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Quad line storage?


Jimbo
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I'm fairly new to quads, and winding up the lines seems like a nightmare compared to dual liners.

Is there a way I'm not thinking of, or seeing? Or is it something you get better at, lol.

Any input would be great :P

Jimbo-

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I'm fairly new to quads, and winding up the lines seems like a nightmare compared to dual liners.

Is there a way I'm not thinking of, or seeing? Or is it something you get better at, lol.

Any input would be great :P

Jimbo-

Are you connectign two of the lines together? and then wrapping the two pairs? also i know a few people that prefer having two seperate winders so there is no hassle. I too an fairly new to quads but i don't have much problem wrapping up my lines and takign them out. I conect the brake and other line for the left side and then do the same for the right. I do it at both ends, one end with the brake looped on and the other with the brake being looped onto. anyway once i do that then i wrap it up as if it were a dual line. When i get to unwrapping them i unwrap them like normal with one end staked. Once i'm done i just pull each pair away from each other to seperate the two pairs and soemtime needs to do the same to the staked end. I then usualy end up splitting the pairs and connectign them, but u cna check to see if there is soem little snag on twisted lines, it's only happened to me once so far. hope i was clear enough to be a help

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Yeah, there's a lot of different ways.

I leave the lines connected to my handles, put the handles together and wind all the lines around my handles.

When I get to the kite, I disconnect the lines from the kite, larkshead the left lines together and then the right sides together and finish wrapping.

The important thing to remember is always point the handles the same way when winding and unwinding. I point the tops of my handles towards the kite when I wind and when I unwind the lines.

When you set up the kite, attach the lines to the kite, point the handles towards the kite, and walk backwards.You may have to jiggle the handle a bit to get the lines to come off smoothly. Ignore anything that looks like a tangle until you've gotten all the line off your handles. I usually have a couple twists which can be taken out in the air by doing a few spins, or by putting your handles together and turning them around as a pair until the twists are gone.

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I'm fairly new to quads, and winding up the lines seems like a nightmare compared to dual liners.

Is there a way I'm not thinking of, or seeing? Or is it something you get better at, lol.

Any input would be great :P

Jimbo-

When I was in Newport Oregon the owner of the kite store there showed me his way and I have adopted it.

Larkshead the lines from one handle together. Hook that to the winder and wind to the kite. Hook the other end to the winder and then hook up the lines from the other side and wind that side back to the handle. Use your bungi to secure. This way the two sides are wound separately. When winding all 4 lines together I am always screwing around trying to figure out what is going on. By winding the sides (2 lines at a time) separetely you only have twisted lines on each handle and that is easy to handle. I have been using this for several months and swear by it. I know some of the very accomplished flyers wind all 4 lines directly on the handles. I just can't handle that.

My setup routine is to hook to one handle

Put that handle overy a ground stake and unwind that side to the end.

Setup up kite hooking the unwound lines to the kite. Then hook the other side to the kite.

Set the kite up leaning back and unwind the other side to the handle.

Hookup that handle. Sides are separated. So I look at the lines on each side and rotate the handles to untwist.

Total walking 170 feet

Not having the sides twisted together PRICELESS.

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"one winder to rule them all"

ok, poor lord of the rings rip...

I've always used one winder for both sides of lines, however, its critical to ALWAYS connect the sides together, either with knotting the tops to the bottoms, or, bottoms to the top. (at both ends) Be sure to wind reasonably tightly on the winder and consistently on the winder and you shouldn't have toooo much problem.

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"one winder to rule them all"

ok, poor lord of the rings rip...

I've always used one winder for both sides of lines, however, its critical to ALWAYS connect the sides together, either with knotting the tops to the bottoms, or, bottoms to the top. (at both ends) Be sure to wind reasonably tightly on the winder and consistently on the winder and you shouldn't have toooo much problem.

The original REV video technique is what I always used. I have done it well over a thousand times since 1991 with success.

Essentially all four lines are wound on the winder at the same time. However the trick to this is that they are always kept separated as pairs.

When you remove the lines from the handles do it one handle at a time. Tie that pair lines for that pair of lines together and then do the other handle. Always keep the two pairs separated until you have them ready to be wound. Presuming that the lines are still attached to the REV, attach the two pairs of lines to the winder, using what ever method is best for your winder. Wind the lines up to about a couple meters(yards) from the REV and lay the winder on the ground. Now disconnect the line from one side of the REV, tie them together and lay that pair on the ground on that side of the REV. Now repeat this for the lines on the other side of the REV. Pick up the winder and wind of the two pairs of lines, trying your best to keep the pairs separated until they are flush on the winder. Now tighten them down on the winder using the (usually bungi cord).

Tips:

Always hold your winder in the same hand when you wind or unwind the lines.

Always wind up your own lines, even if someone else offers to wind them or is using them.

When you unwind your lines using the above information and tips, you will rarely have more then a single twist in the lines and sometimes a pair fed through the other a single time. When your lines are wound out, attached them to the REV and shake them out first before you ever dream of going to the point where they might be twisted. Most messed up twisted lines are caused by trying to untwist them before you shook them out. Shaking the lines out straightens them and takes out what looks like twists, but aren't twists.

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Great explaination John, thank you!

I havent wound mine up very many times, but I cant believe I never thought to attach them together in left and right pairs :P

Truth is, I'm sure this is one of those questions most noobie flyers wouldnt ask, but need help with.

Thanks again everyone, for taking the time to answer, and anyone else with suggestions, please post :)

Jimbo-

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I agree with Monkey and Longjohn. After years of putting 4 lines on one winder, I've only had a couple of problems with tangles. This happened with unusually high winds and the lines tangled while getting them up.

Like most have said, connect the lines in pairs (right and left), wind them on your winder of choice without loose strands.

A couple of things that I always do with my lines:

- I let my lines out from the handles to the kite, and take the lines up from the handles to the kite. This results in switching the line orientation each time.

- As I wind, I separate the lines through my fingers (like combing) removing any twists as they are put up.

I use Blue line and a figure 8 winder.

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Sorry not exactly on the same subject but, as a biginner with revs a used to have to wander all over the flying field ie, you start in the middle and before you know it your half way down the field (you all know what its like).

Anyway one of the first lessons i learned was to ALWAYS pick up my ground spike.!!!

Emagin the scene; wufer on his first or second go with a rev.

Starts in the middle of the field, rev going whare ever it wants to go. ten minutes latter, wufer two hundred yards from whare he left his ground spike.

Wufer gets a wing rap.

Wufer not got two hundred yard arms.

Wufer in big trouble.

Wufer learn the hard way very quickly.

Derek

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Sorry not exactly on the same subject but, as a biginner with revs a used to have to wander all over the flying field ie, you start in the middle and before you know it your half way down the field (you all know what its like).

Anyway one of the first lessons i learned was to ALWAYS pick up my ground spike.!!!

Emagin the scene; wufer on his first or second go with a rev.

Starts in the middle of the field, rev going whare ever it wants to go. ten minutes latter, wufer two hundred yards from whare he left his ground spike.

Wufer gets a wing rap.

Wufer not got two hundred yard arms.

Wufer in big trouble.

Wufer learn the hard way very quickly.

Derek

lol Been there, didn't have that. Except mine was on a very rocky beach with high winds. I would have been in a world of hurts if friends hadn't been there to help. That's the day I learned the importance of always having a kite stake on you. Just be careful not to put it in a place that will pierce you should you fall. That would put a damper on your fly time. :) BB Penny

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When your lines are wound out, attached them to the REV and shake them out first before you ever dream of going to the point where they might be twisted. Most messed up twisted lines are caused by trying to untwist them before you shook them out. Shaking the lines out straightens them and takes out what looks like twists, but aren't twists.

Sage advice from Mitchell... There are often "fake wraps", which are alternating twists... They go one way at X end of the lines and opposite at Y end of the lines, spread 'em apart (real taut) and they cancel each other out.

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When your lines are wound out, attached them to the REV and shake them out first before you ever dream of going to the point where they might be twisted. Most messed up twisted lines are caused by trying to untwist them before you shook them out. Shaking the lines out straightens them and takes out what looks like twists, but aren't twists.

Sage advice from Mitchell... There are often "fake wraps", which are alternating twists... They go one way at X end of the lines and opposite at Y end of the lines, spread 'em apart (real taut) and they cancel each other out.

Right on Big John! Fake wraps is the wording to use!

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Gotta say this...

Like most have said, connect the lines in pairs (right and left), wind them on your winder of choice without loose strands.

A couple of things that I always do with my lines:

- I let my lines out from the handles to the kite, and take the lines up from the handles to the kite. This results in switching the line orientation each time.

- As I wind, I separate the lines through my fingers (like combing) removing any twists as they are put up.

I use Blue line and a figure 8 winder.

It's exactly what I do. Must be a Carolina thing...

Doug

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Here's my exact process when handling quad lines, using a single LaserPro winder...

Setting up:

  1. Handles already attached, I hook them onto the ground stake in a forward-flight position.
  2. Walk downwind, unwinding to the end.
  3. Separate R-L pairs.
  4. Set kite leading edge DOWN.
  5. Attach right pair.
  6. Attach left pair.
  7. Draw lines and kite taut, so line tension keeps it flying into the ground (safe).
  8. Walk to handles, draw all lines tight to cancel fake wraps.
  9. Remove 2-3 twists (normal) by moving the handles around each other, and fly.

Packing up:

  1. Land kite leading edge DOWN with no twists in the line.
  2. Hook handles onto stake in forward-flight position, so kite is secure.
  3. Walk to kite.
  4. Remove left pair, larks head top line onto the bottom line near the knot.
  5. Remove right pair, larks head top line onto the bottom line near the knot.
  6. When looking at the pairs, you can treat them as two lines (two bottom loops together) and start winding.
  7. As you approach the handles (staked), wind DOWN to them to make sure they don't spin around or cross.
  8. When all the line is wound up, fold the handles over the winder and strap it all together (bunji, velcro, rubber band, whatever).

Three key items...

  1. By larks heading the top to bottom at my kite, I've drawn the bottom of my handles out so that they fold over the winder easier.
  2. If I do remove my handles once I've wound up my lines, I then larks head the BOTTOM to the TOP (opposite of the kite end), so there's no undue slack in them.
  3. Never try to take out what you think are wraps until you've gone to the handles and pulled everything taut... If you do have wraps and can't figure out how they go, leave everything attached, walk down to the wraps, stick your fingers in and slide it up to your handles where you can see them easier.

Done this way, you shouldn't ever have to disconnect a line to take out wraps... Everything should come out just by rotating the handles together, separately, or passing one handle through another... Again, if done correctly, you won't even have to do much of this.

In 16 years of flying, I haven't found ANY difference between figure-8 or straight winding (I wind straight)... The only exception is when I'm using larger lines (150# or 200#) that tend to fall off the winder... In this case, I put in 20 straight winds, one figure-8 to lock it down, 20 straight, one figure 8, and so on.

That's pretty much it. :sq-angry:

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pretty good i still do the 2 handle thing i never have problems with that

Sometimes I use a "two handle thing", but a different "two handle thing". If I need to clear the flying field quickly or just get my line out from under peoples feet so they wont walk all over them, dragging handles between other lines and etc, I will wrap the lines quickly around my flying handles and then set them on the REV. I rarely have any problem unwinding them. This is something I don't recommend for storage purposes or closing up for the day.

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