So I got this other idea. I went down into my basement and came up with three ATF Hardcores – super vented kites – that I suspected could use a little TLC. And I was right.

You know, I’ve been to BLokhus, Denmark many times by now and I do know that sometimes the winds can become quite hilarious. So vented kites are desperately needed! In 2003 the long-term weather forecast didn’t look good at all. Gale force winds for a week so Mr. | dug out a roll of orange icarex, some mesh, dacron, a heap of carbon fibre rods and his sewing macing and made SIX of these kites in just a few days! So that we still could fly every day at the 5th NKM in Blokhus.

Yes, Anders was more than busy in the days leading up to the Meeting, but when we hit the Blokhus beach, we were all equipped with those high wind machines, the ATF Hardcore! (ATF meaning AERIALIS Team Flyers)

Those kites surely came in handy. The weather forecast was spot on and the winds were crazy all the days. Coming in from the sea at between 15 to 22 m/sec (34-50mph) the kites really took a beating and every night we had a repair workshop fixing the wind-blown kites so we could fly them the next day.

Now it was time to check them a little closer and see if some more repair was required. And it was. With a little dash of TLC and all three kites would be up to the task and ready to conquer those heavy winds again.

A couple of upper spreaders missing, some glass fibre rods for the winglets needed to be replaced, and some new c-clips to prevent the connectors to slide and fixing a somewhat torn sail at the trailing edge, and then they were all good to go… ehhh.. fly!