This kite has a beautiful printed cloth sail. We were flying it on the beach at the Ocean City, MD festival when someone ran up and asked if it was a real Nantucket Kiteman kite. It used heavy dowels, so we reframed it in SkyShark stunt kite rods.

This kite has a beautiful printed cloth sail. We were flying it on the beach at the Ocean City, MD festival when someone ran up and asked if it was a real Nantucket Kiteman kite. It used heavy dowels, so we reframed it in SkyShark stunt kite rods.

This kite has a beautiful printed cloth sail. We were flying it on the beach at the Ocean City, MD festival when someone ran up and asked if it was a real Nantucket Kiteman kite. It used heavy dowels, so we reframed it in SkyShark stunt kite rods.

This kite has a beautiful printed cloth sail. We were flying it on the beach at the Ocean City, MD festival when someone ran up and asked if it was a real Nantucket Kiteman kite. It used heavy dowels, so we reframed it in SkyShark stunt kite rods.

Julie and I got this beautiful banner on our mini-moon in Charleston and flew it at the house every day. I finally retired it in 2022 becuase it was falling apart, and soon after bought a replacement.

Not sure where this little fellow came from, but it’s well made, with heavy ripstop nylon.

Got this kite as a wedding present from Mom’s Club. Called up Will and this was the last sail he had. Super fun single-line glider that I fly at Oval Park from time to time.

Dad used to keep this kite in the car for flying opportunities.

Dad used to keep this kite in the car for flying opportunities.

This double delta is a great lifter for the Ringsnake. I think it’s a “Mayan” color pattern.

Julie got this kite from the Scrap Exchange and named it after our plastic dinosaur pal who comes with me on some of my beach trips.

Got this white “ghost” kite as a wedding present from Mom’s Club. It’s stable with a lot of lift, so it helped Julie discover her love of line laundry.

Julie picked out this unusual kite from a fancy design lab in NYC.

This helix spinner is hypnotizing but a bit finicky.

We flew this Herman Miller-branded tetrahedral kite once, but it’s a lot to put together. I wonder if a fan of the brand would want it.

This fantastically light glider is built for indoor flying. I get it out on rainy days when I just have to fly something. :-)

This fantastically light glider is built for indoor flying. I get it out on rainy days when I just have to fly something. :-)

Got this black-and-white foil from a store in NYC and brought it to Puerto Rico.

Got this black-and-white foil from a store in NYC and brought it to Puerto Rico.

Made for Christine Salmon when she was mayor of Sillwater, OK by her husband Cuth.

Made for Christine Salmon when she was mayor of Sillwater, OK by her husband Cuth.

This foil was an old reliable friend of the Rhodes family. It smelled horrible when Julie and I got it out of the bag, so we named it “Mr Stinky.” I washed it thoroughly but it still smells a lot. It’s labeled as a Jalbert Parafoil, from the inventor of the ram-air foil kite/parachute.

This foil was an old reliable friend of the Rhodes family. It smelled horrible when Julie and I got it out of the bag, so we named it “Mr Stinky.” I washed it thoroughly but it still smells a lot. It’s labeled as a Jalbert Parafoil, from the inventor of the ram-air foil kite/parachute.

Simple train of mylar diamonds from the Rhodes family.

Simple train of mylar diamonds from the Rhodes family.

Julie saw this kite in a photo I took at the AKA convention in 2014 and had to have one. I couldn’t track one down but called the company and they sent me what looks like a prototype or factory second. Strange to put together, with handwritten instructions, and unfortunately flies poorly, but she liked having it.

Julie saw this kite in a photo I took at the AKA convention in 2014 and had to have one. I couldn’t track one down but called the company and they sent me what looks like a prototype or factory second. Strange to put together, with handwritten instructions, and unfortunately flies poorly, but she liked having it.

Julie saw this kite in a photo I took at the AKA convention in 2014 and had to have one. I couldn’t track one down but called the company and they sent me what looks like a prototype or factory second. Strange to put together, with handwritten instructions, and unfortunately flies poorly, but she liked having it.

Julie saw this kite in a photo I took at the AKA convention in 2014 and had to have one. I couldn’t track one down but called the company and they sent me what looks like a prototype or factory second. Strange to put together, with handwritten instructions, and unfortunately flies poorly, but she liked having it.

Got this kite in Ocean City at a festival because we wanted to support the hosting store and because I wanted a pilot to test the wind. I like the layout of the kite because it’s different from other rainbow-layout kites.

Part of the Rhodes family collection. Not sure if I’ve ever flown it.

Simple rainbow diamond, classic design.

The German-made Ringsnake is a huge crowd pleaser! It’s a lot to manage but worth it for the sight.

Named Scotty the Space Bird for Scotty on Star Trek for no particular reason.

A favorite kite, great design and colors and flies well.

A favorite kite, great design and colors and flies well.

A favorite kite, great design and colors and flies well.

Part of the Rhodes family collection. I don’t get to fly the snake kites often but they look great with the long, broad tails.

Part of the Rhodes family collection. Lots of thin tails in contrast to the other snake. The label says “go fly a kite, east Haddam, Conn.”

Not sure where this one came from.

Not sure where this one came from.

Dated 1984. Reframed in SkyShark P100s. Still needs a lot of wind because of heavy PVC and metal fittings.

Dated 1984. Reframed in SkyShark P100s. Still needs a lot of wind because of heavy PVC and metal fittings.

Julie made her wedding kite by marbling it in the bathtub and was thrilled with how it came out.

Julie made her wedding kite by marbling it in the bathtub and was thrilled with how it came out.

I made my wedding kite with colored pencils. I’ve still got the wedding kites but need to find them and take a better picture.

Part of the Rhodes family collection. Comes with a pretty white and rainbow bag.