Page:Kitecraft and kite tournaments (1914).djvu/25

Rh many strings to the bridle, but the last may be used for strengthening the framework of the kite more than for general poise. The Chinese say there should never be more than three strings to the bridle, while the Japanese use many.

The tailless kite may have the bridle attached at the bottom and top of the spine (the vertical stick of the frame) or the bottom and at the crossing of bow and spine. In either case the bridle must be long enough so that when it is drawn over to the side of the kite, the loop will just reach the outer points of the bow, Fig. 13; ac should be the same length as ab, and cd the same length as bd. The normal point of attachment of kite line is at c, the point that just reaches b or e when drawn to the side. Some bird kites have a similar bridle but much shorter between attachments. More of the form kites have three and four strings to the bridle. The three string bridle is usually two strings above and a longer one below, Fig. 14. The four string bridle has two short uppers and two long lowers, Fig. 15. For the poly string bridle, see Fig. 16. Some have advocated an elastic bridle but the writer has never found it of any great advantage.

A double bridle with a kite line to each, makes a dirigible kite possible, which may be useful in a number of ways and which can give much amusement in kite antics that is not possible with a single kite line. A double bridle is illustrated in Fig. 17. Such a kite can be driven at will. The kite becomes a sail and can be pulled to right and left, in circles and various contortions, out of the ordinary.

Kite Lines. A three or four ply cotton wrapping string is used more than any other and is very satisfactory for three-foot kites and smaller. The hard twisted cotton seine twine comes from six to over