Clear Rev?

[Bret]

I was at the kite festival in Long Beach WA on Saturday and There were some Rev shaped kites that were almost completely clear or maybe completely mesh (could see through almost the whole sail). Are those really Rev kites? Some new sail design I don't know about? I thought maybe it was a handmade sail at first, but then I saw several so I assumed not. (BTW, it was a fun day and a good show)

[makatakam]

I believe those are home-made. I'm sure Revolution Kites would advertise them if they were making them. I saw the photo/video of them (six or so) docked in "kiss" formation. I was curious too, and would love to have one. Was the wind very strong? If so, then they probably have no sail fabric other than the colored parts of them.

[hyzakite]

Those are handmade, see the outside link from Nick Russell in the WSIKF 2015 topic, post #41 from 4/19.

[Wayne Dowler]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205364168121467&set=t.100001556709894&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xpt1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F11232233_10205364168121467_6633713920908036109_n.jpg%3Foh%3D6c63776b5a601c60916738638d69f182%26oe%3D5669F06A&size=960%2C642

Alden Miller is the creator of them. He has agreed to make them as a masterpiece kite. Don't know what the deal is on availability, numbers being made, etc They are just strips defining the outline and a few reinforcing strips in the sail. No mesh other than in the LE. We nicknamed the original - "Vickie", a take off on Victoria's Secret and her other nickname - the "Flying Thong"!

[Bret]

Thanks for the pointer. Here's a link to the blog: http://gypsyjournalrv.com/2015/08/rules-what-rules/

It was quite windy at the time, but I assumed there was at least some mesh or something in the blank space. I'm surprised that just strips would fly that well without anything for a sail. They definitely looked cool. Thanks for the info.

[makatakam]

Here's the shot I mentioned -- finally found it.

[Wayne Dowler]

4 of those are Alden's making ( he's in the white hat on right), 2 are Paul Dugard's work. Slight differences between their work, but same idea!

[Bret]

Very cool. There were so many I assumed they weren't handmade.

Do they really have nothing in that open space? I know there was a lot of wind, but I'm still amazed they would fly that well.

Thanks for the extra pic!

[Tmadz]

Very cool. There were so many I assumed they weren't handmade.

Do they really have nothing in that open space? I know there was a lot of wind, but I'm still amazed they would fly that well.

Thanks for the extra pic!

You'd be surprised what you can do with wind. Get enough wind and capture it correctly, you could make almost anything fly.

[RobB]

I took these pictures 2 or 3 years ago at Wildwood. The winds were pretty brutal that year, there were gusts up to 40mph. The Flying Thong seemed right at home in those winds !

[oapbillf]

This is my version I call the Beast, made from a modified home made full sail that was too heavy.

I use 4 wrap rods fitted in the FRONT, yes that's right, in the front and it flies reasonably well even down to about 15 MPH.

Bill

[Paul LaMasters]

dugard's has been flown in eight mph, surprisingly responsive almost down to mid-vent bottom end wind conditions. Not much surface area, but no venting's weight either. The framing can be light but I'm assuming Paul's is on green race, used almost exclusively. He and Eliot slapped one together as a cooperative effort (shook's pre-made SUL leading edges) with Alden's phone guidance. The second one Paul did himself with the left-overs.

You can buy these as masterpieces thru Rev, maybe your dealer too (ASK), but it's a not a very good value per square inch of fabric <HA!>

When you want one in each hand at the same time though, then you can appreciate what a light pull does for comfort during a long session.

When everyone else cowers in fear from the big gals blowing in from the sea, this kite design laughs and continues on unabated.

[davesim5]

this is the one I got, shot at Wildwood NJ.