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dragonfish

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Posts posted by dragonfish

  1. And to prevent further confusion wink.png the travel frame is 10 rods because each one is half the length of a regular rod. So, when it's all put together, you end up with the same framing in the kite whether you're using a travel frame or not.

    • Like 3
  2. Yup, I would get the 4 wrap frame with the full vent as well.

    The race frame seems to overlap most with the 2 wrap, in terms of what winds people will use the frames in. As was mentioned above, the race frame responds differently from the 2 or 3 or 4 wrap. Many people like the race frame and will use that instead of the 2 wrap. A few (myself included) never got used to the race frame, so we will use the 2 wrap instead.

  3. I think there were a couple of moves I did that helped with the moonwalk. I started doing these moves as part of my competition choreography (i.e. practiced them a lot), and not intentionally as a way of learning the moonwalk, but after a while, I discovered that the moonwalk became much easier.

    One of the moves is an inverted side slide interspersed with some 360 degree tip rotations. Basically, start from the right side, slide left a quarter or however much you feel like of the wind window, and then fly/rotate (forward direction) around the leading tip. Once you get back to an inverted position, keep sliding and repeat a few times. If you imagine doing the sliding and rotating at the same time instead of one after the other, that turns into the moonwalk.

    The other is flying a series of half circles, forward, reverse, forward, reverse, etc. Using more words, start in an inverted hover close to the left edge. You will be flying to the right at all times. Fly the bottom half of a circle flying forward and stop. Now the kite is in a leading edge up position. The next half circle, you still fly the bottom half but now you're going in reverse. When you get back to inverted, stop and fly the next half circle forward, etc. If you imagine doing this without stopping and without dipping down for each of the half circles, it turns into the moonwalk.

    Of course, you should do these in both directions, not just the direction I described. I included the directions because those were the directions that I primarily flew each in (because of my choreography). I will say that it is much easier for me to do a moonwalk now from left to right than from right to left, so the second option may be much more helpful in terms of helping to learn the moonwalk. Hmmmm, maybe I should try flying that routine mirror imaged, hmmmm.......

    Good luck, and remember to have fun.

  4. My solution is to tie a "knot" with the drawstring. A picture would probably help, but I forgot to take one, so let me try to explain. I'll add a picture later if I remember.

    Basically, I pull the draw string out as much as I can so the top of the bag is closed. Then treat the drawstring and the top of the bag as one rope. Tie an overhand knot. The length of the drawstring (at least on mine) is just perfect so that it goes all the way around the top of the bag and back underneath itself, with the knot holding the two ends of the drawstring together keeping the "knot" I just made from coming apart. Haven't lost anything yet, even with the extra frame hanging around in there loose.

  5. Lessons from another flier will definitely speed up your learning curve by a lot and reduce initial frustration (if any). Once you get the hang of things, then by all means fly by yourself as much as you want. I get it. Sometimes I just want to ignore the rest of the world and fly a kite.

    There should be a few members on this forum from Australia. One is already on this thread. The ones I can think of are on the west coast, but maybe they know someone or can help you find someone near you to get you started on the right foot.

    Happy flying.

    • Like 1
  6. Nice.

    Probably just a coincidence, but I couldn't help notice....white snow, grayish background, bright rainbow colored kite. Seems almost like those pictures that are purposely edited to be black and white except for one subject/color.

    Looks like fun flying in the snow, probably not in those temps though.

  7. Hi Jonathan, and welcome.

    I started with an EXP, so can't answer your first question.

    For light wind performance, there are framing options that are lighter than the 2 wrap frame. Rev has the diamond frame, or you can cut and assemble a frame from SkyShark P90 sticks. I think a lighter frame and pilot skill will make more of a difference in light winds than the difference in sail material between the EXP and B series.

    I got my EXP as a RTF package. It came with LPG 90# line, which is good line that many people use. I stil use that line set. My other line sets, purchased later, are also LPG. If you can, check with your local shops what line comes with the RTF packages. Sometimes shops make their own packages, so the most accurate answer would be to ask them. LPG and Skybond are both good line and commonly used in the US. There might be other good line available elsewhere that I'm not familiar with.

    While it may sound like I'm trying to convince you to start with an EXP, that is not my intention. I hope you get the info you need to make your own decision. You should get the one YOU want (and like to look at), and when you want it.

    Good luck and happy flying.

    • Like 1
  8. I signed in to Facebook, and still can't see the pics. The links from this thread take me to a FB page that says "This content is currently unavailable". The link posted in the thread on Kitelife takes me to the Portland Area Kite Flyers group, which I'm not a member of, so I don't see any content there either. Can't find it on Wayne's timeline either. sad.png

    Edit: and I forget to say..... Congrats Wayne! Hope you had fun with it and continue to.

  9. I think 2 inch wide flat tails would be fine for a Rev if that's the width of the material you can get easily. Personally, I think 1 inch tails are a bit narrow on a Rev, but that could also be influenced by the length of the tail(s). From my limited understanding, if you hot cut, you don't have to hem, and vice versa. If someone with more experience making tails or building kites says something different, I would defer to them.

    Since you mentioned just buying a ready-made tail...off the top of my head, Gomberg Kites has lots of tails (scroll down toward the middle for the transition tails and the bottom for the ribbon tails). Here's a video of iQuad flying with 48' Transition Tails by Gomberg Kites. Too bad I can't find in the specs how wide they are. Some kite shops carry Gomberg tails, so you might even be able to order lines and tail(s) together.

    Kite tails are not rocket science. Lots of things work. For example, I bought two 25 yard rolls of 1.5" wide organza ribbon and attached a loop on one end of each to make tails. Now, I would not recommend this as I have since found that because organza is very sheer, it doesn't "trace" the path of the kite as well. They work, but are not as satisfying for skywriting. They would be fine on a static kite.

  10. If you haven't already seen them, John Barresi has a series of Rev tutorials from beginner to advanced level. All of the beginner tutorials can be found via http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/category-19-quad-line/ . The full list of tutorials can be found at http://kitelife.com/forum/files/category/106-outdoor-quad-line/. You do need to be a KiteLife subscriber to download them from the second link, but supposedly they can be loaded onto a mobile device for (re)viewing on the field if desired.

    Good luck. And yes, Revs are quite different from dual line kites, and meeting with others will definitely speed up your learning curve.

    • Like 1
  11. Today, someone lent me a black race set to play with. (Previously, I had only flown with the black race frame briefly and on an OPK.) When he handed the sticks to me, I was surprised by how light they were. My first reaction was, are these lighter (in weight) than 2 wrap sticks? Based on this, I can see why Heino thought black race was for light wind only, but like others said it is not that fragile. I was surprised because I hadn't heard much about the black race frame being light, just that it responds differently from a 2 or 3 wrap frame. Just goes to show that you may find out more from playing with things yourself than from impressions based on what you have heard/read. Like stroke survivor said, you have to give things a try to see how they feel for you.

    In terms of ordering the frames from light to strong wind, there is going to be some (a lot of?) overlap between sticks of different characteristics. For example, 2 wrap < 3 wrap < 4 wrap is obvious, as is black race < green race (and P-90 < P-200 < P-300 < P-400 if you are using SkyShark sticks). But, combining 2/3/4 wrap and black/green race into one ordering is a lot less clear and possibly somewhat based on personal preference or flying style because the frames behave somewhat differently. I know people who think the black race frame will fly in lower winds than the 2 wrap frame. I personally feel the opposite right now.

    P.S. The diamond frame is Rev's 0-3 mph or so frame.

    • Like 1
  12. Someone I fly with has some Climax line. Not sure if what he has is called Profiline or something else. His line is red/orange. The one you linked to is yellow, so no idea if the same or not. I'm leaning towards not, since he's also mentioned something about that line not being made anymore (or perhaps just the 90# variety not being made?). Whatever it is that he has, he does like it, and he has used it while flying with others using LPG and possibly also Skybond.

    I agree with Mark. They might also be able to help you find a source of bulk line.

  13. Stepping back helps keep the kite moving up without moving your hands, thus keeping the kite more steady. Stepping forward when there's enough (or a lot of) wind helps take some of the pressure off so you don't have to fight the wind as much, also steadying your hands. For me, the windier it is, the harder it is to rise inverted and the harder I have to push down with my thumbs. Sounds like the OP is feeling the same. The wing tip flip means you've pushed too hard. The way I see it, walking forward means you're slightly reducing the wind speed relative to the kite, which means you don't have to push your thumbs as hard, which means you're further from the tipping (i.e. flipping) point. Good luck.

    • Like 2
  14. Hi there,

    Welcome. Hope you see this in time. Definitely come to the Learn to Fly Workshop in Berkeley tomorrow (Aug. 9) 10am to 4pm-ish. I fly with the Bay Area Sport Kite League (the organization running the workshop), and will be there. You will definitely find people there who will be glad to teach you how to fly and "pushing their handles into your hands" as Tmadz says. I know a few people who regularly fly at Shoreline. I think at least one of them will be there tomorrow as well, so you can ask him about winds and what kite he likes to fly or flies most often to get a better idea for what might suit you best.

  15. I also started with an EXP. Two years later, I got a full vent B-series. You won't regret that choice. Now I have more kites, but if I had to pick only two, I would pick standard sail and full vent. Gives the widest overall wind range, IMO.

  16. Oh I remember taking my EXP out in winds that were "yeah that's got to be JUST inside the upper range".... The abuse I put that kite through. Still flies though.

    Oh yea, I remember those days too. I still remember one BASKL clinic back when I only had my EXP. The wind was picking up as the day went on, as per the usual weather pattern. By mid afternoon, most people had vented kites out, and someone said to me something like, "I'm surprised you're still flying that." My reply was, "I've only got one kite!" Gotta make what you have work when you don't have options. I can see stretch marks on that kite now, but yup, it still flies and it's still in my bag. In fact, there's another BASKL clinic tomorrow and it's going to be my teaching kite for other people to learn on.

    To the OP, congrats. Nice choice. Be sure to share pictures when you get it out, as I'm sure lots of us want to see more picture of the new design.

    • Like 1
  17. Another thing to watch out for is extra knots that have stealthily worked their way into the bridle. This happens to me on the bottom line attachment points (from the kite flapping around when packing up I'm guessing). The short segment that you attach a bottom line to works its way around the bridle and itself, creating an extra knot right on top of the existing knot that creates that short segment, making them hard to find unless you look really closely. I hope that made sense...not looking at a kite right now.

    One time I switched from flying full vent to standard, and then my kite wouldn't behave. I couldn't find anything wrong with it on the field and compensated just like you did by adjusting to uneven leaders, so I suspected something was wrong with the bridle. When I got home, I took the frame out of the kite and folded it in half to compare all the bridle lengths (saves taking the bridle off the kite, and works well enough for me). That's how I found the extra knot.

    Good luck.

    • Like 2
  18. Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm glad to hear the project is still going. Thanks bbailey for working on a new better system. Hope you can get access soon to update the first post. I didn't realize that was an issue.

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