Page:Kitecraft and kite tournaments (1914).djvu/35

Rh with a broken wing, but if broken in the center it can be redeemed for service by the addition of a cross-stick, as shown in Fig. 29. The broken part should be well lashed together. A kite could be successfully planned in this way from the beginning. It is possible to make a number of geometric or representative forms as tailless kites, but representative forms as a rule need tails.

The shield, Fig. 30, is one of the tailless kites and the writer succeeded very well with a two bowed tailless in the shape of a six pointed star. See Fig. 32.

Perhaps the largest group in real variation is that in which kites with tails or other forms of balances are found. And first and foremost, comes our grandfathers' old English bow kite, Fig. 18, having a bow that curves upward, but not backward, over the end of a single spine. Tassels were added at each side of the kite at the termination of each end of the bow, and a long tail of rolled papers tied to a string with a cloth hanging at the end was attached to the bottom of the spine.

The great class of star kites, with varying numbers of points, and the geometric, hexagonal, octagonal, and other forms belong to this group. A three string bridle is most satisfactory for most of these forms. The two upper strings of bridle should be the same length but shorter than the lower string. The latter should be attached at a central point at the bottom. In case there is no stick to anchor to at the center of the bottom, four strings may be necessary or two longer ones may be used at the bottom and one shorter one at the top. However the bridle is attached, the shorter strings are always at the top, and the single string must be centrally located to right and left, whether at the top or bottom, and the double portions on equal distances to each side of center line.