Exult

Well, hello from (somewhat nearby) Sweden. I have two Kymeras (no tail weights any longer). If any C-clip positions have moved (i.e if I have repaired them or not) I don’t know, but I guess that I could have look to determine if they haven’t been repaired yet (have their original positions). The top spreader would be easy to measure. May I ask which bridle leg(s) that is/are unknown?

It sounds as if you already can go quite low in winds by the Prism 3-D. Have you considered a more modern full size sensible/non-extreme high end dual line trick kite (...that can also do some precision...) for lowish medium winds? If necessary using the old ones for a while (not so bad see the below video recommendations) and save up for a well researched one (there is always the opportunity later to do spending). (And I unfortunately don't know anything about the HQ Flow - might be an excellent one) My path when returning to kites after the 15 year break was first to get the Prism kites I had been drooling over as a student. Mainly because I found them discounted at ~50% so I got an Elixir, Illusion, Alien and later the 4D... Now they didn't get very much use with time except for initially (with the exception of the 4D - great for learning to reduce inputs and very portable) and possibly the Alien. Well the Alien could do double axels (never managed to transfer them to other kites though) and offered great leading edge launch practice (i.e. was very difficult to launch in that way) so that kite's personality did contribute but wasn't what I build further trick practice on. The first newer kite model from this millennium was an HQ Maestro 3. It was different from what I was used to, needed much input to do square turns and felt "chunky", so I didn't like it and used it for slightly more risk taking almost reckless trick practice. Only after I had got hold of my (bring to a deserted island) HQ Infinity I realised that they resemble (the feel, not the look) each other quite much. I believe that the one I didn't initially like paved the way for the favourite one. Sometimes when you feel uncomfortable/out-of-control you are just learning new things and possibly you just don't know it yet (polishing skills is something different though). What worked for me at least was something new and full-size and then gradually accepting the different feel of the kite(s). You probably know of these videos, but since you mentioned that you had a Flexifoil Stranger and a Psycho-like kite: (Now is a good time for those potato crisps and the beer and a pen and paper) About the possibility to get a quad I'd say that it opens up tight spots when you get used to them. Today I have no problems with quads on a narrow jetty, but I wouldn't do it with a dual (or perhaps it is the (failed) slack line tricks over water that is the real problem?).

Regarding starting again, buying kites, low wind and no nearby beach: To be near a spot where one can practice is of importance or rater getting to the field/parking/jetty can't cost much extra time to get any regularity of the practice sessions. So use what is close and don't care what what others think (and if you can't avoid thinking of it, think that it is way better than other popular pastimes such as streaming series and consuming fatty “potato flakes” and beer): While I have never tested any of the kites you have I can only compare to my experiences of returning to kites when the children had (mostly) grown up: I learned new stuff with the new (about >15-year newer) models (initially 2-line then 4-line) I then got hold of. "Would this or that kite be the one that first gained me some insight/new trick" reasoning perhaps led to a few redundant kites. Well redundant in the sense that I didn't have time to "fully" learn from each one of them, but I still don't want to part from them. On the other hand the only set of same-model-but-different-wind-ranges (Rev B-series std/half/full vent) allowed for continuity and consistent practising in any wind. If you stop progressing get something new or start to use something already available in a new way (short lines, new trick, two kites, precision...). Regarding the lack of wind in the new city, well a low wind session is a practice opportunity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgwdJlX2ZfA&t=1995s (Prism: The Advanced Way to Fly, Light Wind Skills) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXavCyyJCog&t=890s (Prism : Freestyle Pilot, Light Winds) Practice stuff like this and become a more complete kite pilot. E.g polish a series of pop-up launch followed by belly landing (for dual lines) and make it shine. Also low/no wind means less turbulence which can open up new smaller fields. Though I’ve been on a bit of a kite break myself I wish you welcome here and Good Luck.

Looking for trouble - found the 540 deg backwards ladder down The Rev B-series full vent with 4wrap spars. The setting Back to for the day windy pier. Almost all boats had been moved from the harbor (end of season) - there were no persons there. For the last three weekends I have not left the garden at home, since I have been handling the (fire)wood after having had almost all branches of an old(~150 year) common ash tree taken down. I.e. no kiting in a while. The session The main drill of the day. Today I used the full vent B-series with four wrap spars. The new main drill of the day was a backwards ladder down with 540 deg wing tip pivots. It was a good drill that even made the kite fall out of the sky a few times. Yes this was the case at least for the 540 deg backwards pivots around the right wing tip. The 180 degrees pivots worked, the 360 worked rather OK, while the (uncommon) 540 deg turned out to be a challenge. A bit surprising, but I guess that when leaving your usual “autopilot stuff” you find the challenges. I’ll should also try this in a future more medium wind session where the grip on the handles can be more relaxed. The method The 540 deg backwards wingtip downwards were made using the familiar method/sensation of actively flying the wing backwards during the wing tip pivot and letting the increased pressure fill you hand during the pivot. The pressure should stop abruptly just as the pivot stops abruptly. Non-intentional landing. The brake lines went around/over the edge of the pier, thus effectively shortened, so it didn’t take off even with the LE up. How is it compared to you other gliders (if not to early to form an opinion)?

Yes we did, mostly in the former Eastern parts of Berlin during our visit. Also did try the suggested kite contact (by e-mail), but there was unfortunately no reply. Much construction work going on. Also much space even in central parts of the town. The future museum. It was still nice and warm. Never knew that curry sausage was such a big thing (however quite tasty). 🙂

[whining]Gradually the small field is turning to something else (a storage area?) - now seven stationary objects are on it and plenty of semi mobile benches/tables, that only a group of persons can move, appear at random places. This in an area where there are few (no) other options (large fields or fields close to water) for say 20m/66ft dual line kiting.[/whining] I reached for a duallie (HQ Maestro 3). Time to maintain these skills as well. Authentic sea weed (from 2016?) and a repaired nose. I have much left to polish and several tricks to work on. A bit bothered about all the stuff on the field when running backwards/forwards and when recovering after failed tricks. OK, this quad has been in this topic before... Some of the things addressed: backwards ladder down, horisontal reverse flying out from the centre of the wind window and catch and throw in the non-light wind. The field/obstacle course here is not so much of a problem with a quad (exception being 360-ies on 15m/49ft lines, but the wind was not low enough today for this anyhow).

Good endurance! ...Now why don't I have any good looking red kites?...

Again, the Rev B-series, this time the mid-vent on 25m lines (82ft). Actually on a beach today, so very little ground contact not to have sand in the end caps. The main drill of the day. Themes of the session: Focus this time on... really feeling the lines (or occasionally remind myself to) - Not only see the kite and summarize the move by a feel(/feeling?)., but focus on feeling the lines and think about the handles movement. Identify the input one is doing. Work on doing the ladder down wing tip pivots backwards while minimizing the end/stop wobbling, Method: mix in forwards ladder up wing tip pivots (easier) to get feeling of the the powered drive when flying the wing through the pivot. Then preserve the feeling when doing backwards/down pivots. Think of the handles and think what “they” did the last time when the move went well so that you can increase that component(s). And yes, the drill is cyclic.

Sometimes patience is really rewarded! B.t.w. he first time I saw my wife was on a downhill ski trip when I also did some limited ski traction kiting. I still have the kite (a 5^2 Peter Lynn Peel - my first foil (guess that one should have started with a small trainer foil, but budget was really limited at the time)), but I haven’t used it since. How serious! Myself, I'm on a diet - never more than two kites and not (preferably) more than one purchase a year. There is so much to learn from one kite. It is a start (like feeding wild birds with breadcrumbs in your hand), but the real take off would be when your sons borrow the kites to go flying/piloting with friends. Funny, after the snap stall the axle was the first trick for me. To do the Lazy Susan, that took a loong time. Good luck with your return to kiting!

The almost 45 deg ground contact move (without a name?) Kite: Rev B-series Std Wind: Fluctuating between winds suitable for the Rev B-series std and mid vent Frame: 3 wrap tubes in the LE and 2PT in the downspars Lines: 8.2m (27ft) and 15m (49ft) Handles: 13 inch During the weekend I had been watching two videos where the short outer edge of the kite makes a quick ground contact: https://kitelife.com/forum/topic/6210-whats-your-favourite-video-to-introduce-the-dark-side/?do=findComment&comment=47628&_rid=10687 (JB on Rev B2 - Great video !!) https://kitelife.com/forum/topic/8174-jb-eli-albany-bulb/?_rid=10687 (Here JB and Eli Russel "are" “Bad to the bone”) My attempts on this move (e.g. at o:39 in the first video) has been rare, single tries and a little clumsy - my to go ground contact has been with the wing tip. I have also not known/decided of the ground contact is a 45 deg side slide into the ground or if the hole kite is partly lowered downwards into the ground. Especially in the latter video he kite is lowered so I decided to go into that direction for this session. Method (opinion might change when I learn more of this move). This was how I did/thought about it today: Fly the kite parallel to the ground. Add some brake on the top side to rotate the kite by almost 45 deg. With the lower handle drag the hole kite downwards so it briefly/gently touches the ground. Fly off with LE first Doing two 45 deg ground contacts directly after each other demanded greater control when powering up the sail/taking off after the first ground contact, so it was good training.

How odd! So I guess that this upper "line-spreader" is under tension to keep things fixed? This should cause the leading edges to be bent slightly inwards?

When kite piloting occupies your mind outside the field between the sessions. After the session: What do I want to continue with the next session? Any insights that should be remembered? Did I miss rehearsing anything that has not been practiced in a while? Between/before sessions: Watch videos and read forum posts - is there a new move/sequence/style that one can attempt to borrow? Sometimes figure on hand movements, both on things that you can do and want to learn. Are there similarities/differences between different moves that can be used to vary the moves? Is there a new sequence that can prevent one from pŕacticing "only" the std things in the ordinary way?

Kite: Rev B-series Std Wind: Between the Rev Indoor and B-series Std Frame: 3 wrap tubes in the LE (guess that I was lazy enough not to swap them) and 2PT in the downspars Lines: 8.2m (27ft) Handles: 13 inch After a visit to the dentist I looked for distraction, so that I wouldn't think of any pain when the anesthesia ceased. I just happened to had packed the kite bag in the car before going to the visit. Could find a small space by the sea. Had to stop frequently in good time not to worry passers by. Half the wind window was OK wind from the sea and the other half was behind a small tree with sparse branches. The main "mission" was just to do "the normal stuff" and not try to be affected by the conditions. Sometimes this tangle happens when doing catches and glides. How to avoid it? Make the sleeved loop shorter or tape around the sleeving knot (or just remove the sleeving altogether some would say)? When the wind is tangential (somewhere) to the a bit rounded pier I instead use the 15m (49ft) line set here.

👍👍👍 That is right! Safety always comes first! ⛑️🦺🥽

Thank you for your detailed reply regarding the glider kites! Cool to involve vertical winds! However there are some aspects of this that I totally can be without. The following is not my cup of tea...: