Kite Blog
09/03/2025 Blackheath
During the week we have had a warming trend which is likely to be reversed in the next few days. Despite a heavy cough/cold I managed to get to Blackheath hoping to enjoy some early spring sunshine.
There was a 7-8mph breeze so mid vent Revs were flown for most of the session. I had figured that I would not be comfortable putting the JMH Four Diamonds together and opted to try the 1992 Parafoil to see how it performed in the lighter breeze.
I actually managed an unanchored solo ground launch, laying the kite on its side and letting it gradually inflate, choosing a moment to step back to complete the process and get it airborne!
I will put some images on the site as the kite looked great in the sunny conditions.
Felix
02/03/2025 Blackheath
So it appears that I failed to make a posting last weekend 23rd February 2025 because I was so distracted by posting images of the parafoil kite that we flew for the first time on Blackheath. The same almost happened today after a similar 'first flight' of the 3m Rokkaku.
I had been watching the weather forecasts closely before both weekends and had judged the 15mph wind for last Sunday as viable, just, for the small Parafoil and today’s 3mph just viable for the 3m Rokkaku!
On both occasions we had great flights and that paves the way for Cervia planning.
I have to make frames for the Rokkaku and also the 1988 Flare kite. Some spars have been ordered from Revolution and other components are here already…
I doubt that the Flare spars will be ready next weekend but they should be available for Sunday 16th March.
Felix
16/02/2025 Blackheath
It was very grey in Hackney but on the way towards the river there was brightness to the south. The sun broke through the clouds on the way up the hill.
While it was not warm in the steady easterly breeze there was plenty of UV so my glasses took on their darkest tint.
RSS sails were very comfortable and easily holding a horizontal. leading edge up, hover.
A quite vigorous interactive flight helped keep the cold at bay but at 5C I regretted leaving my gloves at home, again!
The delivery from Colorado is due on Wednesday so next Sunday may be an opportunity to try a new sail. There is possibly a shift in weather patterns on the way as well!
Felix
09/02/2025
I did travel to Blackheath but the drizzle was only just holding off and the breeze was far less than the forecast 6mph from the north east so I did not fly any kites.
I took a stroll to the 'centre of the universe' (Greenwich Meridian) and spent a few minutes looking at the cityscape which was quite dramatic with low cloud and local brightness.
There will be some 'new' kites arriving in the near future all being well. That has made planning for Cervia a bit easier. I started actual work on preparing new spars for the JMH Four Diamonds 1993 kite in the last few days.
Felix
02/02/2025 Blackheath
Clear blue sky with a light southerly breeze was quite a change. The breeze was possibly a bit more than 5mph but I started with a Zen and then switched to a full sail 1.5. The smaller sail was more comfortable and was fine for slow flying as well.
I did get to fly with that 2014 ECM session with Jakob Bro. I also listened to one of the keyboard doodles that I have been preparing having tried it on one of the JMH videos earlier in the week. At the very least, the sound quality is good but whether it 'works' is another matter.
The signs are up on the Blackwall Tunnel approaches announcing the charges from April 7th. By then thoughts will be focused on the Cervia event.
Felix
26/01/2025
Gale force winds did not seem to reach London and the rain only arrived at the end of the morning but the forecast was sufficient to put me off travelling to Blackheath.
I was a little later at Lauriston Village than usual; parking was not as easy and the queue at the bakers was long.
I travelled to the Argyll Estate tip on the way home to empty the car of 'stuff' from the loft we had loaded on Saturday!
Felix
19/01/2025 Blackheath
The anticyclonic murk has descended again so it was a grey morning on Blackheath.
There was a light SE breeze so I was able to fly the 1.5m Rokkaku kite that was 'found' recently in the loft at Hackney. On unrolling it I spotted the makers label which dates the kite as 1988 made by Morgan Kites of York.
The kite was almost stable on about 200ft/60m of line but mostly needed some input and running line downwind.
I set up a Zen again but did not fly all that long as the sail was just a bit overpowered and the prospect of changing kites in the cold conditions was not appealing.
Felix
12/01/2025 Blackheath
It was sunny in Hackney when I set out but there was thick fog on the way to Blackheath close to the river.
There was an almost clear blue sky on Blackheath apart from an advancing high level bank of cloud to the west and north.
I did set up a Zen but the air movement was hardly perceptible and from most points of the compass. A new release (11/2024) of an ECM session from 2014 led by Jakob Bro provided an interesting backdrop for standing around feeling the sun radiating enough heat to warm the surface of my outer layers!
Having flown for a few minutes I eventually wound the very wet lines and packed the equally wet kite just before 11:00. The bank of cloud had been steadily approaching and it was completely clouded over by the time I was back in Hackney.
Felix
05/01/2025
Overnight snow had mostly melted by the time I travelled to Lauriston Village but the rain was heavy.
No kite flying today so our New Year flight may be on the 12th January!
Felix
January 2025Felix Mottram