John Barresi Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 Hello @Fluke, Welcome to KiteLife®! Although this is an automated message, it is written with heart - I love kites deeply, and I believe the KiteLife community represents this passion with a very friendly and helpful environment for everyone. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Need to tweak settings? Edit your profile here - View Member Edit your settings - http://kitelife.com/forum/settings/ Other than that, here are a few handy links that you might have a use for... Member ChatMember MapKL Shop And while it's never an obligation, we always love hearing about our new members if you'd like to share some of your kite stories, videos, and/or background... Tell us a little about YOUR kite life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hello Everyone. I figured i'd do a proper introduction to the forum You may call me Gael from Mauritius and my kite story is a 2-parter. around 16 years ago (yes 16) i was gifted a paimpol expresso which i flew once or twice before it went into dust collection mode. fast-forward to a few weeks ago a good friend of mine bought a cheap chinese dual line kite. we went to try it out and i immediately rushed home looking for my expresso. a few flights later (or awkwardly trying to keep the kite up a few seconds then gloriously return back to mother earth in a barely controlled manner) i believe a new hobby is born. after some research i got in contact with a local experienced kite flyer (Btreize on these boards) and ordered a prism hypnotist and a few other things. Meanwhile, here's a picture of the oldschool expresso (build like a tank, flies like a tank ) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hello, Gael, and welcome to the forum. It's good to have you on board. I look forward to sharing a field with you someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exult Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hello Fluke, Your story is quite similar to my early days of kiting. I got an early kite as a gift from my father early/mid eighties. I then only learnt to make squares in the sky - nothing more. Then about 15 years later after seeing a Tramontana pair routine on a kite festival that I by accident attended I bought my HQ Jam session and HQ Maestrale. This I consider was the true/serious/main start of my kiting. I hope that this second start also will be your true start. Look around in the available topics and then feel free to ask. Good that you found a (local) mentor. My mentor just happened to be in a different town ( http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/7983-welcome-anders-matson/ ). The Flying Edge The image of your old kite triggered a repair attempt of my first kite. I've literally not taken it out from the sleeve during this millennium until today. The plan was to replace the rubber string sail tensioners (that pointed out from the sleeve) because they had gone all brittle. Unfortunately the lower spreaders turned out to be missing, so it looks like I'll need to make a new pair as well. The image of your old kite also makes me wonder. I mean I know what a humming trailing edge sounds like, but how does a humming leading edge sound like (as in your oldie kite)? I got two kites (well three then) that are more talkative than others. A riddle: Q: Why does my Hydra and my Kymera hum for me? A: spɹoʍ ǝɥʇ uǝʇʇoƃɹoɟ ǝʌɐɥ ʎǝɥʇ ǝsnɐɔǝq I wish you welcome here, Exult 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Why does my Hydra and my Kymera hum for me? The Kymera was designed to have it - sort of an old school sound effect. On the Hydra, there is a leech line that will tighten or loosen the TE to your individual liking. You want it quieter - tighten it up. Loose = noisy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exult Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Both the Hydra and Kymera belong to my favourite set of kites and I do not find the humming (only there in stronger winds) annoying. My guessing is that the Kymera camber is there to make it a good flyer with a large wind window and the humming to prevent it from becoming somewhat of a heavy pulling speed kite. No, my ITW Hydra does not have a leech line, but perhaps there is a difference between the ITW Hydra and earlier Focus Hydra (no, not the HQ Hydra power kite). I don't know if there is supposed to be any differences here either. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Thank you all Exult, at some point i considered selling the kite but i glad i didn't. and now as i upgrade i know i will have a sturdy kite to lend around Well the leading edge doesn't hum that much louder. but the kite needs quite some wind to fly (120cm wingspan and non-hollow fiberglass rods. pretty heavy stuff). But when it flew i liked it... until Btreize made me try a nexus . now i can't wait for my hypno to arrive (due tomorrow). i also bought a cheap foil kite from ebay because it was $10 with free shipping along with some dyneema lines for the expresso and repair tape. I also got to try a Rev kite definitely one in my future when the budget and skills allows it. I haven't even started seriously yet and i already have a kite, bought 2 more, considering a 4th and bought spares.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exult Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 On 7/31/2017 at 7:34 AM, Fluke said: i will have a sturdy kite to lend around ... ...but the kite needs quite some wind to fly Sounds like you have a high wind kite and a no-one-else-got-it kite as well. On 7/31/2017 at 7:34 AM, Fluke said: i also bought a cheap foil kite from ebay because it was $10 Nothing wrong with a cheap foil IMO. You might be lucky, you might get some ideas of what to improve or decide for a more expensive but a safer bet later. In either case you win by gaining experience. I also got one cheaply because I was curious of the kite type and then much later tried it out ( http://kitelife.com/forum/blogs/entry/191-learning-from-flying-in-unfamiliar-or-non-ideal-situations/ ). On 7/31/2017 at 7:34 AM, Fluke said: I also got to try a Rev kite definitely one in my future when the budget and skills allows it. When your skills allow it? If you know DLKs I believe that if/when starting out with QLKing you have much knowledge of the starting-out-and-getting-going sort for free. I started out quite recently and can unfortunately only refer to my experiences. However comparing to someone who knows it profoundly (e.g. and randomly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKD8UDGmQAM ) I'm afraid my flying is much limited and looks like it would be performed by a drunken pilot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted August 4, 2017 Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 let's say i have a "classic collector" kite lol still waiting for the prism. the postal service in my country is not the fastest in the world ..... so meanwhile i'm reading your blog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseRicco Posted August 4, 2017 Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 Welcome Fluke. I love Prism kites...they are my favorite manufacturers of mass produced kites. I recently got my hands on the Prism Quantum 25th Anniversary SE and love it. It's a great all around flyer. The Hypnotist is on my list of Prism kites to acquire. But first I have to fill my low & high wind needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 The thing came quite larger than i expected but it screams quality and quite a few tuning options out of the box (adjustable turbo bridle and wind settings) I did, however, remove the metal clips on the bridle (to hook up the lines) Next step is to equalize the lines and taking her for a spin this weekend 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exult Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 3 hours ago, Fluke said: The thing came quite larger than i expected I'd say that the size is an asset (once on the field) for a full sized kite. The size often adds stability/precision and counteracts twitchyness and besides for everything that go outdoors to the field, the apparent size shrinks once there (especially when using long lines). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseRicco Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 4 hours ago, Fluke said: ...quite larger than i expected but it screams quality I did, however, remove the metal clips on the bridle (to hook up the lines) She is a beauty. Love the Citrus colorway. Don't you just love that massive size...just about 8'?!?! Just placed an order for the Prism Zephyr last night. Found an amazing deal that I couldn't pass up. She will be my designated low wind kite, and the kite that I develop my trick skills with when the time is right. Zephyr is the same size @ 94", and can't wait to see what she looks like in the air. And as I said before, another kite will be in order so I am not always flying the Anniversary SE Quantum. Would hate if something happened to it. So, it will be another Quantum in a different color, or the Hypnotist. That's a discussion for another time though. Just an FYI - my local kite shop took those same clip off the Nexus I purchased. I forget her exact reasoning, but she did mention something about the possibility of pin holes. Not sure how this would happen. I left them on my Quantum because they seem so convenient, but will most likely remove as well. Kudos on your beautiful kite, and good luck. "May the Winds be Ever in your Favor" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 2 hours ago, JaseRicco said: Just placed an order for the Prism Zephyr I also considered the zephyr and still am, and a micron, and a nexus, and a quantum pro... basically i already want all of them Raining right now but couldn't wait so i went to equalize the lines in a supermarket's covered parking lot in front of some quite perplexed shoppers both line were pretty close to identical out of the box. Now i'm hoping for some sunshine this weekend to actually fly. I'll make sure to post about it of course 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Oh btw anyone know what lines are included? i've seen everything from 30m dyneema to 25m spectra online depending on which website i look at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseRicco Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 I think you'll find once you go big you wont want to go back, that's how I feel anyway. My first kite was the Nexus, but ever since I received the Quantum, the Nexus sits and gains dust...that's why its up for sale. But everyone's different. I have heard the smaller kites are great for higher wind days when you just want to rip the sky. And as for the micron, it is not for the faint of heart lol. To quote Prism, “Lightning-fast on breezy days. Not for beginners!”. My lines came out of the case equalized as well, but need to do some equalizing now that I have flown a few times...not much though. Best place for specs is going to be Prism. It’s their kite, so I will assume that they know best. I find that a lot of specialty kite stores and sites have mixed information for some reason. This certainly makes things confusing for newbs like us. When I come across this, I shoot a quick email to the manufacture for the true info. Have not run across one that does not response pretty quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Reason for the differences is that not every store or company supplies lines with every kite. You can order from a manufacturer, the "package" in many variations. Quads are an example: lines, no lines, extra frame, etc. Some stores buy a cheap set to throw in the bag after they get them. Some makers supply their "own" lines, that way they know what you are getting. Varies! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluke Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 (edited) If anyone asks: according to prism's website it's a 26m dyneema line. Which brings me to another related question: Is there a noticeable difference between a brandname dyneema line like the one sold by prism and a dyneema line sold on ebay? (I know dyneema is a brand name. but you get what i mean) Also is there a way to move this thread to the beginner's forum? Can a moderator help? Edited August 11, 2017 by Fluke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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