Jump to content
KiteLife Forum

Wayne Dowler

Kitelife Subscriber
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    3,680

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    57

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Wayne Dowler

  2. Bowtie remedies

    in Kite Making

    Posted

    The dual angled edge wasn't a fix for the flipping. It was for 45* landings and easier holding the upright position doing it. That angle allowed a little wind to pass through and cut back on resistance. JB mentioned it when he worked on the prototype.

    The only "fix" I know are "magic sticks". The center truss line physically won't let the sail bowtie when used  with all the rest of the trusswork. I use them on my Zen.

    Usually it's a sign of trying to reverse too sharply and over controlling when doing that. Bazzer made those little mesh panels on the Phoenix to shed off some of the back pressure when going from forwards to backwards, but too much still flips it. So the cure is you learning how much you can give in reverse, before it flips, that fixes it. Or go the magic stick route - it's the only physical "fix" I know.

  4. Duncan

    in New Member Introductions

    Posted

    On FB - try a group called - Quad Line Kites - you may be able to find people there, depending on location to you. Others would be - Sport Kite Pairs/Teams or Kite Flyers 2.0. May have some luck with those ....or here!! Never know .....?!?!

    And thanks for the invite!!

  5. Duncan

    in New Member Introductions

    Posted

    There are some here too, just not as many as there could be. A few groups had regular flies over there, don't know the travel situation. Might could be a group near by??

    Just an ask - how's the chatter on the Rev forum? Haven't used it much myself after all the changes they did. Used to be a regular over there - stroke survivor" was my screen name. Made the move to here and also FaceBook. If you're a member there, try searching for any group  pages in your area. Might also put you in touch with others.....?

  7. New Member. Cocoa Beach, Florida

    in New Member Introductions

    Posted

    I like to compare my setup to a standard transmission - neutral is my goal. To go in either direction - I  must "put it in gear". Really helps in gusts, as the kite doesn't just take off, all by itself. Yes the launch can be a bit more effort, but the control gained while airborne is well worth it! 

    As Paul said - everybody has to find their own "comfort zone". A lot of new fliers feel like they need that extra zoom they get with lines in. But the kite is locked into forward drive too much. Loss of control while airborne is the result. Moving the top lines out gets the LE to fall back. Then when launched, it is more "square" to the wind and able to keep all the energy in the sail. We call it "squaring up the kite".  Top lines in, the wind just dumps off the sail, because the angle is too much forward. 

    Nice inverted side slides!! My only critique would be to let your arms out. Learn to fly with what other pilots call - "long arms". The kite doesn't respond to where those handles are in relation to your body, as much as how the handles are controlled by your hands. Forward is forward no matter how your hands are. Catch those adjustments moving the hands, but really try to get back to a more central position. Think about it ergonomically - if your hands are in the classic "fighter's position",  how much movement backwards does that allow? Hands and arms are already close to the body and movement is limited. Now try arms extended some - see how much more you can move? And in more directions. Many of us fly holding the handles almost sideways! With arms extended, we have upwards, downwards, and sideways movement available. Try this - let the kite pull your arms away from the body. Feel the kite out there. Learn to work with it, not against it. That's your dance partner out there, learn to work with it.

    PS: a side effect of "long arms" is that your tension levels will decrease! All that scrunching in the neck and shoulders will go away and you will feel relaxed!! TRY IT!!

    • Like 3

  14. New Member. Cocoa Beach, Florida

    in New Member Introductions

    Posted

    Converting is pretty easy, even if moderately handy with some simple tools. But use strong needle nose or something and don't ruin the vinyl cap, unless you plan to replace it. Be careful and you shouldn't need to.

    Recovering ground is pretty simple: take the kite as high as possible and turn it over to inverted. Learn to feather the brakes as it descends and you move forward. You can gain a bunch of ground as you learn to "ride those brakes ".

  18. New Member. Cocoa Beach, Florida

    in New Member Introductions

    Posted

    Where on the mesh? Close to the tape? Close to the sail? Middle?

    Close to sail  or tape, you can sew it up with a zigzag hand stitch. Middle you could try the super glue method. Lay out the sail, put  tape on the back of the mesh behind tear, Glue that side, wait to dry. Remove tape. Flip and do it again on this side. PS: I've never used this particular method, but heard great things about it. Be sparing with the glue, just enough!

    The other thing to do is add a folding strip where you break the kite in 1/3's. I like mine about the size of the vert strip - gives me more room to move my fold point around.

    This has always been the weak point on Rev's kites. Why others have gone to a different mesh or are using the "hole" method. The strip is one way of covering that spot up.

    • Like 1

  19. WANTED... QUAD LINES WITH HANDLES

    in Kites for Sale, Swap or Trade

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, Corey Bell said:

    When you go out to just have fun and play, what lines do you use generally?

    Really depends on what I'm doing: 

    Team flying is 120' x 90/100# most times. We also use 85" x 50# in very light winds.

    Alone, it depends again on winds: 75/80' x 90# or the 85' x 50# mostly. Also use my 50' and 30" sets at times, usually for space reasons.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  21. Djinn Day

    in Kite Videos

    Posted

    Wasn't that bent over LE, a feature on the Speed Series, not the "B"s? Not got a lot of time on the SuperSonic or ShockWave, or even the Blast types, but I remember them having that "over the top" type LE. Stock "B"s or even "B" pros didn't come with that feature - unless you did some modifying!! And I put little past you Paul!!!!

  24. Next project.

    in Kite Making

    Posted

    Why so short? Almost everyone uses at least the standard 13" handles, and some like longer. They are always measured from straight stock, then bent. So 13" of straight tube ends up around 12" or so between the leader connection points.

    Short handles can be OK in heavy winds. Myself, I use 13" when using a full vent or my Xtra vent. My "normal" handles are 14" used on full sail, mid vent, and sometimes the full vent. !15" handles are pretty much used with my Ashes or SUL/Zen moments. 

    This is not meant to dissuade you from trying that length, just to inform on what most use. In the end it all comes down to whatever suits you. Feel free to experiment - it is the only way to find your setup!

×
×
  • Create New...