Post by Batchoy on Jul 20, 2009 12:34:09 GMT 1
The wind blew (too hard), the rain poured (almost constantly), the sun shone (just enough to dry the kites and take some photos) and lines got cut (all too easily).
There were various forays to collect kites and line laundry following line and attachment failures, and to admonish kids and parents when they failed to understand the order, with increasing volume, and falling standards (I didn't know Kathleen knew such foul language) to move away as the kites were hazardous, though we did get apologies from one set of parents when the degree of potential injury to their lippy kids was explained.
Both Dick and I have to repair and modify our Robert Brassington Kinetic Tulips which appear to have a design flaw, and The Bloke has to source a new inflatable spiky cube, as his current one has disappeared into the wilds of Bedfordshire after having been recovered twice.
We also investigated a stack of Ostend Birds, which turned out not to be a homemade job as we first thought but a commercial product, and met new friends from the EKG (and potential BKF members) who were both keen and ready to lend a hand (and to make full use of The Bloke's awing when the heavens truely opened.)
We also discovered that Olli flies better if you check her bridles first and make sure they are evenly set (a problem spotted and pointed out by Andrew and a lesson duly learned) and is even more stable when she is soaking wet. Though I would not recommend the latter as a preferred method for stablising kites.
All in all and despite everything it was an enjoyable day, and given that it my second closest festival I shall go back next year with or with out the club kites. It just now remains to sort out Olli's travel back to Brighton along with all her accoutrements less 20ft of lifter line.
Facebook Photos
www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28506&l=88b704d4ce&id=1349240015
Picasa Photos
picasaweb.google.com/batchoy22/DunstableKiteFestival2009?feat=directlink
Facebook Video
www.facebook.com/v/1188052145334
Andrew Beattie's photos can be found here
www.tug.com/blog/20090719_Dunstable/
There were various forays to collect kites and line laundry following line and attachment failures, and to admonish kids and parents when they failed to understand the order, with increasing volume, and falling standards (I didn't know Kathleen knew such foul language) to move away as the kites were hazardous, though we did get apologies from one set of parents when the degree of potential injury to their lippy kids was explained.
Both Dick and I have to repair and modify our Robert Brassington Kinetic Tulips which appear to have a design flaw, and The Bloke has to source a new inflatable spiky cube, as his current one has disappeared into the wilds of Bedfordshire after having been recovered twice.
We also investigated a stack of Ostend Birds, which turned out not to be a homemade job as we first thought but a commercial product, and met new friends from the EKG (and potential BKF members) who were both keen and ready to lend a hand (and to make full use of The Bloke's awing when the heavens truely opened.)
We also discovered that Olli flies better if you check her bridles first and make sure they are evenly set (a problem spotted and pointed out by Andrew and a lesson duly learned) and is even more stable when she is soaking wet. Though I would not recommend the latter as a preferred method for stablising kites.
All in all and despite everything it was an enjoyable day, and given that it my second closest festival I shall go back next year with or with out the club kites. It just now remains to sort out Olli's travel back to Brighton along with all her accoutrements less 20ft of lifter line.
Facebook Photos
www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28506&l=88b704d4ce&id=1349240015
Picasa Photos
picasaweb.google.com/batchoy22/DunstableKiteFestival2009?feat=directlink
Facebook Video
www.facebook.com/v/1188052145334
Andrew Beattie's photos can be found here
www.tug.com/blog/20090719_Dunstable/
