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Line, Winders & Accessories

The kite is an experimental scaled-up Wildcard >

About flying lines:
• Choosing flying line
• Line care
• Knots

Catalog:
• Spools and flying line
• Snap Swivels
• Ready-made linkages for falconry
• Carabiners, clips, rings, etc.

Sources:
• Other spools and winders
• Other UK line and kitemaking suppliers
• Wind meters, lightning detectors, etc.

Credit/debit card payments:
• Most customers worldwide can pay on-line through PayPal; US and UK customers can also use Google Checkout; UK customers can also pay using NoChex

Flying Line

The line is an integral part of the kite+line system.

Line is chosen on the basis of both the size of the kite and the wind it flies in. You need light line for small kites and heavier line for big ones, and for any given size you need light line for light wind and heavy line for strong wind.

Rough guide to choosing flying lines:
For light wind, use a breaking strain (in pounds) of 2 to 3.5 times the square footage of the kite (rounded to the nearest square foot).
5 or 6 times the wing area is "normal," while for stronger winds use 8 times or more.

Typical flying line: braided polyester. It has low stretch (~4% max) which gives good responsiveness. It's reasonably priced, though price varies with quality. It's made for fishing and therefore readily available. Go for uncoated line, or a non-sticky coating. Waxed line can stick to itself on reels, requiring you to pull the line off by hand in light breezes.

The cheapest lines are twisted nylon and monofilament nylon. I still use some old twisted nylon on one reel. Although initially it's a little too stretchy, it's durable and really good for tying knots. Monofilament, also commonly used for angling, is relatively inexpensive, and because it's so smooth gives good flying angles. However tempting, it should be avoided for serious kite flying. While safe to use when brand new, it can part suddenly without warning after it's been used a few times. All it takes is one little innocuous kink to weaken it at a point, creating a stress concentration. You probably won't notice anything until it's too late.

Top of the food chain are the so-called "high tech" lines. These are aramid and coramid fiber lines with sensational strength for their thickness. They go by a variety of trade names. A line that looks like dental floss can have a breaking strain of nearly 200 pounds. Low weight and minimal drag mean high flights and stupendous flying angles, and with almost zero stretch kites flown on them are super-responsive. They do not come cheap, and there are a couple of other downsides to them in addition to cost.

One is that they can be downright dangerous, especially on big kites that pull hard. Think cheese cutter. They have been known to lop the top off the metal frame of a baby's pram. They've sliced through gloves, skin and tendons. And they cut through themselves wherever there's pressure, i.e. at all knots. These lines must be threaded through sleeves of braid wherever knotted, which means field repairs require not only advance planning but also a significant time slot. Some flyers feel the gain in performance is worth the effort. In light winds these lines are peerless, and in strong winds their drag is minimal, so kites can climb to much steeper angles than they could with ordinary line. 1,000 feet of 80lb twisted nylon has about 4 square feet of surface area and significant weight. The equivalent high tech line is much thinner and lighter, and can virtually double the performance of a kite in any wind, but heavier ones with a higher breaking strain than necessary are usually chosen for the extra margin of safety.

An assortment of lines is essential for flying in a wide range of winds.

The force the wind exerts varies with the square of the wind speed. With light line you'll get the steepest flying angle and the best possible performance in light winds and thermals, while heavier lines give more steadiness and stability in breezier conditions.

For example, consider line 1/16th of an inch in diameter. 1,000 feet adds up to over 5 square feet of surface area, which equals a fair bit of drag in addition to its shear weight. Modern, super-thin, high-tech aramid or coramid line makes a very significant difference in light winds. The reverse is true for strong winds. Extra-heavy line helps to counter-balance the pull, and the line's inertia and drag help keep everything steady, leaving the kite more manageable.

So, having a selection of lines is most useful, but if you have only one reel, the trick is to have kites for different winds that all require the particular line you've got. In practice, especially if all one's kites are within a particular size range, 2 or 3 lines cover most situations.

Line care and attention

Kite lines can break suddenly and unexpectedly. Sometimes it can take no more than a quick jerk or tug from a thermal, or a burst of turbulence. Sometimes there's an almost invisible weak spot on the line, or some small cut or wear. The line may even be brand new. As the Scouts say, "Be prepared."

Watch when winding line onto reels - make sure it goes on evenly and flat; nurture the habit of winding with a side-to-side action so you don't have to watch it constantly. The objective is to avoid a buildup of coils of line at the reel sides, which can roll off under tension. The line can then pull underneath and get severely stuck in what we call a "bird's nest."

Through normal use, kite lines eventually develop weak spots. Always keep an eye on your flying line as it goes out or comes in. Be on the lookout for frayed spots, cuts, pronounced kinks, surface abrasion - any damage that could weaken the line. Cut these out then-and-there and use a Blood Knot (or Double Grinner) to join the line. A small, sharp pocket knife (or scissors) comes in handy in the field, as does a cheap lighter for melting the raw ends of knots after trimming - in a pinch it could all be done with just a lighter. Replace worn out line before it breaks!

The last few yards of line at the swivel end is most likely to show signs of wear, and can be chopped off periodically, re-tying the swivel; this job is best done at home.

Never leave discarded sections of old flying line in the field.

A word about knots

Bear in mind that line won't be stronger than the weakest links, so it pays to learn a few good knots. Fishermen have an arsenal of excellent knots; for the rest of us a good knot book is a useful reference. Try to find one that indicates the relative strengths of the knots, and look for knots between 90 or 95 and 100% efficiency. Many common knots actually weaken the line, reducing its strength by as much as 50% or more.

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Spools, Line, Swivels, Clips & Hardware Catalog

Strong Plastic Kite Spools
UK delivery for spools: £1.90 inc VAT
8 inch/20cm Kite Spools	£4.00 (£3.48 w/o VAT)	Capacity: about 1,000 feet of 88lb line Comfortable to hold Ideal for travelling light (Click here for warning)
BRAIDED DACRON POLYESTER LINE Dacron is the trade name for this synthetic fiber in the United States, and the name is commonly recognized in other countries as well. It's also known as Terylene in Britain and most of the British Commonwealth. In France it's also Tergal; in Japan Tetoron; in Russia Lavsan.
Ockert "Climax Black" lines (black flecks on white) are durable, strong for their thickness, soft to the touch, and knot beautifully (from Germany)   Line Guide: 50-55lb for Little Bears & Whirlwinds in light winds, 55-88lb for Clippers in light winds and Whirlwinds & Wildcards in light-to-medium winds, 143lb for Wildcards in breezier weather, and anything up to 200lb (or even more) for Troopers   Please note that line is supplied with no guarantee. If the line has a knot from the manufacturer, breaks or otherwise fails unexpectedly, we cannot take responsibility for it - used with due care, with the right kite, the right knots, and the right wind, it should last many, many flights But... line can break suddenly and unexpectedly, and at much less than its rated test strength, because the test conditions are different from real life. Sometimes it can take no more than a quick jerk or tug from a thermal, or a burst of turbulence   Please read the notes: "Care of lines" and "Knots"
Outside the UK delivery cost varies with destination - export orders are normally by Air Mail / Packet
Ockert Dacron Line - prices below include UK mainland delivery by 1st Class Packet
Breaking strain	55lb test (25daN)	88lb test (40daN)			143lb test (65daN)
Length: 500m (1,642ft) [5x] 100m spools per box	£28.26 ex-VAT	£35.43 ex-VAT			£39.13 ex-VAT
UK Delivery by 1st Class Packet	£2.50 per 500m	£3.00 per 500m			£5.00 per 500m
Price including UK delivery and VAT	£35.00	£43.75			£50.00
Use good quality, strong snap swivels that can't be pulled open easily (remember Murphy's Law) and use only the strongest knots
HARDWARE: click on links for details
UK delivery for small items: 0.45p
Snap Swivels
We recommend big snap swivels for long-term durability and comfortable handling, which means choosing swivels that are significantly stronger than the line
Crane Interlock Snap Swivels		Medium: 40p each (35p w/o VAT)	Large: 60p each (52p w/o VAT)
Crosslock Snap Swivels serious swivels for serious kiteflying		"Best" quality 175lb-test crosslock snap swivel 70p each (61p w/o VAT) "Best" quality 250lb-test stainless steel crosslock snap swivel £1.75 each (£1.52 w/o VAT)
Custom Snap Swivels with hooked snaps		Mustad size 6 snaps on 150lb-test Catfish Pro rolling swivels 70p each (61p w/o VAT) Size 6 hooked snap on size 1/0 Sakuma rolling swivel 40p each (35p w/o VAT)
Custom Duolock Snap Swivels custom swivels on secure duolock snaps		"Best" quality American 150lb-test duolock snap on Sakuma size 1/0 rolling swivel 65p each (56p w/o VAT) "Best" quality American 150lb-test duolock snap on 150lb Berkley-McMahon crane swivel 80p each (70p w/o VAT)
Stainless Steel Coastlock Ball Bearing Snap Swivels with welded o-ring		Coastlock ball-bearing snap swivels size 7 for 120lb+ line £2.98 each (£2.59 w/o VAT)
Ready-made Lure Line Release Linkages for Falconry: click on links for details
UK delivery £1.00
Running Snap-Aways For clipping your lure line onto a Knotless Hanger anywhere on the kite line
On-line Snap-Away Kit Repositionable		A Running Snap-Away linkage with Hanger and mini carabiner	£13.00 (£11.06 w/o VAT)
Extra Knotless Hangers		· won't damage kite line · won't slip - shouldn't fall off · easy to attach anywhere along line	£1.75 (£1.52 without VAT) with ring for all Snap-Aways with adjustable clips
Note: click here for Line Releases on the web
Spare Clips and Rings
UK delivery for small items: 0.45p
Adjustable Clip - fits 13mm clear plastic O-rings · for falconry			£3.00 each (£2.61 without VAT)
snapgate Mini Carabiner made in EU			£3.80 each (£3.30 without VAT)
ultralight wiregate Micro Carabiner not recommended for attaching lure lines to kite lines			£1.50 each (£1.30 without VAT)
3/4" OD alloy O-ring (13.5mm ID)			10p each (9p without VAT)
1" OD alloy O-ring (18.0mm ID)			14p each (12p without VAT)
13mm clear plastic "O" Rings · choice of thin (2.0mm) or thick (2.4mm) rings · to fit Adjustable Clips			5p each (£0.04 without VAT) 10 for 40p (£0.35 without VAT)

Spools & Winders

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Deep sky reels, line, spools and swivels

In the US - but deliver world-wide:

Stockist of line, swivels, tubing, wind meters, spools, winders and the only proper "deep sky" reel I know of available anywhere

The reel pictured here was missing a nut (American standard threads, not easy to find here in the UK), which is why the screw head at the top is a bit loose.

It's always best to make sure everything is snug before using a reel for the first time, and to take tools along just in case something works loose in the field - especially when the reel is new. The central nut on the main axle and its counterpart out of sight inside the hand plate are the most likely candidates, but the nuts securing the knobs can work loose on a new reel, too, as was the case here.

Things can work loose on new reels of this type; it's worth taking one partially apart when it's new and re-assembling it to make sure everything is nice and snug before loading it up and putting it to work for the first time.

If I should ever need a new reel, it will be one of these

It's just the right size and capacity. It's smooth, well balanced, and doesn't wobble when it spins. It's almost an exact replica of the reels Gabriel at the Round Pond in London's Kensington Gardens made in the 1970s. I still use one of his originals; this one has a better finish and isn't even very expensive.

If I should ever get one of these, I might make some changes based on experience:
• I'd aim to replace the thin single hand strap with two overlapping straps of thicker, softer webbing (fixed at one end only) with Velcro^TM for adjusting the fit.
• I would try to find a shorter, domed nut for the end of the axle under the palm of the hand, and
• I'd try to find an oversized washer for the inside of the hand plate to beef it up in that area.
• I'd replace the long handles with round knobs, because if a kite suddenly pulls too hard and the reel breaks free from your grip, it can spin so fast that one or both of those handles could give your hand a very, very hard whack. That applies to all serious kite reels.
• The nuts on the ends of those knobs should be recessed with the bolt ends trimmed and ground smooth, because if a knob suddenly slips out of one's grip in a sudden surge of pull when a length of line is stretched almost to breaking, that stretch instantly contracts like a giant spring, giving the reel such an almighty spin that protruding bolt ends transform into wildly dangerous high speed meat grinders, catching fingers in the first few microseconds before their owner can react. This is generally true for all serious kite reels.

Hoop Spools

8in/20cm diameter x 1½in/4cm wide

These plastic kite spools are the next best thing to proper deep-sky reels (see below). They're light, easy to carry and inexpensive. They hold plenty of line, and wind in a lot per turn. Letting line out with drag is easy, and the grip is comfortable for any length of time.

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Some UK kiting suppliers:

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Wind meters and other weather instruments

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