Breezin

Finally, finally good time on the Jet. Got about 45 minutes in 10 to 15. Winds dropping so didn't fly long. Watching videos I assumed kite needed to be hard launched. Nope just ease it up and let the kite hunt for the lift. Have to be very gentle on the lines or kite will go spastic. Once nose settles kite becomes very precise and I can yank and spank in the power zone. Just 1/2 way thru a loop I have to let it finish or I lose control. Nothing else I have flies like it. 1st window edge to edge slide done this morning on the Jet Go figure. Kite stalls and recovers on the window edge very well. From what I have gathered a true speed kite doesn't do that very easy at all. The main reason I got the Jet vs others was less pull. It's 1/2 at 15 mph than the Widow at 10 mph. Think I'm going to like this kite a lot. I don't ever recall hoping for 30 mph winds before . Will repair as needed.

No he is not!! The butchering of perfectly good materials shall soon commence. Went to a Jo Anne outlet yesterday morning. Ouch won't do that again. 1st one will be out of a fairly thick rip stop tarp. Maybe it'll fly in 40 mph. 2nd in flo orange is a lot thinner and enough material for 2 attempts. Hopefully by then I'll be able to handle the very thin slippery kite material fairly well. Got some duck canvas for the pockets ,spine and LE. Going to flexi tape the nose then plexi dip. Frame in 6 mm carbon rods all around. Stand offs and battens in 3 mm.Bridle ? Got to get that far before I start figuring that out.If I can launch and fly in 10 mph will be pleased.Will post results next year LOL. Could have a brand new HQ Cruiser sent from London England for $46.19 total cost but you all have convinced me that the satisfaction is worth more than the $. I shall see .

I've watched RobBs vid with a PD a lot .Today winds 0 to 3 for about an hour on the Zephyr and started to get it.For the most part on the PD and Zephyr I've had to guess and keep pulling the wind out of the sail. Today I finally started feeling a lot more. Takes a lot of calm concentration.Learning to wait and react instead of guess and move wrong isn't that easy to do. It's easier to correct on the PD . Get it wrong below 3 and the Zephyr makes you prey for a controlled crash I mean landing. A few days ago the winds kept shifting directions and I walked in circles most of the time.I'd get the PD up and sometimes the wind would shift and it would sail right over my head.Kept yanking and spanking and moving all around with little success. Very frustrating.Went in and watched Robs vid about 10 more times in a row. Ya got to stand still ,feel the air and start dancing before you ever launch the kite even though ya look a little goofy LOL. Smooth, smooth, smooth. I've looked but can't find I But Lines in any length let alone a 1000'. Spoils of 50# and 90# I assume are potatoes for homemade Vodka? That's a lot of work man. I just go to the store. I've lived here over 20 years and this is the mildest winter yet. Not complaining. Blizzards suck and it's not uncommon to wait 2 or 3 days after one has passed for the plows to come. Maybe with some high winds and a foot of snow I can learn to fly the Jet Speed w/o breaking it.Doubt it but I know where to get parts. I do have an advantage in low winds. 6200 elevation and very little humidity. I'm digging these low to no winds more than I Imagined. Would be cool to try a quad I guess. I mean beings how my arms getting all twisted and stuff. Okay alright I'll try.

Sitting here thinking about the last couple weeks progress. From getting the Jet that's going to take several hours of 20 + winds to get the hang of.To getting a sewing machine that's going to take a couple hundred hours to get good at. To getting the PDSUL which is one of the coolest kites ever.Progress should be better but coming along . Spent 3 hours yesterday with PD on 90' x 80 # line set . Went back to the 100' x 90# set today and much happier. I don't think I could tell a difference on the other kites but on the PD you really can. Going to get 50# x 120' for it too . Tried the Zephyr on 50' x 50# and didn't like it and don't think with my current skills I want that small of window on the PD. Flew a few hours today on the PD with the 100'x 90# and everything felt more firm. Wind came up a bit so switched to the Zephyr on same set and was happy there too. Wind got a little higher and switched to the Widow ng. Been bouncing between 80' x 150# and 100' x 150#. Tried the kite on the other 2 line sets and have settled on these 2 with the 100' having a slight edge.Going to get a 120. x 150# for it and to use on Jet also. ITW site says Jet comes with 110' x 140# set. Kite came with 25 meter lines and that's what the instructions say so no complaints.After flying the other 2 getting the Widow up was like playing with a kitten to playing with a ferret.It was great after finessing those 2 kites and trying to not break the PD to just start hammering on the Widow. Fun factor 11. Had about 30 to 45 minutes left to fly and 2nd nose dive of the day loosened the tee's top c clip. So ended the day but nothing broke or punctured. There's a lot of good reads and vids on the PD . People have varying opinions on line sets and trick ability but most say put the kite away at 5 mph. As I get better think I'll be pushing closer to the 10 mph. For me the kite has 2 distinct feels between 0 and 5. Unlike the Zephyr the transition is seamless. I can work the Zephyr between 0 and 3. At 3 plus it's like a switch is turned on and it stays pretty much the same until 10 to 12. Above 5 the PD starts changing again. Don't really know what it is but I can feel it and it feels good. Wind ranges are suspect from the manufactures but I think Jon T meant up to 10. No more. Iv'e learned more in 3 hours about the chain of events after inputs than all the others combined. Everything on the PD is graceful. It demands it. I'm thinking it won't last as long as it should because of what I'll be putting it thru but will replace it when the time comes without a doubt. For now every trick I learn I will try on the PD also whether the kite can do it or not. The slowness and responsiveness of the PD has helped my timing on the other kites whether I succeed on it or not. The Night hawk, Addiction and Jewel are just a blast to fly around and do whatever.They're durable and tricks happen without even knowing how. The other 3 demand some more deliberate skills which is even more rewarding. I've had the most laughs on the Addiction. Been most rewarded on the Widow. Learned the most on the Zephyr. Been the most content with many warm fuzzy feelings already on the Pro Dancer. Damn thing makes me giggle.Been the most frustrated on the Jet. Glad we can have more than one. If I could only have 4 it would be Jet, Widow, Zephyr, Pro Dancer. 3 there goes the jet. 2 there goes the Zephyr. If with much wailing and gnashing of teeth I could only have 1 it would be the Zephyr without any hesitation. Until I actually got a Zephyr would have never thought that. If I had to replace my kites tomorrow the only 1 that would be the same is the PDSUL. Widow would change to Widow Maker Pro [ using that colorizer a lot] . Jewel to Acrobatix. Addiction to Addiction Pro. Zephyr to Fearless light vented. Jet to HQ Ninja or Cruiser.I reserve the right to change my mind though. Night hawk dunno cause I got to have an excuse to shop around. Got 8 framed dual line kites now and love them all. I am 99.99% convinced though that I need another kite . Perception is everything. To the individual .

Ahh okay what was step 1 again. Very cool !! I'l be watching that a few times .

Could be very regrettable Khsidekick but we can just fly mine LOL. Talked to ITW Fri. about the Jet. Very cool dude. Positive I got a faulty kite. Was going to go there to resolve issues. Put the kite together again this morning trying to figure out whats wrong. Dropped whisker behind freezer and found instructions . Elliots pdf is for the Jet Stream Speed not Reloaded. Whiskers correct at 18.5. ITW site says 115' x 140 lb. Not what I got but correct line set per instructions.Bridle and frame measure out correctly. Apparently it's me that sucks. Hate when that happens.

Sails on the Widow and Zephyr already repaired . They were very minor so you can breath easy . Flew my Neighbors Black Dog just before breaking the Jets whisker and his stand off repair is awful looking. Kite was a blast to fly though. Today I got to fly the Zephyr for several hours . Lucky for you no damage. The down side is female Alpaca spit on me, another stepped on my toes. Male kicked me in the shin. Hollered loudly and upset the guard dog so he knocked me down. Going to collect eggs attacked by rooster and pecked by a couple hens. Walking back to the house goose began biting the back of my legs .While getting away stepped in dog poo sigh. Be very careful tomorrow !!

Got some 2.75 rip stop for my cuffs and to practice on before the kite rip stop.Still finding the rag a little slippery lol.

Yup even though they'll be lucky to place 2nd in F1 this coming season !! Going to go to ITW in the morning. This kite sucks. Above 15 hard right crash. Launch below 15 and wonky feeling. Can not figure it out.Guess is the bridle is off.

Tried to assemble kite yesterday and broke whisker. Went to repair and found out kite came with 18.8 cm x 3 mm instead of 17 cm x 2 mm rods as specified. Got 20 + today. Kite is going to fly by gum. Learned to maybe check measurements before forcing and complaining. So far the QC on all but the Pro Dancer kinda sucks. Not bad, bad just kinda. Difference between Corvette and Ferrari I suppose both bad ass but one is also a piece of art.

Yesterday morning while practicing I got a near perfect 12" straight line stitch with proper tension on a dish rag. Hey it's a start .

A Christmas trivia tribute ? Insignia is really cool.

We had 2 Addictions in the air last Sat. Didn't even get simultaneous crashes let alone slides and axles LOL. Would be cool to see you pull that off Ca Ike.

Kites and Fun Things sending a set of standoffs on the house .Very cool. Glad I didn't put different sized standoffs in. Would have been very stoopid !! When winds start gusting to 5 I think I'll be putting a different kite in the air.Grand kids out today. PDSUL,Widow and Zephyr stayed in the bag. Those kids are rough. Got smacked twice today by crashing foils. When the frames came out I was paying a lot more attention .

Just under 5 hours on kite and broken sigh. Didn't get over 7 mph gusts while flying. Went to set up kite and right stand off had a fiber broke. Pretty minor for a newbie on a SUL. While taking down kite UPS showed up with parts yay. PD stand off .o60. Got .080 rod. Replace both stand offs in .080 till next order. Storms a coming so last time on PD for a few days .

Higher and higher baby. I'ts a living thing .ELO - Electric Light Orchestra.

Got my sewing machine today. 2 stocking hats and a shirt to repair for practice. !1st major project [for me anyways ] is sew a little velcro for whisker storage pocket. I store top spreaders for all but the Z in LE hole. Maybe attach RF tag to whiskers and stay out of water.

Dark red would make it decidedly Dark Side like .

While putting up PD leaned over to get spars and whiskers. Pipe fell out of shirt pocket onto whiskers. BOINK. Next 20 minutes on hands and knees finding what went BOINK. May I suggest as a Newbie perhaps put away whiskers 1st. Unless of course ya like that sorta thing. Ordered enough rods and end caps to make 14 whiskers for the Jet Speed. Figured I'll be losing those a lot. Plus 3 tee's. Figured I'll be breaking those a lot.

Got about 2 1/2 hours on kite.90 LB X 100' lines. Still intact . After getting kite together for the 1st time noticed a small blem in front of lower LE connector. Upon closer inspection of kite and finger kite has been named before 1st flight. BS&T. Blood for the owning, Sweat for the building and Tears for the owing LOL.

Stoked, had it up in 0 to 8 on the 90 LB x 100' with stock adjustment. Going to get better before using lighter and shorter lines. Graceful and responsive all the time. Think I'll keep it !!

Oops meant Tue. Monday sucked !!

Flew on Z about 3 hours today R line is off about 2" more. Used same line set on PD for 2 hours. Monday up for about 2 1/2 hours on both. 1 more adjustment should be good to go for a bit. Unless I put the set on the Widow in 12 mph .

Sunday morning went out before the games. Had a rough time. During 1/2 time bell went off, checked lines and red was off about 6" too.

I think it's the right shade of black .