Finally and for the first time this year we managed to get out and get in some flying time. Whilst yesterday’s weather wasn’t perfect – 15mph gusting 27mph – it was sunny and dry, and boy was it good to blow away the cobwebs. Probably because of the high winds the Heath was clear and not another kite flyer in sight, just a few dog walkers.

The greater part of the session was spent trimming the bridle on the Yin-yang Koi Rok, or at least rough trimming it. This was the first time the kite had been flown, so the bridle had only been workshop set and without the pull of the wind on the kite it is difficult to set the lines of a six point bridle; particularly the centre ones running to the spine.

With the bridle trimmed the kite just sat there rock solid in the sky. Unfortunately by this time the wind was just too strong to unhook the line from the ground anchor and see how the kite behaved as a fighter, and practice a few moves. In fact the wind was getting so strong that I decided to call it day, as the anchor was starting to shift; the ground being so soft and damp after all the rain we have had.

Normally I use a corkscrew dog tethers as anchor, however whilst these have the advantage of not requiring a hammer to get them in the ground, they only penetrate a relatively short distance, so when the ground is soft they can pull out, it was therefore with interest that I read and article in this quarter’s issue of The Kiteflier magazine on Ground Anchors. I have some stainless steel bar in the workshop so come the next rainy weekend I shall probably design and make my self a collapsible three point anchor.