ys p e a k i n g ,
isobars are pressure contour lines- they define
z o n e so f a i r I n w h i c h t h e a i r p r e s s u r el s c o n s t a n t .
keel
The V-shaped wing section defined by the
t r a n s p a r e n ct e n t e rp a n e l o n P r i s m k i t e s .T h e k e e l
restricts lateral airflow along the sail and
c o n t r i b u t e st o s t a b i l i t ya n d s t r a i g h tl i n e t r a c k i n g .
Glossory
67
lark's head knot
A u s e f u l a t t a c h m e n tk n o t f o r k i t e f l y i n g , a l a r k , s
h e a d i s f o r m e d b y m a k i n g a n o o s ew i t h t h e l o o p
a t t h e e n d o f a l i n e . S e ep a g e I 2 .
leading edge
T h e f r o n t e d g e o f t h e w i n g t h a t c o n t a i n st h e s p a r .
lift
The driving force generated by wind flowing
around a wing. A differencein pressureis created
betweenthe upper and lower surfacesof the wing
and it ls this differencewhich is resolvedinto the
fonrrard motion of a kite as it flies through the
air.
lower sprcaders
The carbon fiber rods connecting the outer
l e a d i n ge d g e sw i t h t h e s p l n ea t t h e c e n t e rT . "
mil
One one-thousandthof an inch.
mylar laminatc
A high performance, low-stretch fabric used in
the transparentc€nter panelson prism kites. lt it
composed of a grid of nylon fibers laminated
between two fllms of thin mylar for stretch
resistance.
nock
A specialplastic fitting at the end of a spar which
holds the shockcordat the spine or wing tips.
Power Zonc
An area ln the center of the Wind Window in
which the kite is most darecrlydownwind. The
kite pulls harder and flies faster in this area.
Prism Designs Inc.
An innovative designer and manufacturerof high
performance sport kites. Located in Seattle,WA at
( 2 0 6 ) 5 4 7 - l| 0 0 .
sail
ln kiting, thls refers to the actual material of the
w i n g s a n d k e e lo f t h e k i t e .
shockcord
A fabric covered elastic cord used to tension the
s a i l a l o n g t h e s p i n ea n d t h e l e a d i n ge d g e s .
sleeving
A length of tubular braided cord used as a
protective sheath around the ends of your flying
lines.
sPar
A straight carbon fiber or fiberglass rod that
comprisespart of the frame of the kite.
68
The Prlsm Gulde
i
Spectraru
A fiber used in severalbrands of low-friction lows t r e t c h k i t e l i n e a v a i l a b l ei n v a r i o u s l e n g t h s a n d
strengths at your local kite shop or from a
catalog. Spectran lines are available in braided
and twisted forms. The braided lines are more
d u r a b l eb u t a l s o a b i t m o r e e x p e n s i v e .
sPrne
The spar that runs from the bottom point of the
c e n t e rp a n e lt o t h e n o s eo f t h e k i t e .
stendoff
A small fiberglass rod that maintains sail shape
and tension by pushingthe sail away from thc
lowerspreader.
upper'T'
The point at which the black fitting connects the
spine to the upper spreader. Prism Radian and
E c l i p s eo n l y .
trailing edge
The back (scalloped)edge of the wing.
turbulencc
Airflow which is no longer smooth and even. See
p a g e 7 , p a g e3 9 .
upper spreader
The carbon fiber or fiberglass rod separating the
l e a d i n ge d g e sa n d p a s s i n gt h r o u g h t h e t o p T " .
upwind
The direction that the wind is comlng from.
Walking directly into thc wind is walking
upwind.
vinyl fitting
A f i t t i n g m a d ef r o m v i n y l t u b i n g t h a t j o i n s t w o o r
more spars together.
wind window
A kite flier's term for the imaginary half-dome
s h a p e da r e a w i t h i n w h i c h y o u r k i t e c a n f l y . S e e
Wind Window,page 15.
wing efficiency
A general term referring to a wing's performance.
I t i s c o m m o n l yt h o u g h t t h a t w e i g h t a n d s a i l a r e a
are the only important contributorsto a kite's
performance.In fact, wing efficiency ls equally if
not more important. A kite such as the Radian
with a relatively small sail area but a v€ry
e f f i c i e n tw i n g c a n f l y w e l l i n l i g h r w i n d s w h i l e
a l l o w i n gg r e a t s p e e da n d v e r y l i g h t p u l l i n s r r o n g
winds.
wing loading
A m e a s u r e m e n to f t h e w e i g h t i n o u n c e s t h a t a
s g u a r ef o o t o f w i n g a r e as u p p o r t si n f l i g h t .
Glossory
69