Reef Runner

This weekend, two of us were using brand new line sets. One was a 80 foot set, the other was a 100 foot set. After several hours of flight time, in some decent wind (not blistering mind you), when we began to wind up the lines, we both noticed that our upper lines, were now a bit longer, than the lower lines. They were obviously sagging down, once we stretched out the full set, in preparation to wind them up. Incidentally, we had both removed our handles before beginning the wind up process, so what we were looking at, was pure stretch, or "creep", as Jeepster illudedeluded to. The good thing, everything was equal, from left to right, just that bit of "creep", in those upper lines, which I would guess, take a bit more punishment, than the lower lines. All in all, it appeared to be somewhere around 1.5" to 2.0", overall. Another good reason to switch your upper & lower lines, every now and then.

That'll work................ 120 + 3 x 4 = 492 feet 80 + 3 x 4 = 332 feet ---------------------------- total needed = 824 feet (with 76 feet to spare - looks like a 16 - 17 foot set, for something ?)

Pete may still be in the wine cellar ! You can't make a 120', a 100', and a 80' line set, out of 333 yards (999 feet). You need another 237 feet ! 120 + 3 x 4 = 492 feet 100 + 3 x 4 = 412 feet 80 + 3 x 4 = 332 feet ---------------------------- Total needed = 1236 feet (which is 237 feet, more than on your 999 foot spool) And you are going to have to waste 95 feet, if you make just the 120' & 100', but you can make yourself a 120', a 100', and a 20' set, and use up that 95 feet. By making two 120' sets, you only waste 15 feet - That's why they changed the yardage to 333 yards, instead of 300........... ps...looks like the 333 yd (999 feet) spool, was made to make two 120' sets, or three 80' sets.

Hey Kent, Thanks for the update. I had heard sometime last year, that the company had changed hands, and that there might be a problem getting LPG, down the road, and then, I began seeing some websites saying things like, "when it's gone, it's gone", however, they were speaking of the pre-made line sets, as you mentioned. Now I have another question concerning the bulk line, as you sell on your website. I see that it is sold on 300 yard (900 feet) spools, and that's what I don't understand. Is the company aware that the standard Rev line set, is 120 feet long? The way I calculate the bulk line, that I need to make a line set is as follows. I take the length of the set, add 3 extra feet for the loops, and multiply by the number of lines. So, it I were going to make, for example, two (2) standard, 90 lb x 120 foot, quad line sets, I would calculate 120 + 3 x 8 = 984 total feet LPG needed, but those 300 yard (900 feet) spools would be 84 feet short. Even without the extra 3 feet that I always add just to be safe (120 x 8 - 960 feet), these spools would still be 60 feet short. That's the part that I don't understand. Why would the company put it up on 300 yard spools. Why not 330 yards (990 feet), or just make it an even 1000 feet. Better to have a little extra, than to have such an odd length (IMHO). Just curious if you can shed an light on this................. thanks............nick

I may be behind on this subject, but I understand that, a year or so ago, there was some serious concern in the kiting world, as to the future of Laser Pro Gold, the flight line, that we have all become so hooked on. As best I can recollect, it seems that Shimano, the fishing line company, bought out, "Innovative Textiles", who manufactured Laser Pro Gold, along with other spectra lines that are used in the kiting world. Can anyone shed any light on this subject? As one that has always made-up his own flight lines, I have recently noticed some shortages, at some of the on-line stores, in spectra lines, and I have also seen several notices to the effect of, "when it's gone, it's gone". Well if this is true, what are we going to use, when it is gone? What will replace it? Does someone have the "skinny", on this subject Say it ain't so, John. Say it ain't so !!

Yee Ha................Two is always better than one !

Hey John, Am I reading this right, there are two (2) drawings in April, and both for Revs............that's not half bad, in fact, that's great ! Say it's true, John, say it's true !

So whose being picky ! I'd be thrilled, either way, but the way my luck has been going on these drawings, it doesn't seem that I need to loose any sleep, worrying about it........... But whatever, what a great looking Rev ! I like it !

Yeah...I can see you and Howard coming to Florida now: It will probably get a little rough around the Reef Runners place in North Carolina, but he might rent or sell you a skiff to use from there on down!! heehee!! Keep It Up! Duane Don't worry, I don't have a clue either

Keep it up ! 99F & 100%R/H is on the way ! Then we'll see who is flying !

Sheer proof that Quad_Heads is needed and Dual_Heads is not. (Ducking and Covering) I think I deserve the crown for line-tangle-paranoia. Check this out: http://kitelife.com/...e-reel-machine/ Duane will make one of those this weekend, if it rains..........

Funny, how that happened, ain't it !!!

Thanks Mike, I knew I was forgetting something. Yep, I try to do that at least a couple of times during the year (summer actually, since that's when I fly, mostly). That sometimes messes me up, right at first, as I have usually gotten used to doing whatever, with a particular color............nick

Rob, Are you pairing the lines, like John shows in the video. Once paired, you should be able to wind up, just like a set of your dual lines......... I remember back, on one of my very first rev adventures, I likewise experienced one of those "knot's of death" - severely tangled. I bet it took my wife and I, a good 45 minutes to get everything untangled and laid out straight. Very frustrating, to say the least. I was almost to the point of (dare I mention the word), "cutting", but was finally able to avoid that !! However, that was also about the time, that the tutorials on "Line Management" and "Assembly/Disassembly" came out, so I watched them that very evening. Then I watched them again, and in particular, the one on "Line Management". I watched that several times. I can just about dub the audio in that one now !! But the point is, I finally got the concept in my head, and now, as John said, it's 3 minutes up - 3 minutes down. Ok, ok, maybe not quite 3 minutes (I'm not a professional). So maybe it's 3 minutes & 22 seconds. Well, it's a lot faster than it used to be, anyway. Not much more than handling a set of dual lines, just a couple more lark's head knots to deal with, and the whole process has now become, more or less, second nature, just as handling dual lines is to you now. As John showed in the video, the kite stake is very important, so you can put a little tension on the lines, when you wind up. Also, make sure you stake the top of the handles, with the kite inverted, and then always wind the lines from the kite, back to the staked handles (opposite on the unwind). I just always try to remember, when I go to the kite, in prep to wind up, always lark's head the upper line's loop, to the lower line's loop, and slide the lark's head, right down to the knot, on the lower loop. Then when you get to the other end, things should just about equalize out, since you should be staked, at the tops of the handles. I hope that makes sense......... NOTE:............since you only have one rev, and one set of quad lines and handles, right now, you may be leaving the lines attached to the handles, as John does in the video. No problem with this, for sure, other than packing. Personally, I don't have a dedicated set of handles, for every set of lines, so I remove my handles, once I am through flying, unless I plan on being right back out the next day. Removing the handles, can be a point of introducing some unwanted twist, or entwining, that you might want to pay close attention to. It's very easy to let the ends get away, and if you put them back wrong - big trouble will arise, next time out. To avoid this, sometimes I will remove my handles prior to even beginning to wind up. First I stake the handles on the ground, with the lines all pulled out straight, with no tangles or twist. I have the kite inverted to avoid and unplanned take off. Then I remove one handle at a time, from the stake, disconnect the lines from the handle, and I lark's head the bottom line to the top. Then I place the kite stake through that top line's sleeved loop, and proceed to disconnect the other handle, in the same manner, and then stake it, along with the first pair. Once this is done, I pick up the two pairs of lines, using the top line loops to give them a little tug, just enough to make sure that they are straight. Then I re-stake them, through the top loops. Then I go to the kite end and disconnect those lines from the kite, being sure to connect the appropriate pairs, just the opposite, as to what I just did, down at the handle end. Again, on the kite end, you want to lark's head the top line to the bottom, and as just mentioned, this is opposite to what you just did, at the handle end. Now, your lines (upper & lower) should be equally offset, and should equalize perfectly, assuming that upper and lower lines are the same length, and your sleeved loops and knots, are all the same, on top and bottom lines, as well as left and right. Now winding up should be a breeze, just like a dualie............... again, hope that makes sense........

John, you have caused quite a disturbance, over here on the right coast...............

Who, me? If I couldn't drink'n'post, I'd never get to post at all! Hey Pete, I don't know who he was talking to, but it's after 5 o'clock here now.................so be it !!

Me or Duane ? ................. As for me it's only 2:00 in the afternoon here, so the answer would be - NO. As for Duane, I can't speak for him :) :big_beer: !

Somebody please tell me that the Navigation Menu, is NOT that dark blue bar across the top of the page, with the options KITELIFE MAGAZINE - FORUMS - MEMBERS - GALLERY - BLOGS...............etc, etc,..............................STORE .............and.................MEMBER MAP Man, do I feel like an idiot. John, that's kinda what I was trying to ask you for yesterday, during my "senior moment", but that's much, much better. It stays there all the time, and you did it over at Rev also............ "You da MAN John, You da MAN !!" Thanks...........from the dummy in NC

Hey John ! Like I said - a senior moment ! I do understand the pinning thing, and I was just momentarily confused. I suppose I was looking at the "Active Topics" section, like it was a topic, and I was wondering why the "pinned" topic kept creeping down. I told you, it was just a senior moment............I'm cool, you're cool, and heck, Pete's probably down in the wine cellar......................all is well on the right coast................

I understand that it is linked in this post, but this post keeps getting buried. I don't think that adding you location to the map, brings it back to the top of the "Active" list, does it. I suppose that pinning it will take care of that part? Don't know, I'm getting a little confused, but I will work it out. Now, I must be missing something, though, because when I bring up Kitelife (I have it marked as a favorite), I have it coming up, on the "active topics" page. I suppose that going there all the time, that somehow, I have lost sight of what the Navigation Menu, is ? ps.........ok, somebody has got to actually post something under the topic, for it to come back to the top of the active list, so now I'm loosing sight of what the pinning does. just overlook me..........I suppose I'm having a senior moment !!!

I second that motion !!! I third that motion! ...If in-fact it needs one While we are on a roll here, I wonder if John could, "not only pin the topic", but could a link to the map page, be added at the top of the window, that opens, when you click on members.................. http://kitelife.com/forum/index.php?app=members&section=view&module=list John, you are the web guru. What do you think ? nick

I second that motion !!!

Ok, we need to keep this thing "Bumped" up to the top. It's getting lost in the clutter !!!

JFYI For the record, there seems to be some misunderstanding , as to the meaning of "AVATAR", you know that little thing that pops up beside our forum post. Of course, it is a matter of personal preference, meaning it's pretty wide open, but for those of use that might be interested, or are being attacked................here's the real scoop ! AVATAR - An "avatar" is a computer user's "representation" of himself/herself or alter ego, whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games, or a two-dimensional "icon" used on "Internet forums", and other communities. It can also refer to a text construct found on early systems such as MUDs (look it up). It is an object representing the user. The term "avatar" can also refer to the personality connected with the screen name, or "handle", of an Internet user. Bottom-line, an "avatar" is NOT a photograph of the user at all, hence the inclusion of the "photograph" option, which appears on our personal profile pages, should we choose to use it, as intended. (I won't bother to explain the photograph thing, due to it's somewhat, self explanatory nature....) So Jeepster, I think your avartar is A-OK