FORTUNA FOUND - YOUR KITE COMMUNITY
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Wind Window
With a person standing in one spot, this is the area from the ground to overhead that the kite is able to fly. Generally, it is slightly short of a direct lateral line from the kite flyer. Wind conditions, type of kite, and a few other factors can effect the wind window.
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Fly Mart
Most commonly used to refer to the vendor market at the American Kitefliers Association Annual Convention. It is a gathering of retailers, wholesalers, and other types of vendors. The term is also sometimes used at festivals to refer to the area where kites are being sold or auctioned.
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180 GO!
A command used when flying stunt kites. Also known as 180 Now. It refers to a maneuver that is effectively turning the kite in an about face 180 degree. It is also the name of a Kite Team.
Used in a Sentence:
We are going to hover on the right side of the window. On my command 180 and move to the other side. 180 GO!
KAP - Kite Aerial Photography
Kite Aerial Photography. This involves attaching a camera either directly to a kite, or suspended from the line held aloft by a kite and photographing the surroundings. Fun fact, one of the most recognized photos in history was actually a KAP photo. KAP has been around since shortly after the advent of cameras.
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Leading Edge
This is the edge of the kite that when it is flying, is into the wind. The wind will 'strike' the leading edge, move across the sail, and then fall off the 'trailing edge' or back of the kite. While all kites have some form of a leading edge, this term is mainly used when speaking of stunt kites. In stunt kites these are reinforced spars.
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Horny Naked Buggy Chicks
Thanks to a once famous kite flier, Corey Jensen, this term came into use during long nights on the playa (dry lake bed) in Nevada. Every year there is an event hosted on the playa that brings traction/power kiters. A small group of rather intrepid folks will take off on midnight moonlight runs sans their gear. Mostly these are men, but the few ladies that opted for the 18 mile midnight trek, deemed themselves the Horny Naked Buggy Chicks.
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Kite Bum
Much like a ski bum, skater bum, or surf bum. A kite bum is someone who is always trying to fly kites. Often times leaving the van packed with kites, perhaps sleeping in their van overnight in order to get the perfect morning session. Kite bums, like their cousins are easy to spot. Flip flops, a rugged hair cut, perhaps an overall 'beach raggedness' style of clothing, and an ever present smile and zest for life.
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Shot Cars
Find a small toy car, glue a shot glass on top of it. Voila.. shot car. This is a preferred conveyance for imbibing quality liquors in some kite circles. The choice of car is generally seen as a reflection of the owner of the car. It is expected that you bring your shot car WITH you to kite events. If you are found to be missing your shot car... you may be given a loaner of questionable value.
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Bol Races
An activity at kite festivals or events that is a way of bringing the public to the kite field. A parachute like kite (Bol) has a wide strap attach to the center bridle point. Generally two participants stand together holding the large strap. On the mark, they run off across the kite field. The drag in the bol makes running hard.
Used in a Sentence:
When the wind died down, they had a Bol race across the field. The kids and adults were running as hard as they could to get to the other side!
Prostate Club
Space on the kite field is a high commodity sometimes. At the larger events, there is sometimes a group of folks that wake up super early to go stake their claim on the kite field before everyone else. Jokingly, this group is named the prostate club, as it is perhaps because of this troublesome body part that they are awake early enough to stake out their claim.
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Eight am, and already the Prostate Club has taken up the best parking and the best field.
OBE (Out of Buggy Experience)
Also sometimes called a 'James Bond'. When a power kiter is in a buggy (three wheeled cart that uses kite power to move) and they are going along, enjoying the moment... Then BAM something happens, be it a wind gust, or an unintended power up of the kite, and it lifts the flier up out of the buggy and sends them flying. Imagine the ejector seat from the James Bond movies... POOF! there goes the kite flier up and away.
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Sand Anchor
Large kites need large anchors to keep them from slipping away. An easy way to accomplish this is by taking a large tarp, or specifically designed bag, dig a hole in the sand, fill said bag or tarp with sand. Then attach the line to the bag/tarp. This creates a heavy anchor that can hold the kite but is easy to transport and recreate.
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Tip Stab
A sport kite specific term used mainly for dual line kites, but can sometimes be used for quad line kites. It refers to when the kites' tip end of the leading edge (opposite of the nose on a dual line kite) is put into the ground while the kite is balanced. An effective tip stab is a balancing act with the kite having only one point of contact on the ground.
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Boharted
A term named after an expert kitebuilder by the name of Ron Bohart. His creations are detailed and large. Due to the nature of the type of the kite they tend to move and take up a lot of the sky space, taking out other kites and preventing others from flying in the same airspace. To 'Bohart' the sky is to not only claim your space, but through the actions of your kite keep others away.
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