It's Not a Real Fetish Until You Accessorize
Kite, Camera, Rig, Wind, Done! Right? Maybe in some economist's assumed perfect world but nowhere I've ever been. For years,
photographers have been notorious accumulators of tools, pieces, parts and accesories. Even when travelling "fast and light"
no self-respecting photographer ever seems to go into action without a well packed and weighty gadget bag of spare lenses,
filters, synch cords, film backs, reflectors, pieces of old tripods, voodoo dolls and gaffer tape. Throw kites into the mix
and you've got yourself a packrat's nightmare. Or a tinkerer's little slice of heaven. But either way, it's easy to convince
yourself that each and every piece of gear is absolutely vital to a successful flight.
My kitbag resembles the packrat's nightmare more than the tinkerer's little slice, but I'm still convinced that each and every
piece is absolutely vital, and if I had just the one right additional knick-knack in my bag that Peace in the Middle East
might be, if not attainable, at least photographable.
Line is the most important. It is, after all, what keeps your kite and camera from sailing off into lonely orbit.
I most often use 200 or 300lb braided dacron on 8" Halo winders (A). The Halo winder is easy to control with one hand and lets
line out easily. It's not especially easy to rewind. It's especially awkward to rewind the halo with the line under tension.
That's OK. Winding the line under tension is hard on the kite flyer, hard on the line, and hard on the winder. I've broken
line, broken winders, and nearly broken kiteflyers. Walk the kite down before rewinding and don't believe all the promises you
hear. The two winders pictured (A & B) are nearly identical. The red one, on the left, is stamped "Premier Kites" and
"Made in China." The blue winder, on the right, in pieces, is stamped "Unbreakable." Don't laugh. I'll bet the Red one
really was made in China.
Many kiteflyers use a Lark's Head Knot to connect the flying line to the bridle ring. I don't. Something I've learned
through rock climbing is to distrust line on line or metal on metal connections. I use a figure eight Climbing
Knot (C) to form the end loop. It's a knot that does not fail and minimally weakens the line. I use a 3/16" quicklink (D) at
the end to connect to the kite's bridle. It's rated strength (300lbs) is the same as that of a similar sized welded ring and
the threaded opening is easy to open and close. The result is a strong and chafe minimized line (kite line) on metal
(quicklink) on line (bridle) connection. Swivels lack sufficient strength for their weight, include an inherent metal on
metal connection, and are for the most part superfluous so long as care is kept when rewinding the kite line and you don't try
too many stunts when flying your camera.
The rest of my indispensables:
- Pocket Photo Album Always carry some small prints of your KAP work to explain to the Whuffos. (Whuffo you want
to dangle a camera up there?) Actually, it doesn't even have to be your own work. I've only got about 4 KAP photos that I'm
willing to acknowledge in public. I fill up the rest of the mini-album with some pirated Satellite Photos of Western Europe
and some postcards I picked up from the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Nobody notices.
- Rubber Bands I use these 12" rubber bands to secure my Marvin Box. If it can break, carry
a spare. If it can't break, carry a spare anyway.
- Leatherman Tool I actually use the belt case and carry it on my belt, dork image be damned. Having a sharp serrated
blade close to hand to cut line in a pinch is especially important but I don't think there's a tool on it I haven't used.
Being able to use it one handed it is key. Don't try to get it past Airport security.
- Miscellaneous Hardware If it's a piece on your rig - nut, bolt, 'biner, whatever - carry a spare. If it's
especially small or especially important, carry two.
- Dog Stake Essential for tying off your kite while you walk down your rig when you're in the middle of a field or
beach and there's nothing else to which to tie. This is the single piece of equipment I most often walk away and leave. I've
lost and replaced so many of these that clerks at the local PetSmart think I'm running a kennel out of my house. I only
wish.
- AKA Membership Card I'm not a joiner. I don't hang out with other kiteflyers, I don't think much of the AKA
Magazine (well, their KAPtions feature is pretty cool) and really can't think of much of anything that AKA Membership offers
that I want. Except for one: Insurance. Every time the wind shifts and my kite starts swinging towards the power lines,
or parking lot, or gathering of bloodthirsty trial lawyers, I do a quick mental check to make sure my AKA membership is
current and I'm still insured. I've never had use it and hope I never will but . . . . It's kind of funny that I don't have
any kind of health insurance or life insurance or anything of the like and don't worry about it, but I make sure that my kite
is insured.
- Compass The Compass is actually of very little use while flying, but comes in handy when scouting new flying
fields and photography subjects. Use the compass to visualize where the sun will be at various times of day and where
the wind will be in various conditions. I'm still looking for the gizmo that will let me actually control and position
the sun and dial up a cooperative wind. I can't believe Brookstone doesn't carry such a gadget.
- Spare Battery The battery in your camera will die and you will be miles and miles from the nearest
store that has the right size in stock. It's not heavy. Carry a spare.
- Lighter If you need to cut a nylon or dacron line in the field, you should heat seal the ends to prevent fraying.
3 years ago I quit smoking and I'm still carrying around a Bic lighter. Unfair.
- FilmThe same arguments for carrying a spare battery apply for carrying extra film. Carrying a good mix of film
(speeds, contrast, color and B&W) is also a good idea.
is also a good
- WebbingLoops of nylon webbing and lightweight carabiners are convenient for looping around fence posts, park
benches, road signs and the like while you walk the rig down or just take a break and admire your kite.
- Clothesline SeparatorAnother loop of webbing and a hardware store clothesline separator make a wonderful tool
for walking down the line. I like to adjust the length of the webbing so that when I loop my upper arm through the webbing
the Marvin Box is level in front of me.
- The Things I Forgot Not only the things I forgot to photograph (sturdy leather gloves, sunglasses, sunblock) but
the things haven't yet learned are indispensable.