Line Tie-Ups and Tears… Oh My!!!

Well, no sooner did I have Faye Ray in the air the week before last when my pilot veered off in heavier winds and she spun (forever and a day) around the line of a nearby ray – UGH! FORTUNATELY, professional kite builder Tony Killip is assessing the damage to the bridle and repairing it – Thank you Tony! Fingers crossed, as the kite itself appeared to be unscathed.

Likely the 115ft turbine flying at the bottom of my line added to the unstable movement above. Incidentally, that turbine received a 20-inch rip along the seam likely from snagging on the ice. And to add insult to injury, last weekend it actually flew off the carabiner when the strap holding it on split from the force of 30 mph wind gusts. Would have liked to have seen that when it happened. The trees at the lake edge stopped it and likely contributed to 10ft rip along the seam at the end – UGH! FORTUNATELY, Mrs. Sherman sewed up everything like new!

All of this is to say that these things happen from time to time. I’m all the wiser for having experienced these mishaps now, and am not nearly as upset as I thought I’d be. It’s hard to let much of anything to dampen your spirit when at a kite festival. The fact of the matter is it could have been far worse. Sometimes it’s worth being last on the field so you can position yourself farther away from the activity that would otherwise build up around you.

Conclusion… I need to learn to sew.