tafflaff - welcome to PKF. Nice that you are taking the time like this to set your son up properly and safely for fun and success. Abkayak kindly
bumped the all-important first thread to read top to bottom earlier today. You can access it directly by clicking here:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=28759
What you will see permeating throughout that thread (and really through much of the entire PKF site) is the concept of starting with a simple,
standard workhorse, the small fixed bridle kite. These kites are typically flown off of handles and have four lines (left and right power and brake)
that split up the duties. Learning to fly a kite like this in a polished and smooth fashion will set your son up for success with pretty much every
kite he ever flies afterwards. Pull, braking, wind window, stalling, hot-launching, kite killers, etc., the 3m FB is really a starting point. As he
is 13 and as you noted of average slight build, going down to a 2m or 2.5m FB could easily be a great call. Believe us all when we tell you that a
"small" kite like this can still pack a heck of a whollop. At some point you'll learn to appreciate the concept of the Superman, but that is for a
later time...
Finding good quality used small RTF (ready to fly) FB kites is a black art. You can certainly keep your eye pealed in the For Sale section of PKF or
other reputable kite sites or play roulette on Craigs List, Ebay, etc. Just for your reference, one of the really nice features of PKF is the Good
Trader List:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=16272
We are a family of sorts here and the overwhelming majority of folks here are people you should have complete confidence in dealing with. It is
comforting to ponder a sale and see the person selling reviewed in this informal fashion.
As for tangling the lines, I know I've been there and I bet most others here have too in the beginning. Sean (ssayre) pointed you to one of the real
masters of kite videos John Holgate from Australia. Consider watching other videos by him on YouTube (he's got a bunch). Long story short, figure 8s
on, figure 8s off. The trick is to do what ever you did during winding exactly the opposite way during unwinding. Video explains.
Good luck and welcome!
Born-Kites:
RaceStar+ (3.0m, 5.0m, 7.0m, 9.0m)
NasaStar-5 (2.5m, 4.0m)
NasaStar-4 (2.5m)
NasaStar-3 (3.2m)
Ozone kites:
Access (6.0m)
Flysurfer Kites:
Peak-5 (2.5m)
Buggy:
Peter Lynn BigFoot+ nose & tail; midsection VTT rail & seat kit; home-brewed AQR
NAPKA Member US2815
SWATK Member UT0003