RobB

But if I state that 'Im In!', that lessons the chance that we'll see KAP from somewhere else...

If you want a quality alternative to a Rev, consider the ABS. I've heard good things about them, and I know they're made with quality. They're really nice looking, and priced similar to the Revs. One will be in my bag soon... http://www.skysportdesign.com/

Great idea ! Anyone with a single line kite can KAP... I'm sure most of us here have one of those. I enjoy to KAP so much because it's a cross of two of my favorite hobbies.

Thanks, Nick, but I think this spot may be a one time only kinda thing. This was a double-jeopardy KAP, I could be arrested for taking pictures of the bridge (yes, that's illegal here in NY) and I'm afraid that I was too close to the airport, too. While I had the kite up (not very high or for very long) I kept looking for the red flashing lights & the NYPD swat team ! Yes, seriously...

I hate to say it, but it's hard enough to convince people who are interested to even buy a kite. I've shared my kites with countless people at the beach, and so far, I've only seen one come back with his own kite.

I have been eyeballing this spot for a KAP adventure for a while. Most of the time when I'm passing by here, I don't have time to stop, or when I have stopped, there's no wind or too much. So, yeah, it was a little cold and sorta overcast, but the wind was at least within range. I hoped to catch more interesting shots from this spot, but the GoPro's lens leaves something to be desired in low light... The Whitestone Bridge with the Throgs Neck Bridge in the background... The Whitestone Bridge looking towards Whitestone, Queens. This park is on the Bronx side of the bridge... If you've even flown into LaGuardia airport, this is the view you would see out the left side of the airplane. Just a little higher up... The airport is on the far right side of the picture. Yeah, that's Manhattan, unfortunately, the GoPro just wasn't up to the task of taking a clear picture, this was the best one.

When I have time to sit down for a few minutes, I click into chat, even if no one is there. It usually doesn't take long for the 'doorbell' to ring. I can't say any night is better than another, as my schedule is so random. Usually after cleaning up from dinner, getting the homework done, and getting the kids to bed, I'm too tired to spend much time on the computer.

Thanks, Ralph. This kite is the most fun I've had on two lines in a long time. This was the first time I really got it flying in the kind of winds it needs. I look forward to spending a lot more time on the lines to really explore what it can do ! And the Hendrix tune ? Just lucky, it was the only song in my MP3 library that fit the length of the video !

OK, I finally got the BIG kite out in winds that it was happy with, somewhere between 5 and 10mph. All I can say is WOW, this thing is fun ! Being that it's scaled up from a full-sized kite, my flying inputs have to get scaled up as well. I spent some time tuning and adjusting it, as well as adding a weight to the tail. A small beach stone did the trick, as all the weights in my bag were for normal sized kites... It's a little crude, but it's easy to find tuning weights on my beach ! 85 foot lines are a little short, and look like 50 foot lines do on a full-sized kite. Anyway, I let the camera run for a while, and I cut out more than 75% of the footage, and was still left with over 10 minutes of video. So, sorry it's long, but if you want to watch, please full-screen it and click HD. Mute the sound if you don't like SRV playing a Jimi Hendrix cover, otherwise, rock out !

Yeah, that Painted Desert vid kicked butt. Maybe becoming my all time favorite 4-line vid !

Wow, that was super-cool ! I thought I recognized that dock...

Thank you for this tip years ago ! I've been using the idea and passing it along to others ever since. Invaluable if you cut your fingernails short like me...

Hey Andre, I have wanted to try that Spectre XUL for some time. The first video really shows off its grace in flight. Just like the ProDancer, it sure doesn't look like it is built to trick, and I know if anyone could get tricks out of a kite, it would be Peter. Someday I hope to scrape together enough kite $$$ to buy one from you, it certainly looks like the ultimate SUL. -Rob.

Oh, OK, I see what's up with the last catch now (you caught it, that's a win in my book)... I didn't see it the first time I watched. I haven't tried catching yet, and especially not throwing. There's nothing I can't stand more than straightening out tangled lines, so it will probably be a long time before I try. Thanks for the time spent editing & posting these videos, they're giving me a lot to go on to improve my flying. And also the video chronicle of your epic adventure... awesome !

Congratulations, G. It's funny how this Karma thing comes around !

Mostly because of poor camera placement and light winds, I only came away from the last session with a small clip of the New Big Kite... But did get some more footage of my struggles with the Zen. Actually, with winds 3mph or so, I am getting along much better with the Zen. I figured it fit in with the other two, as it's actually a pretty big kite. There's a little bit of the Firestorm at the end, I figured it worked to show scale of the big kites...

Yeah, that Painted Desert video really kicked it ! I know I'll be watching that one a bunch... *edit... came back to watch that one again. It goes so well with the music ! Pure inspiration.

Not so much of a handful in light winds. It is a little different trying to keep it under control, though...

Get the teleporter ready...

Thank you, I'm working on it... I've been spending a lot of flying time on four lines for the last few years. (dual line flying is suffering) I feel like I have the rudiments down, now I'm looking to get the 'flow', so the flying looks like something. Check out that 'Goal Studies' video in the other post... that's where I hope to be in a few more years ! Hopefully we'll end up on the same field sometime in the future. I've been to events at Hammonassett in CT and Newport, RI. Couldn't be too far from you... The Hypnotist is a great kite in the right wind, and will take a severe beating and fly away unharmed. I've been flying for a while, and the crazy thing is how much more I know I have to learn. Well, hopefully I'll have at least 20 more years to get to where I want to be !

Well, that was my second time watching "Goal Study'. Truly awesome... that gave me a lot of ideas to work with. I do wonder if the same music was playing on those troublesome earbuds/// The flying goes really well to the music. Now I have to go out and find a goal to play with... one that doesn't have a net in it !

Heh heh heh... it's the Skyburner XL. Sadly, the kite never made it to production due to lack of interest. I don't know why there aren't enough people interested in a 10 foot stunt kite. It looks like it might be geared towards power and speed, but it can also do tricks, in a really big, slow motion fashion. Suprisingly, the XL isn't much for light wind, I mean, with all that sail, you'd think it would shoot off the ground in 5mph of wind. Today was the second day with it out at the beach, and I got it to fly a little bit more, but it was still work. The winds were around 5mph (+/- 2mph). One of my other 10 foot wings was on hand, the NewTech Firestorm. The Firestorm is a little taller, so it has a little more sail, which probably helps it to get off the ground easier. I was going to get the Prophecy out, too, but the four lines were calling me, so I got out the Zen. It's pretty big, too, so it sorta went along with the theme of the day... So, maybe next time for the XL, but I had a good fly, tag teaming the Firestorm & the Zen.

Yes... I am always looking at new angles to enjoy flying ! One, Two, Three, Four lines. Power, Precision, Freestyle, KAP... trying it all. Well. I have a dogstake for SLKs, haven't tried it yet for duals & quads... Thanks for the inspriration...

Yes, 10' of hang gliding fun ! We don't get as much snow down here, but that still doesn't stop me from flying... crashing in the snow isn't likely to do as much damage !

Looks like you found a nice spot to fly, I didn't see anything wrong with the wind. I'm a little confused.... you mention an ITW progressive stack, but the one in the video is tagged as a Wakeless Stack.... two different progressive stacks ? If I remember correctly, the Wakeless stack has a 10' kite as the biggest one, but the ITW version has only a 6' or 8' big kite. The one in the video looked to be pulling pretty good, whatever it was.