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Stacking Revs: idondgeddit...


Traveller
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Since I've been here, I've come to the conclusion that almost every member flys Revs in stacks(!)

Once I get over the cost of making a [Rev] stack, I have to ask myself what it is that makes Rev stacks so exciting for you all? Don't get me wrong - if I had 3~6 Revs laying around you can be sure as hell that I'd stack 'em too...

...but I don't have 3~6 Revs (& 300LB Laser) laying around & the cost associated with a 3~6 Rev stack is brutal! I own Flexifoil Stackers & when I want to do that traction thang, the flexis do it for me quite nicely B)

If crowd-control (as in building a crowd B) ) is your aim, than my former Peter Powell Rainbow "six-pack" with their incredibly long tails did the job & I guess that's what Prism's gone & done again with their Micron & Nexus & other stackable deltas.

So, @ $170~E220 a pop, please tell me why you stack Revs: what am I missing here? :lol:

Thx (& by all means... stack 'em if you got 'em :D )

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Revolution flying is all about the control. :D When someone first learns their brakes they are blown away. That's the control your looking for. B) Add several more rev's and your looking good. It's impressive looking.

Some people like the feel of power they get from the pulling. But generally, like any stack, it all boils down to how kewl it looks.

Someone may see a flyer doing a wonderful routine with a single rev., but did you see the guy flying 3 rev's at once? (in a train) they are every bit as controllable, and so pretty~ :lol: What ever makes you smile.

BB

Penny

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Hi Trav,

I fly a couple of 1.5's in a stack occasionally. Looks like Aiyana is going for a much bigger stack of Rev 2's. Anyway, I flew my two 1.5's using 140 lb line (and I only weigh 160 lbs), and it pulled pretty hard. If I added another I'd want to use heavier line. Buts, sigh, I only have two 1.5's

Anyway, like Penny says, it's just kewl to see them flying together. I can't fly them nearly as well as I can a single -- hovering isn't really smooth for me -- but it sure is spectacular.

Later, Doug

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There's like, a slow and striking power behind the kites... One of my favorite views in kiting is when Sam Ritter and Lee Sedgwick are coasting their stacks over a crowd... Just a different kind of beautiful!

There is a lot more arm motion with stacks, as you pull and lead them through the sky... The stack is a little more like tai chi for me, as opposed to something akin to kung fu on single kites.

The only places I see the stacks fall behind is 1/4 or 1/8 clockwork turns, or a sustained upside-down hover in one spot... During both of these moves, the back kite will eventually start to shimmy and the whole thing becomes unstable until you pop it into drive again.

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There's like, a slow and striking power behind the kites... One of my favorite views in kiting is when Sam Ritter and Lee Sedgwick are coasting their stacks over a crowd... Just a different kind of beautiful!

Oh, yeah... I see the light! Ok, fare enough - I can appreciate the beauty in it (but just can't afford it & I mean I've already dropped a fare amount of $$$ into this sport... :D )

Thx for the input - who knows, maybe some day I'll go for it! It's gotta be a stack of five, though (something I picked up from the Japanese culture :lol: )

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Anyway, I flew my two 1.5's using 140 lb line (and I only weigh 160 lbs), and it pulled pretty hard.

Gee, that's pretty daring of you, Doug...! But I guess I would also use my SS lines (150Lb) for two. I have ~450LB Dyneema lines for my flexi-stack - but damned if I've seen anything thicker (& heavier) out on the flying field :lol: The lines are useless in <20mph winds, lol!

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heheh I am getting as much out of being away as I can. ;)

I'm crashing at Brian's Fri. and the hotel sat. Sun. and back at Brian's monday. No leaving the field early this year. That will kill you!

Hoping I'll get thrown out on a field to fly with some real CA wind and maybe even some flyers. Though Dan W. is going to be gone to another festival till Sat. ;)

Dan B..... Where are you? It will be good to see you two again. Tell Moon... I need her!

BB

Penny

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  • 3 weeks later...

If you 've never flown a stack...doing 5 for your first attempt may really surprise you!! I'm flying rev ll's stacked and just the three is quite surprising in how much it pulls! Having said that... :w00t: ... I have two more to add to it!!! Now I need stronger lines though.... :w00t:

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Aiyana Good morning!

Dirty wind. So, like indoor you have to keep the kites going. Moving, so they are not dead weight in dead air pockets. :wacko: Nano seconds count here.

Check out when it happens and see if that's not it.

Keeping it going, forward is easiest because the leading edge makes a good clean cut through the air.

If you want a clean reverse with the back kite kept under control, be more agressive :angry: in your movements to get past that whirlwind change of wind... kinda like stirring a bowl of liquid, and when you change direction with the spoon the pretty design it makes showing the resistance. :w00t: So really moving the reverse, faster stronger, will help keep that back kite in space. Be stonger then the wind, and remember your stronger then that kite :D

Now that explanation and advise is in mommy kitefler laymen terms. How do you explain the resistance in proper terms? :P What is your new color? You didnt say.

Talk to you soon.

Have a good one!! :w00t:

BB

Penny

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Another thing that pops up from time to time as a cause is having the top train lines between rear kites a teeny bit too short... You might experiment with pulling the bottom ones in by 1/8" to 1/4", and if you can't launch the stack anymore I would put them back out and listen to other solutions. :w00t:

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi Doug...

Sorry it's taken so long to reply but I have a good excuse...I was on vacation!! High in the mountains of Colorado with nary a kite in sight!

First, no I didn't add anything to the Rev II stack....YET. I do have one more kite to add and a fifth one coming. As for the lines Penny made up the originals for me and they are 2/3 the length of the leading edge.

Stack1.jpg

Stack2.jpg

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hi, well i don't have any rev stacks, but i've taken quite a few pics...attached is an eight stack taken at Dayton Wright -Patterson 2003 AKA...It was a pleasure watching the pilot demonstrate his precision skills...If you want more pics i'll be happy to share them with you..

Kram...

post-13-1094183982.jpg

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That looks like a stack of Rev 1's. Very impressive, love the pattern too. My 8 stack of 1.5's pulls like a truck, the Rev 1 stack should pull even more due to the larger surface area. Would love to fly that baby. ;)

I use train lines on my stack of 4.5 foot between each kite. Found that the last kite flies a lot more stable by shortening the two bottom stack lines by about an inch on that kite only. I also lenghtened my bottom lines on the handles by 4 inches overall and the stack flew a zillion times better. Revolution sells a stacking kit for under 10 bucks as well, check with your local shop for pricing.

The stack lines are simple 4.5 foot lenghts with loops on each end. Just thread the loop through the hole in the end caps and then hook the loop around the end cap the same way the bridle lines are attached. Very simple to hook up. Remove the bridle on each of the stacked kites to get it out of the way (less tangles and drag).

If you stack more than 4 kites it is suggested to get stronger frames for the first couple kites as those are the ones that are supporting all the others. If you are stacking up to 3-4 kites, the frames should be perfectly fine as they are (as long as they are not SUL's :wub: )

Hope this helps if anyone is interested.

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Those that know Bob Serack of Vancouver Wa. have probably seen his stack of 24 :wub: homemade revs. Each are 5 foot in size and stacked (I think) about 3 feet apart. A real bear to launch, but a blast when it gets going! ;)

I am working on getting a pic of them to post.

LG

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Don't know if you could adapt it to quad flying but there was something that was used alot by a group of guys known as "The Gorge Guys " , a "hurricane harness".

If memory serves me it basically was a climbers harness ,around both legs and waist with a break away pulley on the front . You flew your kite with your line as one long loop with your handles tied off on each side at the proper length and then looped on to the pulley. This way the pull from either heavy winds or a large stack was all on your hips and not just your arms

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Those that know Bob Serack of Vancouver Wa. have probably seen his stack of 24 :wub: homemade revs. Each are 5 foot in size and stacked (I think) about 3 feet apart. A real bear to launch, but a blast when it gets going! :o

Oops I was wrong. Bob's revs are 4 feet wide but tere are 24 of them. 200 lb line and no reinforcements. Yeah, it does just about pull your arms off! ;)

post-13-1094307923.jpg

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