mystainedskin

I guess I missed the why I fly part. It started as yet another hobby. Now I know it is way more. Physical,mental..etc. Not to mention the people and the environment when we all get together. Priceless.

I got started not long ago.. 3 years tops. I saw this guy named "Barresi" also doing all this wild stuff online..then I found the tutorials..then I found Kitelife. I lurked for awhile and finally bought a kite. A Prism Snapshot 1.2... I know, 2 lines. With no one else to teach me or fly with... I felt this a good starter. Nothing to break and learn the wind and window some before I bought one of those pricey Revolutions. After a year of buzzing the foil on the beach , I got a quad. My original inspiration and goal was quads anyway...why wait any longer? I purchased an Hq Mojo.. and with Johns tutorials, I was airborne. Within a month I had an Rev Exp..within a month after that I had a B standard. I flew that for a solid year until December 2013. After a year of dedicated quad flying.....I now have 12 and don't see an end anywhere in site .....

Its available on his youtube page, jason. I have shared also not long ago..Key west flying was the description I think of the video. Fabrice Balden also has this "unique" control of the kite also. Watch some of his stuff is "outside" the box also....

This is a newly aquired skill for me. I am sure technique will improve and change over time. With all the help I recently recieved from 3 folks....it's the least I can do to try and pass it along.

I wrap just straight around.. John showed us a trick if the handles don't line up... back off 15'of line or so off the winder and wrap a different way (figure 8, whatever), as each manner takes up different amounts of line.

youtube editing sucks....so here is a chop maybe it will help..

I would assume this could remain open a little longer ... being the man is over seas at the moment.

Sortof what I was trying to get across with the handle flic. The flic gets that trailing edge up and into the flat position.. being a green horn, the best example I can think of is pulling your kite out of the air for a catch. When you pull the top lines..the kite goes flat. Same with an axel...its just 1 bottom line getting yanked fron the flic of the handle.

There are times that it may be an issue. I am sure common sense comes into play as to which times those may be....or security Most times it is not an issue. The place is empty except for "running" staff.

A beach chair and sun coverage..beach rental stuff

This guy gets some great stuff. I got a calendar he made of KAP photos he made . A photo and description with each month...of the moment and gear used. I watched him walk up a down the beach all week in T.I. and can see the passion. He also owns and flies like a master...the 5 stack of vented eyes you see so many photos of....very cool and a super nice guy :)It was cool of him to send and allow me to share them. Here is one he caught of me in T.I.

Is that a PUUUURRRPLE or a PURRRRRRRPLLLLLE

Light to jo wind days are going to be your best "learning" times. Try moving at the kite in a steady pace and dive to reduce the pressure..work on the flic. I found...as watty explains... when your coming across the window to axel..sort of raise both arms a slight bit.. just before you pop and start hand rotations...lower them again..it gives you that extra loss of pressure in the sail and helped me..

Well it could be..but in this case , I think not. With an axel. The goal is to effectively pull the kite out of the air and spin parallel to the ground.. this is where the slack line definition comes in. without the proper movements you just get an abrubt and forceful spin of the kite...still in a vertical position.

A spin on axis..

I have found..along with slack and hand rotation.. there is a flick of the big pop handle at the proper timing. John explain it as slapping a drum behind you with the handle. For me I found that my hands must be in the right spots in the handle..I.e. not riding high and the flic comes with the thumb and fingers on that handle quickly.....along with the slack and rotaions..sort of isolating the major thrust to that bottom line to yank it out of the air.......and hours of trying over and over....

A new friend, Peter Boyton sent me some photos of a recent visit to Jacksonville. With his permission... I get to share them here Info: Camera is the Ricoh GR Rig is the PPT BEAK Kite is a traditional bass wood framed 9' Sun Oak delta conyne flown on 200# braided dacron, about 450' out

I do. In really bad environments, I just don't put it down or film. Otherwise my distance from the camera id reduces depending on my "feeling" . Usually, I try to place the c amera between me and the kite. Not always possible, but helps ease the nerves.

....wasting some time before chat time

I never get mine right. Always just make sure I have the right handle in the proper hand and sort ot out on the air. I do untwist everything and wind up the same way each time. ..either on the card or handles.

Even if there where no benefits for "some"... I could still see enviroments where these would be useful. I myself have roll-up dreams...so I am going to give it a go. But I also have duplicate kites..one will stay normal...one will start with some changes. I can absolutely see light wind advantages for those that dont want to or have no choice to be more mobile.

I generally dont use a stake anymore unless around others. Lay your kite out where 2 simple pops create your launch. If the wind is there. I throw launch. Normally not on more than 50' lines in most advetntures.

After T.I. , I find myself favoring a combination . The first 1/2 to 2/3 ..I am powering..and finishing with a samurai slide.. Especially when there is a little wind floating around. Or sort of a cheater up and over into the slide...depending on line length.