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Alright, I’m in! Let’s go Team Corolla!!! Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app

Here's what a five stack looks like. Plenty of pull, great fun to fly. SHBKF

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. The winner of this drawing will receive one brand new Kaiju by Kite Forge, complete with 7' lines ($135 value)... Actual prize kite is white and blue, as shown in the photo and video above. == Info on the Kite Forge website: http://kiteforge.com/product/kaiju/ http://kiteforge.com/help-tutorials/ == If you haven't done so already, You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/363, and will be drawn on June 10th, 2018! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin.

I agree with advice given, especially looking to find time with other pilots as often as reasonable. Hey you could always ask a friend to help you by holding a cell phone for a Waze video call from Mexico if you need help. There is always a work around if needed and an experienced pilot could look at what you are doing and give pointers that help you step forward faster in your skills. That said what I would add is this- if you don't Ave a lot of real estate to work with then I suggest markibg in the sand your limits. A "if I cross this line I will hit the _____", or "If people walking towards me pass the bag I left at the kite end of my lines I will know they are in my danger zone. It can be hard to judge distance with the kites, and other people are oblivious and or rightfully don't have any idea what our kites can do, so they can get into the flight area easily and keeping them safe is your job. For months I landed whenever anyone was in my danger zone. Also, semetry is important, check your kite setup and your hand position. Focus hard at the start on equal and symmetrical hand placement and movements. We naturally tend to favor or over power one side and knowing and correcting for that is key. Start with focusing on launches that go straight up to the top of the window and come straight back down. If your launch always arches in one direction you are not being symmetrical and even. Getting good at this is ALL ABOUT building good and consistent muscle memory, which is all about consistentancy and repetition. Check your hand position frequently and keep your hands relaxed in front of your center of gravity. No wind in the arm pits man. Lastly, keep breathing. Don't hold your breath, that loads tension into your body that you don't need. And imagine clearly what you want the kite to do- "Use the force Luke!". Thinking about what I want it to do and not about the mechanics of my movements helps to keep me from overthinking. If you ever need help I am just a Waze video call away. Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app

I think you meant the sound we all make just after the kite bounces... Or just after I fly through your lines, just one line of course not a clean fly through that we could have a prayer of reversing in the air. I would go for purple with lime dorts please. Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app

I thought it was a new Simpson’s thing... DORT! The sound I make just before the kite hits the ground again.

See, there is a reason to have more than one! Beautiful

Hi All, I'm not a stranger to kites. I used to work for my cousin Steve Lamb (under Shirley Gardner) at the Florence, Oregon location of Catch The Wind back in the summer of 1987. I flew a string of eight 6' Stacker Flexifoils back then, as well as 1, or occasionally 2 Hawaiian Team Stunt Kites, an 8 pack of Trilby kites, and a Double French Military (as well as many others). I made my dent in the hobby (or more accurately the hobby made it's dent in me) back in October of 1990 at Brill Hill in Buckinghamshire, UK, when my stack of Flexis dropped me on my head (long story) to my concussion below. This started a string of really bad Octobers (an assult (with another concussion), laid off, fired, struck by cars, broken legs, nerve damage, torn ligaments, and a twit (among other issues)). I HATE October! I LOVE Halloween as it means another October is OVER!!! I'm now living and working as an English Teacher in the PRC and working on a few designs of my own in my spare time.

I recently finished my first kite build, and I wanted to throw a public "Thank You!!" out to my kite making mentor: Elliot Shook, who allowed me to follow in his design footsteps, gave me guidance, techniques and encouragement. Without Elliot's generous mentorship this kite would likely still be flying only in my imagination. Holding my kite up to Elliot's work I still have a bit of fine tuning to do, but hey I still need an xtra vent, so I will get better. Elliot's eye for detail and build quality is definitely masterpiece material. I finished it just in time to take it to JB's OBX quad clinic and got to show it off to Elliot and all my best flying buddies. When the wind let up a bit (should have made an xtra vent for that weekend!!) I got to put it up with the sun behind it and it sparkled in the sun beautifully, and seemed to fly just fine. Nothing like seeing your own work flying and keeping up with the others in the sky. it flew just like a Shook should fly: smooth and un-phased by the bumps, in higher winds than I should have put it up in, and pretty as a can be. Also, Thank you to all of the folks who have pulled out kites to let me examine and photograph them, lent me your sails, and answered my questions about sewing and techniques - many of you were generous with your time and knowledge. The generosity of this community never fails to warm my heart and add lift to my efforts. To anyone thinking about taking the sewing plunge....I encourage it. I learned a ton, and kite making materials are not forgiving, so give yourself plenty of practice scraps and time. Oh the joy of flying a kite I built can not be described adequately. Thanks Again Elliot!

Short video of some of my progress after flying quads for nearly 2 years give or take a couple of months. Thanks to all the people that have helped and continue to do so along the way. Really has opened a whole new world, an amazing community [emoji847] Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app

FYI, it appears 25 of those belong to the Corolla group - roughly a 27% chance.

Increased our odds a little more just now too.

There is a cream available for that itch ........js!!!

Nope. Though I would enjoy seeing that very much, if done well.

Two entries thus far... Still a few days left! == @skline == @esinger

86 tickets sold between 20 people, some very exciting odds still!

We flew our kite above one of the largest intermittent lakes in Europe, Lake Cerknica, a Ramsar and Natura2000 site. This lake is very good at playing "now you see me, now you don't" - check the full story on our website! ;-) Shot with Nikon 1 J1 on a Great White Delta.

It's kinda real.Only in a slightly comedic vein though. Before the Kaiju release JB was at GWTW answering questions about the kite. One of the guys with a ton of kite knowledge was asking specifics about it and mistakenly wrote dort .In the context of the conversation I thought it was hilarious and still haven't gotten over it.Iv'e been looking for a purple kite with pink dorts ever since. Still looking .

Maybe this is a quad head question- but is dort a real word/thing? Also, after clinic where I actually tried a few minutes on a Kaiju dual if win this I am gonna suspect the universe is conspiring against me..... But it is not purple so the odds are short on that one. Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app

But if the spars are sensitive as stated in the original post - shouldn't an effort be made to reduce load on the spars in the middle of the kites? I see two principally close ways here - both require a hole in the sail: Add a extra bridle lines to the to the image above. These extra bridle segments should form a continuation of the kite line. In this way connecting the central point of the spars of each kite to the neighboring kites'. Let the kite line pass through all the sails except for the last kite. Then connect all the bridles of all kites to this line.

imagine a fine sports car with old useless bald tires, ... it doesn't matter how much power you put out, it ain't getting to that last square inch of the road! Well you kite is that same way, save a dime and see if it effects performance overall? Okay sure, but Save 25% and I will question you again in 60 days and at the end of the year. Did you really save money or in hindsight you should have gotten the best darn tires to fit your ride instead, regardless of their price? I am hard on my lines and fly a lot, (10 hrs a week minimum) so the expense of lines is just a part of being sport kite flier, several times a year I buy new strings. You could make your own handles or even a killer kite, but you gotta BUY flying line no matter what! This is no place to go cheap, save $ on something else and get the best darn lines you can find, it is that last sq. inch of contact with the pavement!

Another option and what I’ve been doing is buying 300 yard spools of LPG and making my own. Purchase sleeving material and tool for less than $20 and the spool of line for just over $100 and make them yourself. Then you’ll have the tool to fix sleeving on broken lines, and make a shorter set for urban flying. Sent from my IPhone

I would love to win this. It'll make a great addition to my collection. I'm in!

...Sonoma, Mendocino. FO SHO

UDOWN WIT OPK ?!?!?!!

Fortunately, there are a lot of really good experienced fliers in your area. I have 2 suggestions for you. 1. Start with other people's kites first. 2. Don't limit yourself to anything.

Really funky kite. Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.

Me too.

Good lookin' kite. I may have to get one.

Very Cool Prize. Congratulations Mike. New Karma is up. Locking this one down..

Congratulations, Mike.

Congrats Mike! Enjoy!

Good piloting! I'm soon half way through that (framed QLK) time and you certainly offer no rest for me by showing this video. The high tempo in the video and chosen music match well - it kind of gives an impression of precise juggling.

Woohoo, thanks - needed some Karma!

Well, I'll get this done before I head off to bed... I'm sorry this drawing didn't gather the interest of my drawings in the past, I thought there were more Prism-heads here. Anyway... here it goes... Looks like #2- Mike Klaiber is our winner... Congratulations ! Let me know where to send this l-o-n-g box.

Somehow they mix.. Spotlight on 1:19

You're getting better at an exceptional rate. Keep it up and you'll be Master Level in no time.

Some clinic skills have no flying time attached to them but are so invaluable to a complete flyers toolbox. Thank you John Barresi Riff and others for a complete clinic experience!

A little flic flac practice and general kite play from Whalehead.. Pilots @riffclown & @Mike Klaiber

@esinger was off to the side practicing with a duallie. It was a great weekend sharing sky, wind and lots of kite adventures with new and old friends..

A massive thank you to oapbill for the sail he sold me I’m starting to think I can do this now , maiden flight was an hour long and in ten minutes I could do more than I have since starting my quad life [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app

Welcome Mr. Miles. I hope you find some useful information here. Any questions just ask. And I hope TK’s extended leaders help speed up the learning process for your new quad. I’ll replace them after I get done moving to Oregon. Can’t wait to fly with you on the Oregon coast. Sent from my IPhone

Indigo Sunrise has a new home.. @windpoacher found a tennis partner in low evening wind..

"If you learn to drive with a Pinto, you'll appreciate the Ferrari much more when you finally get a chance to try one."

I already put in a purchase for a new one. (Thanks JB or TK, or whoever ties them.) Now that the bridle has changed changed from heavy fraying to only having the inner core, it's time to carry one in my bag. Mostly I'm wondering how to make them last a little longer. I've only logged 71 hours on that sail plus or minus rounding my flight time in my notes, so I'm not sure how I was particularly hard on it.

I have heard that you will find some golf balls with a liquid in them. It's kind of a surprise when you drill into them. Hopefully you don't run into those. I have made a variety of kite stakes over the past few years. They are fun projects. When I ride my buggy I carry mine on the buggy. When I fly static I shove it through a belt loop on the side, but I've been warned. I was warned on the power kite forum about carrying it on your body. This picture was someone's else's reason. It came from this posting. http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=32044#pid309537 I have found my local fabric stores only have flat webbing (single layer). I only found the tubular stuff at the REI (mountain outfitters supply). I found that I could cut a piece of polyethylene hose (the clear plastic tube they use for pumps and the like) and put that down the middle of a piece of tubular nylon webbing. It holds the opening wide open and makes the holster a little more rigid so I can scoop up my stake and slip it into the sheath without fiddling with it.

Short video showing the shimmer when backlit by the sun

That’s funny first couple times I flew my first quad I had the spars on the front side of the kite. Some stranger came along and corrected my mistake and gave me some pointers. Sure helped a lot. Good luck. Sent from my IPhone

I have flown Revs on lines from eight feet to two hundred and fifty feet long. The shorter the lines, the faster the kite moves, and the perimeter of the wind window decreases. You have less time to react to the kite's movement and this makes it harder to learn. The advice most experienced pilots give to folks just starting out is to use 80ft or longer lines. You can do it with 65's, it's not impossible, but it will be more difficult and take longer unless you are a "natural". Some people pick it up in minutes. Some people will still be having a hard time after 10 hours on the lines. You will probably fall somewhere in between. I would recommend a 120ft set that you may fashion into two shorter sets eventually when they begin to wear. 120ft are the common length you will fly in a group should you get the chance at a fest. 120's also give you a huge area to fly across. I would recommend learning on 120's and timing your learning to when the tide is out. I know that's a pain in the ass and won't let you fly each time you get the urge, but you'll get more smiles per gallon when you're not fighting the kite. Most beginners start backing up when trying to fly the kite, walking backwards until they run out of room. Don't. One step back when launching, then try to stay in the same spot or even move forward a few steps when the kite is pulling well, so if you do need to add some oomph if the wind slows down you have the room to do it. Don't fly in the upper or lower recommended wind range stated for the kite. Stay about five mph away from the extremes until you have mastered basic control of the kite. It will only frustrate the crap out of you if you try. The techniques you will need for those conditions will come to you with time. It may take as much as 80 hours to get the hang of it. Remember, you're doing this to have fun. Don't make it like work. You will have some frustrating situations arise if you will be learning on your own without an experienced flyer by your side telling you what not to do, so check out the beginner tutorials available on this forum and watch each one several times until you nearly have it memorized. Then watch them a few more times -- seriously. Pay very close attention to everything John says in them. He does not give you any info you won't need. If you do it exactly the way he describes it, you will have zero problems, especially the videos on setup and breakdown and handling the lines at those times. Treat what he tells you in the tutorials as GOSPEL and you'll do well. These are proven methods that will not let you down. Once you have established a routine way of doing things you will begin to develop your own "style". Until then stick with what is guaranteed to work. And just so you know you're not alone, at least 95% of all quad flyers have tangled their lines, horribly. Frustrating as hell -- oh yeah! Sit down, untangle them, get over it. __it happens. If it feels like the kite is out of your control most of the time and you'll probably break it. You may consider taking a couple of spare frame pieces with you just in case. You will use them if you fly fairly often. They do wear out eventually. Buy no-snag handles if you can get them at the same time as the kite, and extended leaders for them. If you end up with the hog ring style handles, we'll tell you how to modify them to make them snagless. Definitely get or make extended leaders for the handles. If you don't, you'll never have your kite adjusted well for conditions. I'm sure others will chime in to give you some insight into their experience with quad kites, so stay tuned. If you have questions, ask. We'll give options you may not have considered, and tell you what will only cause frustration even though it may seem like the logical solution. If you're going to do it on your own once you get there, stay in touch so we can give you a hand with it.