Mark Sullivan Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Hi Guys,I was going through my grandpa's old kites awhile ago and I found a really cool quad called a Synergy Deca by Guildworks. The problem is that this quad is the most confusing kite I have ever seen. Problems with putting it together are made worse by the fact that I'm pretty sure half the spars are missing/broken. I really want to build and fly this kite. I've written to GuildWorks (who apparently builds big fabric art awnings now) with no reply. I've scoured the internet but I can't find anyone that actually has this early model kite, and while there are some other GuildWorks kite videos out there, each GuildWorks kite seems to be uniquely complicated in construction (in this model there are just as many tangled lines as there are spars) and no one focuses on this model. I'm looking for anyone that can help with any of the following1) original build instructions 2) assembly video or online resource 3) spar list and dimensions of spars so I can get replacements Thanks for reading, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 The way this particular kind of kite is framed out when assembled is weird and difficult to envision. Two (i believe) of the spars don't touch the sail at all, but serve to tension the lines that connect to other spars. I've seen them assembled, and once it was disassembled I couldn't get my head around how to assemble it again. Steve Anderson of team 180GO! has one. He is a member of IKE (Illinois Kite Enthusiasts) also. You can get on the IKE forum and PM him for some assistance. Join IKE at ikeclub.org and join. It's free and full of kite people and most of the members of 180GO!. I think he's on this forum and the Rev forum also. Look for "goestoeleven" as this is handle. Edit: I just Googled "synergy kites" and clicked on images. Found some fairly decent photos there that may be helpful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Here are some manuals for you... http://www.windsweptkites.com/Synergy_Deca_A-1_6_15_manual.pdf http://www.windsweptkites.com/Zero_Wind_Deca._manual.pdf Hopefully those are of some help. I would love to have an unusual kite like that, I have a couple of Guildworks' single line kites, had one of their 3 line kites. Really cool, please post some pics once you get it going... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Awesome, thanks so much for finding those links!I'll also see if I can connect with Steve Anderson, that is a great idea. For you guys that are more experienced in repairing kites, Any ideas on what I could use to replace the large bowed center spreader? In the actual kite, this is a very flexible wrapped tube. I'm going to use Rev spars to replace some of the other missing parts but I'm not sure what will work the best for the main rib.... maybe my best bet is to use a fiberglass tent rod...I'm not sure.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Once you know the dimensions of the original, you can get similar or identical spars from any kite shop that sells graphite tubing. Most have a very good selection. Ask Steve, he can tell you the material and dimensions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted April 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Mission complete! I spent more hours than I'd like to admit researching, talking with people, and finally re-tying every line multiple times to get the tension just right. Getting the tension right was a matter of feeling the sail, measuring the webbing, and even plucking the strings- that's right, there is so much tension built into this kite that you can actually pluck the strings to hear how equal the elements are! Turns out my kite is a Deca 6 and is a version that was manufactured by Invento kites during a brief partnership between their company and GuildWorks. The spars reading "The Advantage" are indeed originals to this particular run however all the Deca kites where tweaked a bit during each production (this explains my 20" spars). I had to replace one of the spars with a spare Rev spar that was in the bag already (basically Grandpa already did the replacing). Attached is a pic of me, 93 year old Grandpa and our kite. Thanks again for everyone's contributions to my journey. I'll post some more pictures when I fly it! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim P. Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Awesome! It looks great, can't wait to see pictures of it in flight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudy64 Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 And, I thought my VolksQuad was a strange design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rneiman3 Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Mark, I'm sure you've moved on from from this thread, but I just found it as I was googling the Synergy Deca. Your story gave me wonderful memories of my time in the world of kites. I was a competitive flier (dual lines), kite store owner, & a kite collector. I recently pulled out my kite bags & spent a whole day putting together the dozens of dual line, quad line, & custom single line kites from some of the famous kite makers of the 1980's, 90's, & early 2000's. (Those were the glory days!!) I still have 3 Synergy Deca 31's, 2 no wind Deca's, several Deca 1's & 3 or 4 Minergy 333's. i should probably start thinking about new homes for all these classic kites. Any suggestions? bob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted March 27, 2017 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Wow, brother Bob... Been a while, glad to see you still kicking around! Lots of kite buyers here, this would be the right place to start: http://kitelife.com/forum/forum/32-kites-for-sale-swap-or-trade/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted March 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Hey Bob, My grandpa has since passed away leaving me with the Deca and his 25ish other kites (plus my own collection). I've got a North Shore Radical, a six stack of Revs and many other classics from the 80's and 90's. I'm pretty full of kites but I do need lines for the Deca still. Even if you just have good photos or even dimensions with line lengths (I've heard that they are different by I'm not sure by how much) that would help me build some of my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 4 hours ago, Mark Sullivan said: Hey Bob, My grandpa has since passed away leaving me with the Deca and his 25ish other kites (plus my own collection). I've got a North Shore Radical, a six stack of Revs and many other classics from the 80's and 90's. I'm pretty full of kites but I do need lines for the Deca still. Even if you just have good photos or even dimensions with line lengths (I've heard that they are different by I'm not sure by how much) that would help me build some of my own. Flying lines or the bridle dimensions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 @rneiman3 You can post them for sale if you wish on this forum in the appropriate topic, or just send them all to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted March 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 On 3/27/2017 at 10:30 PM, makatakam said: Flying lines or the bridle dimensions? The bridle is still connected to the kite, I need the line dimensions (or just the distance that the top lines differ from the bottom lines) but also just handle dimensions. From what I've seen the handles are a little different than rev style handles and their curves compound with the line lengths to make even greater difference in the distance the top line is from the bottom line. Or, perhaps, I'm making a bigger deal out of it than I should and just bend my wrists enough to get the quad to fly right I'm just not the best quad flyer in the first place and I'd like to get the kite set up how it was originally intended so I don't have any excuses for poor flight other than my undeveloped skill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Mark Sullivan said: The bridle is still connected to the kite, I need the line dimensions (or just the distance that the top lines differ from the bottom lines) but also just handle dimensions. From what I've seen the handles are a little different than rev style handles and their curves compound with the line lengths to make even greater difference in the distance the top line is from the bottom line. Or, perhaps, I'm making a bigger deal out of it than I should and just bend my wrists enough to get the quad to fly right I'm just not the best quad flyer in the first place and I'd like to get the kite set up how it was originally intended so I don't have any excuses for poor flight other than my undeveloped skill The Synergy series handles should not have as much bend as the Rev handles have. They can be pretty much straight sticks. Since the kite is symmetrical, your lines can be equal in length, with no differential adjustment. You can fly it with 15" or better Rev handles with the top lines brought pretty much all the way in, and you should move your grip down considerably from where you would grip when flying a Rev. This kite just does not move fast, so expect to fly slowly and gracefully. Watch some videos of it in action and you'll see what I mean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 most all of the omni-directional quads fly best with a straight or symmetrical handle arrangement. The X-wing came with almost wooden "paddles", marline-grade plywood, drilled out holes to lighten and shaped/curved away sort of cross-bow styled if you laid 'em down on the ground, easily 18 inches across. The Windfire Plasma Flame came with a straight and 3/8" diameter thin walled aluminum tube set of handles, less than 12 inches long. Ashworth's butterfly bowtie used Rev handles, but only because the graphics were very much a part of the overall concept and it looks better that way, upright. none of these kite will side-slide like a revolution styled wing, but none of 'em are 2 dimensional either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 Not sure Rev handles will work. The Deca's handles are much flatter and the "foam" is very much centered. Lines, I believe to the equal. They fly completely different from any Rev - I know - I tried and failed miserably. The person to ask - and he flies one with absolute beauty, is Scott Weider. Not sure he is on this forum, but he is on Facebook. I would PM him and ask any questions you might have. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettgrant99 Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 The Deca that I had, included the standard handles, and the X handles. Not sure that is the actual name of them, but that at least one person on the web is calling them that. Here is a link to what they look like. Symmetrical, but you could change the throw pretty easily. The handles were pretty cool looking, but I remember that they were a pain to store. With all of those swagged on blocks they caught on everything. Lines, bags, sweaters, shirts, etc. Maybe I just don't know how to use quad handles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 1 hour ago, Brettgrant99 said: The Deca that I had, included the standard handles, and the X handles. Not sure that is the actual name of them, but that at least one person on the web is calling them that. Here is a link to what they look like. Symmetrical, but you could change the throw pretty easily. The handles were pretty cool looking, but I remember that they were a pain to store. With all of those swagged on blocks they caught on everything. Lines, bags, sweaters, shirts, etc. Maybe I just don't know how to use quad handles. You guys are all so helpful- thanks. What exactly am I looking at in the photo you linked there, Brett? It looks like there is suspended/tension line in the handle (softens the feel, maybe?)... or is that a crazy way of wrapping up the line on the stiff handle? Maybe it's just a early 90's marketing attempt? Whatever the x handles are, they sure look unique. Do you feel like they helped fly the kite differently than a straight stick handle would? I'm more curious than ever about those x handles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 3 hours ago, Wayne Dowler said: The person to ask - and he flies one with absolute beauty, is Scott Weider. Not sure he is on this forum, but he is on Facebook. I would PM him and ask any questions you might have. @Scott Weider is on the forum, although he doesn't post often. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Sullivan Posted March 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 9 minutes ago, John Barresi said: @Scott Weider is on the forum, although he doesn't post often. Thanks guys, I've PM'd him on Facebook 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 To fly a Deca using Rev handles, you can attach your (equal length) Rev lines to knots on the leader equidistant from the ends of the handles, and with the handles inverted. Hold the handles with index fingers close to the (now) top end of the foam. If you can't launch, let the bottom lines (used to be the tops) out one knot at a time until you can. Adjust so that the kite will launch with the same amount of effort either upright or inverted. Long handles work better than short ones. This should turn your whole world upside-down for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettgrant99 Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 2 hours ago, Mark Sullivan said: You guys are all so helpful- thanks. What exactly am I looking at in the photo you linked there, Brett? It looks like there is suspended/tension line in the handle (softens the feel, maybe?)... or is that a crazy way of wrapping up the line on the stiff handle? Maybe it's just a early 90's marketing attempt? Whatever the x handles are, they sure look unique. Do you feel like they helped fly the kite differently than a straight stick handle would? I'm more curious than ever about those x handles! I would say that Marc was going for "artistic" handles. They are similar to frame on the deca, in that their were pultruded carbon rods that were kept under tension by the bridle line that you see. It has been a while since I looked at one. The foam handle keeps everything together. I flew a Deca 15 in heavier wind, and it was uncomfortable because as the kite pulls more, you can feel it in your hand. I believe that they were really made for flying kites indoors and allowed you to adjust how much throw you had. You could use them has a winder, too. They were no different than a straight handle for flying capability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Dragut Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 try to contact Kelly Reed at this site http://www.guildworks.com/. i am sure they will help you ,also check the video on this page http://www.guildworks.com/kite-performances.html. i ask the price for a Deca and the cheapest one is 1200$.... way to much for a mortal like me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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