Wayne Dowler

Pretty much, along with the bend in the LE, forms my concept of a "belly". The earliest versions of a Rev were often described as 2 sides fighting for control. This was caused by the center "V" being too steep, (not enough fabric between the halves). Cured in the "B" series, the center panel is larger overall, making the halves more cohesive. Effectively making the "belly" bigger! PS: just a flier here, no scientist, no formal education on flying, I just enjoy them and do my best to explain them!

Thinking about (belly) more - The pattern of the Rev is flat, but in flight, very much a shaped sail. As wind increases, so too does the amount of distortion from that flatness, Bunjis help with giving and limiting that allowance, but they do allow some movement. So too, do the frame members. If reshaping wasn't an intended objective - why not lash it all down, use something so stiff as to not deform in the LE? Lighter, more flexible frames give you more distortion from that original flat pattern. Stronger, heavier limit it! PS: there is no wrong or right! Just what YOU get out of your experience playing on the wind! Info is always welcomed, but flying, in the end, is what it is all about!

The style of flying I use, is trying to keep the wind as much as possible in the sail. Think of it as a ball (wind) and not dropping it as you fly around. PS: I fly a lot of team flying, lots of prescribed moves needing power instantly. Free flying alone is a whole nother universe! I do fly solo too. In that I'm OK with the kite being a little on the looser side of power, team means right now. I sailed - the difference is that you are not driving another object. only the kite. Different animals. In kites, you're only trying to move the sail, not something else. While they are both "engines", the purpose for each is very different, therefore the different designs. Belly? Watch someone else do the flying and get under the sail. Watch as it billows out in the middle to form a pocket (belly). We've learned to use that power to keep things flying in lots of conditions. Frames can increase or decrease that pocket, depending on stiffness. More flex = bigger belly - stiffer = less. Times have changed a lot over the years. Much of the info from over a decade ago has been superseded by styles today. Not to say it isn't valid, just dated.

I'll attempt, might not get it all right: 1- Spars act like masts - the sail shape forms a pocket for the wind between them. Hopefully to keep it there as you fly. With the spars frontside, you would have no real resistance to losing the sail shape. To keep it "flat" and taut, you'd need to move the line attachment points out to the corners. Verticals too. 2- Quality is getting better on the less expensive kites. Wasn't always so. Andy has instituted strict QC standards on the Freilein kites, based on experience with other brands (both good and bad). Plus the more expensive allowed for choices in color combos - you could personalize them to be your creation. 3- Closest thing to adjust-ability I've seen is the many types within a model - ie - a std, mid, f/v, x/v, etc, all within a model - "B" Pro series comes to mind. Each has a specific wind range best suited for that particular type. And of course the interchangeability of the framing, to make your combo feel the way you want it to. 4- Your frame creates the "belly". Everyone had different tastes here, I like plenty of flex, some not as much. I fly race frames in conditions most put theirs away in, it all comes down to your comfort level. Hope this either answers some questions or at least gets the discussion rolling .....! PS: bought my first Rev in '97, 98 sometime!!

Nope!! Saw him New Years Day - nothing unusual to report!

Getting ready here - Happy New Year!!!!

Some of my little twists: I use 2 stakes. 1 for each handle and spread them apart 2' or more. After unwinding, I can pull some tension and usually untwist to come clean back to the handles. I color code my handles. After a stroke, I've found that patterns help me keep things straight in my head. Along with that: I color code all 4 lines. Again for those patterns that keep me straight. Right top, right bottom, left top, left bottom - each has its own color that makes sense to me. I use a Sharpie to color them. This is an old one. but still works: I set my kite over my lines and lift the TE to expose the bridle. Kite is oriented in the way we fly, hook it up, step back to tension, invert to park. On the early VHS tape that came with a Rev, that was what was the prescribed way - stuck with me ever since. Except the inverting!! TY JB! Because I always take my handles off, I push my larksheaded line up to the top, instead of the bottom of the knot on each pair. When I get done winding, I larks the pairs and can pull the slack out on the longer line. Again - just my own little quirks on JB's method! PS: I wasn't sure the method would work, so I started with a shorter set, figured out things, then started using longer lines this way. Today I don't even think about it anymore - my routine is constant, controlled, but ALWAYS the same. NEVER let someone else wind your lines!!!! They're screwed up? Who's to blame? Do it yourself!!

Get the order right - to the handles to wrap up, from the handles to setup (if you use a winder). If done the same, EVERY TIME, you start getting a rhythm to it. It is correct that each wind twists the line, each unwind takes that out. Some use a figure 8 wind, others a straight - doesn't make any difference. Unwind from the handles and spread your arms out as wide as possible. This takes any false twists out and helps separate your lines into pairs. Hook up, go back to the handles, pull or twist to determine which is left or right, sort out. ALMOST NEVER will you have anything resembling a "PERFECT WIND"! It comes down to making it as easy as possible to get to clean, open lines. Done correctly it should take no time to setup. The key is doing it the same EVERY TIME - make it a habit, get used to how you do it and how to straighten it out. Makes it much more fun on the flying field! PS: with a few minor personal tweaks - JB's method is near foolproof!!

Or if you have trouble with the "top down" method - try this one: Set the kite on the ground LE down, Step back til you have tension in the lines. Point your thumbs at the kite (may need another small step back), and it should rise inverted. Stop moving and hold for as long as possible, then step forward to land. Only need to gain a little attitude to get off the ground and a quick step forward keeps thing safe (read - no breakage)!! Just another way to get there!

We've flown with Allan several times now! He's got it pretty well under control!!

Never used it. Been flying Revs off and on since 1998-99. They had just come out with it around the time I had my stroke. My oldest Rev, Rev 1, came with a 1/4" 4 wrap frame - didn't even know they had other frames! Hey Ralph - used them to stake out the tomatoes yet??? LOL!

0 - 2.5: diamonds Probably push them up to about 5, but if the wind is freshening - time to switch! 2.5 - 5: Bl. Race 5 - 10: Bl. Race 10 - 15+: 3 wrap or Gr. Race PS: Only exception is a 100% Shook - I use Bl.Race in it. I also use a hybrid frame in my Zen (Rev 1 size) of 2 wrap center, Bl. Race wingtips, Zen verts with magic sticks No SkyShark frames in possession at the moment.

The only time I pay attention to mine is when I fly team. As the #3 flier in a line of 4, I'm surrounded! Last thing I want to do is whack my teammates!!!! This unfortunate situation is made worse by my solo style , I'm moving and the handles are everywhere! So I always have to think of which setting I'm in!!

He's having it made to his specs, but I haven't used any to tell you about it. Pretty sure it is spectra and might have some surface treatment done to it. I have seen it, just not used it. He can fill you in on things!

PS: Holding the handles gently, not with a death grip, really helps in this position. You can still move the handles with your fingers, more than needing the whole hand. It really comes down to relaxing as you fly, not tensing up! Breathe!!! PS: Zen, 120' x 50# lines, 15" handles

Think about the amount of movement allowed if you keep your hands locked in front of you and can only go up or down! Now try the move with your hands more out to your sides - you should see a dramatic increase of unrestricted area. Many of us fly the Rev as we feel comfortable - ergonomics plays a huge part. Movements are only restricted by the ability to move wrists, letting the arms to be outside the body frame increases the amount you can move. This comes with a "BUT" - you still need to control it! See my pic -

Perfectly fine! Now go out and fly!! PS: if you've heard this before, then ignore - "Learn to give to the kite!" If crashing is unavoidable - DO NOT PULL!! Let it! Step forward, throw your hands forward, lessen the force your kite has impacting the ground. All pulling does is drive it harder into the ground! Better to have to go down and straighten it up, than go and find something broken!

JUST ONE?? Choices?? Got so many to choose from.

Better? Not sure I would call it better, just different. The hole style LE is supposed to hold up better, over a longer time. Many have considered the mesh to be the weakest link in the Rev design, the holes eliminate that. I haven't had the chance to fly one to give you my opinion on whether it feels any different. Sooner or later I will.

Fingers crossed, holding my breath!

Had a set of TK's leaders handy - 11" long tops with 8 knots spaced at 3/4" apart. Bottoms at 3" with 4 knots at 3/8" spacing.

Should be good for getting started, when it is time to replace - get a set of TK's. While hers may not be much longer, they usually have more knots for adjustment. You will be moving around and eventually find a knot that works best for you. Also - don't be afraid of moving the bottom "in". I find moving the bottom to almost equal moving the top by 2 knots. So you have some flexibility there. From the pic - those look like 15" handles - good in lighter winds, a bit twitchy in heavy. 13" is the "standard length", but many of us use different lengths. I myself use 3 different sets - 13". 14". and 15". Shorter for high winds, longer for low, and middle length as my daily set. Changes the leverage you get on the sail. More a personal preference thing, but you may find those 15" to be harder to control in higher wind - IMHO. PS: they are measured by the blank tube before bending, your set should measure around 14" tip to tip (attachment ring to attachment ring).

He has made masterpiece kites for Rev in the past. If I remember correctly, he liked the Rev 1 to work with. One set, he messed around with some of the dimensions and made some changes to his offerings. Think it is on the last group he did for them.

For those of you following - Bill is trying to get his F/V to fly in conditions that favor a M/V, by using frames. It can be done. Pretty sure he is liking the smoothness of the vented and is trying to lower that sail's range. Anyone else? As a team flier mostly - I prefer a slightly overpowered sail. You can't do maneuvers if you can't get off the ground! I'll admit to cheating some, as a solo flier I like underpowered, but you can't get away with that in team flying. As a team, we usually discuss and come up with a common setup to use in that condition, that way all the kites respond the same. Sometimes we even have someone play the role of guinea pig and test the sky! Come back and report to the team if that is OK or do we need to rethink. So that shades my thinking some!!!

Pretty sure it was the person flying it that got the workout ....!