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Had been starting to save for a Sport Kite Design vented awhile back. Couple weeks ago a White Sky Burner Widow Maker Pro never flown came up for sale. It is believed that Steve Tapp created 5 of these sails.I am so very pleased and fortunate to have gotten this kite. Kite Party 16 has some nice pics of a Sky Burner Solus flying with this same color layout. Let go 5 kites to get back on track and have no regrets although they will be missed . Prior to today I had about 2 1/2 hours on kite. Not doing much. Just getting the feel. Mostly slides, stalls.Turtles, fades and pancakes. Not forcing anything, just really enjoying it's flight. Today winds were a pretty steady 15 mph. Few gusts bumping 18+ but nothing violent. Put kite together and went up on 100' x 150# line. Kite spun out of control in a right hand spin. Checked kite all ok. Up and same thing. Checked all bridle connections.Bridle ok. Walked line back with my thumbnails. Up and same thing. Remembered about tension release in different sails. Re did lower spreader releasing lower tension. Up same thing. Back to the kite. Took out top spreader and undid stand offs again releasing upper tension. Viola problem solved. Do not ask me why. Something about some sails needing to breath in there 1st few flights.Glad I had read about that or I would have been very frustrated. Maybe damaged the kite. Once underway, couple minutes in perma grin froze my face for the next 2 1/2 hours. WOW!!! Kite is stunning. Hour later went to 100' x 130# and fell in love even more. Kite is very feminine. LIKE A AMAZON WARRIOR !!! Started to name her after the Roman Empress Theodora( born 500 died 548 ). 1 1/2 hour in the incredible controlled nimbleness of the kite changed my mind. She will be called White Widow. Read a few comparisons between the Widow ng and Widow Maker Pro. The following is opinion and not a review. I am not qualified to review. Between 2 and 5 mph kites felt very similar. If doubting these low wind ranges I live at 6200 feet with humidity less then 20% most days. Kick a football and it goes further than in Toledo, Spain (round) or Toledo U.S.A (real football shape ). Maybe that's why. Can't trick in 3 on either but can began to window hunt. Below 3 both come to the ground but with practice I think I'll be able to keep the White Widow aloft a bit longer. Going above 4 and 5 mph the similarities end. Loved my Widow ng and 0 complaints. For me once powered up they are way different. In 15 and a little over the ng would tire me out in a hour or so. The pull while not overpowering and a lot of fun would have me wrist wrapping my handles. The White Widow in 18 mph felt best with 2" finger straps using 1st 2 fingers. 1/2 the pull in 18 then the Widow ng in 12 mph. Widow ng has 4 nose adjustments. White Widow 6. A little tweaking on the ng nose some of that pull would go away. Don't know how and never felt the need to mess with it. For me at it's price point the Widow ng is a perfect kite. Everything is more flowing on the White Widow than any other kite I have flown. I have nothing to really reference it to from personal experience. Seller asked me to post a video so I will. Be a little bit. Want to fly a little better 1st. Got a little more fragile ego than some of you . If you have never flown a Sky Burner Widow Maker Pro and somebody offers you the chance grab those lines before they change their mind. Then make up your own mind. Mine is. I love it.At this point I do not see how a kite can be better than the White Widow. Different and on par yes. Better? I'll see. Mind Trick vented will be here Mon. I am 99.999% sure that I will be just as thrilled with it. It's going to be very different. In the next year I think the Zephyr and Hydra will be my most flown kites. They are both tough kites and I got a lot to learn. Taking what I learn and then transposing it to the other kites seems the prudent thing to do. At least that's the plan. Next up Benson Super Nova UL. That is a Spring 2019 goal. If you have a Super Nova to sell (color does not matter)please wait till 3/26/19. I don't think I can take many more gotta have it jitters.

It is quite refreshing to see that newbie energy.

You've come a LOONNG way, Breezin, from the time you were looking at a Widow ng!!!!!! I commend your fortitude & determination to master these sport kites! Not always easy, but sure feels good when you do!!!!

I thought the Zodarian would be faster. Funny how much I liked the noise in the Widow ng when I started. Kinda depended on it when trying not to crash was up most on my mind. Now I seem to like the soft hiss with a tight leech line. Widow Maker makes a lot less noise. Thought it would have a similar roar. I perceive it as faster but could be the lighter touch and more precise sharper turns. By the time I get enough hours to discern the difference most of my recollections of the Widow ng will be filled with nostalgia LOL. Will be fun to do a side by side comparison one day.

But ain't it fun??????? As your skills grow & you look for something 'different' in a kite, you can sell your starter kites, knowing that there are others just starting out in this sport that can benefit from these kites.... & your knowledge!

I can do nothing than agree with that. This lasting (and quite verbal) kiting starting intensity is rare and impressive. Go and get that next piece of the puzzle @Breezin!

Thanks this kiting community has been incredibly inspirational. When I was starting I didn't realize how big a part of my life this would become. It's like the more you learn the more you want to learn because it's impossible to learn it all. Started with a crying grand kid asking me to fix his broken kite. Didn't know how but now I do . You would think it would get a little boring trying to do slides 15 times in a row. A little frustrating at times but never boring. I'm on number 14 get set up thinking I'm in the groove. Gonna be a long smooth one this time. Start the slide wind shifts and danged if it ain't the worst one of the day. If that doesn't make you laugh at yourself, well lighten up a bit. The wind doesn't care.

Never used a tail on my Widow ng. Looks really cool and kinda regretting I never did.

Itchy Ichi... Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.

Love it! Good to hear how you are going. I've got a SKD 7Vtd and I love it for the lumpy inland winds. The vents really take the edge off. Keep it up. Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.

Thanks John - that makes sense. Now if I can just remember to follow your advice when I'm fighting with the bowtie

Watching the video and knowing Phyliss is her name .

#1’s gotta be in the race, eh?

Just to clarify; I doubt I could sustain more than 2 complete circles, my attention would need to move on... But it's got me thinking now! Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.

Does not have to be sustained flight, crashes acceptable, long as you get back up there!

-40 points

That’s Phyllis Gribbon, gets better... She’s EIGHTY THREE YEARS OLD. She was my “wingman” in that grid, indeed she went through the whole range of emotions but she persevered really, really well - I’d fly with her anytime too.

Nope. Hands below elbows equates to more brake line tension without direct X-Y input. Hands above elbows equates to more top line tension without direct X-Y input. Literally, the subtle altitude of the hands (and arms) changes the dominance of the top / bottom in a more subtle range without the volatility of a true manual input.

The questions were back in December, and you replied quickly each time. No problems or complaints there. They're a great list of kites and I'm sure it is difficult for him to stop flying. Had I known at the time or thought to ask the question I would have taken action and spent the money. I'm sure many people would have. But someone else asked so they should reap the benefits of asking their questions.

My friend gave these kites to me today. He got them from a friend who was cleaning out his garage. The first one is an Action Kites Super Sky Dart. It has no stand-offs and has a weird ‘sliding’ bridle, never seen that before. The second one is a Gibson Girl box kite from WWII. It has some holes in it, but it is very cool. Apparently Navy Sailors would use it on life rafts to hoist up a communication antenna to send SOS messages. What cool kites have you received from friends since you are maybe the only ‘kite person’ they know? Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app