The California Wasp Hospital


	Dozens of times people have come up to me and said "hey my kite won’t do that" or "would you fly my kite, I think something is wrong with it!" This happens with all kinds of kites, and I can usually help out in some way if not to just to reassure them it will in fact "do that"! Often an owner of a "California Wasp" kite will come to me with their kite and ask for a tune up. I know these kite intimately as I have flown them almost exclusively for many years. Here is what I look for and hopefully this will help you as well .... I’ll look at the connector locations, it seems like this is THE most common thing I find wrong. The hole in top connector should be glued (with the top spreader out) approx. 3/8 of an inch from the top of the cutout in the sail. It should almost touch the cutout without the top spreader out. the end of the "hose’ should be pointing down as shown in Figure 1. The end of bottom connector should just touch the cutout. The end of the "hose" connector should be slipped on the rod pointing "up" towards the nose as shown in Figure 2. I will look at the bridle connections <second most common problem!> The brildes are connected with a twisted larkshead...with one loop on the rod above the connector, the other loop on the connector NOT on the rod below the connector as I often see it. This can make about 1/2 inch of difference in the length of the bridle which translates to adjustment. Refer to Figure's 1 and 2 for clarity. Figure 1. Upper Spreader Connector Figure 2. Lower Spreader Connector The bridle line as it comes off the connector's should be on top of the connector, not from the bottom. I’ll check the bridle connection at the center T. This connection is a regular larkshead. A larkshead has two loops, one loop should be above the T the other below the T. So looking at the back of the kite (Figure 3), at the back of the T there should be two loops around the rod below the connector and two loops around the rod above the T......made up of one loop from the left bridle and one loop from the right bridle, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5. Figure 3. Rear Side View of T-fitting Figure 4. Front View of T-fitting Figure 5. Closeup Front View of T-fitting I will check that the leading edge rods are all he way up in the nose, weak bungies or a replaced rod that is too short will sometimes result in the "slip down disease". The cure for this is usually new bungie or most of us use sections of bicycle inner tube, I cut mine about a quarter inch wide. These bands are poked thru the small hole (where the bungie usually goes) and both ends are looped over the nock. These bands are stronger and last longer than chord bungie and can be replaced is seconds AND are always equal in tension. I’ll check the bridles themselves, by holding them by the clip, (most wasps have clips) and pulling them straight away from the kite the middle leg should have a little slack in it, this leg is only used when there is pressure on the kite. Then still holding the clip I will swing it towards the leading edge. For the modern wasps(of the last four or five years) the connector should touch the edge tape somewhere just under the leading edge rod. If it doesn’t an adjustment is made taking the wind conditions in to account. I adjust my bridles constantly for wind conditions. For lower winds the "clip" is adjusted to "hit" the edge tape in the lower portion of the tape. As the winds go up so do the bridles for average to high winds the "clip" should be just under the leading edge rod. Special Note: In very high wind it is not uncommon for me to have my bridles adjusted so the clip is as much as an inch outside of the frame! With these visual and bridal checks made (and corrected) I will then fly the kite. I'm looking for the kite to Lock in a turn and be stable. If the kite oversteers or seems unstable it means the top spreader needs to move down a little, I will move both connectors down maybe an eighth of an inch and test again. If the kite still exhibits unusual character traits I will then check the spreader lengths. I can’t tell you how many times I have found replaced spreaders that are cut "close enough". The top spreader has to be 17 inches long and must be inserted all the way into the connector.....even if its hard to get out! The cut length (not counting the ferrule) of the bottom spreader is 29 3/4 inches long.

	Note: If you have any specific questions regarding your kite or problems you are experiencing on the flying field, use the "Email" button below and I will post your question with the possible prescription.