21 replies to this topic

[Jawnee]

Hello all:

Glad to see that Rev has a website to exchange ideas. I've owned a Rev II for many years. I have to admit that I've not flown it a lot for some time, but hope to change that soon enough. Many here have commented on how "squirly" the Rev II is.... since its the first one I owned, I never noticed. Yes, it took some time to master, but I think I became pretty good with it. I would usually draw a good crowd when I flew it. I could do most of the advanced stuff and make it sing with power dives stopping it 8 inches in an all out dive straight down.

I've just purchased a new Power Blast 2-4 and its being shipped as we speak (type). I wanted a kite that had a lot more oomph to it and could possibly venture into some mild power work with boards etc. I spend a fair amount of time in the Caribbean and the northeast tradewinds are steady and predictable most of the time. I have a small two place sea-kayak and I'm hoping to (once I get comfy with the Power blast) try "powering" the kayak around with the kite.

I'd like to get some serious feedback on those who know the Power Blast 2-4 well and tell me if this is doable.... basically anything experienced Power Blast folks have, I'd be interested in hearing...

Many thanks

John

[Kitelife]

John, out of curiosity, a little off-topic...

Are you flying that Rev II the way it came, or are you using extended leaders on the tops of your handles?

[Jawnee]

John, out of curiosity, a little off-topic...

Are you flying that Rev II the way it came, or are you using extended leaders on the tops of your handles?

No.... flying it right out of the box as is. I've never done anything to it except enjoy it. I actually work as an airline pilot and take great joy out of extracting every bit of aerodynamics out of these things. I spent a lot of time on layovers learning to fly it (the kite, not the airplane!...;-). Even the Rev II could really pull hard on the beaches in LA when the winds are up high. I'm a little intimidated by the power of the Power Blast 2-4, but am anxious to get it airborne. Just looking for some hands on experience of those who've flown the 2-4....

John

[Kitelife]

While others will provide good info on the Blast 2-4, I'd like to suggest you try lengthening your top lines by 3"-4", especially in high wind...

This should provide a great deal more control, although the brakes will feel sensitive at first.

I flew a Rev II with Race Frame, using about 5" of leader on the top lines... AMAZING how well it flew.

Sorry, back to your regularly scheduled topic.

[Love2fly]

Hello all:

Glad to see that Rev has a website to exchange ideas. I've owned a Rev II for many years. I have to admit that I've not flown it a lot for some time, but hope to change that soon enough. Many here have commented on how "squirly" the Rev II is.... since its the first one I owned, I never noticed. Yes, it took some time to master, but I think I became pretty good with it. I would usually draw a good crowd when I flew it. I could do most of the advanced stuff and make it sing with power dives stopping it 8 inches in an all out dive straight down.

I've just purchased a new Power Blast 2-4 and its being shipped as we speak (type). I wanted a kite that had a lot more oomph to it and could possibly venture into some mild power work with boards etc. I spend a fair amount of time in the Caribbean and the northeast tradewinds are steady and predictable most of the time. I have a small two place sea-kayak and I'm hoping to (once I get comfy with the Power blast) try "powering" the kayak around with the kite.

I'd like to get some serious feedback on those who know the Power Blast 2-4 well and tell me if this is doable.... basically anything experienced Power Blast folks have, I'd be interested in hearing...

Many thanks

John

Hi John-
I can't give any advice on the Power Blast. Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. The folks on this forum are great. We all gladly share our experiences, techniques and ideas. With your background, it will be interesting to hear your perspectives.
Enjoy.

[big bri]

Hello & Welcome to the darkside

The best Review or piece of info i have read about the Blast/Power Blast was by AWINDOFCHANGE on this forum.Some while ago now.I have a little fly time with one,but it was just not my thing realy.Plus it near killed me...lol.Great fun realy and awsome power.
Ive tried to find the piece Awindofchange posted ,but it eludes me atm.I will try and find it later and post it up.

Thers a few guys that have loadsa time on the Blast and will be along im sure.

Welcome and enjoy

BRIAN...10GERUPS

[Jonesey]

Jawnee....

Its good to see some 2~4 interest... so good its got me out of hibernation

I fly my 2~4 almost exclusively in lightish airs (up to about 8 knots) as I don't have a buggy or mountain board.

The best piece of advice for the 2~4 is watch the DVD that comes with it.... My favourite Rev video... Joe at his best .. with the added benefit of none of that scrawny Barresi bloke droning on about lengthening your top lines .... loads of 2~4 specific stuff but very nicely broken into sections that apply to all rev flying.....

Key things on the power series is 'locking' into the power zone and knowing how to de-power to get out of trouble ..... Handle tuning can be a little different if your coming from the rev 2 or a 1.5 .... I am very much a disciple of Mr B's top line set up but when Joe flew my 2~4 last summer in plenty of breeze he made the very valid point that if you set up with too much break you lose the 'quick thumbs back for safety' get out of jail feature.... and that can make for a lot of hard work in any breeze.

As to Kayak pulling .... I'm sure its doable and there was some discussion on here about it before.... the only problem is of course the practicality of what you would do if you ditch the thing .... I have never taken my 2~4 swimming (there's something to look forward to this summer) ...... and would hate to think what the loads would be like if you did, but I am sure we would all welcome any video, pictures or news reports if you give it a go!

Let us know when you get your 2~4 and where you are going to fly it ... I recommend several session in 5 knots to begin with (yeah because that's always how new rev flying pans out ... cue the 30-40 knot storms for the first month you have it!) ...

Enjoy and Welcome to the club!

[big bri]

Jawnee....

Its good to see some 2~4 interest... so good its got me out of hibernation

I fly my 2~4 almost exclusively in lightish airs (up to about 8 knots) as I don't have a buggy or mountain board.

The best piece of advice for the 2~4 is watch the DVD that comes with it.... My favourite Rev video... Joe at his best .. with the added benefit of none of that scrawny Barresi bloke droning on about lengthening your top lines .... loads of 2~4 specific stuff but very nicely broken into sections that apply to all rev flying.....

Key things on the power series is 'locking' into the power zone and knowing how to de-power to get out of trouble ..... Handle tuning can be a little different if your coming from the rev 2 or a 1.5 .... I am very much a disciple of Mr B's top line set up but when Joe flew my 2~4 last summer in plenty of breeze he made the very valid point that if you set up with too much break you lose the 'quick thumbs back for safety' get out of jail feature.... and that can make for a lot of hard work in any breeze.

As to Kayak pulling .... I'm sure its doable and there was some discussion on here about it before.... the only problem is of course the practicality of what you would do if you ditch the thing .... I have never taken my 2~4 swimming (there's something to look forward to this summer) ...... and would hate to think what the loads would be like if you did, but I am sure we would all welcome any video, pictures or news reports if you give it a go!

Let us know when you get your 2~4 and where you are going to fly it ... I recommend several session in 5 knots to begin with (yeah because that's always how new rev flying pans out ... cue the 30-40 knot storms for the first month you have it!) ...

Enjoy and Welcome to the club!

Happy New year old Chap.Youve been missed.Glad your Ok Bud.
Btw,
Like Action Man says above[ ]The DVD i forgot to mention,Its Revs best by far.Some good info.Watch before ya fly.Watch it three times.I missed a few important bits rushing through it the first time.....Hence,nr killed myself with the kite[was fun though].How the spars fit is v important.Ile let ya watch it.I have a spare copy somewhere Lolly[Rev super babe]sent me a while ago.Thats if yours isnt available or ya loose it


BRIAN...10GERUPS

[Jawnee]

All gr8 advice guys.... I put the order in yesterday for the PB 2-4... I live in Montreal, Canada, so our flying season hasn't been kind of late. There is a fairly large network of power skiing that occurs around here. There's a "demo day" this weekend. Its more for larger full power sails, but I can't help think that the PB 2-4 would work as well with a little more control so I don't go airborne and end up in northern New York State!!! I'm also hoping that the PB 2-4 is reasonably transportable so I can bring it with me as I go to work... (flying...sic).

The feedback is appreciated folks!

Jawnee

Demo Day (It's in French)

[AldenMiler]

You are going to enjoy your 2-4! It's a great kite!

Do watch the DVD, especially watch the part about taking the power out of the sail (like Jonesey said). I don't know if I'd hook it up to a kayak, I am sure the sail would be almost impossible to get back out of the water when the inevitable crash happens.

Kent and Lolly told me to put my hands lower on the handles than you would normally fly a B series (probably a rev II also). Also, you need to over correct a little bit when coming out of turns or spins (right hand spin ends with a little snap to the left kind of thing...).

Make sure the first time you take it out that the wind isn't blowing too fast! It'll scare the heck out of you!

Enjoy the inverted slides with it, that kite loves to be upside down and sliding!

-Alden

[kiteslinger]

relaunch from the water is doable but heck of a lot of drag ........if you don't catch it time...

same as the rev 2 it takes a bit of getting use to the rhythm, but once found ..... specially if you ever flown on 4-8 then get back on the 2-4


also over look is the light wind ability ..........as Alden mention is the inverted slides that can be 360ed{around the world in 2-3 mph winds }and the upwind ability reach is amazing

[Jawnee]

Maybe I'll get my cousin "Fat Bastard" to hold onto it the first time in big winds.....lol.... can someone enlighten me on the "upwind" techniques? Specifically, where we hang our hat in Grand Cayman, the winds are north easterly, steady, and normally 15-20 kts in the afternoon. They do settle down in the morning and evening, but they can be brisk for sure.

That is a spectacular picture of the blue Super Blast on the beach.... when I return March 13th, I'll try and post a few myself!

J

[awindofchange]

The Power Blast 2-4 is an awesome kite for sure. Probably one of the most versatile Rev's ever made. It is rated from the factory at 0-20 mph but in true life I have found that you need around 2-3 mph to really fly the kite and enjoy it.

Light winds will really test and tune your technique. The kite is super floaty and will hang up there for what seems like forever once you get the "touch" for it. Turns in light winds will have a ton of oversteer because of the added weight of the kite and will take some time to get use to. As mentioned you do need to give it a lot of counter input to improve on the precision. I really like about 4-5 mph for light wind flying as you can put the kite up, float it around with nearly no effort at all. Loads of fun. As your skills improve your light wind range will also increase.

Strong winds is where this kite really brings the party! The 2-4 is fast (not quite as fast as the Rev II) and will probably feel like a bus compared to your Rev II but the power it will produce is not even measurable to what you are use to. In 10+ mph the kite will lock in and really pack some serious pull. As the wind increases the power will also increase but also, the power will really pack on as the speed of the kite increases. As shown in the Video you can hold the kite in a stall very easily with very little pull in 15 mph winds but once the kite moves forward as little as a foot, the power locks in and it will pull hard enough that you wont be able to hold it back without sliding (or going for superman type ride). The beauty is that you can drop out the brake lines (handles full forward) and dump nearly 80% of the power out of the kite. Just a flick of the wrist and the power dissipates almost instantly. There is a small amount of control that you will need to get use to for the power. The handles are much more sensitive than you may first realize. You can move the handles from a complete stall, to full power, to 50% power in as little as an inch or two of movement on the handles. It is a little sensitive but once you get use to it and figure out just where the power setting is, it is super easy to power up right when you want and dump power as soon as you need.

Simple rule of thumb for power is that if the kite is "rattling" you are not getting full power from the sail. Once you fly the kite you understand more what I am talking about. To get full power, and to take out the "rattle" of the sail, fine tune your brake lines (with your hand position) in small increments and you will hear and feel the difference I am talking about.

The powerblast 2-4 is one awesome fun kite. Anyone who is getting bored or frustrated with precision, patterns, perfecting moves etc... with their other Rev's needs to pick up a Powerblast 2-4 for a change of scenery and put the FUN Back in their Rev flying. It really is a different world from what you are use to.

And I won't go into just how awesome and fast the Power Blast kites are in a buggy!!!

Let us all know how you get along with your new kite. Give yourself a bit of time to get over the learning curve because this kite will be quite different than your Rev II. I am sure once you get it figured out your Rev II won't get near as much fly time.

[AldenMiler]

Another way to take the power out of the sail is to do a single spin. I believe that's covered in the DVD but it's another trick up your sleeve if you need to take the edge off the power.

-Alden

[Jawnee]

Outstanding info gents... my thanks indeed! Should have it delivered mid next week.... stay tuned!

Jawnee

[FortFlyer]

Would like to add a tip or 2 if I might, full power with a 2-4 can be had or lost with as little as 1/4" movement of the wrists.

I have found that if you put a knot 1" in on the bottom leader that seems to be a great way to have it locked in power with straight wrists, The whole trick to this kite is once you lock in the power you also have to lock your wrists to keep it there so it's important to adjust the lines so that lock in mode is in a comfortable position because that kite will wear out your forearms fast if they aren't.

Once you get locked in and find your comfort spot keeping the power and continuing to fly is almost a 2 line maneuver as opposed to turning like a 4 line because you will dump power if you turn the kite like a conventional Rev when locked in.

A good hint that you are locked in correctly aside from feeling the pull is you will see the leading edge go from being straight then all of a sudden you will see it curve and take off like a rocket that's when it's nice and loaded up.

I bought mine for Ultra Light fun and I use it now and then in the winter with a snow board, I'm 6'-1" 300 lbs and that thing pulls me pretty good I cant grass ski with it but if I try to hold it back either the down spar will snap (as it has) or my shoulders will give out its got plenty of power.

Good Luck, You'll love it regardless if you use it for the kayak or not.

[Jawnee]

Wow.... the tips are just like the Ever-Ready Bunny when you put the batteries in backwards... they keep coming and coming...lol. We sure have plenty of snow around here and some nice big frozen lakes. When I return home from "mastering" my PB 2-4 down south, I may give it a try! I have some short ski's (trick ski's) that would work well.

1/4 flick of the wrist huh?.... I think I'll watch the video a few times and keep it on the ground during the afternoon prevailing easterly winds which are sometimes over 20 kts.... thanks for the continuing feedback gentlemen (and ladies if I've missed anyone).

John

[melnsct]

Hi John-
I can't give any advice on the Power Blast. Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. The folks on this forum are great. We all gladly share our experiences, techniques and ideas. With your background, it will be interesting to hear your perspectives.
Enjoy.

Hi John.
I'm with Laura....I have no advice for you.
BUT, I DID buy a used 2~4 a while back but I've only flown it a few times.
It's a very different kite from the "regular" revs.
To be honest, it scares me a little and that's why I haven't flown it very much.
It just goes up there and starts floating around all by itself.....I think I need to add more brake to fix that.....maybe I should get it out again since I've improved a lot lately.

[melnsct]

The best piece of advice for the 2~4 is watch the DVD that comes with it.... My favourite Rev video... Joe at his best .. with the added benefit of none of that scrawny Barresi bloke droning on about lengthening your top lines .... loads of 2~4 specific stuff but very nicely broken into sections that apply to all rev flying.....

I DIDN'T GET A VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<do wonder I can't fly the darned thing>

[Choccy]

Been toying with the idea.....PB... maybe.....one day........

but for now, wow that is one 'immovable ballast' in that pic.... required for my normal vented dayz!