Welcome Justin2kites

[Justin2kites]

2 hours ago, Breezin said:

Hello Justin, new here myself. Ton of stuff to read here. Been doing more reading than flying last couple  days due to the roller coaster winds sigh. Jumped into this kite thing with both feet and kinda irked the wife by getting a Widow ng to start. Just showed her your intro posts and the cost ratio to other hobbies. She thawed a bit . Not to the point of getting another kite but progress  has been made .Yay so thanks for that, welcome and have fun.

Hi Breezin. Welcome to the forum, and to kiting!

It sounds like your wife needs a kite of her own!

[Justin2kites]

8 hours ago, Fluke said:

ha same same. i was big into offroad rc buggy. on race weekends i would spent around $200-300 between fees, fuel, tires, glowplugs and what not. still kept one car for fun. oh and the maintenance....

I used to be big into racing as well. I also gave it up mainly because of the cost and maintenance. Nothing like having a second job that you have to pay to do.

It is a ton of fun, though. If you're up to it.

[Fluke]

3 hours ago, Justin2kites said:

We actually drove all the way (two hour drive) to Galveston a couple weeks ago specifically to fly, but there was no wind, despite the forecast saying 15-20mph.

Which is the reason why the 4d is eyeing me. right now all i do when there's no wind is equalizing lines

[Exult]

1 hour ago, Fluke said:

5 hours ago, Justin2kites said:

We actually drove all the way (two hour drive) to Galveston a couple weeks ago specifically to fly, but there was no wind, despite the forecast saying 15-20mph.

Which is the reason why the 4d is eyeing me. right now all i do when there's no wind is equalizing lines

While waiting for a low wind kite, use the time to learn something that can be of use for any kite in low wind:

One can practice stalls, one almost got the barely flying state for "free". You can also practice Fly Aways (gaining ground flying the kite downwards). Start normally with you hands as far from you as possible, pull the kite high up in the wind window by backing while pulling your arms behind your back. Now turn down. Run/move forward and try to get the nose of the kite slightly out from you (kite is still flying straight downwards), while you move forward to gain ground (by moving down wind). Just before the kite reaches the ground (you are still moving forward) fling your arms out to flare the kite two decimeters above the ground. When the kite has landed pull one line so that one wing get one dm closer to you. Lightly pop the other line to make the kite take off by spinning around to clear the nose from the ground. You can vary the belly pop up launches: make them small and efficient, make the kite jump high up or make the launch into a tilted fade that you immediately flies out from.

If you don't already know everything of the above, it should keep you occupied in low wind for a while. And the good news is that the low wind makes it very unlikely that something would break even it the above suggested exercises would be new to you. The only warning I'd like to give is that to be gentle when doing the belly pop up launch so that the sail is not hocked on a thorn, the kite is stuck and/or a line is wrapped around the sail snapping a stand off (but the launch pop should not really be so hard).

IMO almost any condition is an exercise in something, but yes in low wind I (obviously) would prefer a low wind kite.

[Fluke]

my low wind flight skills right now is mostly the kite falling from the sky 

 

31 minutes ago, Exult said:

When the kite has landed pull one line so that one wing get one dm closer to you. Lightly pop the other line to make the kite take off by spinning around to clear the nose from the ground.

any video of this?

[Breezin]

Wife doesn't know but she has a Premier Jewel same color as my Widow waiting in the barn . My gfk foil sucks on the window edge. Flew it yesterday in blustery winds. Kept collapsing and she just was not into it. Should have a snapshot 1.4 and micron tomorrow. Then she'll fly. Well I hope she'll fly and stop chasing me around the yard with a hatchet every time  I give some poor needy little kite a home.

[Exult]

11 hours ago, Fluke said:

12 hours ago, Exult said:

When the kite has landed pull one line so that one wing get one dm closer to you. Lightly pop the other line to make the kite take off by spinning around to clear the nose from the ground.

any video of this?

Check out the ground pancake from this Dodd Gross HQ video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn9K2L-5hyY
at 00:40
Yes, here is also the belly launch showed.

You can find it in Prisms "The advance way to fly" from the nineties, in this Belly launch section:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkpzy3fHF7k

 

You would also be able to see something like it it in the corresponding HQ one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYWh7FVvJsI
However the belly launch here is more of a fade launch, which requires more wind for the fade to last.

These old videos are inspirational - there is  always something to improve and rehearse!! Even if you think you know it - how well and reliably can you do it and under what conditions?

 

[makatakam]

3 hours ago, Breezin said:

Wife doesn't know but she has a Premier Jewel same color as my Widow waiting in the barn . My gfk foil sucks on the window edge. Flew it yesterday in blustery winds. Kept collapsing and she just was not into it. Should have a snapshot 1.4 and micron tomorrow. Then she'll fly. Well I hope she'll fly and stop chasing me around the yard with a hatchet every time  I give some poor needy little kite a home.

Try to have exactly the same equipment for the significant other as you have for yourself. If it's different then there's always the excuse that "your stuff is better than mine" available to be used, and, truthfully, some kites just won't fly when the one you're using will. 

I was heavy into fishing back when I was married -- and still am -- and my wife got into it by default, and eventually began really enjoying it. I made sure that we had the same tackle and it put her on a level as my equal, which is always good in any relationship. If there's any chance that another person feels they are being deprived, especially of having fun, it doesn't go over big with them. Another option is to let her use the better stuff, but that is kind of like saying "I'm better than you and can do what you can with inferior equipment". 

Until she has the knowledge and experience to choose her own . . . . 

[Breezin]

Ha get her hooked, have her buy the sul and then beg to borrow it. As long as I can get her to breath  she might go for it. 35 years with her she probably knows I'm going try a trick [pardon the pun] like that already. One of the reasons I like her so much.

[Fluke]

8 hours ago, Exult said:

These old videos are inspirational - there is  always something to improve and rehearse!! Even if you think you know it - how well and reliably can you do it and under what conditions?

agreed. always try to fly with a purpose, which is quite boring for onlookers because it's like me attempting a lazy susan, failing, falling from the sky, belly launch or cartwheel (those tricks i know  ) and go up to attempt a lazy susan again.

 

right now i'm here

 

[Justin2kites]

4D is fun. And cheaper. I'm sure the Rev would be fun too, though. Tough choice.

[Justin2kites]

Trying to embed a pic, but it's not working.

[Exult]

On 12/8/2017 at 6:09 AM, Fluke said:

agreed. always try to fly with a purpose, which is quite boring for onlookers because it's like me attempting a lazy susan, failing, falling from the sky, belly launch or cartwheel (those tricks i know  ) and go up to attempt a lazy susan again.

Must say that compared to me you did/attempt the Lazy Susans much earlier than I did. If we talk the belly pop up launch (a low wind start) it can look dramatic IMO. People can also be surprised by any low wind flying in that it is possible at all. And one can always try to expand the trick repertoire (obviously)..

If you don't do it already, figure flying is easily understood by a bystander and is certainly worth practicing (don't stop perfecting and challenging yourself here though). However there might be other moves that is currently your focus and points of most development. Also, the result of practice, a series of well performed moves, should not be boring to a bystander - and if it would, so what? You need room for practice new stuff to progress in your way! A too high amount of known "crowd pleasing" moves takes time from your development as a pilot (and would I be "accused" of this I'd instantly plead guilty as charged). Never intended to take any fun out of it though for either party, though the audience side might need to wait sometimes - after all it is your spare time, effort and kites.

[Breezin]

If you have a crowd at the beach watching and your kite hard turns all by itself into the pier look quickly into the crowd. Some will be roaring with laughter ,some walking quickly away others just hopelessly staring. Look for the ones with tears in their eyes. Run to them with all haste. They're the kite flyers. They'll help you fix it.