Dual Line Parafoil Kites

Beach flying is best!

Anything that's strong enough will work, but the most popular line materials are Dacron (a brand of polyester) and Spectra (a special type of polyethylene). Nylon is usable too, but it feels like you are flying with rubber bands! Dacron is better than nylon and is popular for single-line kites too, where stretch doesn't matter at all.

Spectra, which happens to be very low-stretch, is the ultimate mass-produced line material for multi-line kites. It is extremely strong for its weight too. Hence, a set of Spectra lines can be quite thin and still do the job. Thin lines have less air resistance and let the kite move faster through the air. Do you have the need for speed?

Here's one little-known fact... Apparently, Spectra has a relatively low melting point. This means friction from lines of other materials can easily slice it through despite its high tensile strength at lower temperatures. Gulp. Don't tangle with other kites.

Let's move on to handles. The pricier kites often come with a bar, as opposed to two separate handles. This arrangement offers more comfortable and precise flying, particularly with the larger kites. If the bar is anchored by your body, that takes a lot of stress off your arms while you fly. Wind surfers do this all the time.

Photo courtesy of Sookie

Yes, if you fly a dual-line parafoil kite, you are entitled to call yourself a pilot! Well, make that a kite pilot to be more precise.

Age

Adults are stronger than young teens, who in turn are stronger than even younger children. A person's strength and weight determines how much kite pull they can safely handle. Although other design factors can influence how hard a kite pulls in any given wind speed, the main one is simply size. More sail area equals a stronger pull on those flying lines. Hence, it pays to take notice of the age ratings on dual-line power kites. Also, be careful about taking any big kite out in strong wind conditions!

Skill/experience

Among a group of pilots the same age, those with superior kite-handling skills will be able to safely fly somewhat bigger kites. They know how to position the kite to reduce the pull when necessary—not to mention when to give up and let go or use the de-power feature! But then, their superior knowledge would probably lead them to not even attempt to fly in such conditions.

Have fun! Picture yourself on the sand, in a stiff smooth breeze. (The kite in the photo looks like it has a couple of brake lines as well but it's essentially being flown as a dual-line kite.)