Took the boat out today to use the new 25 sqm version of the 18 sqm red kite. The 25 sqm kite is the first to arrive of the quiver of new kites that we made using this same design (KW-18, 20, 25, 30, 40). We launched the kite off Alameda Point and searched for wind on the western side of the bay near the ballpark. After having little luck there, we towed out north of Treasure Island and got some good runs in between Alcatraz and Albany. The kite did not perform as nicely as the 18 sqm version; it tended to pull to one side, so we we will measure all of the bridles tomorrow and check for asymmetry.
We damaged the port sensor somewhat while towing over a large wake, but we were able to fix it temporarily on the water, and we will be able to make a permanent fix tomorrow morning. This was also our first test with the new carbon platform for the three-person chair. We chased the boat with the helicopter again, and Erika joined us again to photograph. Visiting kite designer Roland Verheul joined us on the Protector.
