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By Leslie Hunt
If the bridle intersection is too high, the kite will lie too flat, but will probably fly in a light breeze. If the intersection is too low, the kite becomes top-heavy and goes round and round or darts violently. Persistent darting to one side is probably due to the bridle being too short on that side. The towing point should be shifted accordingly. Sometimes a "foxy" kite may be improved by using a longer bridle; that is, by having the towing point farther from the kite.
Various ways of attaching bridles have been explained in the foregoing chapters, but conditions and methods of kite making practiced by others may make changes necessary.
If it is necessary to alter the position of the towing point, do so cautiously an inch at a time. All the loops of the bridle must be changed if the alteration is very much. Adjust the vertical string from the top, and the horizontal strings from both sides making fast after each adjustment. If the towing string slips along the bridle, it may be kept in place with a drop of glue.
Darting may also be due to a lack of tail in the tailed kites or to a lack of bow in the bow kites. The necessary corrections are easily made. If the darting takes the form of rather large circles, causing the kite to gradually lose altitude, tighten the lower loop of the bridle a little without lowering the towing point. That is, equalize the pull on the upper and lower part of the bridle. Tailed kites usually ride at about 45 degrees from the vertical, the tail flowing away at a greater angle. Bow and box kites should lie flatter when flying.
Box kites sometimes fly with the long sticks in a horizontal position and refuse to climb. In this case, fix a bridle to the kite so the towing point will lie at a distance from the kite equal to about half its height and about one fifth or one third the distance from the top. If the wind is strong, use one third; If very faint, try one fifth.
Too much tail causes a kite to rise slowly and to be sluggish in the air. Determine the least tail required and add a little, as the breeze may be fresher aloft and more tail will be needed. Too much bow lessens the lifting power of a bow kite and has a tendency to make the kite top-heavy. If the surfaces or cells of a box kite are too close together, the kite will be unsteady as will the tetrahedral kites if made with unbroken surfaces very much larger than the one described in this book.
Having acquired some knowledge of kites and flying, you are now in a position to plan and make stunt kites of various kinds.
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