[Paddlewise] Kite question -- drowning in BS

I have a Premier 7.5 parafoil that I use in my Greenland II.  This is a
standard parafoil, costs around $40, and pulls hard in a strong breeze
(up to 20 lbs. of pull) but is lackadaisical in light airs (8 mph).  For
a pic, see:
http://www.gwtw-kites.com/Parafoils.html

I was about to get a Premier 15 (around $90), which is said to be
capable of lifting small children in the air, when I came across a
posting elsewhere from a kayaker who raved about the Sutton Flowform
16.  For a description of these kites, see:
http://home.snafu.de/thomiru/ff_devel_eng.htm

Seda appears to sell the Sutton 8 as their kayaking kite.

This sounded good to me, so I ordered up a Sutton 16, also around $90.

I flew it in a strong breeze on land (whitecaps on the water).  It flew
high (higher than the Premier) but was "light on the line, " as
predicted by the Sutton web page above.  It was in fact about 1/2 of
what my 7.5 was pulling in the same wind.  The seems to confirm the
claim that the Sutton has low drag and high lift and explains why it is
a favorite for aerial photography.

Note that the Sutton has no up-down bridle lines, so it cannot be
adjusted to fly lower and pull harder, as you can do with the Premiers.

The Sutton people claim that it will fly in lighter airs than a standard
parafoil, which is a distinct plus in a light-air kite.

First question:  Why use a kite with low drag that flies high and is
light on the line for pulling a kayak?

Second question:  Can you do something simple to the Sutton to get it
low and increase horizontal pull (i.e. drag), without sacrificing light
air performance?  Something like using balloons as tails, or attaching
balloons to the flight line below the kite?

I have made inquiry of persons who ought to know, but no one has
experience, can explain or predict.

A word on kite theory (as I understand it) might help.  Single line
kites at steady state are not actualy "flying."  They are stalled.  They
rise to a point at which lift is balanced by weight.  The pull you feel
is not lift, but drag.  A stunt kite, however, generates much pull on
the line as the kite moves around in its flight envelope; this pull is
mostly lift.

Ken Cooperstein


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