February 2004

Newsletter, Feb.'04

I'm in trouble with these newsletter's again- this time for talking too much about gas turbine powered kite buggies and not enough about kitesurfing (Jan. discussion on the Arc Users Group).

Fair enough- but this newsletter covers all our kite activities, not just a particular sector- and feedback I get suggests readers enjoy subjects that are not directly kite related most.  The possum and chainsaw (Jan.'03) newsletter generated the most responses we've had so far.

But it is a fair comment- kite fliers are diverging into sectors that don't have much in common except for having the word 'kite' somewhere in the description of their activity- and our structure as a business should reflect this.

It's already happened actually; Vlieger Op (manufacturers of most Peter Lynn brand kite traction and kitesurfing products and operators of our brand for the northern hemisphere) have already moved to a divisional structure with their Buggy division under Michel Dekker (current Dutch buggy champ) and Kitesurfing under Mano Collette and Stefan Cook. 

Here in NZ, kitesurfing research and development has been on the beach in Christchurch with Stirling Research Ltd (Chris Brent and Pete Lynn), for the last 2 years, while all single line kite development and some kite boat and buggy stuff has stayed with me (Peter Lynn Ltd) here in Ashburton.

From now, Vlieger Op (with contributions from Pete and Chris), will be putting out a specific kitesurfing newsletter.

What else is new?  The Flag kite design is completed for now (all kites are a "work in progress"), we're at the mould making stage of getting a 4.1m catamaran kitesailing boat into limited production here and, with the Spring Break Buggy Blast in Nevada coming up, I'm making myself a new buggy to take (see photos).

The Farc 2 Arc series that I like so much for buggying and kitesailing, and that gets rave responses from mountain boarders and some kitesurfers, has been renamed the Fantom series and seems to be very close to availability- at least there are excellent 6m and 9m test production samples from Vlieger Op in use here now.

Next single line kite?- I'm feeling rather pleased with myself at the success of the Flag design- possibly a touch of hubris coming on?- but not to worry, I know that 6 months of frustration and failure will soon cure this.  So, I'm about to re-visit the turtle design- again, or maybe its again, again.

And, there is one other really good new thing.

At recent kite festivals, we've flown Flag kites in a train- a 1.5m on top, 3m next, then 6m then 8m.  Don't know why I didn't think of this before- an excellent set-it-and-forget-it display, and worthy of bag space for every kite festival I attend from now on for sure- see photos.

Peter Lynn, Ashburton, Feb 1 '04