Keeping my lines untangled

[cordover]

This is a pretty rudimentary question, but I'm wrapping my lines on a plastic holder in a figure 8 pattern. This always worked great for me with duel lines, but I end up struggling with 4 lines. They get scrambled coming off. I just wrap them around the holder? Does a Hoop winder work better. I'm just learning to fly Revs and I can live with the fact that the lines get into a tangle after my Rev II has spun and flipped on me a couple of times. But after I get it all straightened out, there has got to be some secret to keeping them on the holder so they wind off smoothly.

It's a small thing, I know.

Mitch

[wufer]

Hello Mitch

Listen carefully, i vill say ziss only vonce.

Use two vinders, von vinder for ze left lines, unt von vinder for ze right lines.

Unt zat vay, all your troubles vill be gone

Derek.

[Aerochic]

This method has always worked best for me. Keep your lines straight and cleannnn while winding...

http://www.kitelife.com/magazine/issue55/r...s55/content.php

Edited September 1, 2009 by Aerochic

[temoniprince]

HAHA DEREK

[airin]

Well I started on the Rev road with a giant line debacle. Now I simply use two winders, one for the left two lines and another for the right two lines. Life is much more stress free for me now. Time spent winding with TWO winders instead of one is time saved, much time saved, in untangling a giant line snarl.

[KiteLife]

Airin, be sure and have me show you my 1-winder method sometime...

3 minutes to set up, 3 minutes to tear down, trouble-free every time, without fail.

[deebs1596]

i too use two winders. i had a major tangle when i first started...heck my lines CAME tangled! once i had them untangled i decided to use y spare winder as one of 2 quad winder.

Since using 2 winders i havent had a bad tangle...yet

[Bazzer]

i too use two winders. i had a major tangle when i first started...heck my lines CAME tangled! once i had them untangled i decided to use y spare winder as one of 2 quad winder.

Since using 2 winders i havent had a bad tangle...yet

What ever works for you. Personally I always use the way John says....well the boys showed me how to fly. Have never had a problem with lines.

Attach your lines to the kite and then walk back to your handles. take out any twists from there, jiggle the lines under tension. Do not try to untwist the lines without tension on the lines. You can be fooled by false wraps. especially if they are wet.

Most people who say thats what they do, actually don't. They see a twist in the lines and immediately panic, slacken off and walk down the lines. If there are twists ...have a friend walk the twist toward you while still maintaining tension on the lines.

They can then tell you what is needed.

Bazzer

Edited September 1, 2009 by Bazzer

[airin]

Airin, be sure and have me show you my 1-winder method sometime...

3 minutes to set up, 3 minutes to tear down, trouble-free every time, without fail.

John, you know you've got my attention now.

Given what wonders your hands on demo of the finger-light-micro-adjustment method to flying did for my Rev learning curve, I am always open to suggestions from you.

[Simon]

This is a pretty rudimentary question, but I'm wrapping my lines on a plastic holder in a figure 8 pattern. This always worked great for me with duel lines, but I end up struggling with 4 lines. They get scrambled coming off. I just wrap them around the holder? Does a Hoop winder work better. I'm just learning to fly Revs and I can live with the fact that the lines get into a tangle after my Rev II has spun and flipped on me a couple of times. But after I get it all straightened out, there has got to be some secret to keeping them on the holder so they wind off smoothly.

It's a small thing, I know.

Mitch

Hi Mitch,

I use one winder, from lines on kite attached and just finished flying I walk to kite;

Remove lines from kite keep left and right sets apart. Tie tops to bottoms.

Wind lines onto winder, I put my little finger between lines just to ensure no tangle between Left & Right.

Wind lines down to Handles. Mostly I use the same length lines each tiem so just leave them attache dto My Rev Pro Handles (Thanks Ben & Walt)

To set up, stake handles with lines attached, walk out lines.

take the two pairs and pull them apart (keep top & botton tied at this point) thsi will take out any or most twists, jingl ethen to move any twists back to the handles. Attach kite, back to handles - check handles are inthe correct hands.

off you go.

If you remove handles, just replace before you unwind.

Like Bazzer said alwasy untangle under slight pressure, i walk up the lines with a pair on each side of my body, if you do get a tangle work it down the lines.

Using this method you cant get a tangle but you can get a twist, twists re easy to get out.

[johnnmitchell]

Some tips I can add which may already be mentioned for wrapping all lines on a single winder at the same time.

1. When winding and unwinding lines ALWAYS hold the WINDER in the SAME HAND. Choose one hand to hold the winder and never change it again.

2. Take lines off a HANDLES in pairs and tie them together before taking the next pair off which you will also tie together.

3. Take lines off a KITE in pairs and tie them together before taking the next pair off which you will also tie together.

4. Wind both pairs on the winder either straight or figure 8, which ever you prefer. Keep the two pair sets separated with a finger as you wind them.

I recently noticed an experienced rev flyer winding in lines, who was always having problems with tangled lines each time they wanted to fly. This person was swapping hand with their winder as they wound in the lines. I told this person to always keep the winder in one hand. Since this time the tangled line problem has ceased.

I learned my basic line winding technique from the video that accompanied my first REV.

[Simon]

I learned my basic line winding technique from the video that accompanied my first REV.

Me too, but guess they are almost as rare as the kites now.

Also your answer was much better than mine - clearer IMHO.

Keeping the winder in the same hand was obvious but is a very key point, like you say. If you change it puts twists in !!

I feel a video tutorial coming or Virtual Winding - Who can get lines out on handles and kites fastest

[jburka]

What's a winder? Is that just another name for the handles?

Edited September 1, 2009 by jburka

[johnnmitchell]

What's a winder? Is that just another name for the handles?

If I had the cash to purchase handles for each set of my lines, I would not need winders.

But then I would need an extra sports bag just for lines wound on handles.

[jburka]

If I had the cash to purchase handles for each set of my lines, I would not need winders.

But then I would need an extra sports bag just for lines wound on handles.

I just don't use that many sets of line...I've got two pairs of 13" handles with 80' and 120', my custom rev II handles with 24', and usually a spare pair of handles in case I need different line for some reason.

(hmm, I guess there's also the 2~4 handles and their line, and the progressive stack with their own handles/line...)

[cdflyer]

I use one Winder but one of the things I always do is make sure to keep it so their is no slack on the line

[KiteLife]

One winder method, tried/proven 100% reliable with 4-6 core iQuad team members attending nearly 100 festivals, dozens of other engagements and regular home field flying since 2006... Literally hundreds of hours, winding in, winding out, winding in, winding out, always without tangles.

http://www.revkites.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3187

[AldenMiller]

I used to struggle with lot's and lot's of line wraps until I learned John's method at the first clinic I went to. Now it's easy set up and easy tear down!

I might have one or two wraps but they always seem to be able to be undone in the same direction so I am up and flying quickly!

-Alden

[steveb]

Find a method that works for you and always do it the same way.

Never let someone else wind up your lines unless they unwind them for you too.

I used to undo the lines from the kite and wind them in. The trouble is, the lines would dance around as I wound them up and make a macramé wad by the time they were wound in. It would usually take me a 1/2 hour plus to set up the next time, so I seldom flew Quads.

Several WSIKFs ago, I saw Dan Burnham set up quickly, without hassle. I asked him for a few pointers and he said to leave the lines on the kite and wind in from the handle end. Since the lines were still attached at the handles and at the kite end, there was no way for loose ends to tangle up.

I now wind on the handles and can set up very quickly. I take my time winding in, as it can be a disaster if the lines are loose and fall off the handle, but it's still done in a few minutes.

The downside is needing a set of handles for every line set, but how many line sets do we actually use? I've got 50# x 120', 90# x 120', 150# x 120' 90# x 75', 90# x 50' and a few more on handles, but seem to use the 90# x120' nearly every time and only use the 90# x 50' when I'm flying at a nearby beach.

[kitecowboy]

I connect my pairs at both ends (always take my handles off) this way you can swap ends and even out the wear on my linesets.

[dean750]

Airin, be sure and have me show you my 1-winder method sometime...

3 minutes to set up, 3 minutes to tear down, trouble-free every time, without fail.

Maybe I need ya to wind up my lines and show me how it's done this time. (Maybe get one free wind up?) Never fails that one end or the other goes through the other loop and as hard as I try and want to believe what I'm seeing isn't so (false wraps) I'm never that lucky. Almost need a pit crew just to get set up within a half hour. I didn't just typo that, what I meant was I take my time setting up... Ya know, checking out the conditions and such.

Dean

[Jim Foster]

Airin, be sure and have me show you my 1-winder method sometime...

3 minutes to set up, 3 minutes to tear down, trouble-free every time, without fail.

Arin

Lynn and I have been using John's method for several years. It works.

If the lines are put in pairs, the ends of the pairs are attached to the winder, the lines are wound around the winder and the other ends are kept straight, it really doesn't matter what happens in the middle as you are winding. Any twists or other "wraps" will come out when the lines are set up the next time and given a good tug. You may have a twist or two in each set, you may even have one set around the other, but there will be no big tangles. Trust JB.

You may have what APPEARS to be a big tangle, but stretching the lines out and pulling the two sets apart will reveal what you really have, and it will be very simple to sort that out.

True story.

[cbabbman]

One winder method, tried/proven 100% reliable with 4-6 core iQuad team members attending nearly 100 festivals, dozens of other engagements and regular home field flying since 2006... Literally hundreds of hours, winding in, winding out, winding in, winding out, always without tangles.

http://www.revkites.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3187

Been using this method for over 3 years and never once have I had an issue or tangle.