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OUR FAVORITE FLYING LOCATIONS in the Portland, OR area are Delta Park West and the Columbia River beach on Marine Drive adjacent to 42nd Street boat ramp.

DELTA PARK WEST IS NEXT TO THE PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY. It should not be confused with Delta Park East where the baseball and soccer fields are. Delta Park West is a large grassy field next to the yellow Light Rail Train’s park and ride lot and the entrance to PIR. If driving, take I-5 to the PIR exit, and follow the signs to the entrance to the racetrack. Park next to the field in paved lot. You can judge wind speed by the flags on top the race track entrance. The field is grass until late July and early August when it gets dry. Fly in the south non-dog area away from the power lines. Great place for single line kites flown no higher than 400 feet. (more…)

I SAW THE NEW ZEPHYR KITE on Monday the 11th of June at Prism. I hefted the kite with my hand. It weighed nothing. And with a 92.5 inch wingspan, we’re talking a large kite. The P-100 Sky Shark spars keep the weight down, and the polyester sail will stay lighter - not absorbing moisture as nylon will. As I spoke to Mark Reed, I was struck again with, here was a brilliant kite designer who was also a fanatic for detail and quality. He reached for a pair of tiny sewing scissors and snipped off a thread no longer than one of the whiskers on my 5 o’clock shadow face. Mark leaves no detail unfinished, both in kite design and quality. He has incorporated Prismatex mylar near the leading edge to gain a longer stall and give more control in freestyle tricks. The wind across this slick fabric moves with less resistance than across the polyester. The wing tips will have rubber vinyl covers and all the freestyle tricks will be possible without the added gimmicks of kites like the French Connection’s “roll bars”. (more…)

Last night I flew the floater for the first time. Strangely, I was flying a discontinued kite from HQ Kites. We purchased 8 of the last ones, and have them for sale while they last.

It was a cold day, 50 degrees. And the wind was only registering 3.5 on my meter. Not many kites in most folks bags will fly in that low a wind. But here in Portland, we keep some low wind kites in our bags for just such a day. The flags on the Portland Raceway field were just barely flying on the pole. So I chose the Floater. I was not disappointed. It performed beautifully. At 63 inches by 31 inches, this kite is moderately quick. Pull in this low wind is light, but the kite is very responsive. Turns are definite. The kite comes with 65 feet of Dyneema line (read European Spectra). I think 50 foot would be better in such low wind. 65 feet was a bit long for my taste. But it performed well. This kite meets my requirement of: velcro closure at the base of the spine, has well seated standoffs, and strong bridle. The case has velcro openings at top and bottom. How many times have you tried to get a standoff out of the bottom of a long narrow case? And there is a separate pocket for the line set. Just remove the retail card and you’ve got a pocket for a lineset. The spars are 4 mm Carbon. (more…)

A new color scheme has emerged lately, especially among young people. Everything from furniture to bedding and even wedding colors are boasting this new palate. And Prism has captured this color and added it across their existing kite lineup, as well as on some exciting new kites. Citrus is their newest color combination, and it is beautiful. It looks great in the sky. You are not likely to have anything in your kite bag this color.

Almost all of Prism’s kites are now available in citrus, including: the Nexus, Quantum, Hypnotist, and their brand new low wind Zephur. Also, the tried and true Triad, and the new EO6 and EO10, come in citrus. The new Snapshot Parafoil is available in a citrus lime too.

Watch for reviews of the new Zephur dual line, the Snapshot Parafoil, and Stowaway Diamonds with Fractal-based geometric patterns. And as always, these new colors and styles from Prism are ultra high quality and sure to give great flight. Check them out at the on-line flag and kite store www.elmersflag.com. Not just a kite store, America’s largest flag store!

Many kite manufacturers, having their kites made in China, do not get any replacement parts for their kites. They simply do not have a single part to replace those broken in shipment to dealers, returned because the part is defective, etc. In extreme need, they may even take parts out of unsold kites on their shelf. But usually they cannot provide any replacements. Instead they rely on the dealer to stock a variety of parts, from which the replacement part is cut to size and substituted for the original part. For single line kites, this usually works. Although many times the replacement is not the same weight, thus throwing off the delicate balance of the kite. (more…)