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New Boy Alert!!


Redrocket

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Hello All,

I have recently become a member of this forum. I live in Devon in England and used to fly a 'Green's kite' Delta wing stunt kite 16 or so years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. My only recent kiting is with my children's cheap single line flyers.

I have been fascinated with Revolution kites for a long time now but could never afford one. Anyway, I recently purchased an EXP from EBay for £55.00 GBP. So I was well chuffed – Came with handles and DVD but no lines. I have now supplied my own lines from a reel I had many years ago. Getting them the same length has been a challenge but I think I'm nearly there.

I have only been out few times with it, the first two were a bit of a disaster cause the lines were all wrong. The last time however, I managed to get it off the ground and it flew right above me, then I managed to land it………just before it flipped onto its leading edge…..this tends to happen too often..

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any members that live in Devon that wouldn't mind me tagging along one day just to see how it should be done………?

One more thing – is it easier to learn on longer or shorter lines?

Thank you

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Hello Redrocket

Sorry, but I'm not in Devon, so I can't help you there, but as for the line length, I can give some input.

Now, I think this depends on your definition of "easiest." Longer lines give the kite more room to fly, and give you more reaction time, as the kite seems to be moving slower (the kite is actually moving at the same pace, but it seems slower because it takes longer to get from one side of the wind window to the other.) In this aspect, it makes flying the kite easier.

However, shorter lines do give you less room, but this is not all bad. The lack of space will force you to control you speed and hover more. Plus, if you learn the toss-and-catch, whenever you make a mistake, where you would normally have to stake the lines and fix the kite, you can simply walk up to the kite , untangle any lines, and throw it back out. In my opinion, shorter lines allow a person to learn faster, because they have to maintain more control, and it is easier to experiment. Other people may view this differently.

One thing I want to mention is line weight. You say that you used some line that you had from many years ago for a Delta kite, correct? Well, the line for a dual line kite is a tad different. Because we are using 4 lines as opposed to 2 lines, the we can save weight. The standard line weight for Revolution kites is 90# line. 50# line is often used in light wind to indoor situations, and 150# line may be used in heavy wind or on any of the blast series revs. If you want to get some great line sets, I fully recommend using Laser Pro Gold lines. The reason for this is that this line does most of it's stretching in the first couple of flights, and then doest stretch much more. So, this allows you to equalize the lines after the first couple flights, then you don't have to worry about it, whereas some other line types may keep stretching, and will stretch unevenly.

Hope this helps,

~Spencer "Watty" Watson

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I will second Watty's line recommendation. It is best to use a dedicated quad line set. Laser Pro Gold will get the most votes, (and is what I use) but there is also Shanti and Berry Blue. There are many fliers in the UK, you will find someone to fly with. You may even get one of them to loan you a line set! :sign_kitelife:

Welcome to the Revolution!

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Hello Redrocket-

Welcome to the Rev Family-

What the guys have already stated is true; I just want to add one little explaination. The reason why we fly with LPG (Lasar Pro Gold) or similar is the lack of stretch/creep as mentioned. Why this is so important is that if you use regular SLK line; like dacron, for example, it will stretch as you do your inputs (make the kite turn, stop, etc.) What that means to you is, that it will delay your input and your kite will not respond accurately or as quickly as you'd like. Also, with the constant stretching, you will, most likely, never be able to equalize your lines. It is definitely worth the investment for good, quality lines.

Good luck and have fun!

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Hi RR, welcome to the forum.

I live near Malvern, so at least in the same Country as you :)

I agree with all the advice you have had so far.

If you stay tuned on here you might see info on gatherings of Rev folks, happen once in a while.

Also worth going to any festivals that are local to you. Not so much to fly as they tend to be crowded places. However got to meet the folks that fly Revs, dont be afraid to walk up to the guys that have just flown in a display. as long as they are not busy anyone will have a nattter with you.

There must be someone on here closer to you. hopefully you will get a fly buddy.

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Welcome to the dark side.

Thers a few good fellas at your end of the softies,,,,i mean countrykid_devlish.gif .

Dave Ellison is down ther.Ian I4C also.Thers quite a few goodns

Here is a link to Kitecalendar.This is an events list of mainly uk festivals.Thers also some good contact info and uk kite club info.

http://www.kitecalendar.co.uk/

Have fun

BRIAN...

Edited by big bri
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow, what a response. Thank you all very much – I even got a reply from Mr. Barresi…….Result!

Anyway, I must apologise for not replying sooner but I'm not a very frequent internet user.

I have been out a number of times since my last post and I'm definitely improving but things are still rather random on the control front. I don't think I'm doing myself any favours either. As per 'Wattys' comments, I believe my lines are probably too short for a novice like me (15 metres or in 'American' 49 feet) so I don't have a very wide wind window to fly in. By the time I've got the kite off the ground and under control, I'm usually to the far left or right hand side of the window and out of the blowy zone, so the kite just drops……..bummer.

Also as 'Watty' mentions, my old lines were designed for dual line operation and I believe will probably have a larger diameter than dedicated quad lines, and as such will have more 'drag' in the wind.

Laura spoke about stretchiness and my lines are pretty good at that too. I can easily stretch a single line 1 foot over the 49 feet length without much effort at all. So I guess that if the kite is being buffeted by the wind the lines will stretch to accommodate the winds force therefore not allowing me much control. So in essence all I'm doing is supporting the 4 lines while the wind does all the controlling.............am I right or what?

I think I'm going to have to get some LPG lines sooner rather than later. I'm not a tight git, just don't have any spare cash, like most people I should imagine. Anyway, I gotta start savin'.

Thanks for listening

Redrocket aka Chris

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Wow, yes, it sounds like you're using some sort of polyester or nylon line. Lots of stretch. You will be amazed at flying a line that has around 2% stretch on full load (less than 1% stretch at 30% load). You inputs will seem instantaneous now. Went through the same revelation flying dual lines back in the 1980's. You're going to have some fun with that. :-)

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Chris, I have some Climax (almost as good as LPG) line still on spools that I bought a few Years ago, never yet got round to using it. Not sure that I ever will.

In the interest of getting you going I could donate it to you, will cost you a drink if we ever meet at a fest or summat.

Pretty much the only condition I will put on the deal is that if you later get LPG or summat you have to pass the lines onto another needy person. :)

You could then have the fun of making your lines up. There is enough to make at least a set of 120ft, with a bit left over for some shoer 3D lines.

David might even help you with making them up.

You will need to get some bridle line to make into sleeves for the ends, I might even have some of that too.

Drop me a PM with your address if you are interested.

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Hello Again,

Thanks again for the replies people – makes me feel like one of the gang……….Hoorah!

David E, I live in Exeter Sir. Yeah, I'd like to meet up sometime – you could try flying using my 'special lines' haha….

Yeah, stretchy – like flying with elastic Dagnabbit, should give David (above) a challenge. Thanks for the mail.

Mr Baloo. I'd love to take you up on your offer please. I hereby state that I will conform to your mentioned condition. Look forward to receiving it. As for bridle line and sleeves……….dunno what that's for, I just tie my line to the knots on the end of the steering strings and up it goes……….before crashing back down again…..see, novice.

Flew the kite yesterday, got loads or air time for a change. I didn't have too much control though. But I'm beginning to understand what each little rotation does now. Can't wait to get those proper lines…..yippi.

Bye for now

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

RESPECT to Baloo,

the kindly Gent has sent me an ample amount of new line for my kite - the proper stuff too.........ace bloke.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to get some new longer lines together over the Easter break. Might even get a chance to fly if this damn rain stops for a few hours.

I will of course keep you informed of my progress should you be interested.

Bye for now

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all,

Just thought I would update you on my progress so far –

For me, getting the lines made up was quite a challenge; I'd done it once with the old 'elastic' lines so I figured doing it again would be easy. NOPE! That wasn't the case – My God, isn't this stuff skinny, it's like a 'fat' cotton strand. Anyway, one day at work I unwound 4no lengths of line about 28metres (92") long, and then wound them all together ready for the next day when I planned to get them all the same length.

So, I'm at work and I have one end of each new line hooked onto a thin metal tube running between two g-clamps. Then I run the lines out and do the same at the other end. I then try to separate them so that I would have 4no lines running parallel to each other – I couldn't even get one line out let alone four of 'em…….bugger! I know, I'll wrap each line in turn loosely around my hand and feed it in and out of the other lines all the way down………brilliant! Nah, that didn't work. I got about 1/3 of the way down and got into a terrible state, my 'unfurled' line is now looking like a tiny, messy birds nest and won't undo anymore. So I work out which line it is and unclip it from the other end and pull it through, so now I am left with 3no lines to separate. This time I used one of the reels that Baloo sent me with the new kite line on…….it worked a treat……..sorted.

I didn't have any sleeving material, so instead I made up a number of equal length hoops out of the old line and tied the new line to these. This will allow me to do all my tying to and from the kite/handles using a thicker and more manageable line……..tah dah! All I did was adjust the length of these hoops until I got all my lines pretty much the same length. My bottom lines are marked with black permanent ink and one of my top lines has a small piece of red electrical tape attached as a marker.

I've only had about 20 minutes of flight with these new lines so far, and they do obviously make a world of difference, I'm well chuffed.

I'll keep in touch.

Chris

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Glad the lineset making has entertained you Chris.

I made a set up this morning, took me about half an Hour or so, fully sleeved and everything :kid_devlish:

But then I have done it B4, going to try a set without sleeves next time.

Oh then I though what the heck, best check my some of my other lines, only had to adjust one line out of 4 sets, not too bad.

Then a Zen turned up so I had other things to do :)

Making line sets is not easy the first couple of times. Gets easier though.

Glad they seemed to make a difference. The important thing is that both the top lines, and both the bottom lines need to be the same length, depending on how fussy you are to within 1/4". Not quite so important for the top and bottom lines to be the same, need to be reasonably close.

Hope your knots are good. You need at least an overhand knot, than another one fairly close to it to be sure of no slipping.

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Hi all,

Hey Kristalis, those videos were damn fine. I like the idea of those sleeving things, they really look the business don't they? And they appear to make adjusting the line lengths reasonably easy as well…….….bonus. I used the 'tie a bunch of knots' method. It seems to have worked okay. That plastic line gauge was also a pretty cool idea – where do you buy those things from? Are they available in the UK?

Ummm…..why did I choose that length eh Baloo? Think I read somewhere that 90 feet was a good length and being English and in the engineering business for twenty odd years I certainly couldn't allow my lines to be measured in feet (no disrespect to the majority of posters on here), so I chose the sort of nearest metric equivalent. Unfortunately, 90 feet equates to 27metres 432mm. I just upped it to 28 metres (approx 92 feet)………………………There ya go, my reasoning – strange but true.

Thanks for the confidence boost Antman, much appreciated.

I'm up to around a whooping 5 hours flight time now (lookout John B. and Watty). Should I re-check my line lengths yet, or leave it a bit longer?

Bye Bye

Chris

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello All,

Well…….I'm still occasionally getting in the kite practise; probably up around the 16/17 hrs of flight time now. Things are starting to fall into place as well – it's nice not to keep hitting he ground cause you rotate your wrists the wrong way.

What I am struggling with is the will-power to practise the basics like hovering in the various positions for instance. When the wind is up it's soooooo much more fun just racing the kite around like a maniac with only minimal control. I have however now worked out the technique for hovering vertically left and right but still need a lot more practise. The inverted hover still eludes me though, although, having said that, if I cheat and spin the kite 3 or 4 times, the resistance in the twisted lines help to prevent me form over correcting. So perhaps I am learning? Side sliding?.........nah, ain't got a clue, not that I'm bothered at the moment, perhaps one day.

Anyway, that's things as of yesterday, slow progress but I'm getting there………

See ya

Chris

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  • 2 months later...

Hello all,

I must have close to 40 hours flight time now and just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy the manic flying of 25+ mph winds with my EXP on 14 metre lines. I know, I need a vented kite for the ease and precision of high wind flying – people keep saying that to me, and I will get one eventually. But the excitement and challenge of trying to control my lad in high gusty winds is soooo much fun for me, racing across the window barely in control, shooting upwards or outwards to the edge with no brakes in emergencies then attempting to fly, slide and turn slowly without being pulled forward……love it. Propeller spins are incredible. I tend not to do those too close to the ground though, cause they rarely stop in the direction I want in those winds.

Anyway, I know it will end in tears one day, but for the time being I can't get enough of it ......................saddy.

See ya

Chris

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