This page features some of my large (and not so large) show kites. What's a show kite? Well, usually it's a kite that is large enough to be seen in the next town over. Most of my show gear has been made in a light blue, dark blue, black color scheme. This lets me add pieces to it and maintain a consistent look. The biggest exception to that is the Gecko. Seriously, have you ever seen a blue gecko? I didn't think so...
The Octopus
Introducing Bell, the octopus. At 88 feet long, and 18 feet wide, Bell is the largest kite in my arsenal. This is a soft kite (meaning it has no frame, but it holds it's shape with internal cords, and air pressure), designed by Peter Lynn of New Zeeland. The kite takes about 15 minutes to set up to fly, and I bit longer to pack up at the end of the day.
The Penguin
This is my Peter Lynn Penguin. It's over 35 feet tall, and a big hit with kids. Who says penguins can't fly?
The Gecko
Meet Rizzo, the Peter Lynn Gecko. He's 45 feet long, and hard to miss when flying. He's a soft or inflatable kite, which means that he is filled with air by the wind through a mesh vent. There is no frame on this kite, the internal air pressure makes it hold it's shape.
The Fish
This is Bubbaloo, Another Peter Lynn creation. He's about the size of a small delivery truck. Like the gecko and octopus, he is a soft kite with no frame. When I first got him, we held a "Name That Tuna" contest at the Mackinaw City Kite Festival, and Bubbaloo was the winning name. This is one of my most popular kites, and the easiest of my large kites to fly.
The Sutton 125 Flowform
This was my first large kite. It's roughly 125 square foot, and has a large presence in the sky. It likes smooth wind, but when it gets nice wind, it will fly all day long without worries. I use this most often to lift the...
Giant Spinsock
This isn't actually a kite. It's a large spinning windsock. I use the Sutton 125 (usually) to lift it off the ground. It spins at a fast rate, and is an impressive site to see. The spinsock can be dangerous due to it's size, and fast turning. So I prefer to fly it only when I have a roped off area, or some other form of crowd control.
Giant Crown
Photo by Tena from Mackinaw Kites and Toys. Thanks Tena!
This isn't a kite either, it's a large spinning basket. The crown is nearly 30 feet in diameter, and can generate enough pull to drag cars across a field in strong winds. As a result, I don't fly it very often, but when I do, it's only in light winds. Crowd control is a must around this piece.
