Power Kite Forum

Measuring Wind?

d2mini - 9-4-2014 at 12:06 PM

I know, i know… most of you can probably just "feel" the wind speed like Luke Skywalker feels the force. But this newb had his own OH #@%$#!! moment yesterday when he took his Ozone Quattro 2.5 in what must have been 25mph winds rather than the 8mph winds that wunderground had on their website for my little town. :o

Kite took off into the sky like a freakin rocket, pulling me every which way, slamming into the ground (the kite, not me), rocketing back up into the sky, repeat, lots of twisting, more dragging, and then finally me wrestling the thing to the ground (brakes not doing much of anything, btw) and throwing myself on top of the twisted mess to keep it from relaunching, even at the edge of the wind window. Luckily no one else was around. :smilegrin:

So um, other than experience, is there any kind of device that's worth a darn? Something that will at least get me close to true wind speeds?

And now I'm thinking there may be a reason for those multiple knots on my brake lines? I have mine set to the middle knot. Would using a different knot on the lines have helped me get the kite to the ground any easier???

abkayak - 9-4-2014 at 12:21 PM


imo..forget those toys your doing great:thumbup::thumbup
i think w/ kitting its more important to know what not to do than what to do..you lived thru that so now you know better..sounds like you have to grab the next knot closeset to the kite so you have more brakes
or go out w/ the power lines either way

RedSky - 9-4-2014 at 12:43 PM

You know next time not to fly that kite in those winds, so therefore you're already halfway there to knowing how to judge wind speed using the force.

You can buy a wind meter or Anemometer if you want to be posh about it. I use mine (Skywatch Xplorer) to verify wind speeds for YouTube videos, anything else and you look like you're standing there making an offering to the wind gods.

d2mini - 9-4-2014 at 12:59 PM

haha, yeah… but other than "don't do that again", i have no idea what the wind speeds really were. I just through that 25mph out there. Whatever it was, it was at the limit of this kite. So I feel like I could use some kind of gauge in the beginning in order for me to learn what different wind speeds feel like. I'll check out that skywatch…

I have a crappy plastic gauge with what looks like a styrofoam bead in it that came with one of my prism kites. Doesn't work worth a darn.

abkayak - 9-4-2014 at 01:13 PM

no it was your limit at the time...you will be dominating those winds w/ that kite soon enough... i wont tell you not to do it again and redsky didnt meen it like that..we want you to do it again..just in due time more on your terms :D have fun

d2mini - 9-4-2014 at 01:16 PM

hmmm… ok… then off to amazon to look at wind meters and saving the power of The Force to control the damn kite! :D

BeamerBob - 9-4-2014 at 01:41 PM

http://weatherflow.com/windmeter/

This is the one I use now if I really want to put a number to it. No batteries to keep up with and it's very accurate.

pongnut - 9-4-2014 at 01:50 PM

It looks like you were in some pretty gusty crap - here are some windalert graphs from yesterday near you in Katy. That kind of wind will definitely keep you on your toes! Try to deploy those kite-killers before slamming it into the ground. ;)


Katy Windalert Yesterday.png - 32kB Katy 2 Windalert Yesterday.png - 33kB

ssayre - 9-4-2014 at 01:54 PM

The wind meter will only help so much, remember the winds can change while your flying. I don't use a windmeter but I do use the weather.com app on my phone. If you get the app and goto the "hourly" button on the top then click on each individual hour it will have a fairly accurate reading for current wind and wind to come during that hour. I use that pretty regularly especially when I get a new kite and want to be extra cautious. Plus I'm too cheap to buy a fancy wind meter.

d2mini - 9-4-2014 at 02:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by pongnut  
It looks like you were in some pretty gusty crap - here are some windalert graphs from yesterday near you in Katy. That kind of wind will definitely keep you on your toes! Try to deploy those kite-killers before slamming it into the ground. ;)




Yup, i was out there around 2pm!!!

BeamerBob - 9-4-2014 at 02:17 PM

That weatherflow meter is only $35 and you can post results online with it. It's way more convenient that the LaCrosse meter I had that I had to take out the lithium battery after use or it would be dead next time. I'll use it only if I'm waffling between 2 different kites and knowing the actual number will nudge me to one kite or another. Nothing beats seeing someone else getting along fine with what you were planning on taking out, or even better, being happy with the kite you launched.

Bladerunner - 9-4-2014 at 05:09 PM

I get a whole lot more information buy flying something. A spinner sock is the ultimate. Even a flag will tell me more than an wind meter. The spinner tells me the wind direction. If it is steady or gusty and the speed at a glance.

A wind meter tells you the wind speed at your head and very little about direction. Your kite will be up where the wind is typically stronger / different. You have to stop and check a wind meter rather than glance at a flag.

I know I have a wind meter someplace but haven't used in many, many years.

If you want spend good money on a gadget that will tell you all sorts of cool stuff, get a GPS !

Know not what knot ...

skimtwashington - 9-4-2014 at 05:49 PM

In explanation to the knots on your handles brake LEAD lines(where you attach the FLYING lines) and where you should attach them:

All four lines should be attached initially on same knot or same distance from handle. Initially, what knot does not matter but for easier adjustment if needed later the MIDDLE knot may be preferred so movement to a different knot in either direction can be made.

Two reasons for knots on handles' lead line( on brake, power or both preferrably):

First...For a those that don't like an even balance-(some may like a little more brake, some may like a little less) you can move fly line attachment to a knot that is not the same distance from handle as where the power lines or brake lines are attached.You can 'tune' using either the power lines or brake lines- if you have additional knot to move to(farther or closer to handles).

The second and primary reason for these adjustment knots:

The brake and power lines start out in almost all cases the same exact length, but lines can stretch. This happens 99% time on power lines as they bear most of the load. When it stretches too much....this can effect how the kite flies, how easy it will launch/land/control.

Adjustment to get the lines back in balance is either by shortening the power lines or 'letting out'(lengthening) the brake lines by attaching farther away from handles than than the power line. The goal is to get all 4 lines the same length again.

The alternative would to remove a set of lines and cut and re-loop, re-sheath one end....something best avoided for this easier moving to a different knot adjustment!

Kiteflyer933 - 9-4-2014 at 06:21 PM

Just thought I'm the only one so concern about the windspeed.....I suggest to use couple of free apps like what I have in my Iphone....I always check AccuWeather, Weathernet, ikitesurf, Windfinder and WindAlert before kiting....I also have a weatherflow meter and a cheap portable windmeter that you can buy at Amazon.com. The Apps were the best wind predictors if you will fly not too far from the location of their windsensors that are scattered in specific locations on their map (example, you are flying within 20km from their sensor) that you can view from within the apps. The weatherflow meter is also quite good and tells wind direction and gust, but must add about 4 digit from its reading (example, reading is 21mph....actual is 25mph)....I reported this inaccuracy to the inventor but he said, this meter is calibrated from the tower (like airport) which is above ground and clear from anything that might affect the reading. So, perfect meter for Aircraft pilots and ship/boats.......and the cheap portable windmeters that needs battery from dollar store....well for me this is not a bad meter for the reading is closer to the wind prediction of my apps and shows temperature but no wind gust and direction reading......works fine as long as you will turn off the power right away after using....and perfect use for water/beach kiters that can accidently get wet and nothing to worry...(this is my second Iphone 4s).......But if you are one of the elite kite guru's with many years of flying experiences, you don't need multiple apps or meters like me....maybe just one or feeling the windforce is enough to a wiseman.:D

indigo_wolf - 9-4-2014 at 07:13 PM

My favorite rendition of the "old school" method for measuring wind.

(click image to view fullsize in a new browser window)



ATB,
Sam

Nfish - 9-4-2014 at 08:13 PM

Didn't know there's another guy here around Houston. Give us a holler next time you go out and play in the wind. We'll make sure you don't get blown away :D