Going Bridalless

[Dean750]

So in removing the bridal, I make my attachment points basically where the vertical rods attach?

[ant man]

the 2 top inner end caps on the leading edge and the 2 bottom endcaps .. make 2 inch loops called pigtails and your set

[Dean750]

the 2 top inner end caps on the leading edge and the 2 bottom endcaps .. make 2 inch loops called pigtails and your set

Cool, thats what I thought. Just wanted to make sure. Didn't think the outer most end caps made sense. course I probably would have tried it if no one replied soon enough. Thank you much Mr. Ant

BTW, I'm thinkin about trying the seamless one piece Rev sail too.

[REVflyer]

it's all straight-lined 1/4 inch seams and a single skin of Icarex, what could be easier to make?!

My first kite was a knock-off, I was 38 at the time and wanted a custom sail, after 7 years of flying factory products. Man was it ever crap too,... but I won a building medallion @ Smithsonian 'cause it flew just fine, they judge on four categories, thank goodness. It had duct tape on it and I'm not kidding!

The 3M bonding stuff?, you iron the adhesive, to set it permanently. I've used three or four of these no-sew kites down to completely destroyed rags, probably a couple thousand hours on each, all hard abuse and lessons. Stuck into trees, balancing on signs and fence posts, slammed hard by my club-mates, particularly Harold!

Andrew Albosta has a saying, in our kite club. Anybody can fly any kite for 3 or 4 minutes (in competition, as an example). We want a kite you can fly all day long, standing on only one foot. A kite that floats on the gentlest of motions,... hence the long throw handles in case there's no air motion. I can add energy thru my feet also, but I don't want a run-around, that's for sure!!! Heck, if there's even a whisper of a breeze, several of us are sporting these huge grins yet again!

Do you need a no-wind kite?

I personally don't like how the stocker Indoor REV flies "outside".

I have even fabricated a bridle for it, after much testing I still don't like it outside, bridle or not! I much prefer a bridled REV 1.5's traditional style of flight dynamics, with the down spars MORE separated, away from the center of the sail as compared to the Indoor model. I can keep my hands further apart, yank & spank with abandon and generally be a flailing hazard to those people who are standing too close, in my personal space.

A "no-sew" is fine in a dead-calm, but if you can get 2-3 MPH (steady!) you want a SUL 1.5. The venting helps with backing up and smoothing out bumps in the wind.

Listen to me,

you can't make a kite as good as the factory's "B-series"

FOR THE MONEY they charge. you get a taped and sewn polyester sail, a great panel layout and a proven design with hundreds of loyal followers around the globe. Ben Dantonio calls us his family, I think this philosophy is universally true for us all!

So if you want to make a no-sew, that's fine,... understanding it will cost you more (and probably not be as versatile either!) is a good place to start. Is it worth the hassle?

I make one or, at most two kites per year. At that rate it costs me five or six hundred bucks for whatever I'm working on. It better look cool and fly super for all that aggravation, cost & hassle involved. If you can, assemble a group and do a cooperative project together. That will really teach you a bunch and make the journey more enjoyable.

YOU AIN'T GONNA SAVE MONEY!

I just recently received a new B-Series, with an SUL leading edge sleeve tube

on a standard Mango colored Barresi sail pattern with a complete set of Race frame members.

After tuning/modifying for my personal style, I gotta' tell you how great this puppy flies. It's not no-sew effortless flight, but it certainly has the lowest wind range of any REV factory kite I've ever flown (besides their indoor).

I highly recommend you acquire one for yourself, particularly if you live inland like me!

[Dean750]

The plan is to buy the B series. I'm thinking about the Teal pattern. As far as the no sew sail, thats just for fun to see if I can do it. If it works, it'll be strictly for indoor flying.