About Me
Robert van Weers
Kite Designer / Kite Builder / Kite flyer
My name is Robert van Weers and I am married to a gorgeous woman named Sue. I am a Chef by profession and I try to stay active as a kiteflier but at the present I don't do as much flying as I wish too due to other commitments. But then who does? I am also active within the NZKA as the current Webmaster.
Although born in New Zealand I grew up in the Netherlands. That is where I was introduced to kiteflying.
At .Scheveningen to be precise, where I was working as a chef at one of the many beach pavilion's. The year was about 1981 and some of the things that went on that year are still vivid in my memory. For example, someone who seemed to be having a lot of fun flew a stack of about 20 Flexifoils mid air.
Another memorable moment was the world record flight of the "Blob"[550-sq. ft. Dutch Kite Team Parafoil]
I was pretty amazed by all these kites so much so that I just had to build one. I returned to New Zealand in 1982 and got very frustrated by the fact that nobody had heard of "Flexifoils". Luckily for me, I got hold of one from Vlieger-Op in the Netherlands, a kitset plan of a Flexifoil.
After purchasing an old pedal driven "Singer" sewing machine I got to work on my very first kite. I was amazed that it flew straight away.
I sometimes wonder if I would still be making kites today if that very first kite had not flown so well?
I have since made numerous kites in all shapes and sizes. The last few years I have been designing my own and in 1999 and 2001 I have won awards for my efforts with "Pirouette" and "Garfield". I hope to be able to continue making kites for a very long time and to do some more travelling to overseas festivals.
Who knows we might meet there?
Robert