Breezin Posted January 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 Sunday morning went out before the games. Had a rough time. During 1/2 time bell went off, checked lines and red was off about 6" too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted January 18, 2018 Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 I just assume every single set of lines I ever receive will either be uneven to start or become uneven in stages over the first 1-2 hours of solid flight... Equalizing is a given for me, and of critical importance. 👍🏻 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 Flew on Z about 3 hours today R line is off about 2" more. Used same line set on PD for 2 hours. Monday up for about 2 1/2 hours on both. 1 more adjustment should be good to go for a bit. Unless I put the set on the Widow in 12 mph . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 Oops meant Tue. Monday sucked !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted January 19, 2018 Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 Flew on Z about 3 hours today R line is off about 2" more. Used same line set on PD for 2 hours. Monday up for about 2 1/2 hours on both. 1 more adjustment should be good to go for a bit. Unless I put the set on the Widow in 12 mph . Ok so what do you think about the PD. I usually don’t fly mine above 5 mph we have better suited Kites for heavier winds. here is my son with a PDSUL in almost no wind on 20 foot lines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 Stoked, had it up in 0 to 8 on the 90 LB x 100' with stock adjustment. Going to get better before using lighter and shorter lines. Graceful and responsive all the time. Think I'll keep it !! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 While putting up PD leaned over to get spars and whiskers. Pipe fell out of shirt pocket onto whiskers. BOINK. Next 20 minutes on hands and knees finding what went BOINK. May I suggest as a Newbie perhaps put away whiskers 1st. Unless of course ya like that sorta thing. Ordered enough rods and end caps to make 14 whiskers for the Jet Speed. Figured I'll be losing those a lot. Plus 3 tee's. Figured I'll be breaking those a lot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted January 19, 2018 Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 I lost one out of the little pocket on the end of the kite bag. Now I have a few extra just in case I loose another. I store them in the leading edge hole for the top spreader now when I roll up the kite. Sent from my IPhone 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 Got my sewing machine today. 2 stocking hats and a shirt to repair for practice. !1st major project [for me anyways ] is sew a little velcro for whisker storage pocket. I store top spreaders for all but the Z in LE hole. Maybe attach RF tag to whiskers and stay out of water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted February 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2018 Dang hope I don't jinx anybody but here goes. Yesterday morning winds hitting 12 to 13 max and flew the Nighthawk. After lunch went to 2 to 6 so Zephyr time. Hour or so into it found a pin hole. Whipped out my trusty ca glue some cellophane and fixed it right up. This is my 4th minor sail repair and best yet. Got to thinking how dumb that was to do in the field and won't do it again. Winds high again this morning so up with the Widow. Winds came down but gusty so I got the Zephyr. Putting kite together looked for pin hole. Couldn't find it till I ran my hand over the back and felt a little bump. If I would have went to the house got some tape for the back, magnifying glass and a tooth pick to align the sail would be virtually impossible to find. Put in the weight adjusted the bridle and nocked the leach line. About an hour set like that. Quite different. Still have to get used to it but I liked it. Winds dropped to near nothing topping at 5 to 6 and seeming to get lower so went back to low wind setting.. Coming across the window a blast knocked me a couple feet forward. Got to the edge landed the kite whipped out my wind meter and wind was still 17 after already dropping some. Zephyr done for the day. While taking down the kite thinking I had just dodged a bullet found the lower spreader ferrule cracked. Minor issue and still think I got lucky but I don't have spare.. Now I'm thinking tomorrow morning I'd better take the kite down and inspect everything I can think of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHBKF Posted February 4, 2018 Report Share Posted February 4, 2018 Even if you are flying a heavier, tougher standard kite, conditions you describe may still cause damage of some kind. I broke the spine of a kite when a big gust came on suddenly accelerating the kite into the ground. Round these parts there are many trees. I try to listen for changing wind coming through the trees behind my position. I can hear the larger gusts approaching. When this occurs I fly to the side of the window & hover lower while the gust is passing by. Also flying at ten feet or less the wind is usually noticeably less due to ground friction. Another choice is to park at the top of the window straight above you. But don't do that with a power kite..... Try some tip stands over to the side for fun. In a strong sustained wind you can just park the kite on it's tip for a time. Lift slightly, roll the kite up and over then execute an extremely low ground pass to a second tip stand when you stall at the edge of the window on the other side. Great fun & even more so with a long tail. Don't tempt fate with a light kite, fly to the side & land, always. Love it when my lines whine & sing but it is a warning song no doubt. Many of us fly dualies mostly in lighter air switching to vented quads when stronger conditions arrive. Vented sportwings, with the proper frame, eat gusts very well. But that is another call from the Dark Side. You must accept the will of the Force. SHBKF 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted February 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2018 After inspecting looks like the rest of the kite is okay. After removing the ferrule found a slight crack in the coating of the rod. Doesn't look like it's in the carbon but I'm going to replace both sides just to be safe. After thinking about it more feeling luckier then yesterday. Before that gust hit I was thinking about getting the Pro Dancer. That would have been really bad.Nearest trees for me are 30 miles west. The tell is usually dust coming at you but hard to see with your back to the wind.When summer comes the dust devils are going to be interesting. Looked at Riffs bridle mods for a foil. Sigh can feel myself slipping. GFK foil isn't worth much so that would be the sacrificial lamb so to speak. Make myself practice sewing for an hour every morning. Starting to get some descent runs but my proper tension still sucks. Once that's figured out those tabs look very doable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Weekend sucked for flying. Thought the winds were going to howl but just snow and cold. Warmed up a bit and went out with the Zephyr today. Man I missed that kite more than I realized. Prism sent my lower spreader really fast. Pricey but pleased.Winds were running 3 to 6 with a few drops. Really nice for a couple hours. Winds dropped o to 3 mph and had to give it up. Did you know that when snow and ice build up on your kite you can't fly very well in low winds . Still fun though. 2 days without flying and by yesterday afternoon all I could do was play sad sad blues songs. Played myself right into a bout of mild depression LOL. Got over it today though . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Plowed snow for 12 hours in Vail Saturday got Sunday off and 0 wind. It’s windy when I’m at work and the minute I get off Mother Nature turns off the wind. [emoji853]Sent from my IPhone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Ouch. Hauled milk from the dairy farms to the processing plants for 11 years. Night shift for 7 of them. Sat on the side of the road many times waiting for one of you plow boys to clear a path to a farm. Always happy to see those flashing lights. 18 wheeler with a 1/2 load in a smooth bore tank makes for some real tense moments on a slick road. Miss not being able to work except for those times. When the winds dropped could not bring myself to put the PD into the snow. The thought gave me more of a shiver then the cold. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 1/2 load in a tanker. Sound like fun. Lol [emoji23] Sent from my IPhone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted February 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2018 After flying today lines were off again. Just an inch this time. Should be awhile before having to do it again. I hope. Getting fairly good at adjusting though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 I usually find I have to adjust 2-3 times on any new line set, and often times the 2nd or 3rd is because I flew in winds higher than I had previously (more torque).Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 PS, if you want to really beat the system... Put a small extension between each line and strap/handle with a series of knots 1/2” apart, then you can adjust on the fly... Often times just moving lines to another kite or set of handles can bring in more variables, with the knots you can always tune on demand. Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.