Lightening the SLE 1.5

[sandman]

John mentioned that it's possible to lighten up the Rev 1.5 SLE by going with lighter spars.

Which spars do you recommend and who sells them online?

[Penny Lingenfelter]

2 wrap, very light great for no wind. Fragile

3 wrap, good for no wind in experienced hands, light wind and a little sturdier for new fliers.

4 wrap, great for light wind to 15 mph. Then you might want to put your SLE in or changed to a vented kite.

Everybody~ should sell them online. Pick your favorite store.

BB

Penny

[sandman]

...and that's the difficulty. As near as I can tell, terms like 2-wrap, 3-wrap, and 4-wrap are used by experienced flyers.

I looked Kitty Hawk and couldn't find parts. I really hate their site. I looked on GWTW and found parts, but when it comes to spars, I'm lost. Same goes for Into The Wind. Lots of rods, but I don't know what I should be looking for.

http://intothewind.com/shop/Repair_and_Kitemaking

[Steve]

If you don't want to go to a 2 wrap frame, just order an EXP leading edge and pack the SLE away for a real windy day. That will lighten the kite quite a bit and still give you some durability for those unplanned landings.

Steve

[monkey]

...and that's the difficulty. As near as I can tell, terms like 2-wrap, 3-wrap, and 4-wrap are used by experienced flyers.

If you are calling a store, ask for the SUL rods that say "Professional Use Only", those are the two wrap ones.

[Jason Paul]

This should make it simple.

Skyshark straight P-Series spars.

General equivalents:

P200 = 2-wrap

P300 = 3-wrap

P400 = 4-wrap

The Skyshark spars are generally cheaper than Revolution spars.

The most weight savings will be in the LE, so that's the place to start. Any of these will put noticeably more flex in the frame, but will greatly increase low wind performance and responsiveness.

As Penny said, P200 will probably be too fragile.

Personally I use P300 and like them a lot. I've flown in everything from 2-4 mph (still some work) to 20 mph (lots of flex), and haven't broken one yet. I have made quad sticks to help stiffen the frame.

P400 might also be a good choice. They will lower the weight significantly, but not flex quite as much as the others.

What to do. Get three of the spars and two ferrules. They all use .2400 solid internal ferrules (get the longer ones). You can leave two at factory length if you want, and only cut the center spar. You want the total length of the LE to be .5" to 1" longer than the length of your SLE to account for the increased flexibility. Use CA glue to put the ferrules in each side of the center spar (just like your SLE is). Your endcaps will now fit on the OUTSIDE of the new Skyshark spar, rather than inside like they do on your SLE.

Make sense?

Once you get the parts it should make sense.

Also, if you're not used to cutting spars, your kite shop should do it for you. Just tell them how long you want the spar, and they'll probably do it for you at no charge. Steve at GWTW will do this.

Hope that explains it.

Jason

[Dorsal]

Here is a very handy cross-reference chart. http://www.gwtw-kites.com/extras/revs/rods.htm

[John Barresi]

Indeed, check with all the various shops... Particularly those listed on Kitelife.

As a flier, my personal favorite is www.TheKiteShoppe.com - they have the most comprehensive (in stock) inventory of rods and parts I've come across anywhere in the USA.

[The Kite Shoppe]

Thanks John!

Theresa

[Penny Lingenfelter]

Yes, The Kite Shoppe will help you find what your looking for and do a great job explaining our kite jargon.

BB

Penny

[sandman]

Thanks all... I think I get it now... what I need is a 0.25 x 31in. w/ 2 ferrules and 2 0.25 x 31in. rods for a Rev 1.5.

Are the standard endcaps compatible?

[Penny Lingenfelter]

Then end caps that fit inside on your SLE will fit over the ends of the smaller rods and feel loose. It will not affect the flying.

BB

Penny

[Dorsal]

Well I guess I owe an apology to the group. I thought he was looking for information, not a plug for our favorite sources for kite supplies.

[John Barresi]

Don't sweat it Dorsal... It's all just chat, all in line.

[Quad KiT]

Why did my 1.5 SUL come with only one Ultralight and the rest Professional use? And the ultralight does not contain ferrules.

[Steve]

Pretty sure they should all be " Professional use only " Sticks. You might want to show someone at your kite store.

Steve

[Quad KiT]

I purchased it from one of the shops that advertises on Kitelife But it has been a while and I never questioned it because I honestly didnt know the difference between the labels on the sticks until now. From a novice flyer I don't notice any difference in flight.

[John Barresi]

Quad KiT, in this case I'd get in touch with that store and kindly let them know... If the ultralight rod was the center (ferruled) rod, I might understand it... But typically all the rods in an SUL frame should be marked pro use only.

[sandman]

Indeed, check with all the various shops... Particularly those listed on Kitelife.

As a flier, my personal favorite is www.TheKiteShoppe.com - they have the most comprehensive (in stock) inventory of rods and parts I've come across anywhere in the USA.

Well... I just got off the phone with the KiteShoppe. The rods are on the way.

[sandman]

I got the new rods this evening. I quickly rushed out to give them a try. Wow... completely different kite with the new rods.

Thanks Theresa!

[John Barresi]

Sandman, can you tell us about the difference you felt?

Always curious to hear from others.

[sandman]

Other than the better handling in lower wind, the biggest thing I noticed was the decreased inertia. It's much easier to stop a spin than it was with the SLE. I had a tendency to overcontrol and with the lighter rods it's much more responsive to changes in direction.

On the other hand, the SLE is hard to slide. Replacing the rods didn't make the slides easier. In fact, they seemed more difficult than before. I'm going to have to try it again with the large rods to be sure. Slides on the 1.5 are something I'm still working on so I am far from the expert.

...and one last thing... flying reverse is easier.

[John Barresi]

On the other hand, the SLE is hard to slide. Replacing the rods didn't make the slides easier. In fact, they seemed more difficult than before. I'm going to have to try it again with the large rods to be sure. Slides on the 1.5 are something I'm still working on so I am far from the expert.

Upside down (inverted) slide, or upright?

...and one last thing... flying reverse is easier.

Indeed... When the leading edge can flex slightly, reverse is far more effective.

[sandman]

Upside down (inverted) slide, or upright?

Inverted.

[John Barresi]

When doing the inverted slide, try pressing a little more reverse on the trailing wing... The lead wing (direction of flight) is the steering portion, the trailing wing tends to drop when it isn't tended.

If this isn't true in your case, and are inclined, tell me about the tendencies it's exhibiting.

I'll do what I can to help.