After finding some cool (and simple) kite plans on the internet, we scoured the place for building materials and ended up with a garbage bag, a cedar plank, some poly string and a roll of, you guessed it, duct tape!
It took longer than expected but by about 2 PM we had this:
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| Dave showing off our new toy. |
We hooked it up to a Penn downrigger rod and reel and in 18 knot winds we let it go.
Holly crap! And "GO" it did! This thing just wanted to go up! And UP. And UP.
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| Dave staring into the sun |
After about 20 minutes of flight we decided to bring it in and attach the GoPro.
That's when the 20 lb. test line broke. We watched our project disappear behind the cedars on its way to the Bustards, in perfect controlled flight I might add.
We took the Lund to conduct a search, and against all odds, Dave found it virtually unscathed, floating about 500 yards south of the cottage.
We flew it again at sundown, in about 8 kt. winds and got it up to 600 ft. We brought it down and tried to fly it with the GoPro attached but the wind was dying and it was getting dark so after two near crashes,we packed it in. I think we mounted the camera too high on the frame, making the kite unstable.
Dave is heading home tomorrow. We must try this again some time. In the meantime we'll leave the kite in the cottage for anyone else who might want to fly it.
BTW the new fridge is working out fantastic. It seems to have unlimited space and keeps everything cold on a setting of 2 out of 5. AND......it doesn't freeze the veggies.
Went to have a shower last night and the propane water heater wouldn't ignite. After cursing and swearing and throwing things around for a while, it started working again. I am documenting this so if anyone else has problems with it, they'll know how to fix it.
In other news....and this is huge! I caught a fish!!! Nice walleye near the base of the Dalles.
Check this out.
Unfortunately it was just inside the slot, at 21", so we let him go.
Time to wrap this up, there's ice cream waiting for me in the freezer :)
another attempt... Nice fish!
ReplyDeleteIf this brief comment is successfully posted, I'll have another go next post.
OK, so that worked. Getting back to the kite, I can see a few opportunities for added fun here. F'r instance, we could hang a cut-out of a cormorant behind it, and blast away with the shotgun (while making a bona fide effort to minimiize collateral damage, of course). Or launch an estes rocket at it. Or, better still, hang a kick-ass fire=works off it and do a night launch... the possibilities seem endless. anyhow, great posts bro, keep em coming.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking we should build a really BIG kite and use it to pull the Kiwi Canoe.
ReplyDeleteOf course, you'd have to paddle back...