RobB

Thanks for the replies... what would my effective wind range be with the midvent and the black race frame ? I see that the race frame should be swapped out at about 10mph in the full sail, but is the limit raised with the MV ? I am assuming that 4 wrap is stronger than 3 wrap is stronger than 2 wrap, and each being respectivly lighter in weight, enabling lower wind flying... but I found no noticable benefit from swapping my 3 wraps to 2 wraps as far as better low wind performance. Both seemed to be able to fly in the same low wind. Now with my UL and SUL dual line kites, there is a noticable difference between 2pt and 3pt sticks. You have to work to keep 3pts in the air, while the same kite with 2pt will float around in the same wind easily. Is there a corralation between 2pt and 2 wrap ? I know with dual line kites, you don't want the spars to bend, the stiffer the better. So many questions...

OK, question of the day... my midvent 1.5b came in with a (what I believe) black Race frame. Well, it has black flames on it, and says 'Race". What winds would be good for that setup ? I now have 2 wrap, 3 wrap, 4 wrap, and a black race frame. Which sticks should I put in which kite ? I currently fly my full sail with the 3 wraps, and can't tell much difference in light wind performance between the 2 wraps. Should I put the race frame in my full sail, and the 3 wraps in the midvent ? What are the trade offs between 2,3,and 4 wrap ? I was flying my full vent the other day in 8-12mph wind with the 4 wraps in it, and had no trouble keeping it in the air. It doesn't seem to be a weight issue. Also, is it worth tracking down a set of pro handles ? Are there any advantages to them other than being snag-free ? Thanks !

Matt, it sounds like you might not have had enough wind. Just a guess... Too much brake could do that, too, I guess. You definitely don't want the brakes to be too loose, they help greatly in turning the big sail, and you should be able to fly up, apply brake, and fly back down. I can fly my 3.2 meter foil in reverse just like a Rev, just a lot slower. I don't have much time on my 7 meter foil, as it's too big and scary for me !

Happy early Birthday, Pete. If I happen to be the lucky number, I'll send the kite over to you... I wish I lived closer, I'd love to crash your party !

If they're mating in the sand, just warn them not to get sand in their sticky spots !

I should go and check this out the next time I've got the family in the city. I would never think of flying in that crowded field (great lawn), though. When I fly, I go as far away from people as possible. If one of his kites hit someone, jerky New Yorkers would be the first to try to sue ! Not to mention, kite flying isn't allowed in NYC parks !

Rex, I'm surprised your wind conditions were so poor. I'm only a little bit east of where you were (and south on LI) and our wind was huckin' at 15+mph all day. You know, I've flown in Ct. three times, and the wind has been poor every time. The whole thing with the 'wandering idiots' under the lines... yup, that's the summer time. I can't stand flying in the summer, mostly because of that, but also, I can't stand the heat & sun !

No, it's time to let some of the 50+ dual lines fly. I need no divest of those, because I still want some of those sweet custom sail Revs. The vent and mid-vent 1.5s are for bashing and learning, but once I learn, I'd like to fly some with visual POP, too. Plus, now I need a little Rev bag, more linesets, some pro handles... 8)

Congratulations, Ron ! Fly it well !

Thanks, John. I can't believe how small my kite bag just got... 3 Revs, a couple of linesets, a stake... what else do I need ? Anybody want to buy some dual lines ?

OK, I bit the bullet and just went with a plain old factory mid-vent 1.5b. (Red & Black) I was flying the 1.5 full sail yesterday, and realized that the wind was perfect for the mid-vent. I could've been flying the full vent, but wanted to give the new kite some air. So, to complete my journey to the dark side, I tried to join the Rev forum, but haven't gotten my approval message back yet. I guess they know better...

Axel that little booger ! It's the funniest thing to see, but don't blink ! 540s are also cool with the Micron. Also, if you get it in a Turtle, pull either the left or right line, and it will Lazy Susan.

Yes, Happy Birthday, John. I guess finding your dog-stake was an early BD present ! All the Best !

Sounds like the pigtails need to adjusted towards the nose. Just a guess, pictures would help... As far as a weight ? You shouldn't need a weight for it to fly. Weights are really only for helping a kite perform certain tricks. You can try a weight, see if you like it better. I wedge a small, flat stone in between the spine and sail for quick experimentation...

Let's assume everything is put together right, and the bridle legs are even... if you try to fly certain SLKs in too high a wind, they will roll to one side or another and try to fly sideways. This is also true in dirty wind. I saw this happening to the pros at Wildwood last weekend, and even tried to help a guy with a Foil that was HUGE. (20'-30' square, 100'+ tails) It was doing the same thing, and was not cool when it dive-bombed me. Those big boy kites are life-and-death situations when they go out of control !

I have a few 'Turtle Happy' kites that like to get stuck, and I've found that when you're stuck, give an even push on both lines, causing the kite to go nose-deeper into the turtle, then pull back to flying position. Some SUL kites are nearly impossible to get out of the turtle in light wind conditions, even using this method.

I cut the stock lines down to 30' the first day I flew the 4D. The 50' lines were way too long for the little kite !

I'm sure if you contact the store, they'll help you get the parts you need to fix up your Beetles... http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/categories/Spars-%7B47%7D-Rods-%7B47%7D-Tubes/Carbon-%252d-Pultruded-Solid/ BTW, sorry I missed you at Wildwood. Where were you flying ?

I've flown a bunch in upstate NY, the wind is not kind. A kite that flies in very low wind one minute, but could handle 10+mph the next minute is what would be ideal. My Prism Zephyr was my most used dual line kite while upstate. That kite would come in at double the proposed budget. I think the Beetle has a pretty wide range, that's why I suggested keeping those.

Phil, It is so tough to recommend a kite better that what you have. I know what the wind is like where you live, and the Prism kites are going to leave you on the ground a lot. They have an inexpensive light wind kite, the 4D, but it is too small and fast except in the lightest of winds. The Prism Jazz should fly in a little less wind than the Nexus. The Acrobatx is a nice kite, but it's not very durable. It also needs a bit of wind to get going. I think WA is right, the best bet is to fix or replace the Beetles. Even if you doubled your budget, I would be hard pressed to recommend a kite for Upstate NY...

OK, here's why I NEED this kite in my bag... I brought my friend Bob & his family to Wildwood for the festival last weekend. I promised them 100's of kites in the air. Instead, we got nasty weather with 20-30 mph offshore nasty winds the whole weekend. The only thing we really flew was my vented 1.5b. It totally stinks to have to share one kite between two people. I swear, I've been friends with Bob for close to 30 years, but after this weekend, I only have one name for him... 'Kite Hog" !

Hey JP... I just watched it again... it really makes me wonder what I could do with the kite now, 3 years later, and hopefully in a better wind. I kept saying to myself... more slack !... more slack... I have to go find the E3 and blow the dust off it's wings. BTW... I got a WidowMaker soon after making this video. I'm still flying the WidowMaker every chance I get !

I keep about 15 kites in my car at all times, for the last ~10 years. I switch them out as I break them, but haven't noticed any degradation due to high temps, UV exposure, or even leaving them unwashed after a salt water dip... Don't take my word for it, that's only my experience...

25mph is WAY too much wind for the E3. Mine exploded in winds less than 20mph and ripped a 6 inch hole in the sail. As well as two other smaller holes. I replaced the factory frame with a QPro frame so that wouldn't happen again. The 1.5 full vent or xtra vent would do great for 25mph winds. I don't fly dual line kites anymore when the wind goes over 20mph, it's just not fun anymore. Getting a vented Rev will give you the fun back !

I don't fly many kites with the end caps. Once they fall off, I don't bother to replace them. They're just cosmetic for me, but they do provide some level of protection from abrasive flying fields. My beach is covered with rocks, and my nocks take a beating and have to be replaced often. If I bothered to keep end caps on, they'd probably last longer. A wrap of electrical tape will probably help to keep them on longer... And yes, they do help a little to prevent snags.