57 replies to this topic

[Sailor99]

Good point Harrier. That is a new kite, and now you say it I have not adjusted the tension due to laziness. It will be looked at tonight!

[Choccy]

If it rattles there is 'too much' forward.

hello Felix,
didn't you tighten one of our teal b-series sails because it was 'rattling' ?

[Jonesey]

to keep with the nautical stuff, Jeremy, you would not be sailing around with your boom outhaul slack in a decent breeze would you.

Depends on the balance of the boat ... but that's just me being pedantic .... what you wouldn't do is keep sailing with the leech fluttering, you would pull just enough leech line on to stop it.... and i think that's the problem here .... there are two types of rattle/flutter that people hear/see.... not enough bungee tension/or break(sheet tension) means the whole sail collapses and you hear the rattle ... whereas on an older kite where the leech itself has stretched it will constantly vibrate when loaded causing a buzz or hum.. and no amount of bungee tension will stop this... needs a small take up in the leech or a leech line adding .... personally it sounds like an excuse to buy a new one!

[Felix Mottram]

hello Felix,
didn't you tighten one of our teal b-series sails because it was 'rattling' ?

I might have suggested it but have no memory of actually doing it!

There is rattling due to slack bungee and rattling due to lack of brakes. Both reduce control in my experience.

Felix

[big bri]

Mr Hoath sorted my hand position.I was holding the handles ,way to far up.This also had the rattle effect on the sail.Holding the handles in a lower position stopped the rattle.

The top finger just overlapping the top of the foam,half on half off.I think JB also discribed the method previous.

Helped a few people since with that top tip.

BRIAN...

[Kitelife]

I train my guys to hold their handles so their index finger is matched up with the top of the foam...

In other words, the exposed metal above the foam should not be covered by your fingers.

[Felix Mottram]

I train my guys to hold their handles so their index finger is matched up with the top of the foam...

In other words, the exposed metal above the foam should not be covered by your fingers.

(Hmm, checks iQuad Practice 'handling' section on DVD from Uchinada by Masanobu Komuro)

Looks like some of your guys need some more training! <grins>

Felix

[Kitelife]

Yes, that's true.

[Felix Mottram]

Yes, that's true.

But did you see the DVD? <grins again>

[ian4c]

Now as to you buying a 2~4 .. its no secret around here that I am a HUGE fan of that kite and I think it has taught me a completely different appreciation of light air techniques... keeping it moving, using gravity, floating, walking backwards etc all stuff that has helped me fly my B's better.... I fly alone mostly so you need variation in your bag to keep you motivated ...sorry but I just cant do 2 hours of drills on my own.. so a break and something completely different is what needed and thats my 'go to' kite of choice to mix it up in the light stuff (I have a few speed series kites for the same reason in a breeze).

Hi Jonesey

So you fly most of the time on your own! Me too. Having said that, since the the Exmouth Kite Festival I have met a couple of new although not inexperienced Rev fliers. They should be joining our forum in the near future.

Anyway, what I was going to say was, one of the new friends has a Blast 2-4, hence my recent interest in the Blast after flying it.

Please to say my new Black / White Blast 2-4 left Rev today, ordered via Stephen at Kiteworld.

Will be asking you for some tips when it arrives!

Ian

[Kitelife]

I did see the DVD, I got my own copies.

[Clin]

The key with our settings is to remember... As you're holding the handles, full "pinkies out" (total thumbs-back angle) is forward, with all four lines taut, loading the sail fully.

Hi John,
Do you fly with the same settings for iQuad and solo performance?

Cheers
Clin

[Kitelife]

I do, exactly the same... No difference in frame or sail type either.

iQuad style is made for sheer performance, and patterned after the techniques I use.

[Dean750]

Ya know, I fly with my index finger on the metal above the foam. Thats the way I learned. With RescueRev yesterday that one bit of advice in holding the handles had him up an learning dive stops in about an hour and a half. For him and sometimes for myself when the Rev starts to lose forward movment it's because your thumbs have rolled forward. Letting go with the middle and ring finger causes the handle to pivot on the index finger automaticlly give the kite lift again. Just a thought.

Dean

P.S. Had my Rev up one handed for about 15 seconds yesterday with both hands.

[kwmf]

I'm a bit late to this party, but looking at the start of the thread it seems to indicate that a B series will be just as good as a 1.5 SUL. Would that mean that a B series would perform better in low wind than a 1.5 SLE with the same frame?

Steven

[ian4c]

I'm a bit late to this party, but looking at the start of the thread it seems to indicate that a B series will be just as good as a 1.5 SUL. Would that mean that a B series would perform better in low wind than a 1.5 SLE with the same frame?

Steven

Well for me, I would certainly go for the 'B' along with the race frame. Probably the pro's with their experience in low wind would disagree but for the rest of us the 'B' is the business! IMHO.

Ian

[kwmf]

Nobody else got any insight?

[REVflyer]

The simplest solution? order your B-Series pro 1.5 with the SUL leading edge sleeve and complete race frame!

You'll have the revised (and superior!) flight dynamics of the improved sail pattern layout and assembly techniques (plus Bazzer's excellent attention to details!), as well as all the advantages of the lighter weight overall kite.
Remember though, you also decreasing the mass, . . . so you don't get free lift with the glides as easily
(more pilot action becomes necessary, foot steps to add energy, longer throw handles, together with flailing techniques). You gain not having to work as hard to power-up the sail, so feel free to dump all of the air pressure and spank your kite around for awhile (flail!)

You will really notice the weight differences when putting the kites inverted (from the top of the wind window) and letting go. Place both handles way out in front of you and then throw them forward, completely releasing them to the ground. How far away will the kite glide all on it's own? I don't want to hear folks crying about loss of wind or inability to recover their field! The darn thing glides forward for a very long distance, at least on my modifications and tuning. Speaking of tuning, I routinely move my grips on the handles from full forward power position (index finger directly on the metal tube) to maximum braking position, when pinky fingers are resting at the bottom of the handle foam grip. The key is comfort, there's no correct answer, do what feels right and makes the kite dance out there on the end of your lines!

If you want the kite more responsive in low wind consider altering the bridle. The center's leading edge attachment point has some wiggle, as well as the connector point between the two different pieces of bridle, that loop can be reduced in size also. You're not dramatically altering the flight dynamics (compared to the stock bridle), but a more direct connect to the frame equals a quicker change in direction (critics would say it's too twitchy ~ I say it's more responsive). That built-in wiggle is not necessarily a character flaw! It smooths-out the pilot's inputs (dilutes commands is my retort, but I live in the land of no wind)