Multi-Line Kites by Purpose
Here are specific examples of Multi-Line Kites by purpose
Sport Kites
Sport and stunt kites are kites that use more than one flying line to launch the kite into the air and to control its flight patterns. Dual line (2-line) and quad line (4-line) kites are most commonly seen.
These kites are designed for the purpose of making high performance maneuvers in flight.
Power Kites
Generally designed to maximize power and pull on land, water, ice and snow, various types of power kites are commonly used as “engines” to pull land boards (mountain boards), kite surf boards, skis, snowboards or specially designed 3-wheeled buggies… While basic training and good equipment selection will allow you to direct and use such energy, power kites do have the potential to generate enormous amounts of pull and should be handled with extreme safety.
Power Foils are parafoil designs that have been adapted with dual- or quad- line controls, power and performance enhancements, as well as a number of safety features. WARNING: These kites can produce tremendous power and should be used with extreme caution.
Framed Power Kites are ideal for traction use (buggies, kiteboarding, etc) due to less predictability and handling on the edge of the window, the rigidity of Framed Power Kites can sometimes provide power in lighter wind ranges when others cannot. These are specially designed power kites with spars, but traditional framed sport kites can also be stacked to multiply the amount of power. WARNING : These kites can produce tremendous power and should be used with extreme caution.
C-kites (also called LEI kites), are typically made with an inflatable plastic bladder that spans the front edge of the kite with separate smaller bladders that are perpendicular to the main bladder to form the chord or foil of the kite. The inflated bladders give the kite its shape and also keep the kite floating once dropped in the water. LEIs are the most popular choice among kitesurfers thanks to their quicker and more direct response to the rider’s inputs, easy relaunching once crashed into the water, and resilient nature.
Bow kites (also called flat LEI kites) were developed with features including a concave trailing edge, a shallower arc in planform, and frequently a bridle along the leading edge. These features allow the kite’s angle of attack to be more easily altered and thus adjust the amount of power being generated to a much greater degree than previous LEIs. These kites can be fully depowered, which is a significant safety feature. They can also cover a wider wind range than a comparable C-shaped kite.
