Kite Lines - Vol.3 No. 1 - KiteLife

DesignvWorkshopCOMPANION KITESFOR FUN AND GAMES :THE SHOOTING ARROWAND THE BULL'S-EYE TARGETBy Ed GrauelIt seems the hottest thing in kiting todayis the two-line control kite . It comes inseveral shapes and sizes for flying invarious quantities and combinations .Actually, almost any type of kite can beconverted into a satisfactory dual-linecontrollable . On-the-air kites (such as flat,bowed, keeled, box, parawing) are usuallyquite sensitive to the control lines and requiresome training or practice to stuntthem properly . Against-the-air kites (suchas parafoil, sled, rotor) are generally moreforgiving under control, but look prettymuch the same in the air whether flyingsideways, right-side-up or upside down .You can achieve the happy combinationof a readily recognizable stuntingkite with ease of control by use of abowed kite in the form of an arrow-whichalways points in the direction it is going!Then you can combine it with a targetkite at which to shoot .THE SHOOTING ARROWThe arrow itself is cut out in solid-coloredfabric, paper or plastic and the rest of thekite is clear vinyl, which is usually invisiblefrom a few feet below . The design is notdifficult except for the problem of cuttingout pieces which have to fit and be attachedto each other . This means youshould allow about four hours to completethe job .MATERIALS• A 30x36" piece of plastic, Tyvek ® orfabric .• Apiece of clear vinyl 8x17" or 11x14" .Examples are Plastiglass, Clopane or Flex-O-Glass, obtainable at larger building andsupply stores .• Three 1/a"-dia . dowels, one 36" long,one 30" long and the third 6 1/2" long .• Two 3" lengths of flexible tubing with1/ iiinside dimension .• Four eyelets .• One small screw eye .• A 6 t length of cord suitable for bridling .TOOLSIn addition to scissors, ruler, markingpencil and glue, a quarter-inch drill andan eyelet punch are needed . A sewingmachine is optional .INSTRUCTIONS1 . Start by cutting out an arrow shape 36"high by 30 fl wide, as shown in the drawing. If the angles prove difficult, try cuttingthe kite in diamond shape along thedotted lines, then cut away the transparentareas . If the kite is to be made in fabricand sewn, add provision for a 1 1/a 11 spacevertically in the center of the kite for apocket to hold a 1/a??-dia . dowel, 3611 long,as a center mast . If the material you areusing requires hems to prevent raveling,add a half-inch at the top and on the sidesfor hemming . In a pocket, the mast willhave to be tied in by drilling an % " holenear the top and bottom of the dowel,and a cord pulled through the fabric andthe mast with a needle, and then tied .2 . Using a clear vinyl, cut out two halfrectangularsections to go on the sidesand one triangular area for the bottom ofthe kite . As shown in the drawings, 1/2"spaces are provided to allow overlappingof the body of the kite, either by sewingor by suitable adhesion .3 . A 1/" dia . dowel, 30" long, is used as aspreader . It may be fitted with curtain