Codywater

While out doing a little team flying with the Revs last weekend at Ocean Shores, we experienced a rare phenomenon: static electricity building on the kite and lines, jumping off kite handles and from our shoes. Weather was cloudy with intermittent light drizzle and a light breeze, enough for a mid-vent but not quite a full-vent wind. There was no hint of lightning or thunder. Right after launching the kites for the first time, around 10am, the lines started humming. With thumbs positioned over the top of the handles, I started feeling a buzzing, light shock from the tip of the handle. Thinking there was some static in my fleece gloves, I removed them and launched again. Again, lines started humming and a stronger shock was coming from the handles. Hovering my thumbs over the tip of the handles demonstrated arcing from handle to thumb, and the shock sensation was quite strong, particularly around the edges of the window, most significant at the top. Others in our group had similar sensations, one feeling shocks in his shoes, and another feeling light shocks from her handles. Two team members touched elbows at one point and a very strong shock was transferred between them, strong enough to cause pain. In the spirit of science, we decided to do a little testing. As my kite seemed to be the most prominently humming kite, I swapped handles. The original handles I was using were a pair of powder coated aluminum handles. With my fingers only on the foam grips and the kite at the top of the window, the handles and lines hummed and buzzed loud enough to be heard several feet away. I changed handles to a different aluminum set, this time without a powder coat. The result? No static. Complicating this, however, is the fact that the other team members noticed less charge jumping into their hands and feet right around the time I changed handles. So, we will never know if handles make a difference or if atmospheric conditions were simply changing around this time. I've come across one other video of a single line kite generating static, but nowhere near as significantly as we experienced. Has anyone come across this while flying??? Regrettably, we did not take video of this phenomenon. Not sure why we didn't think of that.

The delta could have thicker lines, so I'll remake it, but that's a rough idea.

How about this?

Outline text like this?

Didn't have time this evening but will try to take a stab at it the next few nights.

JB- Let me know if you want any of it formatted differently, spacing/font/arrangement etc, and I can send it your way as a .ai file.

Or if you want it this way: Whump verb \ˈwhəmp\ 1 : to fill a kite sail with air, creating pressure in the sail 2 : to quickly pull taut the lines of a kite, creating power through short, precise movement 3 : johnbarresi.com

Here are a few, including a .png with just the text.

Thanks Rob! The definition can be changed to pretty much anything if anyone has a better idea.

And for the opposite side of the shirt (or sleeve):

Different wording...

Had some free time, thought I'd toss out a design. Enjoy!

My tip pivots and ladder moves were also a bit sloppy, then John told me to imagine flying straight forward before starting the turn up/down. Doing this made them a lot more crisp, and as you get the feel for it you can make the forward flight smaller and smaller until it's not perceptible by anyone watching, only by you flying the maneuver.

Did anyone else see the new Apple site for their Pages software? Check it out! http://www.apple.com/mac/pages/

Has anyone found a good way of attaching a GoPro to a rev?

Or, if you happened to be at Party at the Point last weekend: Terry will wrap everyone a few times before he drops his handles mid-flight and walks away to pee, while at the same time Bazzer tries to tangle up the newbie for kicks and giggles. In which case, much fun and untangling ensues! Gotta love it!

Here's a little video compilation from the May WCRC. http://youtu.be/IRBIyNgeW1A

Having watched Watty rip around on a Kymera this weekend, I'm ever more anxious for the 15th! Here's hoping the RNG reaches up a plucks out a 1014...

Everyone will definitely have different opinions on what to get, so might as well throw my 1.5 cents in. I just returned from the rev clinic in Long Beach this past weekend. We had winds ranging from -3mph to 25mph, blowing from North to South to East, back to North, then to West, and everywhere in between. Basically, we had it all. I was flying a borrowed Zen one minute, then 30 minutes later pulling out my full vent. Now, having only a standard 1.5 and a full vent pro, I'm missing the middle range just like you are. The great thing about the clinic was the chance to fly a bunch of different kites that I don't usually have access to. I was able to fly xtra and mid vents in addition to a zen and a super-fun 5 stack of B2's. Having flown just about everything this weekend, I would say if the winds you usually fly in are between 0 and 20mph, go for a mid-vent. It's a great combo offering the smoothness of a vented sail with the crisp sail loading you get with a standard (and that a full sail just cannot produce in lighter winds). Plus, if you have a range of frames available, those three sails would really cover the majority of winds you are likely to encounter. You can fly your full vent well into the 20mph range, so unless you're flying in the high 20mph range regularly, an xtra can wait for your next order (it will come, someday...get ready). Not having flown any of the masterpiece kites, I can't comment on the vent layout in comparison to the B-series paneling, but if I were buying another sail, I would go for a Pro model hands down. It may be a bit more costly, but it's worth every single penny. I have had a chance to fly everything from 1.5 to B-series to B-series Pro, and I can say there is a quite notable difference between the 1.5 and the B-series. The B-series takes the cake no challenge. Not only does the panel layout make a difference in the way the kite handles, but the material makes quite an improvement also. That said, there is also a notable difference between the B-series and the Pro models. Somehow, having Bazzer's fingerprints all over the sail makes those things fly on a whole new level. The material used for the pros is phenomenal, and the attention to detail is incredible. For example, the corners of the leading edge are folded over and sewn so there is no chance for fraying material. The sensation of flying a pro model is something not to be missed, and it definitely will make you glad you made the investment. The real question becomes, what colors will you choose? Better get busy with that colorizer...

Mmmhmm, I've grown attached to it already. Not sure what my number is, but that's what the RNG should choose!

I had a great time at the clinic, it was great meeting everyone. I look forward to flying with you all again soon! Thanks so much everyone for all the great instruction this weekend!

One week away! Who will be around Long Beach on Friday for some fun in the *fingers crossed* sun?

Conveniently, I have three available slots in my kite bag. Hmm...what could fill them??? Okay, so there are way more than three slots available, these would be such a lovely addition!