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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/09/2020 in all areas
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2 spots left!2 points
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Over the past week I have equalized five of my six quad line sets. The sixth is very new so I didn't look at it yet. I had NEVER done this before. The background is I am a very casual flyer, and in 10 years I had probably flown as much as John Barresi does in a month or two. Some of these line sets were used more, but all were used. Black (BLK) were almost always connected as the brake lines. Black and red pairings were not always maintained, so BLK 1 could have been with both RED 1 and RED 2. In each set, one of the BLK lines was always the shortest and was used as the reference line to which each of the other three were adjusted (cut). I recorded the amount I removed from each of the other lines in the set, and I circled the line(s) with the greatest stretch in each set. Set 3 (50# 120' LPG) had some pretty impressive stretch, but I think I flew it a lot - and I remember having trouble with reverse. I would like to thank Bryan Wagstaff for nagging me on the importance of flying with balanced lines. Also see JB's tutorial on this website https://kitelife.com/forum/files/file/685-rev-tutorial-line-equalizing/
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Me! Me! Me!! Never have too much fabric!2 points
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Also - please don"t take my mentioning of AWOC as a pure endorsement of the store, there are many others out there. The Kite Shoppe, Ocean Shores Kites, ITW, The Shook store, I'm sure most, if not all, carry bulk line. I have done business with all these and more - satisfaction on my end!!1 point
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Unless you fly alone - I do NOT recommend fishing line. Same material, different weave. Look on the major online kite stores for bulk spools, sleeving, and don't forget winders. Look on A Wind of Change for components. I find you can usually get 2 sets for the price of 1, but you also invest the time it takes to make them. All comes down to what your time is worth... I buy commercial sets, then equalize. Saves me the time of setting up and getting it all arranged. One adjustment and usually I'm good to go for a awhile. One more adjustment and usually pretty safe, unless flown in extreme conditions. I usually go thru 2 sets of quad lines every year. I fly team mostly, lots of crossed lines there. I almost always go thru a set just at WSKIF every year. Team flying almost every day for a week solid eats that set fast! Old lines get thrown in the practice bag, maybe cut down, etc. About lines - if you fly on a beach - wash them out - lots! Take the handles off and dunk the whole set, winder and all, in a container. You will be surprised at how much sand comes out. Plus the dunking dissolves the salt crystals that build up on your lines. Ever look at sand or salt under a microscope? Sharp!! Eats lines fast! Clean them!!!1 point
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And don't assume that new lines are equalized either. Many times I have gotten new sets that seriously needed attention.1 point
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Recently I replaced the stock leaders that came with my Revolution handles with pro leaders offered here https://kitelife.com/forum/store/product/18-pro-leaders-100-black/ They are longer on top, and the knots are a little closer together. That got me to rewatch this tutorial, and the new leaders gave me, or more factually made me, retune. I ended up with the bottom lines about the same distance as before from the handles, but the top lines are now two inches further out. This is described as a brake heavy setting in the tutorial, and it just brought my two new kites to life - a full sail Bazzar Poulter Phoenix Pro and a Kite Forge Djinn mid-vent. I have always had trouble with reverse, and with the new tuning, the kites are much better "balanced" and have so much better reverse. This is not about the kites, but there is a difference. The Djinn is the most responsive (sensitive to input) of the nine quads in my bag, and while the Phoenix is close, tuning really makes a huge difference with the Djinn controllability. I am guessing all my other kites will have more balance and better reverse. I completed a reverse circle for the first time, well, a reverse polygon which practice may turn into a circle. Side hovers were also much easier to hold. If you are not happy with your kite, especially balance and reverse, watch the tutorial and try retuning!1 point
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One thing I've always done is alternate the lines every session. I do this in the winding up at the end of a session so the next time the top lines are now the bottom and verse visey.... bt1 point
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Is the foam glued in place? You should let them know about the change. I don't think anyone with normal sized hands would want them that low.1 point
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I wouldn't name it until the Premier!! Honestly it's just a fun pattern that I'd love to incorporate into a sail..1 point
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Welcome to the forum from Illinois. Good to have you with us.1 point
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